Lately I had a small chat with our beloved publishing director and we ended up to the conclusion that as I am getting older I become bitchier about new releases. Now, it seems that what I told him was correct, since many new releases are kind of crap. For example, the new TAAKE album arrived to kick my ass and show me that the 21st century can still offer some quality music.

The band was formed under the name THULE and remained like that for 2-3 years. In 1995 the band's mastermind, and in fact the only actual member, Hoest changed the band's name to TAAKE, which is the Norwegian word for fog. So, since 1995 TAAKE have offered some nice doses of negativity and blasphemy to the Metal scene and their new album through the Norwegian Dark Essence Records comes to show that they can still rip your flesh apart.

I don't know why (basically I know), but when I see the TNBM (True Norwegian Black Metal) logo on a release, it sends shivers down my spine. I guess that you can't be a nobody and just use it, since in the end it will show if you deserve to be a part of this community or not. Anyway, Taake is a much more than just decent album with rotten, yet razor sharp guitars that spit their blasphemous poison right in your face. The band's TSJUDER meets URGEHAL style always seemed more than interesting to me and I guess there were many times that songs from the band's Hordalands Doedskvad and Nattestid Ser Porten Vid albums reached my daily blackest of the black playlists.

What will definitely impress you the most in Taake (as well as in every other TAAKE album) is the dynamic that Hoest has. I don't know how many will agree with me, but I believe he is one of the most charismatic Black Metal singers nowadays. His bestial vocals are like they are coming straight from the deepest pit of hell! One more thing I wanted to talk about is the production, where Hoest managed to achieve the balance between the rotten old aesthetic and the shitty noise downfall. The album sounds filthy and raw, but avoids the extremely ball busting drums that sound like tins or the shitty guitar sound.

I guess that Taake is a really good buying option for every old school black metaller. And could it be a better time? Everyone needs an anti-Christmas present! You can also check out the vinyl edition from Svartekunst Produksjoner, which will also contain a cover version of BURZUM's A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit.