Description
10” split single on black vinyl. Limited 777 copies
The blackest and definitely most blasphemous split-release ever to emerge from the city between the seven mountains of Bergen, Norway: Jaertegn with Taake and Deathcult. The split features one new track from each band, as well as one cover each from some true heavyweights of the genre, Darkthrone and Beherit respectively. Hoest is no stranger to Deathcult, as he does play Bass in the band, a role he fills on this split album as well, pulling double duty for both Taake and Deathcult. Deathcult have two full lengths under their belt prior to this release, and are not to be underestimated, their debut Cult Of The Dragon was met with much appraisal in the underground circles. The first thing one will notice on Taake`s side of this EP is already very apparent on the first track Slagmark. This doest not sound like a Kong Vinter leftover. The production on this track is far rawer than most of Taakes output the last 10 years at the very least. Hoest`s vocals also sound much more vicious and spiteful than your standard Taake performance, it’s like he spews every line with pure venom.
Deathcult don’t call themselves Cruel Norwegian Black metal for nothing. Deathcult’s music is vicious and cruel. The riffs of their first offering on this EP Der Würger (The strangler) brings you straight back to the church burning glory days of the genre. Vocals are standard black metal fare rasps, occasionally layered for a kind of echo effect. Rasps are perfectly fine, black metal never wanted or needed to be anything extraordinary in terms of vocals, but the layering does help keep it from growing stale. Like Taake, Deathcult have their groovier moments, some of the riffs later in the track sound like straight up Black n roll. All 4 tracks are solid, the Beherit cover being particularly standout, and overall the EP is definitely not a blight in either of the bands catalogues of music. So in the end, how it functions together might not be that important. “Jaertegn” is a great EP. 2 great covers, 2 tracks that make you want more, all we can do is hope for another Taake full length, and patiently wait for one from Deathcult.
Track list:
1. Taake -Slagmark
2. Taake -Ravnajuv-Darkthrone cover
3. Deathcult -Der Wurger
4. Deathcult -Black Arts-Beherit cover