SAGENLAND is Black Metal band hailing from Twente, Netherlands. The duo formed in 2001 and released a split in 2005 with VARGULF. They then went silent, at least as a band, until January 25, 2021 when they released their debut full-length album, "Oale Groond" (trans: old land) on Haidens Hart Records, owned by band member Arjan. The band focuses on nature themes and paganism, which, sonically speaking, come through via acoustic flourishes, ambient field recordings, and folkish melodies, though infused with Black Metal sensibilities. The lyrics, of course, are a dead giveaway. And then there's the cover art (Willem Steelink) that depicts a rustic homestead plus antique-looking pictures of the band communing with nature. So, yeah, the nature element comes through strong.

Three of the ten tracks are re-recordings from the 2005 split, so the album isn't entirely all new material. Interestingly enough, those three tracks are some of the stronger tracks on the album. I guess this isn't surprising as the band has had time to finesse and refine the songs over time. With that said, my favorite tracks are "In 't Bos," with it's varied compositional jumps from brutal attack to meditative serenade; "Botte Bijlen" for its aggressive bite tempered with harmonic choruses; and "'T Leste Gedicht (Twentse Earde)" which has some nice production work with acoustics layered in with the tremolo riffs.

I also enjoyed the folkish interludes and flourishes, and let me be clear, there a lot of these. We're talking four tracks including an intro, outro, and two intermezzos. "Veur de leu van Vrogger," btw, is especially compelling. It's one of those haunting melodies that stays in the back of your mind and wakes you up at 3:00 a.m. Add that to the acoustic reprieves throughout and the result is a doubling down on the whole nature thing. At times it sounds like some Renaissance Fair people wandered into a Black Metal show. And as incongruent as that may sound, it actually works.

Overall, this isn't the most standout album to hit the scene in recent months, but it's good for what it is, which is a well-harmonized, folk approach to Black Metal. It invokes a sense of old world, pagan traditions and feels heavy without being evil. The production values are solid, the vocals are consistent, and the musicianship is good. While it doesn't necessarily push Black Metal into a new space, it certainly adds breadth to the genre.