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Burzum - Umskiptar



6.3 | 212 votes |
Release date: 21 May 2012
Style: Black metal

Owners:

140 have it
41 want it


01. Blóðstokkinn
02. Jóln
03. Alfadanz
04. Hit Helga Tré
05. Æra
06. Heiðr
07. Valgaldr
08. Galgviðr
09. Surtr Sunnan
10. Gullaldr
11. Níðhöggr

Additional info
Official translations:

Umskiptar => Metamorphoses

01. Soaked In Blood
02. Deities
03. Elven Dance
04. The Sacred Tree
05. Honour
06. Esteem
07. Song Of The Fallen
08. Gallow Forest
09. Black From The South
10. Golden Age
11. Attack From Below

The lyrics on "Umskiptar" are all taken from a Norse poem, Völuspá.

Recorded in Grieghallen Studio in Bergen in September 2011.
Produced and mixed by Pytten, Davide Bertolini and Burzum.
Mastered by Naweed at Whitfield Mastering, London.

Front cover painting by Peter Nicolai Arbo.

Staff review by
Troy Killjoy
Rating:
3.0
Imagine this: During a weekend away from home, you decided to hit up as many fast food restaurants as humanly possible. But not just the major chains. You also make stops at all the small franchised take-out places that put the Triple Whopper to shame. You keep consuming and consuming until your stomach feels like it's been filled with bricks...

Read more ››
published 11.05.2012 | Comments (161)

Guest review by
ManiacBlasphemer
Rating:
8.2
Another year passes, another Burzum album is released. Since Varg Vikernes, the most controversial Norwegian figure, has been released on probation from jail, he managed to put a new album every year and 2012, the year when the Mayan "apocalypse" is supposed to take place, is no exception.

I do not know what Varg has been doing in jail. For 11 years he hasn't released a new record and in 2010 we get Belus and one year later Fallen. What can we say about Umskiptar? A new direction? Maybe, but not quite. Is it good or not? Depends on the individual. Since this is my own review I have to admit that when I listened to it first, I wasn't impressed but after a couple of auditions, I get that even Varg tries to take a step towards innovation.

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published 27.10.2012 | Comments (2)

Found in 11 lists
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Comments page 4 / 4

Comments: 108   Visited by: 909 users
18.06.2012 - 05:26
Rating: 7
NocturnalStalker
Metal Addict
Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.06.2012 at 02:44

I don't know if it's a matter of lacking talent, but inspiration, or ideas. Before the prison sentence he was almost as proficient as he is now - the only difference being that his passion for the music and the scene was rivaled by his ability to put his thoughts on paper. Perhaps his prolonged isolation from the scene has clouded his thoughts so he's left having to force himself to write in order to keep up with his "legend", only by doing so he's actually tarnishing it.


He was young, passionate and ambitious back then. Now he is older and his music sounds older too. Not mature, just older.
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"And we are not who we think we are
We are who we're afraid to be"
- Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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19.06.2012 - 00:27
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
"Not mature, just older."

Wish I would have used that in my review somewhere...
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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24.06.2012 - 05:15
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Ever since reviewing this piece of shit I've been giving out some pretty high scores...
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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24.06.2012 - 13:17
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Troy Killjoy on 24.06.2012 at 05:15

Ever since reviewing this piece of shit I've been giving out some pretty high scores...


That's the classic "This shit was so fucking bad that I'm starting to appreacite other things way more" syndrome.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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26.07.2012 - 17:24
Rating: 7
Cronomaster

Written by NocturnalStalker on 17.06.2012 at 19:06

Well, Varg is definitely not talented enough to keep releasing new albums every year. He should take more time to hone his songwriting skills.

Yes, I think you're right. Maybe then he will release a more surprising album. His "after prison" albums are not bad, but they are definitely too similiar and they're still far from the greatness of Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, for example.
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04.02.2013 - 10:12
Rating: 10
Tenski

Varg owns all of you.
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25.02.2013 - 08:59
chrisʇrenounced

Pretty good album with a brilliant atmosphere. Gullaldr is one of the most beautiful compositions I've heard in quite a while. A negative review is one thing, but it's a damn shame that this website is blighted with something that is titled 'staff review' attached to this album that is not a review at all, but more of an adolescent rant from somebody who clearly was bent on attacking this release regardless of the music itself. Come on, MS...is that really the standard that this website holds itself to?
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25.02.2013 - 09:25
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by chrisʇrenounced on 25.02.2013 at 08:59

but it's a damn shame that this website is blighted with something that is titled 'staff review' attached to this album that is not a review at all, but more of an adolescent rant from somebody who clearly was bent on attacking this release regardless of the music itself. Come on, MS...is that really the standard that this website holds itself to?

You'd just have to know Troy. When it comes to certain artists he, like everyone else, has his opinions. Personally, I always loved the fact that Troy had no reservations about about not holding back in his reviews, if he hated a release he made it very clear and if he loved a release that was very clear as well. Can't really fault a guy for wanting to write his opinion of an album, that is the point of an album review after all.

I do like what I have listened to of this album and I do think Troy might have been a little harsh about it but I'm still glad (and have a lot of respect for him) that he had the gall to write a review about an album that he had a such strong negative opinion about. I would be more disappointed at coming to a site that doesn't allow negative reviews just because somebody might not agree with it and thinks it's unprofessional to not allow negative reviews, it would be unprofessional to not let any members voice their opinions in the form of a review just simply because "not all users will have such strong negative opinions about that album as you do". All members from Users to Staff have just as much right to write a strong negative review as they have to write a strong positive review.

It's not our fault that the only member with a strong enough opinion and desire to write a review for the album just so happened to be a member of Staff with a strongly negative opinion of the album (if a regular user like yourself had written this review then it still would've been published ). And it's not our fault that no one else has felt a strong enough desire to write a strong positive review about the album to contrast Troy's strongly negative review but by all means if you really feel that strongly positive about this review then please know that YOU (like everybody else) are more than welcome to write and submit a strongly positive review to contrast Troy's negative review of the album.

As the old adage goes, "opinions are like assholes, everybody has one".
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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25.02.2013 - 09:57
chrisʇrenounced

Written by psykometal on 25.02.2013 at 09:25

Written by chrisʇrenounced on 25.02.2013 at 08:59

but it's a damn shame that this website is blighted with something that is titled 'staff review' attached to this album that is not a review at all, but more of an adolescent rant from somebody who clearly was bent on attacking this release regardless of the music itself. Come on, MS...is that really the standard that this website holds itself to?

You'd just have to know Troy. When it comes to certain artists he, like everyone else, has his opinions. Personally, I always loved the fact that Troy had no reservations about about not holding back in his reviews, if he hated a release he made it very clear and if he loved a release that was very clear as well. Can't really fault a guy for wanting to write his opinion of an album, that is the point of an album review after all.

I do like what I have listened to of this album and I do think Troy might have been a little harsh about it but I'm still glad (and have a lot of respect for him) that he had the gall to write a review about an album that he had a such strong negative opinion about. I would be more disappointed at coming to a site that doesn't allow negative reviews just because somebody might not agree with it and thinks it's unprofessional to not allow negative reviews, it would be unprofessional to not let any members voice their opinions in the form of a review just simply because "not all users will have such strong negative opinions about that album as you do". All members from Users to Staff have just as much right to write a strong negative review as they have to write a strong positive review.

It's not our fault that the only member with a strong enough opinion and desire to write a review for the album just so happened to be a member of Staff with a strongly negative opinion of the album (if a regular user like yourself had written this review then it still would've been published ). And it's not our fault that no one else has felt a strong enough desire to write a strong positive review about the album to contrast Troy's strongly negative review but by all means if you really feel that strongly positive about this review then please know that YOU (like everybody else) are more than welcome to write and submit a strongly positive review to contrast Troy's negative review of the album.

As the old adage goes, "opinions are like assholes, everybody has one".


I actually went through and read some of the thread of comments accompanying the "infamous" Ukskiptar review. I was most unaware that this was just Troy's 'deal' and is apparently something that he does often and takes great humor in. I have absolutely no misgivings regarding a negative review of any album. On the contrary, if any metal website only offered positive reviews, then what the hell is the point? In this instance the review struck me as something that was entirely preconceived and really offered no valid information regarding the music itself. Perhaps I was off-base on that. I typically pay little attention to reviews, as I find that I most often I disagree with them entirely, be it a positive or negative review. I tend to most like the releases that tend to be less popular, and enjoy less the ones hailed as 'essentials'. Like you say, everybody has an opinion. Truth be told, I quite enjoyed Umskiptar, but have no opinion of it strong enough to offer up a review myself. Thanks for the insight.
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25.02.2013 - 10:16
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by chrisʇrenounced on 25.02.2013 at 09:57

I was most unaware that this was just Troy's 'deal' and is apparently something that he does often and takes great humor in.

Yea, that was just Troy's style. You want another good "incident" regarding another Troy review then go read the review and ensuing comments between him and the label for Malasangre's early 2012 release.
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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25.02.2013 - 10:37
chrisʇrenounced

Written by psykometal on 25.02.2013 at 10:16

Written by chrisʇrenounced on 25.02.2013 at 09:57

I was most unaware that this was just Troy's 'deal' and is apparently something that he does often and takes great humor in.

Yea, that was just Troy's style. You want another good "incident" regarding another Troy review then go read the review and ensuing comments between him and the label for Malasangre's early 2012 release.

"The fucking book of knowledge"! Priceless
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25.02.2013 - 16:58
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by chrisʇrenounced on 25.02.2013 at 10:37

"The fucking book of knowledge"! Priceless

Yup! Troy and his reviews are definitely sorely missed around here but he had to move onto greener pastures for his own personal reasons and he is a happier person for it.
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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09.05.2013 - 06:55
Rasputin

I wonder why is Burzum still listed under "Black Metal" when he stopped making Black Metal looong time ago? People are living in the past it would seem. Varg even said so many times that he is not doing Black Metal anymore

people....
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06.12.2014 - 17:27
Rating: 10
Curumir

This might be my favourite Burzum album. Please don't kill me.
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15.05.2015 - 17:07
Rating: 8
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
Written by Curumir on 06.12.2014 at 17:27

This might be my favourite Burzum album. Please don't kill me.

I won't. In fact I like this album. It is way too long and has fillers but generally it is very atmospheric. Last good Burzum album.
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16.05.2015 - 02:23
Fearmeister
Account deleted
Yea, I don't get the massive hate-on people have on this album
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16.05.2015 - 02:37
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Guest on 16.05.2015 at 02:23

Yea, I don't get the massive hate-on people have on this album



Because it is a total crap shitfest extraordinaire. But then agian most of Burzum's stuff has always been extremely bad. Only Filosofem is quite okay.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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25.11.2015 - 15:11
Rating: 4
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
The album has it's moments, but the second half is particularly bad.
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