With bewitching spells and blazing hellfire, Hulder presents us with their 3rd full-length ‘Verbolgen’ in 2026. It’s as magical as it gets, and it’s Hulder’s most mature release to date. This by no means indicates that their previous albums were subpar, but, as a matter of fact, they too were just as superlative to be included among the most elite USBM releases.
‘Verbolgen’ stands out for its compositional depth, craftsmanship, and clarity. Each song possesses a unique ambience, which gives this album a really good balance of variation from track to track. However, the overall mood remains wicked and majestic, and it’s something that gives Hulder a more abrasive identity.
While the influence of Scandinavian Black/Death is obvious (in fact, Hulder is a traditional mythical creature in Scandinavian folklore), the album simultaneously shares traces of the mystical style of Black Metal found in bands such as Lamp of Murmuur, Thunderbolt, Blaze of Perdition, Blut Aus Nord etc., with a more infernal approach.
Saying the whole album is flawless would be an understatement, but if there were songs that make the release more memorable, those would be ‘…And We Shall Sing’, ‘The Crowning’, and ‘View From Nemeton’.
Hulder’s roster is up to the brim with around 20 releases in total, consisting of demos (fuck yeah), EPs, splits, compilations, and, of course, full-lengths.
But ultimately, ‘Verbolgen’ feels like a culmination of everything Hulder has forged thus far. It carries the raw spirit of harsh Black Metal while embracing deeper elements of atmospheric mysticism and compositional dexterity.
