Norwegian Black Metal titans Taake kicked off their California stops at Brick By Brick on June 10. More than halfway done with the second leg of the tour, Taake came in like an unholy wrecking ball (Whoa there, Miley Cyrus!).

Local black metal band Mythraeum brought some thrills to the masses with their insatiable riffs and hellishly melodic songs. Ceremonial props and dark lighting aside, it was obvious it was clearly not Mythraeum’s first rodeo and will be another local band to watch.

Wolvhammer took over and pulled in a crowd with their recognizable faces. Fronted by Skeletonwitch’s Adam Clemens and has member of melodic death metal band Abigail Williams. Clemens kept the momentum going with his off the charts energy, ensuring a good time.

Though Wolvhammer and Mythraeum gave the crowd with a much needed energy boost, North Carolina trio Young and in the Way set up the stage with their dynamic charisma. Though there are no members from Skeletonwitch in this band, their style definitely fashions itself after a more aggressive version of the Ohio based band.

Taake slowly rolled around midnight in a befitting style and pace, and became the definition of the calm before the storm as the pit shifted from quiet anticipation to a sudden frenzy with “Nordbundet.”

The mastermind of the band, Ørjan “Hoest” Stedjeberg wasted no time and jumped in to

several songs one after the other. Taake played both old and new songs such as the “Part 1” from their first studio album Nattestid Ser Porten Vid and ventured in to their most recent album Stridens hus, playing “Orm”.

Though Hoest was a wonderfully macabre spectacle, seems the true star of the show was the electric banjo. Leave it to Taake to make a banjo solo blend in perfectly with some good ol’ Norwegian black metal heard in the song “Myr.”

Though this was no hellish square dancing affair, Taake surely replicated its intoxicating and festive atmosphere in their maiden conquest of the West Coast. “It took us 23 years to get here!” growled Hoest in to the microphone as he was engulfed with cheers and fluorescent green lighting.

Taake has concluded their North American tour as of now, and for those who missed the bands historic affair, the reception charmed the group and will surely return to not only give audiences a crash course in Norwegian (Hoest says it’s pronounced T-oh-keh), see Hoest parading and distorting himself onstage and above all more banjo solos.

Taake expertly came, saw and conquered San Diego, one thing we must ask Hoest and the famous banjo is, are we kvlt enough yet? We think so. *Puts corpse paint on*