Interview with Varg Vikernes - Burzum

Photobucket

In the eve of the official world wide release of "Fallen", we managed to have a few questions answered by the mastermind behind Burzum: Varg Vikernes. In this select questions we talk about the music behind "Fallen", future plans of the 'band' and some of the recording elements of this great release.

Infernal Masquerade: Thanks for taking time to answer our questions, and let’s get started. "Fallen” is set to hit the stores worldwide on March 7th, what prompted the release of this album one year after the previous one? Can we expect Burzum releases without long wait periods?

Varg: Thank you for the interest.

Yes I think you should expect Burzum releases without long waiting periods from now on. The next album – a compilation album called From the Depths of Darkness – is due for release next September, and I am currently working on an album which I expect to finish soon enough for a release next March. I might make another compilation too, next Summer, and release that one September next year. We will see what happens.

Fallen was released this March mainly because my distributors didn't want me to release a brand new album sooner than that...

Infernal Masquerade: As you mention, the new album feels like a blend of older material with “Belus”. What made you want to work old school music equipment as is outlined on the press release of the album? Will you ever consider using more modern tools for future releases (Pro tools, etc)?

Varg: Actually, I just told everyone about which equipment I used to avoid having to reply to a number of e-mails with questions about the equipment used for the recording. Personally I don't care what equipment I use. I just use whatever is at hand. It doesn't really matter.

We did use ProTools, by the way, when recording all the instruments. So although all the instruments were analogue we recorded everything digitally. Oh, and we used one sample, on the kick on the slow parts of Fallen. So that's digital too.

When I make music I use Tracktion 2 software (on my home PC) and an Echo Gina 3G card.

Infernal Masquerade: As many people are wondering, why did you decided to use humming parts and more clean vocals for this release? We really enjoy the harmonies created by the humming and think they sound great, but what did you wanted to reflect with them?

Varg: My idea was that they would add something to the album, and in particular a feeling of dialogue, or some sort of uncertainty, insecurity or even inner conflict.

Infernal Masquerade: The covers of “Fallen” and “Belus” are very different from the older Burzum releases, what made you change style of the covers?

Varg: I guess the fact that I am not some sort of black metal entity, frozen in time, unable and unwilling to change...

Infernal Masquerade: Where do you see Burzum’s sound going in the future? More experimental? More raw? Where do you think the next album will take you?

Varg: Probably down the same path as Fallen, but yes, I will probably try to experiment a bit more. Whether it is raw or not is something I find out after I make the music, and not something I plan ahead.

Infernal Masquerade: Are there any plans or ideas of a few live shows? Or will Burzum stay a studio-only project?

Varg: It is a studio-only project, and I have no plans to change this.

Infernal Masquerade: Any comments on “Fallen” being leaked on the internet a few months before its release? Do you consider this a big problem for smaller labels like Byelobog Productions? Have you noticed any difference between the file sharing of your latest releases versus the first Burzum albums?

Varg: No, I have no details on file sharing.

I don't really see the fact that it leaked so soon as a problem. I think albums being leaked on the internet is only a problem to the labels and bands if the album is poor, and I don't think Fallen is a poor album. Now everyone interested have been able to hear (actually a low quality copy of) the album before they needed to decide whether to purchase it or not. I might add that we have had far more pre-purchases of Fallen than we had of Belus. So... Most of those who heard it didn't find it poor.

The music business works in mysterious ways...

Photobucket

Read our review of "Fallen" here.

More info:

http://www.burzum.org/

http://byelobog-productions.burzum.org/

Other: 

Recent Image Galleries