Chapter 1: This Endless Solitude

Description

Formed in Belgium before settling in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, HULDER was born in 2018 as a solo project drawing its roots from the most committed currents of traditional black metal. 'Oproeping Van Middeleeuwse Duisternis' brings together the first two cassette releases of the band: the demo 'Ascending the Raven Stone' and the raw recording of 'Rehearsal 8/13/18', in a single document, thus preserving the very first chapter of a project that would quickly carve one of the most unique trajectories in contemporary underground black metal. The tracks from the demo deliberately evoke the second wave of Scandinavian and French black metal from the 90s: tremolo-played riffs that exude a medieval coldness, an atmosphere sculpted in the hiss of the tape and cold arrangements, and a vocal presence that alternates between corrosive screams and unsettling restraint. The rehearsal from August 13, 2018, is rawer and more spontaneous, capturing a live and unfiltered energy that shows a project already mastering its aesthetic. It notably includes a cover of "Into the Crypts of Rays" by Celtic Frost, which ensures the lineage of the style in a single track. While the official demo announces the first album, the rehearsal recording is introspective, capturing a moment of instinct rather than construction. For fans of DEPECHE MODE, APHEX TWIN, DARKSPACE, MANES. Side A: The Rhythm of Silence / My Salvation / Projections / Obsession Six Side B: Reoccurring Dreams / Would You Take This Heart / Behind Me / This Endless Solitude