A BEACON FROM DARKENED SKIES - HULDER - SINGLE REVIEW
- Kaylah Chilcott
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
Second wave black metal can sometimes be hard to find in a world where genre overlap is becoming increasingly common, but since 2018, HULDER has gripped tightly onto traditional sound and format to create dooming guitars and crushing vocals. While there are elements that you might not usually find with the genre, such as harmonising clean vocals, they stay true to their mission. Anticipating a potential 2026 album release, HULDER has presented us with a two-track EP A BEACON FROM DARKENED SKIES.
The title track is something HULDER fans would come to expect (not trying to reinvent the wheel), though it opens with an acoustic guitar riff, it leads us into the same raw riff from electric. there isn’t much low end sound with high driving guitars that carry us from verse to riff. The licks are sharp and biting, offset from the forlorn melody that lay beneath.
drums in 'a beacon from darkened skies' come with the territory, intense blast beats with light flurries of tings and tangs to create dynamics and spice in the track. Having seen a few black metal acts by now, blast beats can become a little tame, however live drummer XANDER “VALPULA" BUEHRER during their DARK MOFO performance was entrancing (my review), a massive grin plastered across his face, directly opposing their mournful sound. According to an instagram post, it appears to be a different studio drummer with A BEACON FROM DARKENED SKIES being the “first collaboration with the estimable VROLOK”. I am curious to see which drummer will be following them on their next tour.
As always, HULDER’s vocals are entrancing and impeccable. Female fronted metal bands are hard to find at the best of times, so I’ll never not be swept away by her vocal prowess. Bringing her vocals down low, and back up through the chorus. It isn’t the screechy pitchiness like some other acts, striking a black metal vocal midrange well.
During the second verse, we see a little more of a diversion from the traditional elements of their sound, with graceful harmonising vocals sitting deep in the mix, inserting beauty into an otherwise cold and unforgiving sound.
Track two, ‘ZONNESTEEN’ is a diversion from what we might expect, reminding us that HULDER has medieval elements as well. I would usually guess that it would be an opening or closing track, but with it’s acoustic guitar and same harmonies to ‘A BEACON FROM DARKENED SKIES’, I think it will remain paired together and be an intermission track.
Rising and falling group vocals from the deepest bass to a higher alto working in perfect harmony to create a mournful atmosphere. The guitars are delicate and soft, picking away at riffs for the majority of the song, with a gentle bass drum in the background. While it may be a skip for some listeners, I think ‘ZONNESTEEN’ is the perfect tie in song across the (potential) new album.
If we do get to see a new album from HULDER sometime in the new year, A BEACON FROM DARKENED SKIES is the perfect lead single to sate any black metal fans in the meantime. If not, well I guess we will continue to wait in anticipation.
