SPLIT REVIEW: Taake / Whoredom Rife – Pakt

Two titan of Norwegian Black Metal, TAAKE and WHOREDOM RIFE have joined forces to bring us a crushing split, out via Terratur Possessions on March 20th.

First up, Taake bring in cold Nordic grooves with a bitter chill of Black Metal with an exclusive track. There is a slightly more dissonant feel to it than a typical Taake song which is interesting to hear, though the track is unmistakably the work of mastermind Hoest with ferocious upbeat drums and gloriously soaring guitar riffs alongside that recognisable Bergensk rasp, calling to the bitter south-western coasts of Norway with an utterly gorgeous piece that is also possible the most twisted and warped Taake song to date. The acoustic sections over punky drum beats almost felt like something from a Lifelover track which worked surprisingly well in the monstrously vicious track. Following this is a cover of one of my favourite non-Metal bands, Sisters Of Mercy which I found an interesting and definitely suitable choice. Thundering bass guitar start us off with a Motorhead style introduction. Maniacal howls soon join to build up the momentum, this cover is really inhuman sounding which is exactly what I hoped for. Hoest’s vocals deliver the emotive style of Andrew Eldritch while adding the filthy Norwegian Black Metal hatred. Dancing guitar riffs and pummelling drums complete the mix and deliver a totally astounding cover, beautifully done and a magnificent addition to the split.

Over to the flip side, Whoredom Rife whom are set to journey into their brand of destructive Norwegian Black Metal. The inferno of extremity takes no time to begin with walls of blastbeats and cascading riffs delving into a sonic annihilation of the listener. Complementing the melodic groove and atmospherics of Taake with a raw and savage performance, Whoredom Rife throw us right into a ravaging blizzard of instrumental excellence and brilliantly demented vocal howls. This side of the split is primal yet incredibly well written, hammering out two total bangers of pure Nordic obliteration with such grandiosity yet with a fairly simple approach. Totally ferocious and memorable tracks which definitely conjure up the classic Norwegian style while concocting something unique, Whoredom Rife once again deliver some of the most esteemed Black Metal from cold north. Barbaric, aggressive and with a monolith of sound to back it up, these two tracks sound huge on the split and work perfectly with Taake’s bitterly frozen assaults, especially with the melancholic yet harsh onslaught of the second track, it truly is a haunting piece.

A really interesting split between two of Norway’s best and most highly respected bands, this is definitely something all fans of Norwegian Black Metal who want something refreshing, fierce and memorable to satisfy their taste for a blizzard of destruction. -8.5/10