1349 – Uada – Cloak
The Bunkhouse – Las Vegas, Nevada
November 7th, 2019
Norwegian Black Metal band, 1349 gets their name from the year that the Black Death made it’s way to Norway. That said you should at least find the band more enjoyable than the plague. However, I would rather die than miss another great European black metal band making the trip to North America. Having been a fan of black metal since I was a young teenager; it’s been a near constant pain to watch or read interviews from these musicians explain how difficult it is to tour the United States in particular.
Emperor is still on my bucket list. The last of the groups that announced their reunion after I’d already been a fan. I believe it was 2007 when they announced their U.S. dates. New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles – the three largest cities in the country. My parents weren’t about to let me make the L.A. show no matter how responsible they thought my older friends were.
Where is the European Black Metal!?
I missed the Taake show here in Vegas; I still can’t just go to L.A. for Asagraum; and it’s difficult to spend money on three day passes for Psycho Fest when you’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed.
All that said I still have seen great European black metal acts over the years. Mainly the bands big enough to regularly tour North America. Though plenty of people would tell you that Dimmu Borgir isn’t trve kvlt. That Cradle of Filth isn’t black metal while hiding their entire catalog under their bed. Or that Behemoth is blackened death metal – at least that one I can agree with.
I was however able to catch Satyricon in support of Cradle Of Filth in February 2009. The last show I’d see in Las Vegas for seven years. Where I got the chance to meet Satyr and Frost and have a poster signed by them. I have to say the experience was a great one even if I’d only seen them perform; but meeting them was an additional surprise and I genuinely found the both of them to be good dudes.
So it’s over ten years later I’ll be seeing one of the men, the celebrated drummer Frost perform with his other band 1349.
I fell in love with Norwegian black metal while a high school freshman; and despite finding great black metal from all over the world; there’s something about the sound that came out of Norway that captured my imagination.
While 1349 isn’t the very first band that comes to mind when I want to put on a black metal record; they are more consistently quality than say the Ghaal-ingly boring middle period of Gorgoroth that some people seem to glorify. Pun abso-fucking-lutely intended.
They also have the distinction of at least keeping the same studio lineup since 2006; something that’s incredibly difficult in extreme music period. Also, despite two longer stretches between records they’ve still managed to release seven albums in sixteen years.
So I’ve spilled my guts out to you simply to say just how excited I am for this show in particular; and to see what color my intestines would be. Just kidding – don’t go freaking out on me.
In addition to 1349 we have two very different American black metal bands on the same bill. Uada are an acclaimed melodic black metal band from Portland, Oregon. While Cloak are an interesting mix of roll n’ roll and black metal hailing from Atlanta, Georgia.
Uada’s latest record was their 2018 full-length, the much talked about ‘Cult of a Dying Sun’ on German label Eisenwald.
1349 released ‘The Infernal Pathway’ earlier this October on Season of Mist.
Just a few days ago Cloak has also released their second full-length ‘The Burning Dawn’ also on Season of Mist.
I’m also looking to try and write up reviews for the 1349 and Cloak releases; but there’s three other reviews on my to-do list as well so we shall see.