Norwegian Black Metal band Taake has been nominated for the Spellemann Prize. The contemporary music prize has twenty categories, and Taake has been nominated for the Best Metal Album category for its 2011 album Noregs Vaapen (“Norway’s Weapons”).Karisma Records says the album includes “unpredictable parts more black’n’roll grooves, ice cold mellotrons, and white trash banjo” creating an “intense, unique, Norwegian and otherworldly sound.”
As you might imagine, Taake (which means “Fog” in Norwegian) isn’t worried about offending people. The lyrics of the Noregs Vaapen song Okan (“Hurricane”) attacks Christianity. That’s par for the course. But the same song also also attacks Islam as a barbaric culture. Enter the “offended.”
“To hell with Muhammad and the Mohammedans” sings Hoest, lead vocalist on Orkan. Hoest (who was previously the vocalist for Ragnarok) also refers to what he calls Islam’s “unforgivable customs,” and declares that “Norway will soon awaken”.
Aftenposten has reported that it received complaints from some members of the public who suggested the album was “violent and anti-Muslim.”
Hoest has responded in writing, saying
“Since the begining Black Metal has always been anti-religious, and nearly all [of its] bands have denigrated both religions [themselves] and the religious. This includes several former winners and nominees in the Grammy category Metals, often in far stronger terms than Taake. We consider it very unfair that just Taake texts tried to be interpreted as the right wing.”
“Our [expressed] view, in the name of freedom of expression, is that it is shameful to adhere to Christianity or Islam.” He notes that “Christianity is mentioned otherwise in the same texts, but this does not seem to be emphasized.” He also says that “Taake has never been a political band, and we do not encourage either violence or racism.”
Black Metal is known for its harsh and sometime symphonic sound, and might be thought of as Wagnerian. Its bands often draw on mythology — especially Norse mythology — and are often neo-pagan and opposed to monotheistic religions.
You can order your copy of the Spellemann-nominated album here.
