Burzum – Fallen - Album Streaming & Download

Origin : Norway

Genre : Black Metal / Ambient

Release : 2011

Album downloads only available to members

Album Info / Review

Intro:
“Fallen” from Burzum, released in 2011, arrives as a stark, somber testament to Varg Vikernes’ singular, unvarnished vision. Emerging from the shadow of his previous prison sentence, this album eschews the raw, primal fury of early black metal for a more introspective, melodic, and yet no less bleak, sonic landscape. It is a record steeped in the cold, unforgiving beauty of Norwegian nature, filtered through a mind grappling with isolation and a profound, often unsettling, worldview. The production is cleaner than much of Burzum’s output, allowing the intricate guitar work and the melancholic atmosphere to breathe, though it retains a certain rawness that prevents it from ever feeling polished or accessible in a conventional sense. “Fallen” is not an album designed to appease, but rather to immerse the listener in a specific, potent emotional and philosophical state.

Track Analysis:
“Fra Verden Tre” opens the album with a haunting, clean guitar melody, a mournful arpeggio that immediately establishes the melancholic tone. The drums enter with a restrained, almost tribal beat, before the distorted guitars cascade in, creating a wall of sound that is both heavy and surprisingly delicate. The vocals, a signature guttural growl, are delivered with a sense of resigned despair, a lament rather than an outright scream. “Jeg Går Til Mine Gamle Fjell” shifts gears, introducing a more driving, albeit still mid-paced, rhythm. The guitar riff is a powerful, repetitive motif that burrows into the listener’s consciousness, underscored by a bassline that provides a solid, resonant foundation. The track builds in intensity, with layers of atmospheric keyboards subtly weaving through the distorted guitars, adding a sense of vastness. “Blodhemn” is one of the album’s more aggressive moments, with a faster tempo and a more ferocious vocal delivery. The riffs here possess a sharp, biting edge, reminiscent of earlier Burzum, but still tempered by the album’s overall somber mood. The solo is not virtuosic but serves its purpose, adding a chaotic, desperate flourish. “Kveld” returns to a more atmospheric and introspective territory. The clean guitar passages are particularly evocative, painting sonic landscapes of desolate fjords and windswept plains. The distorted sections are less about aggression and more about creating a suffocating sense of dread. “Homeward” is an instrumental track that leans heavily into ambient textures. Synthesizers create a vast, echoing space, punctuated by sparse, melancholic guitar notes. It feels like a moment of quiet contemplation, a brief respite before the album’s final descent. “Valen” is a return to the album’s core sound, featuring a powerful, lumbering riff and Vikernes’ signature vocal delivery. The track possesses a hypnotic quality, drawing the listener into its dark embrace. The keyboard elements are more prominent here, adding a spectral, almost ethereal layer to the otherwise heavy instrumentation. “Morgen” is the album’s closing track, an instrumental that reprises themes from “Fra Verden Tre,” but with a slightly more hopeful, albeit still tinged with sadness, undertone. The clean guitar melody returns, but this time it feels like a journey towards a distant, uncertain dawn. The ambient textures swell, creating a sense of closure, though not necessarily a happy one.

Conclusion:
“Fallen” stands as a mature, albeit still uncompromising, statement from Burzum. It showcases a refinement of Vikernes’ established sound, prioritizing atmosphere and melodicism alongside the inherent darkness. While it may not possess the raw, unadulterated ferocity that defined some of his earlier work, it offers a deeper, more nuanced exploration of his bleak aesthetic. The album is a cohesive journey through desolation, beauty, and a profound sense of existential contemplation. It is a record that demands patience and rewards attentive listening, revealing its intricate layers and emotional weight with each subsequent pass. “Fallen” is a powerful reminder of Burzum’s unique ability to craft music that is both deeply personal and universally resonant in its evocation of primal emotions.