''Fallen'' is the eighth studio album by the

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

artist Burzum, released on 7 March 2011 through

Byelobog Productions Burzum (; ) was a Norwegian music project founded by Varg Vikernes in 1991. Although Burzum never played live performances, it became a part of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the most influential acts in black m ...

. The cover art is taken from the painting ''

Elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...

'' (1899) by French painter

William-Adolphe Bouguereau William-Adolphe Bouguereau (; 30 November 1825 – 19 August 1905) was a French academic painter. In his realistic genre paintings, he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female ...

Recording

''Fallen'' was recorded and mixed during two weeks in Grieghallen studios, using a Spector bass with alembic electronics on a

Vox AC50 The Vox AC50 is a guitar amplifier head and accompanying speaker cabinet manufactured by Vox. It was introduced in 1964 to meet the growing demand for louder amplifiers during the British Invasion era of rock and roll live performances. Most notabl ...

amp from 1965, a Ludwig drum kit (with a 26-inch kick) from 1975, a Neumann M149 microphone and stereo Schoeps CMTS 501 U microphones for vocals, an OBH Nordica Harmony 6487, a custom Stig instrument and a Peavey 23 guitar on a Peavey 6505 (120 Watt) amp.

Music and lyrics

According to Varg Vikernes himself, "Musically ''Fallen'' is like a cross between '' Belus'' and something new, inspired more by the debut album and ''

Det som engang var ''Det som engang var'' (Norwegian for ''What Once Was'') is the second studio album by the Norwegian black metal solo project Burzum. It was recorded in April 1992 and released in August 1993 through Burzum's own label, Cymophane Productions. B ...

'' than by '' Hvis lyset tar oss'' or '' Filosofem''. The sound is more dynamic – we mastered the album as if it was classical music – and I was more experimental than I was on ''Belus'' in all respects. Lyricwise it is similar to the debut album, in the way that it is more personal and focuses on existential issues, but the mythological undertone known from ''Belus'' is still there. I have also included some ambient tracks – a short introduction and a longer conclusion".

Reception

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critic Dave Schalek wrote: "Though ''Fallen'' is harsh, the viciousness of classic Burzum prior to Vikernes’ incarceration is absent." Schalek also concluded that the record "is probably best viewed as a lateral move from Burzum, and not much more."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Eduardo Rivadavia thought that the album's "combination of staying the course and failing to impress when risks are taken ultimately gives it something of a leftover taste and suggests that Varg might want to invest a little more time in conjuring Burzum's next opus." Janssen McCormick of ''

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'' described the album "a feral bookend to another enthralling Burzum album as forward-looking, but far more mature, than Vikernes's pre-incarceration output."

Track listing

Personnel

Varg Vikernes Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes; 11 February 1973), better known as Varg Vikernes (), is a Norwegian writer and retired musician best known for his early black metal albums and later crimes. His first five records, issued under the name Bur ...

– vocals, all instruments, production *

Pytten Eirik Hundvin (born 8 February 1950), also known as Pytten, is a Norwegian producer and recording engineer for many classic black metal albums, mainly by Norwegian bands, nearly all of which were recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen. Hundvin is ...

– production

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2011 albums Burzum albums