For the 2nd time in the first half of 2016, Norwegian black metal
mainstays Taake unblessed Kansas City with their presence, this time
bringing along blackened doom outfit Wolvhammer and locals Stonehaven
for a night of Trve Norwegian Black Metal.
Just like in February, opening the show was Kansas City's own black
metal horde Stonehaven. Cloaked in animal pelts and chainmail,
Stonehaven's brand of viking-tinged black metal went along perfectly
with the folk-ier elements of Taake and made for yet another fantastic
set from the group. In particular, the final song of their set - "Sword
Rape" - sounded especially vicious. Stonehaven sounds like they should
be from the 90s from Norway, yet they're from Kansas City. An amazing
black metal group.
Minnesota's Wolvhammer have been steadily making a name for themselves
in recent times, being one of the premier blackened doom/sludge groups, a
genre that has recently exploded in popularity. Although maybe not as
intense as, say, Dragged Into Sunlight or Coffinworm, they incorporate
much more of a doom metal sound into their songs; and it really makes
them stand out. A blast of intense black metal sludginess backed by
doom-riffs is one of the best dichotomies in heavy metal and Wolvhammer
does it better than most everyone else.
Norway's Taake toured the US for the first time in their career back in
February after their original tour, slated for June 2015, was postponed
due to Visa issues. This current tour they're on is technically the
makeup for those dates. Although they've now played Kansas City twice in
about three months, Taake's live performance is straight out of the old
(read: legendary) black metal scene that makes it truly one of a kind.
Clad in dirty shirts and corpsepaint, the band took to the stage in
darkness and began the set with "Nordbundet" from 2011's breakthrough
album "Noregs vaapen," while Hoest - the actual solo performer in
Taake's studio output - sauntered on stage before grabbing the
microphone and screeching out lyrics like a crazed lunatic. While most
black metal musicians are stoic on stage and afraid to look like they're
having fun, Hoest may as well be a black metal rock star, he was
roaming the stage and handing the microphone to the crowd for chants and
sing-alongs - something other extreme metal vocalists should take note
of.
The rest of the set hit virtually the rest of Taake's discography: "Det
fins en prins" and "Orm" from their latest album, 2014's "Stridens hus",
and also a host of older cuts including untitled tracks from the groups
second and third albums. The biggest crowd reaction came from the set
closer "Vid I" from their debut album - it caused the heaviest moshing
and headbanging of the night - but the highlight of the set came during
their performance of "Myr" which by all means should be your typical
black metal song, except it features a banjo solo. And, yes, they did
switch out one of the guitars mid-song for a banjo and ripped that solo
out just as good live as on album. It's truly a sight to behold and is
paramount to why Taake is one of extreme metal's premier live bands
right now.
It seems unfathomable that in their only 2 US tours of their career,
Taake has come to the Riot Room each time. Luckily, Kansas City has
given the lineup each time a raucous response, so hopefully they'll keep
coming back many times over.
Taake setlist:
1. Nordbundet
2. Du ville ville Vestland
3. Det Fins En Prins
4. Orm
5. Fra vadested til vaandesmed
6. Hordaland doedskvad Part III
7. Myr
8. Hordaland doedskvad Part I
9. Umenneske
10. Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik IV
11. Vid I
Taake: 9/10
Wolvhammer: 8.5/10
Stonehaven: 8.5/10
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