### Taake: Taake

#### 29/01/09 || Kampfar

“Taake” translates to fog, true Norwegian fog, that is, and is of course a very necro name. Necro or not, the current line-up didn’t come together in 1993 but that was indeed the year Ulvhedin Hoest – main man, founder, creative force and also vocalist – on a misty day stumbled over Svartulv and thus found himself a dude to beat them skins. The first demo followed shortly after. This I know, but I have no idea for how long the original line-up stuck together. However, I do know that Mr. Hoest has since then replaced his original friend like 12 times over. Visit The Metal Archives and let your eyes witness a quite impressive list of ex-members, one that tells me, and everyone with a functioning brain, that Mr. Hoest isn’t the easiest of bastards to work with.

Mr. Hoest, creative force and all, is also the reason why this review turned out incredibly hard to write. Why? Well, this album is boring, pretty toothless and quite weak, but anyhow competently performed, a combination which obviously summons an iron-curtain even Stalin would be proud of upon my mind. Oh well, let’s start with the production and claim it to be weak and close to useless. It lets you into all the details, you can even spot a tiny bass, but ultimately it lacks all the edge one could ask for when speaking black metal. True and all. And it’s not like what I’m trying to review here comes pregnant with atmosphere, either; put another way, this shit won’t take you to the top of a Norwegian mountain anytime soon. I’d also like to add, in the name of nagging and negativism, that I don’t smell or otherwise sense a genuine team-spirit anywhere on “Taake”. It sounds properly rehearsed, but not very inspired. A bit, but a bit ain’t enough.

And it’s not like I haven’t tried, either. Fuck no. I have in fact tried so many times I’m now at the very brink of hating what I first time thought of as pretty decent black metal. I even thought it would get better after multiple listens. Obviously it didn’t. By all means, give “Taake” a go if you are a bloodfan of all things black and evil, just be sure to do so after checking out all other Taake albums first. I’m then sure you’ll agree that this is far from their darkest as in brightest moment.

(I just learned that Mr. Hoest does all the instruments himself on this here album. Not that it matters.)

5 out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Dark Essence Records
- Website: http://taake.theblacksun.org
- Band
- Ulvhedin Hoest: vocals, all instruments

- Tracklist
- 01. Atternatt
- 02. Umenneske
- 03. Lukt til helvete
- 04. Doedsjarl
- 05. Motpol
- 06. September omsider
- 07. Velg bort livet