Varg Vikernes recorded the first four Burzum albums between January 1992 and March 1993 at the
Grieg Hall in
Bergen. However, the releases were spread out, with many months between the recording and the release of each album. The album cover features a drawing by 19th-century artist
Theodor Kittelsen named
Fattigmannen (The Pauper). Vikernes dedicated the album to
Fenriz of fellow Norwegian black metal band
Darkthrone and
Demonaz from Norwegian black metal band
Immortal; however, in an interview in 2010, he expressed regret for the dedication to Demonaz and claimed Demonaz was "a rat like no other". Promotional copies sent to fanzines included the song "Et hvitt lys over skogen" (
Norwegian for "A White Light Over the Forest") instead of "Tomhet". "Et hvitt lys over skogen" later appeared on the 1998 compilation album
Presumed Guilty. According to Vikernes,
Hvis lyset tar oss is a
concept album, about: [...] what once was, before the light took us and we rode into the castle of the dream. Into emptiness. It's something like: beware the
Christian light, it will take you away into degeneracy and
nothingness. What others call light I call darkness. Seek the darkness and hell and you will find nothing but evolution. ==Reception==