History Music / Burzum

* BlackMetal: ''Dauði Baldrs'' and ''Hliðskjálf'' are straight-up electronic albums, but the rest of Varg's material is black metal.

* GenreShift: From black metal to dark ambient. And back to black metal again with ''Belus''.

* LoudnessWar: Everything he's done since he got out of prison is painfully clipped. He claimed that ''Fallen'' was going to be mastered "as if it was classical music", but it got a dismal [=DR6=] (worse than the preceding album ''Belus''[=' DR7=]), which begs the question of what kind of classical music Varg listens to. It doesn't help, either, that the vinyl edition of at least ''Belus'' used the same master as the CD. Reissues of his old stuff remain reasonably dynamic, however.

* LoudnessWar: Everything he's done since he got out of prison is painfully clipped. He claimed that ''Fallen'' was going to be mastered "as if it was classical music", but it got a dismal [=DR6=] (worse than the preceding album ''Belus''[=' DR7=]), which begs the question of what kind of classical music Varg listens to. Reissues of his old stuff remain reasonably dynamic, however.

* LoudnessWar: Everything he's done since he got out of prison. He claimed that ''Fallen'' was going to be mastered "as if it was classical music", but it got a dismal [=DR6=] (worse than the preceding album ''Belus''[=' DR7=]), which begs the question of what kind of classical music Varg listens to.

* ArtistDisillusionment - Varg ''really'' doesn't like the modern BlackMetal scene, going so far as to compare them to homosexuals and "stereotypical Negroes." Stay classy, Varg!
* BlackMetal - ''Dauði Baldrs'' and ''Hliðskjálf'' are straight-up electronic albums, but the rest of Varg's material is black metal.

* CloudCuckooLander - This is particularly evident at his trial. The faces he makes in the file photos don't look like he's taking it very seriously.

* GenreShift - From black metal to dark ambient. And back to black metal again with ''Belus''.

* HeavyMithril - Quite frequently.
* IAmTheBand - As stated in the opening sentence, Varg Vikernes is the only member of Burzum. Considering how well his last attempt at playing in a band with other people went, this is probably for the best.

* LeaveTheCameraRunning - "Rundgang um die transzentale Säule der Singularität" is the most obvious example. Some of his other songs probably qualify as well.
* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness - The black metal material mostly sticks to a 9 or a 10. The dark ambient material can't really be measured on the scale due to being purely electronic.
* MultipleChoicePast - He changes his story nearly every time he recounts how he killed Euronymous.

* RefugeInAudacity - Varg claimed to have stabbed Euronymous in self defense at his murder trial. Euronymous had ''23'' wounds on his corpse.
** Although he claims that many of Euronymous's "stabwounds" were actually inflicted by broken glass he threw him down upon (not ''entirely'' implausible, considering several of these wounds were on the soles of his feet).

* StageNames - Originally, Varg was known as "Count [[LordOfTheRings Grishnackh]]".
* SurprisinglyGentleSong - The ambient instrumentals.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: His GenreShift to dark ambient came about because for the duration of his sentence the prison guards refused to allow him record with guitars and basses, only allowing him a keyboard. Yes, prisons in Norway ''do'' allow inmates to record dark ambient albums that because in most of Europe detention is mean to be rehabilitative rather than punishing/torturous.

'''NOTE:''' Varg Vikernes is a [[BaseBreaker pretty polarising fellow]], so please keep a neutral perspective and remember the RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: His GenreShift to dark ambient came about because for the duration of his sentence the prison guards refused to allow him record with guitars and basses, only allowing him a keyboard. Yes, prisons in Norway ''do'' allow inmates to record dark ambient albums.

* FailOSucknName: His given name, at least from the perspective of a member of the black metal scene: '''Kristian'''

** Although he claims that many of Euronymous's "stabwounds" were actually inflicted by broken glass he threw him down upon (not ''entirely'' implausible, considering several of these wounds were on the soles of his feet). [[YourMileageMayVary Take this as you will]].

* OneOfUs: Vikernes's pseudonym, Count Grishnackh, comes from a character in ''TheTwoTowers''. The first band he played in was called Uruk-Hai. There's an instrumental piece on his first album called "The Crying Orc". He met many of the individuals that would make up the Norwegian black metal scene through their shared fondness for spirited {{LARP}}ing. Need we say more?

* HarshVocals: For the most part. Clean singing is used sparsely.

Vikernes was released in 2009 on parole, and started recording the album ''Belus'', his first metal album since his arrest. In 2010 he recorded his new album ''Fallen'', Which is set to be released March of 2011.

Studio albums:

** Although he claims that many of Euronymous' "stabwounds" were actually inflicted by broken glass he threw him down upon. [[YourMileageMayVary Take this as you will]].

* OneOfUs: His pseudonym, Count Grishnackh, comes from a character in ''TheTwoTowers''. The first band he played in was called Uruk-Hai. There's an instrumental piece on his first album called "The Crying Orc". He met many of the individuals that would make up the Norwegian black metal scene through their shared fondness for spirited {{LARP}}ing. Need we say more?

* OneOfUs: His pseudonym, Count Grishnackh, comes from ''TheTwoTowers''. The first band he played in was called Uruk-Hai. There's an instrumental piece on his first album called "The Crying Orc". Need we say more?

* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth:

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness - The black metal material mostly sticks to a 10. The dark ambient material can't really be measured on the scale due to being purely electronic.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome - [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBll5LyMnAw Det Som En Gang Var]], doubling as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome, as it is recognized as one of the best black metal songs ever made.
* EpicRiff - Common in Burzum's metal material.

* YourMileageMayVary - Varg is either an immensely talented musical genius, or a repulsive racist and murderer whose music is overshadowed by his persona. [[InternetBackdraft Let's just leave it at that, OK]]?

* DracoInLeatherPants - Some people believe he killed Euronymous in self-defense [[http://www.burzum.org/eng/library/a_burzum_story02.shtml (as Varg himself claims)]].

* MemeticMutation - From the song "War":
-->"This is war... huh... wow."
** Note that this is probably a {{Mondegreen}}; it's generally agreed that Varg is actually ''saying'', "This is war." But with his strong Norwegian accent, it's hard to tell for certain.
** Also, the Burzum parody project Bumzur basically exists to create Burzum memes.
** Hell, Varg ''himself'' [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/varg-vikernes is a meme]].

* {{Narm}} - See MemeticMutation above (with regards to the song "War").
** Also applies to his style of screaming in general, although YMMV. Some find it to be quite frightening.

* RefugeInAudacity - At his murder trial, Varg claimed to have stabbed Euronymous in self defense. 21 times.