The blemishes of Burzum's growing pains fade as Varg's sophomore effort plays concise, sharp, effortlessly flowing through the fruits of his lonesome esoteric craft. A masterclass in how to structure a record, Det Som Engang Var houses the final remains of sinister metallic groove, before sequestering into the depths of lonely atmosphere on future releases. With a bold linearity, songs brood, evolve and venture to breaks, deviations and climaxes at thoughtful pace. Its flow gushes with musicality, weaving in plenty of nightly heathen melody to its monstrous demeanor. Varg jostles extremities, shuffling between tuneful lockstep grooves and frighting bursts of discordant terror held together by loose blast beats, arriving at wild destinations.
Opening with the scowling ferocity of Key To The Gate, this roar of dissonant metalic anger matures through blues pains punctuated by Vargs anguished howls with a stunning uplift of anthemic melody. Proceeded by En Ring Til Aa Herske, we revel in the echo's of Black Sabbath groove twisted to a frozen landscape as soft murmuring chants bestow a glorious ritualistic mood. Lost Wisdom returns in its best incarnation. Bereft of fuzzy fidelity, the track shines with a fierce might. Jostling Varg's typical arsenal of disheveled chords, roaring groove and dusky melody, the song blooms.
Next we hit the Dungeon Synth note, Han Som Reiste showcases an ear for melody evoking naturalistic and ancient cultural themes, tilted to a lonely peculiarity. Its a gorgeous song, the following Naar Himmelen Klarner shares its qualities but is performed on dueling guitars drenched in fuzzy distortion. It creates a stunning atmosphere but its underlying composition suggests it too could have been performed with synths. The gradual build to arrive of a simple drum groove is always enchanting.
Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn has long been a favorite. Its pummeling dissonance and dreary persona grinds with repetition, shuffling into hardy guitar riffs that highlighted the values of brooding on an idea to a young me. Its offering of light at the midpoint plays a swell, gratifying reward, ideas we will hear again later on, explored deeper still. The track then muddies its way through another spooky spell of intensity, lacking the pummel of barbaric drums, to arrive at that magical destination once again.
Either side of all these cuts lay some Dark / Black Ambient pieces, masterfully composed, estranged, mystic and complimentary of the five songs nestled between them. This lean approach will evolve as we embark on Varg's finest work next.
Rating: 10/10