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.
Part II
Taake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mens jeg sprer mitt sinn
Over seinhøsts frosne enger
Inviteres do herinn
Umistelige minner henger
Igjen I luften, vegger, alt
Ukristlige vinder flenger
& pensler Bjørgvin jævlig kaldt Portretter & byster
De lytter med meg
En ensom en uler
En likesinnet stemmer I lever & tenker grav
Mot månen, mot månen
Hever & senker hav
Vind I natten hvisker
Mot rute
Himmels tårer pisker
PÃ¥ snute
Rundt trærnes mørke søyler
Har stormen ingen tøyler
Det innebærer risker
Der ute
The lyrics to Taake's song Part II convey a sense of isolation, melancholy, and unease. The first line describes the wind sweeping past all the doors, while the singer spreads his mind over the frozen late autumn fields. The listener is then invited to come along as the singer's memories hang in the air, on the walls, and in everything around him. The next lines suggest that the winds are uncanny and blasphemous, and that they paint portraits and statues in the cold city of Bergen. The shadows are watching and listening along with the singer, and a lonely wolf is howling with like-minded voices that live and think in tombs. Symbolically, the moon influences the rise and fall of the sea, much like the singer's emotions are stirred by unseen forces. The wind whispers in the night against the window, and the heavens beat down tears on the streets. Lastly, the dark columns of the trees stand silently as the storm rages without restraint.
The lyrics to Part II are open to interpretation, but themes of loneliness and a feeling of unease are present throughout. The wind is personified in most of the lyrics, and this suggests that it is acting as a sort of narrator or antagonist. The description of the uncanny winds that paint portraits in Bergen is likely a metaphor for how nature affects the mood of the singer. There may also be a sense of nostalgia for the past, as memories are hanging in the air. The shadows and the howling wolf suggest that the singer is not alone in feeling this way, and that others share his melancholy. The moon and the sea may be interpreted as elements of nature that are beyond human control, and the storm that rages without restraint may be a metaphor for the difficulty of dealing with these emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Vinden feier for alle dører
The wind sweeps through all doors
Mens jeg sprer mitt sinn
While I scatter my mind
Over seinhøsts frosne enger
Over late autumn's frozen meadows
Inviteres do herinn
You are invited here
Umistelige minner henger
Invaluable memories hang
Igjen I luften, vegger, alt
In the air, walls, everything
Ukristlige vinder flenger
Unholy winds tear apart
& pensler Bjørgvin jævlig kaldt Portretter & byster
And frames Bergen's damn cold portraits and busts
Fra skyggene skuler
Peering from the shadows
De lytter med meg
They listen with me
En ensom en uler
A lone wolf howls
En likesinnet stemmer I lever & tenker grav
Similar voices living and thinking in the grave
Mot månen, mot månen
Towards the moon, towards the moon
Hever & senker hav
Raises and lowers the sea
Vind I natten hvisker
Wind whispers in the night
Mot rute
Against the window
Himmels tårer pisker
Heaven's tears whip
PÃ¥ snute
On the snout
Rundt trærnes mørke søyler
Around the dark pillars of the trees
Har stormen ingen tøyler
The storm has no reins
Det innebærer risker
That entails risks
Der ute
Out there
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@josueignaciomm
2023, coming back to this masterpiece
@j1shin
That melody that kicks in at 2:08, absolutely fantastic.
@michielpoortvliet3003
After more then 13 years At 2:15 still headbanging till this day
@VolkovMajor
this song... this soul... this is true!
@nunocarvalhoguerra7190
All of this album is a BM masterpiece
@ultrasilvanus
i absolutely love this song
@alanbaratieri
True Black Metal
@joerisch2300
taake/hoest is a great composer. Beautiful metal
@balckfrost
my favourite song from this album! Hails!!! \m/
@zak203
absolut perfection