2020

Utred – Citadel ◊ Forest ◊ Sovereign [Russia, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Gondolin Records | 4-6-20

This is a compilation collecting the early work from Russian artist Utred. The span of material in this compilation ranges from 2016 into 2017 with various unrleeased material. I remeber when Firest was released in 2016 and I became aquaninted with Utred. Now as we enter into 2020, Gondolin Records has collected a majority of work and segemented the releases with unreleased and remastered material. Regardless of your familiriaty with this artist, this current compilation is a wonderul journey from lo fi court music to majestic romps in magical woods and even to kingdoms far beyond the mountains. Forest was one of my favorite releases from Utred, aside from the 2017 cover album, and now I get to experience that memeory collected in one place. Take up your arms once more brave knight.

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HECATOMB – Horrid Invocations [Austrailia, Death] (2020)

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Self Released | 3-27-20

If you have not seen the band’s profile picture on Bandcamp, take a gander at a raw and grainy photo which completly fits the music. Somewhere out in the woods are two figures weilding rusty tools in your face. There are about a 12 Hecatombs so it is difficult to parse through all of the different bands but if you ever get lost travel towards the sound of ripping steel and animals going into a frenzy. In this short debut demo, the listener is given a glimpse of chaos which has perpetual motion and a force which tears through the countryside. Through blown out production and an air of raviging terror, Hecatomb has made a demo that is one of the most powerful statements this year. To what they are declaring, I do not know, but I am frightened and enthralled.

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Kobold – The Village In The Frozen mountains [Italy?, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Heimat Der Katastrophe | 4-3-19

I can remember Kobold’s first release on HDK in 2017 as the weirdo OSR dungeon synth release on a seemingly experimental Italian label. Now as HDK enters into the 50’s in terms of release number, my view on this label has not swayed as it is an anomaly of outsider music and niche interest groups. Kobold is apart of a legion of 16 bit focused DS that makes music centered around imaginary adventures that sound like soundtracks to computer games that never existed. Actually, this release, like others, comes with a complete adventure inside the tape as each release is an OSr adventure. TI do not know how developed the system is but Kobold’s releases would not be the first time a game was incorporated into a DS release. Even outside the durability of the game as tape release, the landscape created by Kobold is deserving of attention just with the other three releases on HDK. This release is made for a specific audience on a label that seems odd but you know what, it all seems to be working out.

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Witch Ward – Sacrificial Monolith [US, Punk / Metal] (2020)

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Caligari Records | 5-1-20

It is true that Witch Ward only has one preview track available. it is true that preview track is 9\around 90 seconds. It is true there are better descriptions out there than just “punk/metal.” It is true, there is a lot of uncertainty about this release that could give moments of pause. This, however, is alleviated seeing it is from Caligari, which is one of the top labels in the trade of absolutely vile material. Through that 90 second preview track, one is exposed to a blistering world of raw insanity that reeks of body odor, stale beer, and grave soil. I will patiently away the release of the whole record but I can already tell its going to be a party in Hell.

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Dungeontroll – Into the Castle of the Forbidden Twilight [ ? , Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Serpent’s Sword Records | 4-3-20

I am usually wary of releases that look like this. It is not from anything particular rather I thought this was going to be a black metal record tagged as dungeon synth. This is funny since the rest of Dungeontroll’s music and their respected covers look like Dungeon Synth. This does not. Into the Castle of the Forbidden Twilight has many surprises and the first one is an album full of haunted melody which stalks around empty castles where one was expecting lo fi vampiric black. Into the Castle of the Forbidden Twilight also has the distinction of having the lowest number of physical copies at 5 sold exclusively at North East Dungeon Siege, a live DS festival which actually is no longer happening due to the Quarantine. this makes Into the Castle of the Forbidden Twilight perhaps the most rare physical release of all time. With this sort of lore and mystery built around a release, it is difficult not to get excited and fall for the magic.

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Sepulchral Voices – Evil Crusaders [Belgium, Black / Thrash] (2020)

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Self Released | 3-29-20

The Bandcamp for this band states “We are Sepulchral voices and we’re back from the grave” but this should be taken as aesthetic rather than insinuating they are an old band. This is confusing as there is an older band named Sepulchral Voice that plays death thrash. This is not them rather Sepulchral Voices who play black/thrash at the speed of a hurricane which ravages the land. Sepulchral Voices has been around since 2016 and their album covers exude a certain aesthetic of ferocity seen in black/death bands. Evil Crusaders is relentless but not in the grinding concrete style of war metal rather thrash metal that has been possessed by the devil.

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Amnutseba – Emanatism [France, Black] (2020)

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Iron Bonehead Productions | 3-27-20

Welcome Oblivion. One of my colleagues gave this full length to me and asked if I remembered this band from a few years back. I have to be honest in saying that my recollection of Amnutseba is relegated to foggy fragments of angular and ruinous black/death. I do not remember much and looking at old demos I am even more confused since I partially remember the cover for Demo II. This could be a phantom band which is a specter sent to haunt me. In any case, Emanatism is certainly able to make an imprint on the psyche as the far out surreal qualities of this record are terrifying and will live in nightmares for many years to come.

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Skogsgudinnan – Skogsgudinnan [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 3-24-20

Sometimes finding small and pleasant things gives me the reason to go searching everyday. Skogsgudinnan is a US based artist who has produced 10 tracks of quiet and humble dungeon synth / new age that is seemingly for anyone who wants to listen. Without fanfare or bluster, this artist has quietly placed something in a garden for anyone to pick up and experience. Though these tracks are sometimes sketches and others incomplete, the world and experience each one constructs is enough to give pause. Add to that the goofy Bandcamp greeting of “Leave reality for a bit, just take it easy! Take Care!” shows an artist who is making music for whimsy and just wants you to have a good time. I do not know about you but I certainly am.

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Molder – Vanished Cadavers [US, Death / Thrash] (2020)

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Rotted Life | 5-20-20

It feels like ages ago when we were swimming in rotting death that was squirming with riffs. Sure we still have it but things have changed. Molder is here to remind us of the fun we had a few years ago with a debut that breathes a festive atmosphere and if your idea of a party is gravedigging and being spooky, you are in the right place. Vanished Cadavers comes after a very long line of demos, splits, and live records. Much like someone gathering up momentum before pouncing, Molder finally springs into action with teeth bared and arms flailing. While this sounds like it is going to be a vicious experience, there is an air of levity with a record of death / thrash that is enjoyable and perfect for a party you will eventually have when you can see people.

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Goblin Priest – Dank Vision Sewer Crawl [US, Dungeon Synth / Chiptune] (2020)

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Self Released | 6-6-20

This is probably the weirdest release I have written about and it is wonderful. Back when I was writing about dungeon synth heavily, there was a small niche of creators experimenting with chiptune music and combining it into a CRPG aesthetic. This was music that sounded like the soundtrack to video games that never existed but you could almost envision it in your head. I have not heard much music since that time and Goblin Priest was something that brought me back to the reason why I love this genre in the first place. While chip music has a style and sound, each composition takes on unique life. In the case of Dank Vision Sewer Crawl, the life is a sidescrolling rougelike 8-bit cartridge game. With matching album art and tongue in cheek description on the Bandcamp, this whole production is irreverent and successful in everyway.