BURZUM - DET SOM ENGANG VAR (1993)

This legendary masterpiece of an album with the great title Det Som Engang Var is 25 years old now. Here’s my old digipack CD release from Misanthropy Records/Cymophane Productions of October 1994. This LP is a reissue from 2008 on Black On Black actually one of the first Black Metal vinyls that I ever bought. I started buying vinyl records in 2007/08 just my favorites and I had a bunch that I got from my older sister. Didn't even have a record player 10 years ago I just thought they looked cool.

Can't believe it today but I didn’t like Det Som Engang Var or Burzum whenever I heard them the first time probably in 1995. It wasn’t until I had bought and figured out the excellency of Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (1994) in late 1995 or early 96 and revisited Det Som Engang Var that I liked it, but still wasn’t blown away with it. Nowadays I rank it as the 2nd best Burzum album ever and my favorite Filosofem (1996) is just slightly better, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is my number 3 that one was number 2 for a very long time for me.

To give you an idea of how much I like the masterpiece Det Som Engang Var is. I use Spotify at work because my job lets me listen to music (or podcasts; books; radio documentaries) all day long. Although I almost proclaim to be Herr Physical Media it's more convenient then to bring CD's. How does Spotify get into this? Well of course I sort my playlists band by band and the 3 furthest up are first Funeral Mist, followed by Marduk then Burzum (then Dissection, Emperor, Bathory & Darkthrone).

Usually don’t like to say that any band is my favorite, but Burzum is probably my top band from the Norwegian Black Metal scene. They are a go to band whenever I cannot figure out what I’m in the mood to listen to of the day (or the other mentioned bands). I never get tired of listening to Det Som Engang Var because of its variation.

The instrumental ambient opening song Den Onde Kysten sets a great dark mood immediately, then into the amazing Key To The Gate and En Ring Til Aa Herske. Then Lost Wisdom with that amazing opening guitar riff, that's how Black Metal should sound! It was composed in June 91. Pure amazing ambient magic performed on Han Som Reiste a great break it add much to the feeling of Det Som Engang Var. One of my favorite ambient Varg Vikernes composed songs and that was written in April 92.

Followed by another instrumental that was written as early as February 1989 but this time with guitar, bass and drums Naar Himmelen Klarner. Then the longest song on the album the 9.5 minute Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn it was written in March 92, and I'm repeating myself, another amazing one. The last one Svarte Troner was written in April 92 and this instrumental song kind of remind me of Sweden's Abruptum and is probably the weakest moment of the Det Som Engang Var.

Everyone knows the story about when this was released! After Euronymous death/murder (don't want to get into that discussion it was enough babbling about that in the 90's) and after Varg's arrest. It was recorded as early as April 1992 before the Aske (1993) EP but released after that. Earache was interested in releasing Burzum and yada yada yada...

Have two vinyls that I’m searching for a good deal on (well there’s probably 666+ LP’s more I want) but in the top-2 is the Det Som Engang Var first print LP released in 1994 by Misanthropy Records/Cymophane Productions. Kim my great old friend of Tyrant Wrath sell me yours!?

It’s not a crazy expensive LP but I want it complete with poster so it's about 300 Euro or more for a nice copy. Believe me or not but I haven’t actually paid more then 1000 SEK (approx €100/$110) for many vinyls in my entire collection, there's a few exceptions of course. But I got a pretty good collection at least I think that and usually wait for a deal.

Anyway Det Som Engang Var is a perfect Black Metal album and a must have one in any extreme metal collection!