In 1991, when Satanel disbanded, Vikernes revived his solo project, changing the name to Burzum (which translates to "darkness" in J.R.R. Tolkien's Black Speech, which is spoken by orcs and other creatures of Mordor). Handling all instruments and vocals by himself, he recorded Burzum's first four full-length albums in a span of just over one year. In addition to all that, he joined Mayhem on bass, as well.
In the wake of the notoriety surrounding the church burnings, and finally the murder of Mayhem's leader Euronymous in 1993, Vikernes faced a trial and was sentenced to 21 years in prison (and 10 years additional confinement, a system that has since been changed). For a very short period of time, Vikernes was allowed to have a guitar in his cell. However, once he was no longer allowed to have a guitar in his cell, and proclaiming all rock and metal-based music to be culturally alien and non-Aryan in origin, he chose to continue Burzum in a keyboard-based, neoclassical ambient vein for the two albums that followed.
Vikernes chose to end Burzum in late 2000, disappointed that fans were still connecting Burzum with Satanism, despite his allegiance to paganism and right-wing politics.
According to Vikernes, because Euronymous was too incompetent to release Burzum albums on Deathlike Silence Productions, Vikernes decided to start his own label called Burznazg (which translates to "Dark Ring" in Tolkien's Dark Speech), that was later (in 1993) changed to Cymophane Records (Greek: "Wave to appear", the name of a gem that is shaped like an eye) and do everything himself.
In October 2003, Vikernes had a weekend leave from jail, and fled during that time - only to be caught back later the same day by the police. Rumors also began to circulate that a third ambient album was to be released, and that the plans were canceled after Vikernes' attempted escape. However, Vikernes denied these claims.
In March 2009, it was announced that Vikernes would be released from prison, on the condition that he would have to report to his parole officer for the period of a year. On May 24, 2009, he was officially released on probation.
Vikernes has repeatedly stated that he is not fond of using a specific font as to make it an official logo for Burzum, showing no interest whatsoever towards having an actual logo. The old writing is often considered as the logo, yet Vikernes did not intend it, but only took the font he thought to suit the best among all other font stickers he found in a store. He has also remarked in a number of interviews that he is not fond of Burzum being labeled as "black metal", in turn, he thinks "heavy metal" suits better. However, he refers to his music as "scaldic metal" or even "scaldic music".
In 2012 Vikernes opened a YouTube channel for his blog, Thulean Perspective where he uploaded a video featuring a new instrumental black metal track called "Back to the Shadows". In the description of the video, he stated that Burzum would cease producing metal for good.
Other exclusive tracks have been streamed through Thulean Perspective's YouTube Channel.
In 2019 the channel has been closed by YouTube for several violations of the site's standards such as promoting white supremacy, racism and discrimination toward various ethnical groups and communities.
In July 2013, Vikernes was arrested in France under the suspicion that he was planning a terrorist attack. French police decided to act when Vikernes' wife legally purchased four hunting rifles in a local shop.
Vikernes's first band was known as Uruk-Hai, formed around 1988-89. In mid-1990 Vikernes took a one-year break, which he spent playing in Old Funeral, and later in Satanel, which he formed with Abbath of Immortal.
As of June 2018, after three years officially of musical inactivity with Burzum, Varg Vikernes implied in a YouTube video posted on his channel "Thulean Perspective", that his long-time project was finally over.
In October of 2019, Varg tweeted that another album consisting of unreleased material is in the works.
Interesting facts:
Burzum has never played live.
AiwarikiaR, the former Ulver drummer, was intended to be the drummer of Burzum during the short period that Vikernes was considering to make live performances under the Burzum name. Fenriz from Darkthrone and Hellhammer from Mayhem, were also auditioned - the latter was in fact announced as the band's new drummer on flyers and in interviews in the interim between the self-titled album and the Aske EP.
At one point, before the murder of Euronymous, Vikernes was considering on signing to Earache Records to release his fourth album and this label did want to try having a black metal act on their line-up. Though, Earache hesitated to sign him because of his highly racist views (and also the fact that at that time, Earache were a death metal/grindcore label and were not known for black metal) despite the fact that Vikernes was also arrested the following year of this.
All albums from the self-titled to Hlidskjalf were jointly re-released in 2010 on Byelobog Productions and Candlelight Records as jewel case CD with slipcase.
Although Vikernes officially ended Burzum in 2018, in October 2019 he announced that he will be releasing a new full-length album tentatively titled Thulean Mysteries at some point in the near future. The release is intended to be used as background music while playing his MYFAROG tabletop role-playing game.
BURZUM
Country of origin: Norway
Location: Bergen, Vestland (early); Bø, Vestfold og Telemark (mid); Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (later)
Status: Split-up
Formed in: 1991
Genre: Black Metal, Ambient
Lyrical themes: Myths, Folklore, Odalism, Darkness, Philosophy
Last label: Byelobog Productions
Years active: 1991-2000, 2009-2018
Font:
Encyclopaedia Metallum - Burzum
