Within the Norwegian scene, we know there are many bands, all of unquestionable quality, especially within Black Metal.
The Norwegian band Taake kicks off a three-day tour this Friday, March 27th, which will take them to three Spanish cities, with Barcelona being the first stop. VALENCIA’N’METAL AROUND THE WORLD had the immense pleasure of interviewing Hoest, Taake’s frontman, who kindly agreed to answer a few questions before the tour begins. So, without further ado, here’s what Hoest told me exclusively.
Kat: First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to answer the questions for my website, VALENCIA’N’METAL AROUND THE WORLD. So, tell me, how are you? Are you exciting to start this upcoming Spanish tour? It is been a while since you have been in Spain?
Hoest: Thank you for having me. I am up and down as always. Unfortunately, Spain and Portugal seem to be considered too much of a detour while touring the rest of Europe, so we have visited way to rarely. The first time was during one of our very first tours shortly after the year 2000, then again in 2015 if I remember correctly. Since then, I can only remember a couple of festivals.
I am certainly eager to enjoy our Spanish crowd again, as well as your magnificent food and wine. I don’t think I have ever been to Valencia, so that will be especially interesting.
K: So, I hope you like my town. Taake started touring under this name in 1995, although you had already started in music in 1993 with Thule. Did the two bands differ so much musically or lyrically or was it just a name change?
Hoest: This creature has been the same project since 1993 and most of my attitude, image, concept and vision has not changed much from Thule to Taake.
But we felt the need for a name change in 1994, mainly due to discovering a few other bands, great bands, who were also called Thule.
Especially the one from northern Norway, with their masterful 1990 LP Natt.
K.: I see. According to my information, you sing and play all the instruments in Taake. Have you always found it easier to organize all the music construction by yourself than to give instructions to others, or it depends?
Hoest: Some musicians find their ideal writing partner, I never did. Whenever I make music on the guitar, drum patterns immediately start forming in my mind, including the smallest details.
If I were to include proper drummers on my recordings, it would only be fair to let them add their own ideas, instead of me pre-programming it and instructing them to copy it. This was the case on my early albums and sometimes I find it hard to live with the results.
Taake deals with such a private sphere, that it just has o be the composer who performs it all.
Even if I can’t play any instruments properly, the personal touch speaks louder.
I find a certain charm in that, with some of my own favourite artists.
Guest vocals, guitar solos and other contributions are sometimes welcome in the studio though.
And at concerts, the drummers have quite a bit of freedom, like the guitarists.
K: That’s what I wanted to ask you. For the performances, you are accompanied by live musicians. You try to always have the same musicians, or sometimes it’s impossible?
Hoest: I am blessed to be accompanied by dedicated and loyal musicians, who make it their priority to be available for most interesting offers. Two members of the current line-up have been with me for almost 20 years. Very rarely have we chosen to include a stand-in musician when someone is unable to join an important concert or tour.
Hoest, Taake. Picture courtesy by Necroshorns (using by permission) (https://www.instagram.com/necroshorns/)
K.: That’s very important. Hoest, as you explained earlier, although Taake adopted that name in 1995, the band itself was formed in 1993., right in the middle of the Norwegian Black Metal Golden Age. Some people consider the Norwegian school of BM to be the second wave of the genre. Are you agree? And in your opinion, what would be the first wave?
Hoest: I don’t really think in terms of waves, but to a certain degree I would classify the development like this:
The international bands from the 1980’s who didn’t necessary refer to themselves as Black Metal, but inspired the first Norwegian bands, like Bathory, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Sodom, Destruction, Kreator, Tormentor, Sarcofago, Bulldozer, Master’s Hammer, Root… floating into the 1990’s with Blasphemy, Samael, VON…
I suppose even the beginning of the Norwegian scene can be divided into two waves (not counting Mayhem who were pretty much alone at first):
-The few underground groups not many people knew about in 1991/1992: Darkthrone, Thorns, Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Carpathian Forest, Hades, Gorgoroth, etc.
-Then the enormous explosion of new bands after the media attention of 1993.
Taake belongs in the last category.
K.: Thank you very much, Hoest. Your tremendous explanation has cleared up some doubts I had about certain bands. Nobody had explained it to me so clearly. Thank you. Let’s continue.
When I interview Norwegian BM musicians, I always like to ask them what they think about the following question: Do you think there are noticeable differences between the Norwegian and Swedish schools of Black Metal, despite the fact that both countries are brotherhood nations in some ways?
Hoest: The Swedes are certainly a very musical people and it seems like quality songwriting comes very natural to them, in any genre.
Norway used to be in our neighbour’s shadow, never quite reaching up to their high artistic standards in many ways.
Especially music-wise.
But that was until Black Metal exploded and we finally outdid them in quality (as well as quantity I believe).
There are several important and magnificent Swedish bands obviously.
And let’s never forget that they had Bathory before we had Mayhem.
The main differences between the two nationalities when it comes to Black Metal from the 1990’s and onward can in some regards be slightly difficult to put one’s finger on, but I’ll try:
Please keep in mind that my knowledge of the Swedish scene is quite limited, as I never had many contacts there.
Nor was I particularly curious, as there were continuously more than enough emerging bands to pay attention to here at home.
I might be wrong about this, but considering Swede’s population is twice the size of the Norway’s, it always felt like we had twice the amount of bands as them.
The bands that made most of an impression on me through the years, after Bathory of course, have been Marduk, Abruptum, Dissection, Shining and Craft. Plus related bands like Lifelover and Alfahanne.
I’m sure there are many more that could appeal to me, but the “hard disc” of my soul’s musical chamber has been quite full for ages.
Back to the point:
Around 1993, it felt like Norway actually honoured the legacy of Bathory even more than Sweden did, an obvious influence can especially be heard in the early West Coast bands like Burzum, Immortal, Incarnator, Gorgoroth, Hades (Almighty), Ancient and so on.
And Darkthrone over in Oslo of course.
From my perspective, the early Swedish releases had a tendency for being more thoroughly produced in the studio, whereas the typical Norwegian recordings had a more low budget feel to it.
Our neighbours displayed more obvious musicianship skills, as opposed to Norwegian musicians giving off the impression of just having picked up an instrument.
I also think our bands have focused more on summoning a powerful atmosphere through minimal means, focusing more on primitive riffs than melody.
Which, to me, can create a raw, almost amateurish-sounding charm. I also noticed that quite a few of the Swedish band members chose not to have pseudonyms, but kept their real names for some reason. Among Norwegians, I can’t think of a single example.
The same goes for the use of Corpse Paint.
In addition to the music, the Swedes formed more strict brotherhoods of initiated members, while in Norway it was basically every-man-for-himself.
The environment shapes the people they say and Norwegian bands have evoked more visions of our chaotic forests, mountains and fjords for example.
Our nature is wilder.
All in all, I don’t think we seem particularly influenced by eachother, but rather nourished our distinctive identities paralelly.
An overwhelming passion for Black Metal we have certainly always had in common though.
K.: Wow, I love to heard your explanations. In fact, the truth is that of many of the things you’ve told me, Hoest, I’d always thought like the raw sound and the love of nature, since the Norwegian School of Black Metal is very much defined by its lyrics, which in many cases focus on your beautiful natural landscapes. But apart from that, there are also many references to anti-Christianity and to your homeland. Is this why you find it easier to sing in Norwegian than in English, something I personally love given the depth and power of your Mother Tongue?
Hoest: My writings were always meant for the Norwegian mind, but I guess these internet translation programs can provide some small hints as to what they are about. At least the music itself has proved to be an international language.
But my Taake work has to be a thoroughly honest, pure and natural expression, so only my Mother Tongue will do.
This was an obvious choice for me from day one, after Dakthrone proved how well it could work with “Inn i de dype Skogers Favn” and Burzum with “Stemmen fra Taarnet”.
K.: I’ve always liked the fact that many Norwegian bands use their native language to sing; their sound is strong and very immersive.
Taake has an extensive discography consisting of eight studio albums, which Et Hav Av Avstand (2023) being the latest one. Could you tell me what you talk about in this album? Will you be focusing the setlist for your upcoming tour on it, or haven’t you decided yet?
Hoest: It had to be this title, “An Ocean of Distance”, as it has several meanings connected to Taake and my general self.
There is a growing sea of distance between Taake and the rest of the black metal world, which I have also always had with the music business, between myself and the programmable robots of human society, even between myself and the closest people in my life.
I have less in common with anyone than ever.
Our setlist for Spain has been planned and rehearsed, representing almost all of our albums.
K.: Great news to know! And finally, besides this Spanish tour that will take you to three Spanish cities (Barcelona Madrid and Valencia), does Taake have any other dates or festivals already confirmed?
Hoest: Apart from tours being scheduled for Europe, South America and Asia, we have a mini tour in Sweden and a few festivals in Norway, Germany and Czech Republic planned so far this year.
K.: So you are very busy. If you’d like to add anything else, please do.
Hoest: The mixing process of my 9th album is nearly done and it should be released in autumn.
K.: Wow! Thanks for this almost exclusive sneak peek. Thank you so much for this interview, Hoest. Very appreciated.
Hoest: Thanks again for your attention, I’m looking forward to returning to your country and hope to do so more often in the future.
K: So be it. Thanks again.
TAAKE en RRSS
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