dungeon synth

Vegard – From The Crypt of The Elders Volume One [UK, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 8-3-20

“Limited edition VHS style cassette with numbered membership card. Comes with an A3 poster and signed A4 card. Limited to 100 copies.” — SOLD OUT. this is delightful. Aside from physical copies of Ds records selling out in matter of minutes, I appreciate the fact there are black metal bands still making DS side projects. Vegard is a UK black metal band that has a 2020 demo available on their Bandcamp. From The Crypt of The Elders Volume One is a side project by Count Vornok detailing the “mystical land of Elvhenan.” Vegard steps inline with Ds’s history with black metal and leaves the raw atmospehric black lands for something more cozy and nostalgic. Packaged in a retro aesthetic, From The Crypt of The Elders Volume One is a fun romp through the lands of DS that is as playful as it is delightful.

Little Spells – The Forest Twigs Are My Wands [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Lost Armor | 8-3-20

Regardless if this dungeon synth is your style, one has to admit it is popular and perhaps one of the defining milestones of the the last few years in terms of sound. Comfy / mountain / village / nature / quiet / small / tiny or any other adjective to showcase the docile qualities of music that sounds like field mice brewing potions. The Forest Twigs Are My Wands is a compilation of two 2019 demos with a 30 copy tape release that was sold out in a matter of minutes. I enjoy the enthusiasm both from the creator and more importantly the community when it comes to this style of dungeon synth. It is endearing and above all else esoteric.

Darken Wood – VI [US, Dungeon Synth / Ambient] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-26-20

It is sometimes amusing to go back through a catalog and see that I bought something from an artist and never checked back to see what they were doing. Darken Wood’s debut was released in 2017 to positive reception including myself. That was around the same time i took a hiatus from keeping up to date with new DS. Much to my delight, the artist behind Darken Wood has continued the journey through ambient dungeon synth with a modest release schedule. VI is the first and most likely only release this year and adds another chapter in an ongoing conceptual journey through misty landscapes billowing with mystic fog. I am so grateful that artists continued to release music since now I can work my way through this discography like a series of fantasy novels.

Keys of Orthanc – Unfinished Conquests [Canada, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Naturmacht Productions | 7-24-20

“While working on a new Lord of the Rings themed black metal album, “Unfinished Conquest” is a Dungeon Synth ode to all heroes who marched to, fought and died on glorious quests and adventures.” I enjoy when dungeon synth comes out of an intense desire to wade into the knee deep waters of atmosphere. Dungeon synth was birthed from black metal ans has since taken on a unique sound and presence in the musical world. While there are better examples of black metal and dungeon synth hybrids, Keys of Orthanc resides in the melodic side with almost no harsh qualities. Perhaps this is better as Unfinished Conquests boasts moody synth journeys through dark mountain passages with an album full of exploration of not just sound but spirit.

Barbarian King – Barbarian King [Sweden, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Ironmaster Productions | 7-12-20

Barbarian King could be considered in a league of its own when it comes to dungeon synth. Yes, this release is a fantasy bedroom production yet unlike the majority of dungeon synth, its scope is so much larger than the limits of its production. The sweeping melodies and narrative paths of this 2020 debut owes much of its ambition to 80’s sword and sorcery soundtracks which coupled with the lo ceiling of the sound, gives the whole production a worn and warm tone. This is dungeon synth at its most bright essence, a vehicle for escapism no matter the starting position. Barbarian King soars above the warped mountains and faded technicolor of its screen with a release that is as effective as is it is surprising.

Húrin – Lord of Waters [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-17-20

I do listen to many releases that are sent to my email. I usually listen to more dungeon synth than metal but that is only because there are less dungeon synth promo rings emailing me everyday. Most of the time is when the artist sends me a message and I get to listen to an spectacular album I may not have found on my daily searches. Húrin is a US based composer who has taken the very familiar path of Tolkien themed dungeon synth. While this sounds like other releases, Lord of Waters separates itself from the pack with a record of minimal synth that is apart of the dungeon synth world but with portals opened to other avant dimensions. Ruminating, artsy, and escapist, Lord of Waters beckons its listener into the cold and dark palaces at the bottom of Ekkaia.

lookfar – beyond the edge of the world [US, Ambient / Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-22-20

The capitalization is intentional as I usually try to respect artists use or misuse of lettering. lookfar is weird and perhaps does not fit into the regular scheme of dungeon synth. If you know me or have read any of my dungeon synth reviews, you are aware I love experimental dungeon synth and also when artists travel far beyond the reaches of genres. beyond the edge of the world is an experiment from an artist that eschews the traditional aesthetic of dungeon synth with an ambient synth record that has elements of dungeon synth but in on a different planet all together. It helps that this artist is not a dungeon synth composer rather a musician who is interpreting the style. lookfar manages to be experimental without sacrificing recording fidelity or lapsing into nonsensical spaces. Sure there are plenty of dissonant passages within this release but they all feel apart of a surreal kingdom where nothing is right and you the outlines of material are stuttering.

Exire – Across Rivers of Yore [US, Neofolk / Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-13-20

This is not the weirdest thing I have covered on here but it is close. While dungeon synth is oddly connected to black metal by obscure stone path, the realm of neofolk lies even further by twisted overgrown trail. The similarities between all of these genres is still the sense of melancholy and loss which aches in the music. That and low costed and pressed tapes. Across Rivers of Yore is a US based artist whose 2020 release is seeing a print on Irish based tape label Fomorian Hate Recordings. I am honestly incredibly intrigued by this sound and while it eschews most of the traditions of what is featured on this blog, I feel a connection that calls out from eons past./

Hallucination / Arapaima – Death Ambient [US, Dark Ambient / Noise] (2020)

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Moonworshiper Records | 7-12-20

This is certainly something. Dark Ambient is less interesting to me than dungeon synth for various reasons. Dark ambient is also a bigger genre with longer history but still with the same amount of audience. Dark Ambient is hard to approach due to its nebulous nature which matches its nebulous sound. Moonworshipper records has been the weird misfit int he Ds scene for years with its releases that were like dead animals inside cardboard boxes. The Death Ambient split is something that I would not have intentionally sought out outside of its cover. While Hallucination’s harsh noise wall / drone is certainly par for the course, it is Arapaima’s side with its haunted acoustic folk that really shines and when married with Hallucination, becomes sublime.

Sunken Grove – Binding Branches [Wales, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

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Self Released | 8-3-20

Even though it is 2020, I do believe we are still getting records that define the mythology of dungeon synth. Binding Branches is the second EP from Welsh composer Sunken Grove. The tone and timbre of this release is so quiet and contemplative that it is immediately makes its way into the minds and hearts of listeners. Add to that, the charming home made aesthetic of its cover and general Bandcamp page, and one has a record that feels like an unassuming classic in a genre that seems to still be growing.