Album number two for Taake ‘Bjoergvin’ or to give it its full title ‘Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik’ (HeavenCries over Bjoergvin (Bergen)) was originally released in 2002 on Wounded Love Records. Hoest has more collaborators this time around including Corax guitars, session bassist Keridwen and drummer Mutt who also left after the recording possibly after getting in the doghouse with the hirer and firer of the band who seemed to shrug off players like old clothes (not that he shrugged those off as stage wardrobe malfunctions also proved). All joking aside, the music should be taken seriously as like its predecessor ‘Nattestid…’ reviewed last month this is damn fine stuff.
Comprising of seven tracks again named I-VII this comes in at a short but entirely accessible 39 minutes of classic sounding Norwegian black metal with folk laden flourishes taking pagan root through it. The theme of the album is apparently that good old scoundrel death, not that there are any explanations in the sparse accompanying booklet going into any further details and unless you talk the native language you are not going to gain further knowledge from the lyrics.
‘I’ pretty much blazes in all on fire like a church lighting up the night sky, a quick piano canters through it as the track settles with a melody coursing through it. Hoest’s vocals are grim and frostbitten with his rasping high in the mix and sounding particularly impressive amongst the jaunty melody. There are occasional clean vocal snatches as well as some memorable death grunts, the likes of which always greet the band from the audience when you catch them live. Not sure why but the mix seems quieter as we go into part ‘II’ and the driving melody means that I’m not entirely comfortable with it until turning the volume up a couple of notches. Vocals seem to come from all directions now and bite their way out the speakers and the jagged guitars strum away behind with thorny determination.
‘III’ what can I say other “booooooing” yep you may not recognise the names of tracks live due to their lack of titles but the spring laden use of the mouth harp here is going to have you remembering it forever! The thing that really impresses though is the fact that Taake manage to bring out a sound that is both raw and melodic, both aspects of the music are prolifically embraced and the production matches both perfectly. You can find the songs latching into your head due to the memorable fluidity and the pounding drive and zealous grit of the vocal rasps remind that this is still extreme and feral in every respect. Every song has its own distinction, textures and all are admirably crafted making this another classic example of Norwegian black metal that should be owned. Probably the favourite number on this for me is ‘VI’ the melodic drive on it is nothing short of breathtaking.
I doubt the third part of the trilogy ‘Doedskvad’ is going to find itself reissued on Peaceville as it originally came out on Dark essence in 2005, so I think that and last years self titled album are going to have to be sought and bought as well. After two fantastic albums it’s impossible not to want to own them all.
http://taake.svartekunst.no
http://www.myspace.com/taakeofficial
