Hellevaerder became a band in 2017 and has been consistently releasing and playing live ever since. The ominous black metal band has released 2 demo’s,1 full length, 2 splits and one compilation up to their newest release ‘Fakkeldragers’. For those who are not familiar with Hellevaerder, they are a Dutch black metal band who actually sing in Dutch too. I would call their sound typical Dutch black metal. The style that has been present since the 2010’s due to a newer generation taking over the straightforward black metal that we all know and love. Now also being part of the famous ‘Zwotte Kring’, Hellevaerder has given us their upcoming release ‘Fakkeldragers’.

 

What immediately catches my ears is the improvement in sound quality of ‘Fakkeldragers’. Not saying that the previous releases were lesser in production quality (they were very good in their own right) but this quality is what Hellevaeder deserves. The clarity has improved a lot and you can hear that right from the get go. 

 

During the album you will encounter the veracity in the voice of Miranda. Especially during the track ‘Handen Geketend In IJzer’ is where she shines and shreeks. During the track, she is becoming a wailing siren and she really shines through her talent. Her clean spoken words are giving the track an extra layer of haunt. She already proved this in other projects and releases but this is that something extra that makes Hellevaerder Hellevaerder. 

 

The title track ‘Fakkeldragers’ is a tad different from the other songs on said album. It feels more atmospheric/droney. During the bigger part of the song, the tempo is at a mid-pace which is still headbangable. Hellevaerder do give the song a kick here and there but you could say that this is the slowest song on the album but also one of the standouts on ‘Fakkeldragers’.

 

‘Fakkeldragers’ is going to be leaving a big mark on the 2025 Dutch black metal scene and in my opinion, also on the metal scene. They are letting the whole country know that they have produced and conjured up a stellar album. It is something to be proud of when you are making such big steps by presenting ‘Fakkeldragers’ to the (Dutch) audience. The whole atmosphere in ‘Fakkeldragers’ grabs you and doesn’t let you go after a while. Certain riffs and certain moments do tend to stick into your mind and repeat for a while. That is when you know you’ve encountered an amazing album and that is exactly what Hellevaerder have conjured with ‘Fakkeldragers’.

 

Overall, you do sense that there is a lot of intense emotion mixed into ‘Fakkeldragers’. Hellevaerder lets you experience a lot throughout the album which they portrait very well into the ferocious songs. Every artist that has been involved musically with this project has done their job outstandingly. From the outrageous blasting to the immense vocal range of Miranda, Hellevaerder have taken the bar and thrown it a little bit further and not just for themselves, but also for the next generation of Dutch black metal projects. This is how you present a full length with pride.