Artist: Regnum Tenebrarum / Hertogenwald
Country: Belgium
Label: Medieval Prophecy Records
Formats: Split LP / Split CD
Year: 2024
As a part of the batch of the Medieval Prophecy Records releases from October 2024, came this split LP between two slightly lesser known bands from the thriving Belgian Black Metal scene. The fact that both bands may not be as well-known has at most to do with the fact that others were more productive or made themselves more widely heard – in any case, it is certainly not due to the quality on offer. The backup that bands like Forbidden Temple, Perverted Ceremony or Moenen Of Xezbeth have received from bigger underground labels like Nuclear War Now! Productions or New Era Productions will certainly have contributed to their somewhat wider fame, however, those collaborations have also ensured that underground fans pay more attention to Belgian underground Black Metal in general. And that is certainly not unjustified, because in recent years the scene of our southern neighbors has proven to be one of the most interesting breeding grounds of dark and occult Black Metal…
Regnum Tenebrarum opens the split with an eerie intro after which is bursts into a mystic, yet melodic piece of Black Metal that feels like a seamless continuation of what the band has been doing on the ‘Légendes Noires’ 12” EP from last year and, in slightly lesser extent, the 2020 ‘Des Enfers’-demo. The basis is still very much the same, holding the middle ground between the early Sargeist album, Judas Iscariot at its most atmospheric and the first two albums of Satyricon. The melodic riffs and the icy raspy vocals do blend together beautifully into a thoroughly mesmerizing piece of mid-90’s Black Metal. With combining elements from both Finnish, Norwegian and American Black Metal and take it up a notch in terms of atmosphere, Regnum Tenebrarum offers a more than worthy follow-up to the already great ‘Légendes Noires’ 12” EP.
Not being part of the Ancient Hounds Circle, contrary to Regnum Tenebrarum, this split LP shows that the Belgian Black Metal scene is more united than others sometimes claim to be. But regardless of whatever blood pacts exist, this split combines two bands that fit together like no other. Although Hertogenwald definitely sounds more sharp and at times even atonal, the sinister and eerie atmosphere fits perfectly to that of their split partners. Compared to the band’s split 7” EP with Orkblut, also part of the same October 2024 batch, Hertogenwald sounds distinctly different on this split LP. The band’s song on the Orkblut split 7” EP has a cold and almost mechanical sort of drive to it, not all too different from (very) early Enthroned – where they might have taken their name from. These two songs (not counting the intro, intermezzo and outro) sound much less “in your face” and considerably more atmospheric. The drums, however, do tend to still be the driving factor, but they are less prominent in the mix, subsequently the music has a more American Black Metal feeling to it. Clearly, though, both approaches work well for the band, so it is up to the listener to decide which musical path is preferred. Which one the band will choose we have yet to see, hopefully Hertogenwald will not leave us in suspense for very long again.
