(written by Islander)
2026 will be an eventful year for the Flemish black metal band Bloedmaan. On October 30th they will have their third album Circle of the Moon released by Immortal Frost Productions, and the day before that — on October 29th — Void Wanderer Productions will release an album-length split by Bloedmaan and the Belgian duo Crypts of Dusk. The name of the split is Curse Of The Emerald Knight, and as you can see, its cover art (created by Bloedmaan mastermind Rönarg) is a fine representation of the title.
Bloedmaan’s side of the split includes four songs, and today we’re premiering an engrossing video for the first of those, “Haunting Call of the Waning Moon“.
Although Bloedmaan has assembled a live lineup, the recordings remain the sole work of Rönarg, and his previously demonstrated inspiration by ancient vampiric legends continues to influence the moods of the songs on this split — though those moods aren’t monochromatic, despite the nocturnal shroud that hangs over them.
In the case of “Haunting Call…” the music is often grand and glorious. The melody shimmers and soars in fantastical waves above clopping beats and an urgently throbbing bass. Yet the music also descends in ways that make it more dire and daunting, more grievous and grim, even when accompanied by Rönarg‘s fierce screams and wolfish howls.
The song also viciously jabs, with black-hearted intent but head-moving effects, and it haughtily flares in imperious fanfares and cruelly seethes, yet those wondrously soaring melodies continue to return, like expressions of jubilation by fiends who are destined ever to return to cold earth as daylight breaks.
It’s an altogether stirring song, the kind that fires both a listener’s imagination and their pulse.
The video creates a collage of imagery and texts that well-suit the music and its inspirations, intermixed with film that features Rönarg‘s frightening countenance.
In addition to this song, we’ll also share Void Wanderer’s descriptions of the music of each band collected on the split, including the five tracks from Crypts of Dusk:
BLOEDMAAN brings you ’90s-inspired black metal with vampirical themes. Drawing inspiration from the well of Romantic literature and what is now generally defined as the second wave of black metal, what started as a simple solo project has slowly expanded into a full live band. With a successful second release and a new album on the horizon, BLOEDMAAN stands ready to conquer the world of the living once and for all
CRYPTS OF DUSK is a duo from Belgium. With their theatrical and melodic songs they reached a new level, best described as symphonic second wave inspired black metal. They take you to far barren lands where necromancers and wizards reign freely. Set apart from others by their deep felt yearning lyricism they managed to capture a small but devoted audience with their first EP, and are eager to show you how a bond between two people can surpass all.
As mentioned, Curse Of The Emerald Knight features artwork (and layout) by Rönarg. It was mixed and mastered by Azamoth (from Crypts of Dusk). Void Wanderer will release the split on vinyl LP format, and it’s available for pre-order now. They recommend it for fans of Diabolical Masquerade, Dissection, and Gorgoroth.
PRE-ORDER:
https://voidwanderer.com/product/bloedmaan-crypts-of-dusk-curse-of-the-emerald-knight/
BLOEDMAAN:
https://www.instagram.com/bloedmaanblackmetal
https://www.facebook.com/p/Bloedmaan-61550539807120/
CRYPTS OF DUSK:
https://www.instagram.com/cryptsofdusk
https://cryptsofdusk.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-this-mortal-realm