A compilation of recordings from before the debut full-length, in reverse chronology. The original release was organized as five tracks "Side Taake" and five tracks "Side Thule" (also presented as such for the CD booklet).
"Helnorsk Svartmetall" is Norwegian for "True Norwegian Black Metal" (more literally, "All-Norwegian Black Metal).
Jewel case version. Probably mexican bootleg.
Covers like on Perverted Taste digipak version. Perverted Taste logo and catalog included.
Tracks 1-3 taken from "Koldbrann I Jesu Marg" 1996 7" EP.
Tracks 4-5 taken from "Manndaudsvinter" 1995 demo.
Tracks 6-8 taken from "Omfavnet Av Svarte Vinger" 1994 demo.
Tracks 9-10 taken from "Der Vinterstormene Raste" 1993 demo.
Taake’s emergence onto the broader black metal scene at the very end of the 20th century was as impressive as it was timely. Impressive, because the standard of music presented in the debut album ‘Nattestid’ far outshone most of the genre’s newcomers, and in fact exceeded the contemporaneous releases of Norway’s old guard. Timely, due to the fact that black metal was splintering into sub-genres and many (dubious) evolutionary branches, and Taake demonstrated that it was possible to write elegant and powerful black metal in the traditions of the second wave without being derivative and stale.
It is therefore immensely interesting to examine ‘Helnorsk Svartmetall’, which contains not just the first two Taake demos, but also the two demos prior when Hoest’s project was called Thule, in descending order from most recent to earliest. The content alone means that this release is a convenient and important collection for those wishing to see where it all began.
As imagined, the music contained herein is some-frills black metal, relying on rugged guitars played over frenetic drumming that exudes enthusiasm and passion. The release includes the enthusiastic and immature sounds of Thule’s ‘Der Vinterstormene Raste’ (from 1993, which, by my rough calculation, makes Hoest all of 15 years old), through to the album-ready content of ‘Koldbrann I Jesu Marg’ three years later. Interestingly, it would be another three years before the debut full-length would be released. So you essentially have the full evolution from youthful ambition to (almost) fully realised beast. It is interesting, too, to realise that while Taake is considered to have missed the second wave’s wave, as it were, Hoest was in actual fact getting things recorded during its peak in the early to mid 90s.
The music itself is low-fi guitar-based riffage that often follows a mid-paced Satyricon-style structure, with drumming of increased confidence generally being quite expressive and clever. As expected the demos are very rough, particularly the Thule material, but this does lend an endearing air of credibility to the whole package. By far the most enjoyable material comes from the two most recent demos – the Taake material – simply because this is the more developed and better sounding tracks. The elegance and cleverness of Taake is more evident in these tracks.
CD version that I have presents a sleek and straightforward cover with the Taake logo and shield, and it folds out to present some very old school forest photos of Hoest and Svartulv, some even showing them standing with their parents’ garden rake in a couple of shots, in lieu of actual weapons. If I’m being honest, they’re more poser than corpse, but everyone starts somewhere and Hoest has obviously become a titan of the genre since then.
This material isn’t in the realm of the classics, but it’s an interesting and important release and definitely enjoyable on its own terms. You can live comfortably without this, but it’s a nice little all-in-one that completes the Taake collection if you’re so inclined.
Sample:
