I was fairly sure that I read one or two interviews where Varg claimed that there would be two compilations to feature re-recorded versions of classic songs from the first four albums. I was expecting the second one a few months back, but haven't heard anything. Has he spoken about this since? Maybe he decided against releasing it?

I hope he has decided to not go ahead with it, as it seems like a shameless cash grab. The first four albums are perfect as they are, and I for one see no need to re-record what is already excellent material. The atmospheric, bleak, melancholic sound and tone is captured and rendered SO well on those early recordings that re-recording them seems redundant to me. The earnest aggression is wonderfully prevalent as well, no doubt due to the primitive, but brilliant none the less recording technique employed. I don't need to hear re-recorded tracks that have already stood the test of time to these ears many years after hearing them when they were first available. To me it would be almost sacrilege, like re-recording De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas.

Yes. Just look through the last couple of interviews on burzum.org. I think in one or two of them he says that he's happy with how Hvis lyset tar oss and Filsofem turned out originally.

Im one of the people that enjoy all these rerecordings so i hope he goes ahead with some new Filosofem stuff.

Also i would really like to hear a De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas rerecording.

People saying this is a shameless cash grab aren't looking at this form a musicians perspective. Why would he not want to rerecord the best material of his career if he thinks it sounds like absolute shit? Is it a cash grab too when a band rerecords demo era songs for full lengths?
Could well be a cash grab in certain ways. But not a shameless one...he is justified in what he's doing, in my opinion.

I thought most of the appeal of the first few albums/ why they are still regarded as so awesome was the raw, unrefined feel. I like em the way they are and even if he did re-record, i would probably still prefer listening to the origionals

They probably got put on the backburner when him and his wife decided to make their ridiculous documentary.

Who would even play on something like that? Obviously Attila and Hellhammer are still around but Mayhem might as well be a completely new band these days. It just reminds me of Let There Be Blood in all the wrong ways.

What about Snorre? he was on DMDS too and he can obviously play the same parts he recorded, only the bassist will change, and I guess Snorre can also do it.

I think Snorre could very well be the only person to save Mayhem, now that Blasphemer has gone. He doesn't seem to be doing much with Thorns these days, so I'm sure he'd be up for it! Makes perfect sense to me, especially as he was part of the band 20 years ago!

Besides Attila's iffy vocals, is there any particular reason to re-record that masterpiece? The production is perfect, each performance apart from Attila's is top-notch.

Same goes for Burzum, although the originals don't hold a candle to what Mayhem was at its height. What were originally passable and inventive black metal songs sound pathetic when recorded with Varg's modern day clinical, sterilised approach.

What, in your opinion, gives the best Mayhem material an edge over Burzum's? I personally think "Key to the Gate" is better than anything Mayhem ever did (and better than anything else Varg has ever done, for that matter), though I like DMDS a lot. I agree that the re-recordings are unnecessary and unsuccessful.

I seem to be one of the few who was glad with the re-recording, as the vocals kind of ruined Burzum/Aske for me. I do agree that his new approach is too sterile, as the old Burzum songs were really atmospheric, imperfect as they might have been. That being said, I don't think Det Som Engang Var and especially Filosofem could benefit much from a re-recording.

Oh, and re-recording DMDS would probably be one of the most pointless endeavours in modern music history.

Riffing and atmosphere. Not only is Mayhem melodically superior (contrary to the popular opinion, I don't consider Varg to be particularly talented in terms of melody writing - his successes come across to me more as flukes than the fruits of talent and hard work), but the songs are much better crafted, full of action and more vibrant in every way.

Key to the Gate is excellent, but it's simply not as brilliant as Funeral Fog.

What's the point on comparing Burzum with Mayhem? their music is absolutely different in every possible aspect, it's like comparing Emperor with Darkthrone.

I like better Burzum for overall atmosphere but Mayhem had/had better musicians and often better riffs. Now, if we were to compare Euro/Blasphemer/Snorre riffs to Infernus, that's another debate which might prove worthy.

I hope Varg only focuses on releasing new stuff. His later input might be seen as 'not that good for many', but hell, who has surpassed their prime days from the oldest norwegian black metal bands still alive?

For me, Varg still has it. Glemselens Elv, Jeg Faller and Æra are all masterpieces in their respective styles.

Interesting, I was jus listening to In the Depths of Darkness last night and I actually liked it more than the originals. Even though Varg's newest black metal vocal style is annoying(sounds like he's got something stuck in his throat, or like he's whispering), I like the guitar tone on these re-recordings.

Filosofem is just fine the way it is and I don't see how he could re-record the ambient tracks. I've never found Hvis Lyset Tar Oss appealing so I don't care if he re-records it or not.