The renowned Norwegian black metal institution that is Taake surely needs no introduction. Apart from being a relatively regular presence on the touring circuit and a most formidable and potent force of nature on stage, mastermind Hoest has been on an upward trajectory pretty much since the beginning, with each album being stronger and more soul-stirring than the one that preceded it. Enter En Skog av Nidstang, the great composer’s 2026 opus and the ninth full-length entry in a rather impressive discography. So, where do we stand on this then? As confident, determined, and riveting as one could have hoped for, not to mention brimming with magnificent ideas, the disc simply represents Taake at its very best and most darkly alluring. Its four lengthy compositions deliver all the thrills, pathos, surprising twists, gnarly turns, riffs pulled from an inner well of chaos, epic rage, and necro-romantic vibes that you can imagine and then some.
Does it then offer something that all the other LPs sporting the grim moniker do not? The short answer is “yes”, and this writer will gladly tell you why. More than ever before, the vocals are utilized as a proper instrument in their own right, and they carry an abundance of depth, variety, and broodiness that does the song material proud. The records of the past have lacked neither focus nor commitment in their execution, but somehow, and for some reason, En Skog av Nidstang feels a little more assured and singular in its vision. Production-wise, Hoest and Bjoernar E. Nilsen have nailed it too, in that the album embodies a perfectly harsh and windswept edge while simultaneously packing a solid sonic punch and leaving plenty of space in the mix for all the instruments and subtle details to breathe. The successful balancing of dramatic intensity and melancholic, introspective beauty serves as a poignant reminder of just how powerful this wicked thing called Norwegian black metal can actually be, and every tune speaks to the heart and soul with ‘Engler’ and ‘Av Guds ville Naade’ arguably being the finest examples of impactful, momentous sturm und drang in the Taake canon yet. The words and reflections contained within are immensely important and a huge part of the flawless work’s disconcerting yet exhilarating appeal, and dare one say that Hoest has never appeared more transparent than he does here.
There are too many bone-chilling, eventful, and unforgettably haunting moments to list here, so let us merely conclude by saying that the darkest and most expansive experience ever conceived by this intriguing Norwegian entity awaits you. Allow this scribe to sum it up as follows: if the utterly moving and bleak painting by August Cappelen, titled Utdoende Urskog, had a soundtrack, En Skog av Nidstang would be it. I can offer no higher praise than that.
En Skog av Nidstang will be released by Dark Essence Records on the 31st of July 2026.
