All Photos and Text by Teddie Taylor
Now together for twenty-three years, Taake are bringing true Norwegian black metal to North America this summer. Last night, they played at Siberia in New Orleans with Wolvhammer and local NOLA groups Mehenet and Witch Burial.
Mehenet, the more obviously Taake-influenced of the local openers, sped through their slot with knives at their belts and runes on their foreheads.
Witch Burial was much more subtle in their black metal visuals, though lead singer Jared Benoit’s vocals cut through the night like a chainsaw. The New Orleans black metal scene is very much alive.
Cloaked in the southern humidity, Wolvhammer crawled their way through songs from their incredible 2014 release Clawing into Black Sun and annihilated anyone unfamiliar with their sound. Their “Slaves to the Grime” was not only relevant in the muggy, Louisiana summer night, but it hit you dead center in the chest and made you even hungrier for a new album.
At midnight, the venue went dark, and Taake drifted through the crowd onto the stage; Hoest followed in the rear like a low-hanging fog. The venue exploded with sound, and insanity ensued. Hoest mentioned the heat and growled that they would share some Norwegian cold with the Big Easy. They finished with a request for “Die When You Die” and disappeared as quickly as they had entered.
The tour continues west until 6/17 in Vancouver for The Covenant Fest. Young and in the Way join the lineup on 6/10 in San Diego at Brick By Brick.
MENEHET
WITCH BURIAL
WOLVHAMMER
TAAKE
