Deconsecration – Demo [US, Death] (2020)

Caligari Records | 6-12-20

Even before I saw this release was from Caligari, I was into it. The art, the name, and the sound all point to one thing which is dripping death metal. From a very short history, this style of rotting death is on the downswing after its surge in popularity a few years ago with bands like Blood Incantation and Tomb Mold. This does not mean there still isn’t great death that smells like loam and caskets rather if you have trampled this far out into the woods, you are going to be here for this anyway so here is your shovel. Lets get digging.

Various Artists – The Longing Soundtrack [ Various, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

Studio Seufz | 4-3-20

The Longing is a recent video game which has garnered a bit of attention from major reviewers. Currently on Steam, it is an idle exploration game based on a character who spends 400 days underground. What is interesting about this whole affair is the soundtrack which is a smattering of dungeon synth artists who contributed music to the game. Dungeon synth and games have never been that far apart as the nature of the music lends itself to atmosphere. The majority of The Longing is created by Lord Redstone, who seems to be a composer taking on a dungeon synth persona. Scattered among the soundtrack is previous work from Erang, Erdstall, Spectral Kingdom, and dungeontroll. I would be a little bit more critical about dropping in tracks from 7 years ago into a new video game had it not been for the effectivness of this soundtrack. The mood and atmosphere exuded by its composer and guest stars make for an exciting time where dungeon synth crosses over and introduces themselves to people who never expected such a thing.

Vazio – Eterno Aeon Obscuro [Brazil, Black] (2020)

Black Heart Records | 4-13-20

Lyrical themes:Void, Dark Spiritualism, Occultism, Draconian Kaballah, Mysticism, Death. I really appreciate it when a band goes all out there for an aesthetic. Vazio is going for an aesthetic and Eterno Aeon Obscuro is the debut record which will set a stage for a focused debut. I say focused since the work of Vazio, up until this point have been on splits where the complimentary band has not been complimentary in terms of theme and direction. Vazio seems to big for a split and a full size debut with large ceilings seems to be a perfect place for this style of music.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The Harbinger – The Consecrated Barrow [US, Dungeon Synth] (2019)

Self Released | 8-27-19

This review is going to encompass the three released by The Harbinger from August 27th of 2019 to September 10th of 2019. The three releases which spanned those few weeks make up the entirty of work from The Harbinger. It is strange to highlight such a limited collection of work but the three releases from this artist show such promise and ability, it is difficult not to get excited. Through awkwardly designed album covers and cryptic veils of flowery text, these three releases (The Consecrated Barrow, The Convocation of Forgotten Gods, The Absolution of The Blind God) are masterful in their silent declaration in a world that seems crafted for the artist but has space for the listener to observe.