Archive for July 20, 2026

HULDER Releases New Single “IN BLOOD AND IN EARTH” ~ Impending Third Album, VERBOLGEN, Out Aug 7th, via 20 Buck Spin

Posted in Black Metal, black metal bands, dark metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, music news, news with tags , , , , , , , on July 20, 2026 by Metal Odyssey

Photo by © Liana Rakijian

A warning, a spell, and an act of devotion – the second single from Verbolgen arrives as a short film steeped in folk horror

Dark black metal duo HULDER have released “In Blood and In Earth,” the second single from their forthcoming album Verbolgen, set for release on August 7th, 2026 via 20 Buck Spin (North America) and Season of Mist (Europe). The track is accompanied by an official music video directed by Newfoundland filmmaker Justin Oakey, arriving as the final preview before the full record drops.

Running just over seven minutes, “In Blood and In Earth” is an act of communal rite set in motion by the landscape itself. The track builds from foreboding restraint into sweeping, storm-gathered momentum, as Hulder’s vocals call out an incantation before the full weight of the arrangement bears down. The song frames endurance and bloodshed not as tragedy but as covenant: a pact between flesh and earth that the living inherit from the ancient dead. The band describe it plainly: “This second offering from the forthcoming album stands as a warning and a spell. Speak these words as the land below bellows forewarning… Shall you fall upon your knees?“

“IN BLOOD AND IN EARTH” MUSIC VIDEO: 
https://youtu.be/vG5mJaPagic

Recorded between Elektric City Recording in Portland, Oregon and at various locations by the band, themselves, the album was mixed by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico Tico Studios in Kemi, Finland and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki. It marks Hulder’s third full-length and the first to formally welcome Necreon as co-leader of the project: a status the duo’s creative process has long reflected in practice.

PRE-ORDER VERBOLGEN: https://www.20buckspin.com/hulder

Verbolgen was produced by Hulder, with both drum performances engineered in Portland, Oregon and Norway. Guitars, bass, and vocals were engineered by Necreon, with additional instrumentation engineered by Keld and Hulder. The album was mixed by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico Tico Studios (Kemi, Finland) and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios (Helsinki, Finland). Cover artwork was painted by Morrigan, with logo design by Jannicke Wiese Hansen and photography by Liana Rakijian.

The music video for “In Blood and In Earth” was directed by Justin Oakey and produced by Black River Pictures. Of the project, Oakey says: “I am beyond honoured Hulder trusted me with putting together something for the new album. Inspired by folk horror, it follows a family clinging to an inhospitable landscape and slowly reveals a dark, sinister atmosphere. The colourist of the video Clinton Homuth introduced me to Hulder in 2019 with some of the early demos. The balance between the bucolic and raw sounds felt incredibly original while staying true to the roots. I reached out and we stayed in touch, finding ways to collaborate. It’s inspiring to see the new, creative directions Hulder and Necreon take with each release.“

Verbolgen Track-list:

  1. Drie Raven (Intro) (2:18)
  2. The Crowning (6:28)
  3. Thy Binding Oath (5:38)
  4. Verbolgen (4:01)
  5. …And We Shall Sing (6:01)
  6. In Blood and In Earth (7:09)
  7. Den Nacht Zijn Lied (6:45)
  8. View From Nemeton (5:23)
  9. The Glow of Dawn (4:48)

Full runtime: 48:33

In support of the forthcoming release, HULDER will embark on a North American tour in August with DIMMU BORGIR, HYPOCRISY and SUFFOCATION. Tickets are available at: https://hulder-official.com/pages/shows.

HULDER North American Tour Dates:

Aug 7 – New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square
Aug 8 – Worcester, PA @ The Palladium
Aug 10 – Toronto, ON @ History
Aug 11 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
Aug 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater
Aug 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
Aug 15 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
Aug 18 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom
Aug 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
Aug 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo

Line-up:
Hulder – Voice, Electric Guitars, Keys, Acoustic Guitars
Necreon – Bass, Voice
Keld – Hurdy Gurdy, Electric Guitars, Keys (session)
Vapula – Drums (session)
Vrolok – Drums (session)

Follow HULDER:
Website: https://www.hulder-official.com
Bandcamp: https://hulder.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jTw0xPTe-9yYzXG3Tczpw
Nightshift Merch (US): https://www.nightshiftmerch.com/pages/hulder

Impericon Merch (EU): https://www.impericon.com/collections/hulder
Direct Merch: https://direct-merch.com/collections/hulder

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APOCÆLYPSE Announces Debut Album FÆNIX, Out August 28 ~ Unleashed Explosive New Single “BLACK BOX”

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, music news, news with tags , , , , , , on July 20, 2026 by Metal Odyssey

“BLACK BOX” Single Artwork

Mind Melting Metal Band Led By Ira Black
(Vio-Lence, Lizzy Borden, Metal Church) 

Following the breakout success of their debut single “INTELL-I-GENTS,” metal powerhouse APOCÆLYPSE returns with “BLACK BOX,” an emotionally charged new single that arrives alongside the announcement of the band’s highly anticipated debut album, FÆNIX, due August 28.

Founded by acclaimed guitarist Ira Black (Vio-Lence, Lizzy Borden, Metal Church), APOCÆLYPSE made an immediate impact with “INTELL-I-GENTS.” The song’s cinematic music video has garnered more than 1.4 million views while the single debuted on Billboard’s Radio Chart, introducing the band’s unique blend of crushing modern metal, cinematic storytelling, and thought-provoking songwriting to audiences worldwide.

Accompanying the release of “BLACK BOX” is a gripping new music video directed by Black and co-directed by Vincente Cordero (Industrialism Films), bringing the song’s deeply personal themes to life through striking cinematic visuals.

If “INTELL-I-GENTS” looked outward at humanity’s increasingly uneasy relationship with artificial intelligence, “BLACK BOX” turns inward, offering APOCÆLYPSE’s most vulnerable and personal statement yet. Driven by soaring melodies, crushing riffs, and unflinching honesty, the song explores survival, healing, and the courage required to confront one’s past.

Regarding the new single, Black explains:

“‘Black Box’ is the most personal song I’ve ever written. It’s a journey into my own mind, the Black Box. Like the device recovered from a plane crash, it holds the evidence of everything that went wrong, but also the key to understanding how I survived. Inside are the scars of a broken upbringing, addiction, loss, and decades spent chasing a dream that often felt impossible. For most of my life, I kept that box sealed shut. This song is about opening it. It’s about confronting the pain, owning the wreckage, and finding strength in the truth. ‘Black Box’ is my story of survival, a testament to the fact that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can still rise, heal, and find your way home.”

“BLACK BOX” was produced by Black, executive produced by Andy Fetyko, mixed by Kane Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH) and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (SEPULTURA, FAITH NO MORE, LIMP BIZKIT). Along with founding frontman and guitarist Black, APOCÆLYPSE’s lineup includes his son Ira Black IV on guitar, Matt Snell on bass and Lonny Pasillas on drums.

Stream “BLACK BOX“: 

https://vyd.co/ApocaelypseBlackBox

“BLACK BOX” MUSIC VIDEO: 
https://youtu.be/9LswZW5GjEE

Set for release on August 28, FÆNIX marks the arrival of a fearless new voice in modern metal. Blending veteran musicianship with a forward-thinking creative vision, the album explores both personal and societal struggles through a collection of songs that balance crushing heaviness with cinematic scope and emotional depth. True to its title, FÆNIX is ultimately a story of resilience, transformation, and rising from adversity.

With anticipation continuing to build following the breakout success of “INTELL-I-GENTS,” “BLACK BOX” offers another compelling glimpse into FÆNIX, setting the stage for one of modern metal’s most anticipated debut albums when it arrives on August 28.

“INTELL-I-GENTS” MUSIC VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmuct_tKPgg

Follow APOCÆLYPSE: 
Instagram | Facebook 

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