Review by Jeger on December 9, 2025.

Varg Vikernes… Where do you even start? Back in 1992, during the swell of the Second Wave, Varg Vikernes of Burzum was convicted of setting fire to three different churches in his home country of Norway: Holmenkollen Chapel, Skjold Church and Åsane Church. He was actually tried for a fourth - Fantoft Stave Church, but he was acquitted despite some strong evidence to support the notion that he was the perpetrator. Varg was associated with the notorious Norwegian Inner Circle - a loosely organized group of Black Metal misfits who dabbled in Devil Worship and were involved in some arsons of their own. Though he never became an official member for whatever reason, his ties to the Circle's focal collective, Mayhem, and the Circle's ringleader, Euronymous, were tight. So much so that Varg was Mayhem's bassist for an extent and he contributed to their 1994 debut LP, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", much to the dismay of Euronymous' family who demanded that they be re-recorded due to the fact that Varg had repeatedly stabbed their son in the head with a pocket knife; resulting in his untimely demise; mainly because of a rumor… The layers of this story are thick and many, but we all know why we're here. We all know why I'm risking a stint in FB jail for posting this review and we all know why you continue to read. We're all here to appreciate the aforementioned Burzum! And the project's most renowned LP, 1996's "Filosofem".

There's something very simple about "Filosofem", very wholesome. It was recorded at Breidablik Studio in March of 1993, and whoever was responsible for things like tone, clarity and mixing fucking nailed it. With savvy engineering paired with Varg's deep understanding of Black Metal, Burzum put together one of the GOATS. Yes, it's repetitive… But so is a massage! In tracks like the opener, "Dunkelheit" (the German word for Burzum) and its follower, "Jesus' Tod", Varg captivates with dry-buzz melodic riffs and steady rhythms that reciprocate to the point of hypnosis - a blessed union of melody and harmony, of percussion and synth. So different than anything his compadres were releasing. There's an ethos, a deeper meaning here. It's funny how the most eloquent one is always somehow the most violent. The above-mentioned "Jesus' Tod" swirls and races along at a faster tempo; bonded together by surging, finesse rhythmic currents. And yet there's this sense of rage, of genuine hatred in the energy of the music as it penetrates deep within; causing feelings of unease or even anxiety while every intense repetition cuts through the fabric of your consciousness as does a river through a canyon.

Karate YouTube videos… Controversial remarks pertaining to race and having apparently become some kind of survival nut who reminds me of the Norwegian version of Ted Nugent. The brilliant ones always turn weird. Or maybe the guy is actually a misunderstood fucking genius whose musical IQ is comparable to his intellectual capacity. Polarizing and just quite the character is Varg Vikernes. "Filosofem", at the very least reflects his love of country. The cover of the album and the artwork found inside the case were originally painted by Norwegian Painter, Theodor Kittelson (1857 - 1914). The painting that served as the cover art for "Filosofem" is titled 'Op Under Fjeldet Toner en Lur' (Up in the Hills a Clarion Call Rings Out).

"Filosofem" also features the eccentric "Rundtgåing av den transcendentale egenhetens støtte" - a psychedelic Nachtmystium sort of instrumental that involves the eerie twang of the guitar, the drip drip of the synth and the low rumble of the bass. Like something created by a mad Scientist! Just dicking around here no doubt, but still managing to mesmerize is Varg, as what has been par for the record so far, whether it be enthrallment by some of the more intense cuts on the album or transcendence by this one. Makes me wanna eat some mushrooms…

More weirdness, I mean brilliance during "Gebrechlichkeit II". Some kind of half organic, half iron mechanism clattering about. Or some ages-old machine dying. The end builds and then builds into a psychotic cacophony. Maddening, bewildering and did I say brilliant? This is a proud Black Metal album that just beats the hell out of shit like "Dark Medieval Times". Think what you want about our buddy here, but one thing remains clear, and that is the indisputable fact that Varg Vikernes had the right idea for a while when it came to recording true Black Metal. And what do you expect from a guy like him? Most of the greats are insane yet fiercely intelligent like Hoest (Taake) or eccentric and seemingly ignorant like Varg. I honestly don't even know exactly what this guy has said over the years to bury his reputation, because all I really care about is the music, but I would imagine that within whatever he said, there's probably a nugget or two of truth. To Burzum! To Varg? That's up to you, my friend. Love it, hate it, love & hate it, just don't mistake "Filosofem" as anything else other than a great Black Metal album. Hails!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 18, 2019.

If proof of this were still needed, the previous reviews demonstrate it in a very clear manner: I am absolutely narrow-minded, at least in terms of metal. I cannot understand how people really appreciate this classic so much that they give a rating of (almost) 100%. As one of the colleagues said, it's an album of two halves and they are so different that I do not have a clue how anyone can love both parts so deeply. But I have to realize that most reviewers have given 95% or more - I beg your pardon that I cannot join the ranks of these well-respected dudes. Varg Vikernes fascinates me with his metallic monuments, but the artistic idea behind the ambient excursions remains hidden for me. 

Be that as it may, Filosofem is an outstanding work. The large format of the limited edition with the fantastic drawings of Theodor Kittelsen indicates the exceptional quality of the music. No doubt, the folkloric monochrome pictures and the music of Varg are a perfect match. With both the cover and the booklet, Varg makes clear that black metal has a multi-layered structure - and a traditional, almost somewhat romantic facet. Black metal is a worldwide phenomenon, but it's no global style and much less internationally compatible than, for instance, thrash metal with its US American character. Of course, no law without exception, but hopefully you know what I mean. 

But let's get back to Filosofem. To be honest, "Rundgang um die transzendentale Säule der Singularität" (forgive me for using the German name of the title, sometimes I am a patriot) is one of the most boring pieces I have ever heard - and it lasts 25 minutes! This is a violation of the International Bill of Human Rights, isn't it? Admittedly, keyboards can be used cleverly, but their sound was not the reason why I begun to listen to metal. Aggravating the situation, Varg does not use them in an intelligent manner. The fragile, wannabe-mesmerizing tones of the song with the moronic title create an atmospheric atmosphere, but even this description is almost an euphemism. In spite of this atmosphere, the 25 minutes give me absolutely nothing. This means that almost 50% of the album make no sense, at least in my humble opinion. There is not even the smallest bit of metal in this song and inter alia because of this fact, it is just a waste of time.

Thank Odin, the first three tracks are light years away from this sonic soporific substance. Better still, their brute force is combined with truly hypnotic, coarse and irresistible melodies. To avoid misunderstandings, I am speaking of really minimalist yet extremely efficient melodies. They are accompanied by the prototypical, charismatic and raw voice of Varg and convey strong emotions. For example, the stoic and cold "Dunkelheit" reflects deep despair and apathy, but it casts its spell on the audience in a matter of seconds. By contrast, "Jesus' Tod" has more verve. Just like its neighbors, it avoids tempo changes and breaks wherever possible, but its speedy approach makes it unique in the context of the here presented material. The guitar riff seems to consist of thousands of spines that intend to torture the listener. The very distorted voice expresses hate and misanthropy, the double-bass guarantees the heavy groundwork and the devastating aura of this tune is simply second to none. And to close this ingenious chapter of Varg's creativity: "Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments" lies between its two predecessors. It's great, voluminous, slow-paced and driven by an impressive guitar work. All songs profit from the dense, direct and icy sound of the album. No doubt, the guitars play the main role, nevertheless, the sound is well balanced.

The remaining two songs have one big advantage. They are shorter than the 25 minutes plague, nevertheless, these bastards of ambient and (some) metallic sounds do not really convince. Varg's lamenting voice gives the first part of "Gebrechlichkeit" a certain degree of brutality, but all in all, these tracks stand in the shadow of the big Norwegian spruce which is created by the opening trio. Honestly spoken, it doesn't matter. Filosofem spreads incomparable vibes, it was an identity creating work for broad parts of the scene and it definitely does not lack courage. Varg was a brilliant musician and his (unfortunately pretty sick) brain created an important milestone, regardless of the fact that I did not like each and every tune. So, I give 75% for the music (but three times 100% for the songs of the first half), but let me add 5 percentage points due to the historical relevance of Filosofem.

Rating: 8 out of 10