The Soil Bleeds Black was formed in Ashburn, Virginia in 1992 as a project by twin brothers Mark and Michael Riddick, operating in the neofolk and dark ambient space with a distinctive medieval influence. Drawing on harp, cello, ethnic instruments, and atmospheric production, the project explored themes of paganism, mythology, and archaic European folk traditions across albums including The Kingdom & Its Fey, March of the Infidels, and Alchemie. After a long hiatus, the brothers returned with Medieval, recorded over seven years and conceived to evoke the sensation of live performance in a grand medieval hall. Their work sits at the intersection of neofolk, dungeon synth, and dark folk.