Over the past months, Norwegian Black Metal icons TAAKE have released a series of 10″ splits with three different bands (WHOREDOM RIFE, DEATHCULT and HELHEIM), on three different labels, and, as always happens in the case of vinyl releases, fans have been asking for a CD version.
And Dark Essence Records are happy, as always, to oblige. So, on the 2nd July, they will be releasing a limited edition Digipak CD, along with a Digital version, of the six TAAKE tracks from the series, which will include a very special acoustic version of “Nattestid ser Porten vid I”, acknowledged by Black Metal fans the world-over as not only a classic TAAKE track, but a classic of the whole genre itself.
The release is titled “Avvik”, which translated means “anomaly” or “deviation”, which makes it a very appropriate title given that the tracks from the splits would never really fit into any of TAAKE‘s own releases. You could, of course, also argue that TAAKE mastermind Hoest has always ploughed a very individual furrow with his Helnorsk Svartmetall sound, standing outside the mainstream of Black Metal, and therefore making the choice of title doubly apt.
All the tracks of “Avvik” have been recorded and re-mixed by VULTURE INDUSTRIES’ Bjørnar E. Nilsen, and re-mastered for digital release by Herbrand Larsen at their Conclave & Earshot Studio in Bergen. Some of the re-mixes have some very surprising guests, who do not appear on the originals and are exclusive to this release. These include Dr Mikannibal of SIGH who did TAAKE the honour of adding her saxophone to a slightly longer version of the Sisters of Mercy cover “Heartland”. Whilst TAAKE’s live guitarist (and banjo legend) Gjermund created the acoustic version “Nattestid ser Porten vid I”.
Track listing for “Avvik” is as follows:
1. Ubeseiret
2. Heartland
3. Nattestid ser Porten vid I
4. Slagmark
5. Ravnajuv
6. Brotne Bein og Mannefall
7. Ein Baat i Foss
“Avvik” is now available to pre-order at the following:
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop
Bandcamp: https://taake.bandcamp.com
US Webshop: https://darkessence.aisamerch.com/
TAAKE will hit the road in January of 2022 with KAMPFAR for the long-awaited tour which was previously cancelled due to the pandemic.
More information about TAAKE can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial
The official video for the track “Umenneske” from the TAAKE‘s 20018 self-titled album can be seen at https://youtu.be/qaRelAEOauk
Taake on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial
Taake Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3048972372
Taake Bandcamp: https://taake.bandcamp.com
Taake WebShop: http://svartekunst.bigcartel.com/