Burzum

As main man Varg’s recent escape attempt has thwarted his chances of being released from prison any time soon, this is likely the closest thing to a new Burzum record we’ll see in the near future. While no fresh material is presented, there is nevertheless a market for a "greatest hits” release such as this, considering most of Burzum’s albums are difficult to track down at a reasonable price. Tracks from all of Varg’s efforts are present, spanning from his early, lo-fi, hypnotic black metal numbers to his rather dreary later ambient work. The classic "Dunkelheit” is not included on the audio portion, although its video is present. Those familiar with Burzum will find this to be a well-rounded overview, unlike many compilations that are lopsided or missing key tracks. Those unfamiliar would do well to pick up the studio albums as well; it’s hard to summarise such an influential, controversial figure with merely a handful of numbers.