Duindwaler is a Dutch solo Black Metal project created by Daan Bleumink, best known as the principal songwriter behind the North Holland Black Metal band Hellevaerder. Emerging around 2020–2021 during the COVID period, the project was conceived as an outlet for Bleumink’s creativity while activity with Hellevaerder had temporarily stalled. The name Duindwaler translates roughly as ‘Dune Wanderer’, reflecting Bleumink’s deep connection to the coastal dune landscapes surrounding his hometown of Heemskerk in the province of North Holland. Influenced by the history, folklore, forests, and dune systems of the region, Duindwaler channels these themes into atmospheric and fiercely traditional Black Metal. Bleumink has cited the Ukrainian legends Hate Forest as one of the project’s original inspirations, although he emphasizes that the music has gradually developed its own distinct identity. Musically, Duindwaler combines raw, uncompromising Black Metal with hypnotic repetition and an atmosphere steeped in melancholy, isolation, and Dutch historical imagery. The project’s first release was the EP ‘Landloper’ (2021), recorded, mixed, and mastered by Bleumink himself. This debut established the foundations of the Duindwaler sound and introduced the themes of wandering, solitude, and connection to the land. In 2023, Duindwaler participated in the ambitious collaborative album ‘Verloren Vertellingen’ alongside fellow Dutch Black Metal acts Hellevaerder, Asgrauw, and Schavot. Rather than a conventional split, the release was conceived as a unified work built around shared concepts, Dutch folklore, and historical narratives, with each artist offering a different interpretation of the central theme. Tracks such as ‘De Zieleneter’ further strengthened Duindwaler’s reputation within the flourishing Dutch Black Metal underground. The project’s first full-length album, ‘In het Heemskerks duin’ (2024), represented a major artistic step forward. Written and recorded in an exceptionally short period of six days, the album serves as a musical homage to the dunes and cultural history of Heemskerk while showcasing a more mature and refined songwriting approach. Bleumink himself has described it as the first release that truly captures the complete Duindwaler vision and identity. Today, Duindwaler is regarded as part of the contemporary wave of Dutch Black Metal associated with the Zwotte Kring circle, standing alongside projects such as Hellevaerder, Asgrauw, and Schavot. Through its focus on local history, landscape, and folklore, Duindwaler has become one of the more distinctive voices in the Netherlands’ underground Black Metal scene.
Genocida is a long-running Dutch underground Black Metal entity centered around its sole member F.E.S., who handles all instruments, vocals, and composition. The project emerged in the mid-2010s and has remained a one-man endeavor dedicated to raw, uncompromising Black Metal rooted firmly in the Dutch underground tradition. The earliest known recordings appeared in 2014 with Demo I ‘When Skies Are on Fire’, introducing a style characterized by aggressive riffing, bleak atmospheres, and a stripped-down production aesthetic. This was followed by a prolific series of releases, including the full-length ‘When Skies Are on Fire’ (2015), Demo II ‘As Death Cometh’ (2016), and the album ‘Piteous’ (2016), all created exclusively by F.E.S. and released through the underground tape and DIY circuit. Over the following years, Genocida established itself as a consistent presence within the Dutch Black Metal scene through releases such as ‘For the Damned’ and the self-titled ‘Genocida’ in 2017. The project also participated in the split release ‘Uit de Nederlandse Nevelen’, further strengthening its ties to the contemporary Dutch Black Metal movement. After a period of relative silence, the project returned with renewed activity through the full-length ‘Ascend’ (2023), followed by ‘Kwelling’ (2024) and the EP ‘Necromancy’ (2024). These releases showed a more mature and atmospheric side while retaining the harsh, traditional Black Metal essence that had defined the project from its inception. Today, Genocida is associated with the Dutch label Zwaertgevegt and remains active within the flourishing Dutch underground. In 2025, the project collaborated with fellow Dutch Black Metal act Duindwaler on the split album ‘Chaos’, featuring tracks such as ‘Templefire’, ‘Plague Desolation’, and ‘On Morbid Soil’. The release further cemented Genocida’s place among the modern generation of Dutch Black Metal artists. Musically, Genocida draws upon the classic second-wave Black Metal tradition, fusing raw production, bleak atmospherics, melancholic melodies, and relentless aggression. The project’s body of work reflects a dedication to the solitary spirit of underground Black Metal, maintaining artistic independence while steadily expanding its catalogue over more than a decade.
The finest split releases feel less like a compromise and more like a shared artistic statement. ‘Chaos’, the collaboration between Dutch Black Metal entities Duindwaler and Genocida, achieves precisely that. Rather than sounding like two unrelated recordings awkwardly pressed onto the same slab of vinyl, this Zwaertgevegt release unfolds as a coherent journey through two complementary visions of contemporary Dutch Black Metal. The first side belongs to Duindwaler, and from the opening moments of ‘Vergiftiging van het Bloed’ there is little room to breathe. Daan Bleumink’s project has always possessed a feral intensity, but here it feels especially focused and uncompromising. Across four tracks, the music surges forward in one continuous torrent of hostility, hypnotic melody, and windswept atmosphere. The aggression is immediate and unrelenting, yet beneath the surface lies a wealth of detail that only reveals itself after repeated listens. What initially strikes as a furious assault gradually exposes carefully woven melodic layers and subtle shifts in mood. The influence of classic forest-drenched Black Metal remains audible, but ‘Chaos’ finds Duindwaler pushing deeper into his own identity, balancing raw violence with haunting emotional depth. The production deserves special praise. It is clear enough to allow every instrument room to breathe while retaining the abrasive edge essential to true underground Black Metal. The result is twenty-plus minutes of music that feel both devastating and strangely hypnotic.
Flipping the record reveals the contribution from Genocida, the one-man project of F.E.S. While firmly rooted in the traditions of second-wave Black Metal, Genocida’s side never feels nostalgic or derivative. ‘Plague Desolation’, ‘On Morbid Soil’, and ‘Templefire’ deliver grim, old-school darkness supported by strong songwriting and a production aesthetic that complements the Duindwaler material remarkably well. One of the greatest strengths of ‘Chaos’ is the consistency between both sides. Despite their different approaches, there is a shared atmosphere running through the entire release, making the album feel carefully curated rather than simply assembled. The Genocida tracks channel the cold majesty of classic underground Black Metal, combining bleak melodies, relentless drumming, and an aura of ritualistic menace. The compositions possess a patient confidence, allowing tension and atmosphere to build naturally before erupting into waves of icy riffing.
What truly elevates ‘Chaos’ is the synergy between the two artists. Duindwaler brings an almost overwhelming forward momentum, while Genocida provides a darker, more traditional counterpart. Together they create a release that feels complete, unified by its artwork, production values, and unwavering devotion to authentic Black Metal expression. The record embodies everything that has made the Dutch underground so compelling in recent years: conviction, individuality, and a refusal to dilute the genre’s primal essence. Far from being merely two bands sharing vinyl space, ‘Chaos’ stands as one of the stronger Dutch Black Metal split releases of recent years. It is a work that rewards immersion, revealing new textures with every spin while never sacrificing the raw power that makes Black Metal such a compelling art form. For followers of the contemporary Dutch Black Metal movement and the ever-reliable, never-disappointing roster of Zwaertgevegt, this is an essential release that fully justifies its title: chaotic, dangerous, and utterly haunting.
