Taake is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen, formed in 1993 and origi… Read Full Bio ↴Taake is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen, formed in 1993 and originally named Thule. The band's one continuous member is Hoest, who writes and records most of the music. He has released six full-length albums and several EPs. The band describes itself as "True Norwegian black metal", and Hoest said that he wants to "awaken national pride and cultural nostalgia in my Norwegian listeners" as well as to remind people "that Hell is right here on Earth and that humans can be demons". All lyrics are in Hoest's native dialect and are printed in Norse runes. "Taake" is the old spelling of the Norwegian word "tåke", meaning "fog".

In 1993, Ørjan Stedjeberg (then known as 'Ulvhedin'), formed the first version of the band Taake under the name Thule, together with drummer 'Svartulv'. Thule released two demos, Der vinterstormene raste in 1993 and Omfavnet av svarte vinger in 1994. Shortly after, the band changed its name to Taake and 'Ulvhedin' adopted the new pseudonym 'Hoest' (meaning "autumn" or "harvest"). In 1995, the released the demo Manndaudsvinter in 1995. This was followed in 1996 by a 7" EP called Koldbrann i jesu marg.

Between 1999 and 2005, Taake released three full-length albums. They are a trilogy of concept albums linked by the topics of "death, Norway, and the devil in man".[4]

The first full-length album, Nattestid ser porten vid, was released by Wounded Love Records in 1999. The album was written entirely by Hoest, but he brought in a session musician, 'Tundra', to perform bass guitar and drums. It was recorded throughout 1997 and 1998 at the Grieg Hall.

The second installment of the trilogy, Over bjoergvin graater himmerik, was released in 2002 by Wounded Love Records. On this record, Hoest surrounded himself with a band: second guitarist 'C. Corax', bassist and pianist 'Keridwen', and drummer 'Mutt' (Gaahlskagg, Trelldom, Sigfader).

The final installment of the trilogy, Hordalands doedskvad, was released in 2005 by Dark Essence Records. It features second guitarist 'C. Corax', bassist 'Lava' and drummer 'Mord'. It also features several guest vocalists, including 'Nattefrost' (Carpathian Forest), 'Nordavind' (Carpathian Forest) and 'Taipan' (Orcustus).

Over the following three years, Taake released four short EPs and played a few festivals (most notably the Hole in the Sky Festival in Norway, with Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved on guitar), but according to Hoest, Taake was "on ice for a while".

Before the 2006–2007 European tour, Taake revamped their official homepage. Following the infamous March 2007 show in Essen, the band were removed from several festivals and received much backlash. At the same time, Lava, who had been bass guitarist since 2002, left the band.

In 2008, a fourth album was released, recorded entirely by Hoest and simply named Taake. The album was recorded for Hoest's own label Svartekunst Produksjoner, and was distributed via Dark Essence Records.

In 2011, Taake released the EP Kveld, featuring both new and re-recorded songs. This was followed shortly after by Taake's fifth full-length album, Noregs vaapen. Hoest collaborated with many prominent Norwegian black-metallers for this record including Attila Csihar, Nocturno Culto, Demonaz and Ivar Bjørnson. It was again released on his own label Svartekunst Produksjoner to much critical acclaim. The album was nominated for the prestigious Spellemann award in Norway for top metal release. This nomination was met with some derision due to anti-Islamic lyrics.

To mark the band's 20th anniversary, Taake released the compilation album Gravkamre, kroner og troner in 2013.

Taake played their first show in the United States in May 2014 at Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore.

In 2014, Taake released the sixth full-length album Stridens hus[8] and the EP Kulde through Dark Essence Records. In support of this record and as a follow up to their successful show in Maryland, Taake announced an East Coast US tour for the first time in their history, to begin in June 2015.

II
Taake Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Vinden feier for alle doerer
Mens jeg sprer mitt sinn
Over seinhoests frosne enger
Inviteres du herinn
Umistelige minner henger
Igjen i luften, vegger, alt
Ukristlige vinder flenger
& Pensler Bjoergvin jaevlig kaldt

Portretter & byster
Fra skyggene skuler
De lytter med meg
En ensom en uler
En likesinnet stemmer i
Lever & tenker grav
Mot maanen, mot maanen
Hever & senker hav
Vind i natten hvisker
Mot rute
Himmels taarer pisker
Paa snute
Rundt traernes moerke soeyler
Har stormen ingen toeyler

Det innebaerer risker
Der ute

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Taake's song II speak of a sense of loneliness and introspection. The wind is sweeping across all the doors while the singer spreads their mind over the frozen autumn fields. The listener is invited to join the singer in their musings, fixated on the lingering memories that hang in the air, the walls, and everything around. The cruel winds of Bergen, where the song was written, rip through everything, leaving behind portraits and busts of those who lurk in the shadows. They listen to the singer's thoughts, as does a like-minded voice that lives and thinks in a grave, against the moon and the tide.

Line by Line Meaning

Vinden feier for alle doerer
Wind sweeps through all the doorways

Mens jeg sprer mitt sinn
As I spread my mind

Over seinhoests frosne enger
Over late autumn's frozen meadows

Inviteres du herinn
You are invited here

Umistelige minner henger
Unforgettable memories hang

Igjen i luften, vegger, alt
Still in the air, walls, everything

Ukristlige vinder flenger
Unholy winds tear apart

& Pensler Bjoergvin jaevlig kaldt
And brushes Bergen devilishly cold

Portretter & byster
Portraits and busts

Fra skyggene skuler
Peering from the shadows

De lytter med meg
They listen with me