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Release Date: April 5th, 2011
Record Label: Candlelight
My rating points:
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"Fallen" is the 9th studio album from legendary Black Metal band Burzum. It is the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2010's "Belus", and marks a major change in Burzum's sound.
The album begins with a short ambient track, which is nearly impossible to describe to someone who hasn't heard it. It sets the mood for the album, and helps to create the classic Burzum vibe.
The music kicks in with the track "Jeg Faller", and you can automatically tell that Varg has completely overhauled his entire way of doing things. The mix is much cleaner, there's much more variety in the riffs, and the bass is mixed in nicely. Varg's voice has changed dramatically as well; it sounds much more evil than it used to, but it also sounds a bit dry. Whatever the case may be, "Jeg Faller" is a truly incredible track.
The rest of "Fallen" follows in the same fashion. Everything is nice and brutal, and Varg's intensity level seems to increase with each song. Varg seems to make room on almost every track for short, almost poetic verse where he simply speaks in an eerie tone. It's quite beautiful, really. The riff structures all scream classic Burzum, and Varg's vocal change really adds a new element to the music.
What really makes "Fallen" remarkable is the mix. Anyone that has ever listened to a standard Burzum album knows that Varg's sound was always muddy, low-fi, and often times it was hard to understand what was going on, musically. This is not the case with "Fallen." Everything rings through clear as a bell, and it just sounds amazing, while still managing to sound like Burzum.
The album ends with another indescribable ambient track, which really doesn't sound like it belongs on a Burzum album, but it's strangely a fitting way to end the album; especially the odd acoustic strumming at the end.
Overall, "Fallen" is not an album you want to miss out on. For a seasoned fan of the band, or a brand new listener, "Fallen" is the perfect example of Varg's undying legacy and musical abilities.
Listen to "Jeg Faller" using our music player!
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