I like Hulder. I think it’s a great band, and I’ve liked them for a good couple of years at this point.
Yes, I know it’s mostly two people, and that it used to be just one person, but it’s still a band to me. Anyway, the band’s new album could be compared to some of Drudkh’s more recent works, in the way that a scent of cultural and folk influences creeps in, occasionally spraying its pepper into the mix and giving the music an extra layer of flavor that wasn’t present in the past.
They gained their footing back when “Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry” came out, turning this Belgian/American (or these days, all-American) duo into somewhat of a name.

The album opens with an intro, which I personally am never a fan of. Especially not when it goes on for about two whole minutes. Having said that, the medieval-like drum tapping and light flute work do get the job done, setting an imaginative stage in the middle of a damp forest. It then flows smoothly into “The Crowning”, which opens with massive drums and rhythmic work, throwing the listener straight back to the band’s previous releases and, in a way, wrapping the ear in a familiar sound. From time to time, however, it moves away from the harsh rhythms and into territories controlled by melodies of old, bravely led by flutes.
The songs’ production feels much warmer than on the band’s previous releases, as shown clearly on “The Binding Oath”. Even so, throughout the album, it never alters the musical foundations the band is rooted so deeply in. The cold, throaty vocals still drape themselves over the music, which remains as harsh as ever. “Verbolgen” is a perfect example: harsh vocals, melodic passages, and a structure that wouldn’t shame any second-wave Black Metal-sounding band.

From time to time, additions in the background such as the flute and even a hurdy-gurdy provide the listening experience one additional element, adding another layer that acts as just that, rather than taking over. The same goes for “In Blood and in Earth”, which opens with a dreary instrumental passage and manages to move from there into no less than seven minutes of slower-paced, almost ritualistic and melancholic sounds, probably without even meaning to.
To regain some footing in speed and harshness, “Den Nacht Zijn Lied” incorporates a steady double-bass pace that dictates a strong rhythm, with guitar work throwing in everything from lighter melodies here and there to solo parts that position this particular song in a good spot among the others.

To many, Hulder symbolizes what can be good and well-performed when a band manages to avoid the pitfalls that turn other bands into ridiculous shadows of their former selves. On one hand, developing new ideas, rhythms, and even an approach that differs slightly from what they’ve done before, while on the other, never changing the attitude or trampling on the very thing that brought them to where they are today.

Rating: 8/10

Label: 20 Buck Spin / Season of Mist
Release Date: August 2026

Tracklist:

1. Drie Raven
2. The Crowning
3. Thy Binding Oath
4. Verbolgen
5. …And We Shall Sing
6. In Blood and in Earth
7. Den Nacht Zijn Lied
8. View From Nemeton
9. The Glow of Dawn
10. A Beacon From Darkened Skies
11. Zonnesteen