Nattestid Ser Porten Vid is a seven part, 40+ minute epic in the old style of Norwegian Black Metal, with some viking influences thrown in the mix. This album represents all of the best of Norwegian Black Metal, full of chilling atmosphere, blinding speed, brutality, beauty, and evil. Add in to all of this great production (a rarity in this scene) by the legendary Pytten, and you have a classic on your hands.

Taake is the project of U. Hoest, who does all of the guitars and vocals on the album, as well as being the sole songwriter. Tundra guests on the album, taking care of bass and drum duties. Hoest is a talented guitarist, and his vocals are superb in either end of his wide spectrum, whether it be shrieking black metal vocals or his clean singing. Not to worry, black metal fans; the clean vocals are kept to a minimum, used sparingly in the most effective places.

I'm not normally a fan of blastbeats, but they fit so well in Taake's music, I actually started to enjoy them. Blastbeats are used here when demanded by the music, not just played randomly over any type of rhythm. Add in the nearly subliminal thunder of the bass, and parts of this album totally annihilate the senses. But in a good way!

My favorite part of this epic is "Part Four," an instrumental that is painfully melodic but in no way cheesy. Making an album that combines so many different aspects of black metal so perfectly is not easy, but Taake have done it with only their first full length album. I expect Taake to be hailed alongside countrymen Mayhem and Emperor in a few years as kings of the Norwegian scene.

Review by Scott Wilcox

Review date: 06/1999

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