Filosofem

[Prospero]

I often read that Varg did not assist the production of Filosofem. Yet, since it is so different, I wonder If any of you know what was Varg's level of participation in the making of the album. (For example: Gebrechlichkeit I and II, was this actually recorded that way when Varg entered prison?)

[Humanicide]

i wonder if he meant to record drums for those 2 songs.

theyre good as they are, but i wonder what they would sound like with percussion.

[dark_defender]

i think i remember reading how he verbally directed exactly how the final production should be arranged. it lends to the composition though, the way the material is written is almost inseparable from that 'wall of noise' sound. the more technical compositions of 'Det som engang var' for example wouldn't sit as nicely here.

though some of the songs were written earlier on - it is possible they were being saved for this recording with the intention of being better expressed through such a production.

[buckets_of_rain]

i wonder if he meant to record drums for those 2 songs.

Judging by the way he said the albums were recorded, that being in quick lumps, I doubt there was any unfinished work on the tracks.

I also remember him saying in a recent interview that he was lying about not knowing how the album turned out because so many people were asking him about it.  

I do wonder about that sometimes though.  Is everything the way he wanted it to be?

[Euronymous]

And judging by what he anwers in the interview of 10-05-05 by Chris Mitchell, he knows the final recording:

"The "Filosofem" ("Philosofem") album: this album contains the first real Burzum track, titled "Dunkelheit" on the album (but the real title of the track is "Burzum". "Dunkelheit" is just the German translation of "Burzum"), that I originally wanted to include on the "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" album (but the recording was very poor, so I didn't use it). I changed the name to Burzum from Uruk-Hai when I made this song (I think in August 1991). The album is a bit weird, and far from perfect, but it is okay. Unfortunately (?), this is the album that sounds the most like the new Burzum music. "

Also, the album was recorded in March, not being Varg arrested until August, so...

[death metal black metal]

The ongoing tragedy of Burzum is that people pay more attention to him than his music. They'd rather obsess like fangirls over his hair, his clothes, his personal life and his drama than they would pay attention to the music and what it tells them.

That's why he is sick of them all.

[Prospero]

No matter who is behind this album, I am simply wondering if the experimental tracks and overall sound on Filosofem were/was intended. Some of the songs might have possible been a collage.

[Euronymous]

The ongoing tragedy of Burzum is that people pay more attention to him than his music. They'd rather obsess like fangirls over his hair, his clothes, his personal life and his drama than they would pay attention to the music and what it tells them.

That's why he is sick of them all.

I don't think so that much, and less being 2008.

The origin of the thread is a legitime speculation that concerns obviously the music, that was not self-created and therefore could have been perhaps different considering  it's author circumstances.

[Werewolf]

No matter who is behind this album, I am simply wondering if the experimental tracks and overall sound on Filosofem were/was intended. Some of the songs might have possible been a collage.

Now I remember reading in an interview that Varg used a fuzzbox and his brother's old stereo to get that sound. Either he couldn't afford a proper amp/distortion setup, or he did it on purpose. If the latter is true, then the sound of Filosofem was intentional. If the former is true, then perhaps the accidental discovery of that super-"fuzzy" guitar sound was what led to Filosofem's style -- that is to say, he found something by accident and just rode it wherever it took him.

[Reptile]

He also used a headsett microphone to record the vocals, and not too sound kvlt or anything but i do think filosofem is a real masterpiece. A dark voyage into the infinities of black marshes, may not be the right definition but the first thing to come to mind.

[we hope you die]

The remarkable difference in Filosofem is the vocals. I wonder if anyone knows how he achieved that effect, because it does not sound as natural as earlier works.

[chb]

He asked for the worst equipment to record the vocals. Bad headphones did the trick.

[Werewolf]

The remarkable difference in Filosofem is the vocals. I wonder if anyone knows how he achieved that effect, because it does not sound as natural as earlier works.

Those vocals can easily be done either by using a bad microphone or, more easily, simply hooking the mic up to some heavy guitar distortion and whispering into it.

[ASBO]

I think no one has hit on the most interesting aspect of the album, which is that he has layered guitars and/or vocals like a My Bloody Valentine album.

Seriously, listen to "Loveless" and then "Filosofem." It's a similar technique, just Burzum did his about ten thousand times more efficiently.

[Prospero]

The two albums sound quite differently. I mean one could be a war soundtrack while the other sounds like music to make love to. Yet, both share that lustful feeling resulting from heavy distortion.