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En Skog av Nidstang
TAAKE, the long-running Bergen black metal project led by Ørjan "Hoest" Stedjeberg, has released its ninth full-length album, "En Skog av Nidstang". The review frames it as a strong entry in the band's catalogue and in Norwegian black metal generally for 2026, praising its balance of traditional genre elements with subtle progressive touches rather than a rote rehash of raw, old-school black metal.
The album is structured in four chapters that flow into one another, following the format of 2023's "Et hav av avstand", with the reviewer highlighting opener "Einstoeingen og eg" and closer "Autonomy Lost" for their contrasting moods, from confident tension to an Americana-tinged guitar intro giving way to frigid tremolo-picked black metal. The main criticism is that some songs run overly long and repetitive, with the reviewer suggesting the record could have worked as a shorter EP or been fleshed out with additional material. Overall, Blabbermouth scored the album 8 out of 10.
In short
- TAAKE release ninth album "En Skog av Nidstang" via Dark Essence.
- Blabbermouth review scores it 8/10, praising nuanced black metal songwriting.
- Main criticism: some tracks feel overly long and repetitive.
Explained simply
TAAKE is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway, led by musician Ørjan Stedjeberg, known professionally as Hoest. Black metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that emerged from Scandinavia in the late 1980s, defined by rapid guitar techniques, distorted production and atmospheric qualities. The band has been recording since the early 2000s.
The album is structured into four chapters that flow into one another rather than as separate individual songs. The band used the same structure on its 2023 release.
TAAKE has been active within Norwegian black metal for two decades. New releases from such established acts attract attention within specialist music circles and among dedicated followers of the genre.
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