Band:	Taake
Album:	Noregs Vaapen
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	September 2011

01. Fra Vadested Til Vaandesmed
02. Orkan
03. Nordbundet
04. Du Ville Ville Vestland
05. Myr
06. Helvetesmakt
07. Dei Vil Alltid Klaga Og Kyta
08. I Am The Black Wizards [Emperor cover] [Feat. Attila Csihar & Ivar Bjørnson] [Vinyl bonus]

Black Metal. This is it. Ever wondered how black metal solos, breakdowns and - of course - banjos might sound? Ever wondered how black metal could develop in time if you do not count the many failed attempts of so called black metal bands to this style anymore? Well, this is it, this is Taake. The year is 2011 and the album bears the weapons of the north, the Noregs Vaapen. We have come that far and now we can overlook twenty years of black metal and we can see it all in one album.

Noregs Vaapen contains everything the trve Norwegian metalhead could ask for. All the history of the one grim and cold music in seven songs plus a load of originality as never seen before in twenty short years. Sure, the ancient kings, namely glorious personalities like Euronymous, Quorthon or Varg will remain on their thrones, but yet another seat is to be raised in between them, and on its base appears the name Hoest. Exaggerated you think, huh? Wrong. Go listen to this mastermind's works from Nattestid... till now and be ready for some of the best black metal riffs to date when listening to Noregs Vaapen, you must admit.

The album starts off with a riff that already foreshadows what power is to come in the next 47 minutes. The moment Hoest's voice kicks in is the moment when the listener knows that he is listening to Taake again. And that he is right in doing so. The opener already contains the first guest appearance, Nocturno Culto makes this song immortal. His dark and hellish vocals fit Hoest's music perfectly. Another guest is also most remarkable and Demonaz contributes to my favourite song "Du Ville Ville Vestland". Within this song there is something rare: a black metal breakdown? Yes, here it is, and it is awesome, rocks like hell, and still bears a black and frosty atmosphere.

And somewhere within the album, metalkind can find it: the now already infamous black banjo. Within the song "Myr" it appears and it does not appear only because of itself. Oh no, it plays a melody that is not simple, not cheesy and as a whole worth being played on any instrument. It's not only the banjo. But, as a last dark note, let me introduce you to the actual highlight on Noregs Vaapen. It is the final riff of "Helvetesmakt," being repeated all over again and again and showing what is the trve essence of black metal. I have no words left for this riff, just give it a gloomy listen.

When I went through the album collecting what to write in this review, there was one problem. Every riff is worth being commented. I could write a book entitled "Noregs Riffs," for this review can't even touch the albums power. But for now, let Hoest be the god, Taake the entire Pantheon and Noregs Vaapen the incense. This is it, this is black metal.