Taake

Taake is a Norwegian black metal group from Bergen, active since 1993. The band begins as Thule in 1993, before changing to Taake and taking its present identity from the old spelling of the Norwegian word for “fog”.

Line-up and identity

The only continuous member is Hoest, who writes and records most of the music. The band’s members include Svartulv, Stephanie Karen Carol Allouche, C. Corax, Mord, Radek Nemec and Dreggen. Hoest also uses the name Ulvhedin for the band’s early period, before adopting the pseudonym Hoest. He describes the band as “True Norwegian black metal”.

Taake’s lyrics are written in Hoest’s native dialect and printed in Norse runes. Hoest says he wants the music to awaken national pride and cultural nostalgia in Norwegian listeners, and to suggest that hell is present on Earth and that humans can be demons.

Early releases and trilogy

As Thule, the band releases two demos in 1993 and 1994: Der vinterstormene raste and Omfavnet av svarte vinger. After the name change, Taake releases the demo Manndaudsvinter in 1995 and the 7-inch EP Koldbrann i jesu marg in 1996.

Between 1999 and 2005, Taake releases three full-length albums that form a concept trilogy built around death, Norway and the devil in man. Nattestid ser porten vid appears in 1999 on Wounded Love Records. Hoest writes it entirely himself, with session musician Tundra playing bass and drums, and it is recorded at the Grieg Hall in 1997 and 1998. Over bjoergvin graater himmerik follows in 2002 on Wounded Love Records, with C. Corax, Keridwen and drummer Mutt joining the recording. Hordalands doedskvad comes out in 2005 on Dark Essence Records and features C. Corax, Lava and Mord, along with guest vocals from Nattefrost, Nordavind and Taipan.

Later recordings and collaborations

In the years that follow, Taake releases four short EPs and plays festivals, including the Hole in the Sky Festival in Norway, where Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved appears on guitar. Hoest later says the band is “on ice for a while”. Before the 2006–2007 European tour, the group updates its official homepage.

After the backlash following a March 2007 performance in Essen, the band is removed from several festivals, and Lava leaves after playing bass since 2002. In 2008, Taake releases the self-titled fourth album, recorded entirely by Hoest for his own label Svartekunst Produksjoner and distributed by Dark Essence Records.

In 2011, the band releases the EP Kveld, which includes new and re-recorded songs, followed by the fifth full-length album Noregs vaapen. That album features collaborations with Attila Csihar, Nocturno Culto, Demonaz and Ivar Bjørnson, and is again issued on Svartekunst Produksjoner. It receives a Spellemann award nomination in Norway for top metal release.

Compilation, sixth album and live work

To mark the band’s 20th anniversary, Taake releases the compilation Gravkamre, kroner og troner in 2013. In 2014, the group releases the sixth full-length album Stridens hus and the EP Kulde through Dark Essence Records. The same year, Taake plays its first show in the United States at Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore.

Following that appearance, the band announces an East Coast US tour, the first of its kind in its history.