Almost two hundred and seventy years ago, Earth experienced the rise of the Industrial Revolution. This was a time when hand made goods gave way to much faster and efficient machinery. As this dynamic became more large scale, so did the exponential use of factories, broadening the scope of expansion and a necessity for expedient reliability. However, a looming downfall became present in the form of perpetual harsh noise, the release of deadly chemicals in the air and the rise of healthcare concerns due to smog and pollution. Although the Industrial Revolution has come and gone, lingering developments from that period are still in use, especially in the form of large-scale factories – which continue to deliver the negative anomalies as in the past. That brings me to the fascinating new album by Conducive called ‘Vanterwood Industries, Inc.’, a three track magnum opus that focuses on the chaotic elements of industrialized tormentors and their abrasive influence.
“At The Edge Of Town” is a powerful seventeen plus minute album opener that doesn’t waste any time delivering a menacing scene of black smoke, dense fog and voracious machinery with an insatiable appetite for devastation. With industrial chaos thrashing at full speed, this unstoppable presence creates an intoxicating fabric of endless sound with an intriguing appeal of mesmerizing modulations. The sound patterns on this track loop with full force, creating an anxious blend of eerie commotions and an intensity that is destined to pummel everything in its wake. Additional heavy machinery noises begin to take shape in malevolent pattern that increases with ferocity as they cycle through their creative process. As the droning ambience begins to thicken, a sense of chaos is abound, increasing productive and unabridged wear and tear simultaneously. As the machinery is pushed to the brink of its capacity, a sense of dread begins to compound, while melancholic intonations are scattered throughout, like a sudden disharmonic side effect that may soon breakdown the workload of the machinery. The track abruptly stops, as if a horrified worker suddenly presses the emergency stop button, putting an end to the noise abscondment. The second track is the short, “Outside The Factory Walls (12pm)”. At just under two and a half minutes, this track represents a much needed break time from factory endeavors and although it’s much more peaceful than the first track, it continues to showcase another side of endless noises that invade outside. From natural sounds to motor vehicles there is no actual peace from the turbulent sounds that fills the audible space in our lives. The final track on the album is the near twenty minute long, “The Brink Of A New World”. Commencing with a soothing drone, a variety of one-off sounds create a dawning soundscape that slowly intensifies over time. The alluring effects casually accelerate into a wall of distortion that increasing multiplies as the track continues to unfold. At about halfway in, a motley of heavy machinery produces a synchronized pattern of dominating vortex energy that translates into harsh, mechanized chaos. Soft synth pads are tenderly introduced, giving us a somber reminder that industrialized machinery is a dominating force that cannot be stopped and that our surrender to its malevolent presence is impending.
Although Conducive has only been around for a short period of time, the creative force of this project is extremely satisfying. The chaos produced on this album allows for endless, imagined possibilities and is addictive to listen to as well. To some that may not be familiar with the genre of harsh noise, their only takeaway may be that it’s just an album full of perpetual chaos. However, there is an element of beauty that is represented on ‘Vanterwood Indistries, Inc.’ that stretches far beyond noise. If you let your imagination go and soak in all of the intricate details that may go overlooked, you’ll be completely satisfied with the end result. This album is absolutely amazing and without a doubt, my favorite offering by Conducive. If you’ve not checked this one out yet, you’re missing out on an amazing experience that is like no other. Click on the link below and begin your trip through the industrial wastelands of ‘Vanterwood Industries, Inc.’
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One of the bleakest forms of Dark Ambient music is known as Dark Industrial. Combining an esoteric blend of Dark Ambience, terrifying ritualistic undertones and a mechanized form of harrowing drones, Dark Industrial is definitely not for the faint of heart. One of the most consistent producers of this form of music is Pavor Nocturnus. With a stint of terrifying full-length albums, dismal split albums and a handful of singles, Pavor Nocturnus is one of the premier acts the genre has to offer. I had the honor of interviewing the dark entity behind the project and received some great insight on the driving force behind this amazing music.
1. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer a few questions. Congratulations on the release of your latest album, ‘Ecatombe’. What type of theme did you have in mind while writing this album?
I started writing “Ecatombe” during the first pandemic wave, collecting suggestions and thoughts that stormed in my mind during those months spent in confinement. Then I synthesized those moods in archetypes and transformed them in sound. I think that each track title is pretty self explanatory.
2. It’s been just two years between the release of ‘Ecatombe’ and the previous album, ‘Bosch’. Were there any delays between recordings or were you involved with other projects?
“Bosch” release has been delayed several times because of the pandemic, from the end of the recordings it took almost two years. Once the album was out I started recording “Ecatombe” and it took almost the same time to be released; I spoke with Frederic (Cyclic Law) in the first months of 2022 but he told me that the release would have need time to be out. In the meantime I had the chance to restart the live activity that was interrupted by the pandemic.
3. ‘Ecatombe’ was released on the mighty Cyclic Law label. Was this your first release with them? Do you have any future releases with them as well?
This is my first release with Cyclic Law, it is a great achievemnt for me to release my work with this prestigious label alongside many important artists I admire.
There are no other releases planned with Frederic at the moment but hopefully we will have the chance to do something else together in the future.
4. Your previous album, ‘Bosch’ was released on Italy’s Toten Schwab Records. That album definitely fit right in with the dark, industrial vibe of the label. How was it working with Toten Schwab for that release?
“Bosch” was released on Toten Schwan Records and Dio Drone, both labels are runned by friends and despite the difficulties we encountered, as I stated before, due to the covid 19 emergency, I was very glad to make this release with such like-minded people.
I’ve known Marco (Toten Schwan) for a long time, we have also recorded and released some music together under the monicker “Cameraoscura”. Concerning Dio Drone I really admire the work Naresh makes with his label and all the people involved in his projects, we shared some live gigs together and I am looking forward to hit the road again with him.
5. I really enjoyed that album and reviewed it back in 2022. Was there a particular vibe you were going for back then?
My intent was to translate in music not only the beautiful symbology of H. Bosch’s paintings, but also the impact those images had on me and my personal, emotional interpretation. I felt an intense experimental freedom during the whole creative process.
6. What does the name Pavor Nocturnus mean and why did you choose it as your project title?
Pavor Nocturnus means “night paleness” or “night terror” in latin, it is a sleep desease that can occur during childhood. I suffered of this kind of desease while I was a child and when I started my project i thought this monicker could be representative of the mood of my music.
7. Before starting Pavor Nocturnus, were you involved with any other musical endeavors?
I played in some black/death metal bands when I was younger, but Pavor Nocturnus is my first personal project.
8. What intrigues you the most about Dark Ambient and/or Dark Industrial music?
In my opinion the most fascinating thing about these musical genres is the range of emotion they are able to evoke, putting the listener in an immersive sonic enviroment. Everyone can experience something different according to his personal perception.
9. You’ve release several collaboration tracks over the years and I’m most intrigued by your collaboration with New Risen Throne called “Collapse Of The Orbiting Void”. How did this collaboration come about and do you have any possible plans for a full length release with New Risen Throne?
I wrote to Gabriele/NRT during the pandemic asking if he was interested in doing something together and in a couple of months we started to record and share some tracks. I took care of the arrangement, mixing and mastering process, while Gabriele was working on a computer graphics video for the track. He had this 3D model called “The Void” so that’s where the title comes from.
Besides being a great musician and 3D artist, Gabriele is also a very nice person, his work is always inspiring and I would be glad to work on something else together with him in the future.
10. What was your very first release as a Dark Ambient artist and how has your musical expression expanded since that release?
My first official release as Pavor Nocturnus was “Streghe”, an interpretation of witches’ imaginary, primordial rituals and mysticism. Back then I was not that much into electronic music, I was just looking for a musical language that could translate my intentions, that could give me freedom in composing my music. I think that a lot of my metal and classical music background merged into that album. Since then my musical approach has changed consistently and I don’t consider my music as dark ambient, despite it contains that kind of flavour of course. I have released four albums now as Pavor Nocturnus and each album sounds different from the previous one, this is something I would like to pursue in the future.
11. What has been your favorite album that you’ve released so far?
I do not have a favorite one, each album means something different to me and every release is a step forward in my growth as a musician and as a human being.
12. How do you record your eerie soundscapes? Do you record your own field recordings (if any)?
I use a mix of field recordings and sound synthesis, mangling the sounds with some samplers and effects. I have collected a lot of field recordings while working on “Bosch”, and usually when a sound intrigues me I record it and store it.
13. Do you have any album release plans for 2024?
There is going to be a release in autumn, a very limited physical edition of some material I recorded after “Ecatombe”. More info soon…
14. Have you ever played any live sets? If not, is that something that you might be interested in?
Playing live has become a fundamental part of my musical activity, in the last years I have been focused on touring in Italy, Europe and UK. Some years ago I had the opportunity to play a gig in Montreal and I would like to come back in Canada and USA.
Now I will take a break from live activity to work on some new music.
15. I really appreciate your time for this interview, and most of all your incredible music! Do you have any final words for those that may be reading this?
I would like to thank you David for this interview and for your interest in my music. My gratitude goes also to all the people that keep on supporting independent/experimental artists with interest and passion.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re already familiar with the music and fantastical tales of Guild of Lore, but if not, you’re missing out on one of the most revered acts in the genre. Not only is the music consistently outstanding, but the conceptual worlds and landscapes paint a picture of Medieval admiration and enchantment. As if that was not enough, Lamp & Dagger was created and offers a assortment of hand crafted candles, with mystical scents to match a variety of darkened realms. I recently had an opportunity to interview the mastermind behind Guild of Lore to discuss the magnificent force that drives these projects (and several others) to their peak consummation.
1. What an honor it is to have this interview with the great Guild of Lore! How have things been going for you lately?
Things have been going swiftly. Last year was a crazy roller coaster for me, both in my personal life and in music. Felt like a constant mixed bag of good and bad, which I won’t get into. But I say “swiftly” because it felt and continues to feel like time is just moving too fast for my liking. Which I suppose comes with the fact that I’m approaching 50. I am planning on relocating to another state this year, so I imagine that won’t be changing anytime soon. All in all, doing alright.
2. Take us back to the inception of this project. How did you come up with the idea for Guild of Lore and what influenced the name?
Seems like ages ago. I had been working on another project over the Summer of 2018 and was pretty frustrated with it after a couple of months. I kept beating it, twisting and turning it and pulling my hair out trying to get something out of it. To the point that every time I’d try to work on it, I was just making it worse. So somewhere in October, I finally chose to drop it completely, archive it and work on something totally different. That particular end of the year was a cold one. A lot of rain, lots of snow in the mountains and grey and foggy days. Pair that with playing through Skyrim for an umpteenth time and listening to a lot of neo-folk and dark ambient stuff and I had the necessary ingredients for what was to become GOL. Which led me to writing Winterstead and writing differently than I had been in the past. Really taking in my surrounding atmosphere and channeling the type of feelings that Winter can bring. I allowed myself to write freely without expectation, being more influenced by these images of places I had drawn up. I was making a lot of the art at the same time I was recording. As far as the name.. It took a while to fall into place. I probably had 50 different names I was playing with, not one of which I can remember. But both the words Guild and Lore were peppered in there and if I remember right, I looked at them all one night and saw those two words together and it just locked in. I knew that I was building a world which would be rich with lore and thus the Guild was born to record such lore and stories.
3. You’ve created quite a few albums that are in the Winterstead realm. First of all, what a fascinating and creative world it is. How did this concept come about?
As I said, it all came about simultaneously during the Fall and Winter of 2018. I was writing its background and short stories while writing the music and drawing the art all together. I have a deep love for these two seasons, so they played a big part. But Winterstead quickly grew on its own. To the point that I would sit back a lot of times and ask myself where this or that came from. It would just develop itself. I think that’s when I first realized that this world was much much bigger and that the territories of Winterstead were just one massive part of that world.
4. The first Guild of Lore album, ‘Winterstead’ came out in 2018. Did you have any Dungeon Synth projects going on before this?
No I didn’t. I mentioned earlier that prior to writing Winterstead, I had been working on an album from a different project. That was for my project called Breather1, which ironically, I had created years prior as a means to take a break or “breather” away from whatever project I might be working on at the time. And honestly I don’t even remember what I was working on in early 2018 that steered me to work on a B1 album. But I do find it very peculiar that the Breather1 album that I was working on to get away from some other project ended up frustrating me enough to put it down to create an entirely new project out of thin air. Perhaps divine intervention? Perhaps the intense effects of the elements. Whatever it was, it helped give birth to my first Dungeon Synth project. A point of interest for those curious. The B1 album that I was working on at that time would later end up being Studies From The Outer Worlds. Which I went back to and completely deconstructed and rebuilt at the beginning of 2020.
5. Musically, Guild of Lore has a vast instrumental sound. Do you use a mix of electronic and acoustic instruments?
Yes. But for the most part the majority of it is electronic. I have a lot of acoustic instruments that I am partial to within my DAW. However, on the analog side I’m a bit of a percussion junkie. So there are percussive instruments throughout the discography that have been recorded direct and to analog tape. A lot of which I have sampled as well and integrated into my workstation. Ideally, I would love to own all of the acoustic instruments that I use physically such as the dulcimers and lutes etc. But limited space and life realities have kept those dreams at bay for now. Hopefully the new Guild headquarters will have plenty of space to accommodate new instruments.
6. My introduction to Guild of Lore was the 2019 release, ‘Autumn Massacre’. This is still one of my favorite Dungeon Synth releases. What was the journey of this album about?
Well, my love for Halloween and the Autumnal season played a huge part. And I had already been chomping at the bit to introduce a part of the world that had all of the fantastic things that Autumn brings. Much the same way Winterstead was written, Autumn Macabre took shape quickly and really wrote itself. I took a lot of inspiration from my childhood growing up in Visalia, my home town. Which ended up translating pretty heavily to both the music and the artwork. Foggy cornfields and pumpkin patches. Groves of oaks and walnuts. A countryside filled with mystery and decrepit graveyards unattended all while a sense of foreboding darkness lingers on the edge of sight. The foothills at the base of the Sierras used to be prime for exploring and finding relics and ruins, even if they weren’t that old. Imagination can take you to many wondrous places. The journey, to answer your question, was just that. A romp through all of these places I’d imagined over so many years. Some dark and frightening. Some not so much, but those came out more on Bohollow.
7. Is the ‘Autumn Bohollow’ release a continuation of this concept? If so, do you have any future releases that will continue this story?
It is. Over the course of writing these albums, it became very clear to me that there were ongoing stories happening in different locations of the world which would lead to multiple albums just based in those locations. Some even overlapping and converging like the way Bohollow ends for instance. Calling for a return to Winterstead, which we have now done and laid the groundwork for yet another Winterstead album to continue that part of the story. However, when concerning the Autumnal lands, the story is far from over. In 2022 I began writing the 3rd Autumn album, which I had very briefly teased at releasing that year. I quickly retracted that idea though. I was approximately 16 tracks deep with a written story that was growing bigger and bigger everyday. I knew there was no way it was going to be ready by October. So I made the decision to throw a curveball into my discography and switched gears to write Night of Halloween. After releasing the Portals albums, I figured why not go through a portal to 1988 USA and put out a Halloween synthwave album? Do some spooky tongue in cheek narrative and give it a 4/4 beat. It was a fun one to make indeed! All the while, I continued to write the 3rd Autumn album and the story kept growing. When I first started, I had a lot of plans to have a full narrative with multiple characters and dialog. And that may still happen, but I’m not too sure, the story is already beyond that of short story length. As I continue to write it, I find myself considering releasing it as a printed book. Which I have long wanted to publish a GOL book as it is, so this may very well be the first to come as it were. The album would obviously need to come at the same time, so as you can imagine it’s a rather large undertaking. I dare say, more so than any other album I’ve written.
8. Tell us how you got involved with The Spine of Night project. The music and the movie were both incredible. How rewarding was this project to do and complete?
I was contacted by Philip in late 2019 after he had listened to Autumn Macabre. He asked if I would be interested in writing a piece for a film that he was working on. Sent a few details about the movie and what he was looking for and I in turn said yes of course. I was excited to work on a soundtrack for film, however the timing of the offer came when I was organizing Dungeon Siege West and preparing to fly to Seattle. You could say my plate at that time was pretty well stacked. Regardless though, I managed to work on the music for Spine of Night even while doing DSW. Which I believe I completed in January or February of 2020. I ended up recording seven tracks for the film, four of which were used. I really enjoyed writing for film and the experience was invaluable. It honestly made me want to find a producer to do some GOL work. Maybe a GOL movie or a series? You never know.
9. Do you know if there will be a Part II for this as well?
That I do not know, I suppose it’s possible. I’m sure a lot of people would love to see more of that world, myself included.
10. The latest Guild of Lore album, ‘Return To Winterstead’ was a surprise Christmas drop. First of all, THANK YOU! What made you revisit the Winterstead theme?
I knew early on that there would be a return to Winterlands and Bohollow is meant to segue into that return. As I mentioned previously, this album was to lay the groundwork for another, exposing some new locations and to give the listener a welcome back into the snow. But as we know from the journey in Bohollow, all is not well in Winterstead. The Macabre has grown and spread to the snowy land and has given reason for a call to arms. The album was written much in the same style as the original was. Winterstead has always felt more stripped down and organic to me. I opted to use minimal field recordings and used the soundscapes as interludes so that it was more focused on the acoustic songs for the return. These to me tell the stories of this land and help to paint a vivid picture for the listener.
11. I’d like to talk a bit about your Lamp & Dagger label. What a unique concept to not only release some of your other musical projects, but your very own candles as well. How did this endeavor come about?
I am a candle fanatic which has led me to spending a lot of money on them over the years. At one point I stopped and thought, it’s got to be cheaper just to make my own. From there, I fell head first down the rabbit hole. Started ordering supplies and learned how to make them by trial and error. This and the label all sort of came together at the same time. Friends Fen Walker, Sombre Arcane, Shrouded Gate, FVRFVR and Halm had all been artists that I enjoyed, who in talking with had expressed interest in releasing physical material on the label. And I wanted to corral my DS projects under its umbrella as well, keeping with the same level of physical releases that I had been doing with GOL. Pairing the candles with physical releases was something I’d been wanting to do as a form of further immersion for the listener. Having the artwork, the music and the scent of the places they’d travel you to helped to accomplish this. Brendan Elliot became a big part of this as well. His artwork is hands down some of my most favorite out there and the paintings he has done for L&D definitely help to create fantastic places for the listener to visit.
12. I’m also a fan of your Pathworn Pilgrim project and it’s showcases a different creative space than Guild of Lore. How did this project come about?
Pathworn was created simply out of my love for The Elder Scrolls. My introduction into that universe was through Morrowind years ago, and has long been a favorite place to revisit. Equally, Cyrodiil and Skyrim both get revisited often each year. Pathworn acts as a means of tribute to these places and looks to expand even further on the musical aspects, giving the listener yet another perspective therein. It’s a project that has been received well within the community and that I very much enjoy working on. Many have asked whether there will be an Oblivion based album, to which I will answer, yes.
13. The Lamp & Dagger “Halloween” releases were incredible too but last year, you created a separate page for Halloween Scene. Why wasn’t that one release on Lamp & Dagger.
I loved This Tape Is Haunted one and too. Aptly named by my friend Brenden, who was loosely putting a spin on the old “This Magazine is Haunted.” The artists on those compilations did phenomenal work and I really enjoyed putting it all together. But this past year I had to come to a decision on whether I was going to continue with it or not and ultimately chose not to. The story for those two albums was pretty straight forward. Making your way to a haunted house as well as the surrounding areas and then actually exploring the inside of the haunted house. It seemed proper to leave the two at that. Though as I have said before, I love Halloween and I love Halloween music. Especially the old sound FX cassettes from days long gone. I used to love collecting those in the 80’s no matter how cheeseball they were, I’d have a bunch lined up for listening throughout October. So came Halloween Scene, which is essentially an extension of the idea that started with This Tape Is Haunted. The project intends to be an audio magazine of sorts with one release per year during the witching season.
14. Will you continue to release annual Halloween albums?
I fully intend to!
15. In 2022, you released a Dark Noir/Dark Jazz album under the moniker, Radio Roadhouse that loosely pays tribute to Twin Peaks. How did this come about and will there be any more releases?
I have long been a fan of the work David Lynch does. But beyond anything he has done, Twin Peaks remains my all time favorite. Before the grand invention of the internet and streaming services, I used to have a marathon once a year where I would just soak up all the Twin Peaks I could. These days, with it readily accessible, I find I go back even more. I watched a lot that year as well as the previous, which ultimately led to me wanting to do a tribute. I’m a big fan of all things jazz and I love the moods that jazz noir can set. Obviously Angelo Badalamenti was a huge influence in that sector, Bohren too as well as my old friend Manet. I really just wanted to expand on some of the things that I loved most about this place. Everything from the campy cheese to the down right dark and scary. And before I knew it, I had an album. Which I quickly had to put a lid on, because it was growing way too fast in track count. Originally it was meant to be a one and done project, but I’m not so sure now. The desire to do more jazz and jazz noir comes and goes often with me. And it has a tendency to leak into other projects a lot. You can find it especially in B1 and even GOL.. So I may end up going back to Radio Roadhouse just to fulfill that need and expand more on some Twin Peaks ideas.
16. I can’t end this interview without mentioning Breather 1 – the dystopian-based, chillwave/synthwave projects with a handful of amazing releases. What brought about this project?
Breather1 was originally intended as an escape for me. Something to switch gears and get away from other projects I might be working on. I learned that it was good for me to have multiple projects to bounce between so that I would encounter less writer’s block and tunnel vision. It was also my excuse to do sci-fi/space music, something that at first I didn’t have to take too seriously. That began to change after the Outer Worlds album when it really started to develop a more synthwave/cyberpunk direction. With no intention of putting it into a box of course, the project still remains loose to me, without boundaries. But it has become pretty evident in direction.
17. I absolutely loved ‘The Noodle Bar’ and am hoping that ‘The Sushi Bar’ will be a future follow-up (LOL). Do you have plans to continue this synthwave endeavor?
I think it’s inevitable that the project is going to continue down this path. I like the material and the world that it’s sitting in right now. And I have often thought about doing a follow up to Noodle Bar, perhaps another mystery that takes place in this dystopian city. But we shall see.. I also would like to expand further into another Drive album, which is something I really enjoy working on. I like solo drives at night with minimalistic, repetitive almost drone synth music playing. I used to do that a lot. Go find some roads on the outskirts of town and just get lost driving. It’s good therapy and helps to clear the headspace.
18. What are your musical plans for 2024? Do you have any physical releases (cassettes, CD’s, etc.) planed as well?
Yeah, this year is going to be very busy for me. Firstly, preparing to relocate to the state of Texas will be a pretty big venture. My wife and I have spent the past year working on this and even spent some time there last Spring to scout locations. It will surely be an adventure with our three dogs, five cats and the possibility of even bringing along a couple of strays that we take care of. I know it’s not the most ideal place for someone who is a Fall/Winter lover and is used to having access to a massive mountain range. But as they say, change is good and opens new doors. And with the recent surge of DS artists and live shows happening in TX, I’m really feeling optimistic about the move. This is obviously going to directly affect everything I do from L&D to writing music. I’m hoping that once settled I can get back to work on both as I am way behind on physical releases. And I get asked a lot about that. There are plans to release the albums that I have done over the past year physically. When it will happen and in what capacity I just don’t know yet, which I imagine is just as frustrating to fans as it is to me. But rest assured, these things are constantly on my radar.
19. I really appreciate your time and most of all your music and friendship! Do you have any final thoughts for those that may be reading this interview?
I would very much like to express my eternal gratitude to all of the folks out there who continue to listen to and support what I do. None of this work would exist without them. So a very big thank you to all of you. And a huge thank you to the dungeon in deep space for everything that it has done and for having me here for this interview. This site has been an instrumental place for getting the word out on dungeon synth and dark ambient that people might not otherwise know about. Much respect to you for that! I am looking forward to this new year and to all the new adventures that it brings!
Even though 2023 has come to a close and 2024 will most likely bring another hearty dose of Dungeon Synth releases, I’m still enjoying a vast amount of Dungeon Synth albums from last year. There are so many great albums that I didn’t get a chance to review and one of them is ‘Awaiting The Dawn’ by Tir. I figured, what better opportunity to discuss this album than to make it my first official review of 2024. Ever since the release of ‘Mountains’ in 2016, Tir has consistently released top-quality albums that transcend any single musical genre. Fast forward to 2023, we find the release of ‘Awaiting The Dawn’ continuing the cycle of inspirational and cinematic Dungeon Synth music. Containing nine beautiful tracks that showcase tranquil, acoustic guitar compositions and backed by natural field recordings and serene synth textures, you’re definitely in for a treat.
Angelic album opener, “C’est La Fin (Part 1)”, immediately caresses the ears with a soothing acoustic guitar passage, with the backing of layered synths. After a short pause, radiant vocal melodies join in to produce an alluring experience. “Where Shadows Dance (Part 2)” is a short acoustic tune that is more straight forward than the opener and procures a hasty indulgence, especially with the harmonized vocals and abbreviated length. Up next is “The Mists Of The Eternal Meadows”. With more of a neo-classical essence, the layered acoustic guitars are mesmerizing on this tracks. Luminous ambiance can be heard in the background, adding an emotional aspect that can be felt down to your internal core. There are some wonderful nature samples as well, giving this track a heart-felt scenery that represents a particular calmness. “In The Essence Of Dying” begins with the subtle sounds of nature before galloping guitar arrangements sound off in glorious fashion. By the time the synths kick in, this track begins to take shape as a folk anthem for the ages. About halfway through the track, the sound grows dark and a short narration becomes the focus. Eventually, the track gets back to the original melody before coming to a conclusion. “A Letter Hooked To The Cloud” commences with a somber piano piece, which is soon joined by a mournful stringed instrument. Both instruments complement each other in the most lugubrious of ways, as this short piece remains sorrowful until its ending. “Threads Of Time” picks up the pace again with a traditional guitar strum, complimented by engaging synth leads. There are some gothic style vocals that fit into this track very well and the more I listen to it, the more this one becomes my favorite song on the album. At nearly nine and a half minutes, “An Unspoken Lament” is the longest canticle on the album. Beginning with an earnest piano chop, a sonic Medieval soundscape soon develops in a melancholic way. With a variety of alluring instruments, this is one of the most cinematic offerings thus far. Eventually, the electronics give way to dueling guitar strums, adding another exciting aspect to this track. As closure draws near, the guitars fade and soft synth leads provide a smooth ending for this fascinating piece. “The Path Of The Dandelion Seed” is a short guitar tracks that plays a wondrous melody over and over again while a lightly flowing stream and chirping birds furnish the natural ambience. The final track to complete this amazing listening experience is “Farewell Ballad”. Just as the title suggests, this track is a gloomy serenade that encapsulates the crux of the entire album, not only dynamically but spiritually as well. Although the guitars are not as dominate here, they can still be heard and provide a brilliant dynamic to the layers of synth leads.
Although Tir doesn’t release as many albums as his other Dungeon Synth counterparts, the albums in his discography are simply amazing and are of the utmost quality. From instrumentation and songwriting to the excellent production, Tir never misses the mark. ‘Awaiting The Dawn’ is no exception to this as this may be his greatest musical achievement yet. Even though this album was released last April, and I’m just now writing about it nine months later, that should tell you something about its radiant charm. Please click on the link below to check it out.
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This was a very interesting year for Dungeon Synth. There were many fantastic releases from some of my favorite artists, surprising releases from new projects, while other artists fell silent for some reason or another. However, I found solace in a plethora of albums that made an impact on me in various ways. Many of those albums are listed below, in my Top 10 Dungeon Synth releases for 2023. I hope you enjoy this list as much as I do and if you’ve not heard of some of these artists, please check them out and support them in any way possible. Happy readings, Happy New Year and I’m looking forward to another fantastic year in 2024.
Tales under The Oak are back with the fourth installment of amphibia-themed Dungeon Synth music and it’s another constant release in a short, but wonderful discography. Seamlessly blending lush, ambient textures with dreamy synth intonations, ‘The Toad Alchemy’ is a reminder of how vast the Dungeon Synth sound can stretch. Not quite raw and Medieval but nowhere near the Comfy Synth spectrum either, this album takes inspiration from all aspects of Dungeon Synth and delivers the good with impeccable songwriting and production efforts. In a unique twist, the final seventy six minutes or so consists of ‘The Toad Academy Audiobook’, which is a fantastic treat that continues the fantasy appeal of the album itself. Don’t pass up this enchanting adventure.
Elminster is one of my favorite Dungeon Synth artists so it should be of no surprise that at least one of the mighty Elminster albums would appear in my Top 10 list. Although each release this year has been nothing short of amazing, it’s ’Through The Mossy Archway’ that came out on top as my favorite. With only three tracks, this spectacular audio adventure is a hefty thirty nine minutes long. These songs are extremely cinematic and create the perfect Medieval scenario of battle, bloodshed and chaotic resilience. The fifteen minute long “Sword Of The Starry Depths” is probably my all-time favorite Elminster song (at least for now) and the remaining two track do not disappoint at all. Definitely check this out if desiring a Medieval soundtrack to get you through the day.
There is not a single bad album in the Guild Of Lore discography and whether it’s one that’s part of the Winterstead saga, or a one off release that showcases a varied aspect of the project, rest assure that you’re in for a treat with a dose of top-quality Dungeon Synth music. ‘Messummur’ presents nearly eighty minutes of Middle Eastern inspired tunes that instantly transports the listener to a distant Persian land where congested markets and mischief characters create an incredulous society. Music wise, this album has it all – tranquil ambient backgrounds, jubilant synth work and a cacophony of instruments (including percussion) that extends the perplexity of these compositions. Favorite tracks include “Tuskhorn Scar”, “By Night, The River Snake” and “Tomb Of Luus Torat”. However, the good times don’t stop there as the entire album is an epic treat for all fans of electronic music.
Medievalist is a new project by Prometheus Studios and Dark Ambient mastermind, Scorpio V. Although this is not his first foray into the realm of Dungeon Synth (check out Forest Of Yore, Stronghold Guardian & Shogun’s Castle), this one is probably more Medieval centric than the aforementioned projects. Deep, ambient textures and a host of field recordings are prevalent throughout but there are cinematic elements that standout the most that propels this recording into ancient lands of vast kingdoms, harrowing lore and imminent battles. This is best if listened to from start to finish as each track builds off of the previous, creating a dark world where our imagination can construct our own ancient tales and mythos. “The Forgotten Castle”, “Homecoming” and “Knighthorn” are standout tracks that truly represent the output of this astonishing project.
LANDSRAAD, the Dune-inspired synth project, released their third album this year and it’s another impeccable offering. ‘Mark Of The Worm’ delivers nearly an hour of synthwave-induced intonations that are otherworldly to say the least. Although aesthetically appeasing to fans of Dungeon Synth, LANDSRAAD plays more of a classic synth style more akin to 80’s electronic-based movie soundtracks and that’s not a bad thing at all. Building upon layers of introspective synth leads and lavish ambient drones, each track has a unique style that is refreshing and adventurous. Tracks such as “The Prince Of Salusa Secundus” and “The Preacher At Arrakeen” produce a massive wall of sound while delivering somber melodies. This is such a great album that can be listened to over and over again without it growing old and tired. I’m already looking forward to the next effort by this always-consistent project.
It’s about time that Aufhocker made it to my year end list. Always a consistent Dungeon Synth artist, Aufhocker goes without notice (for the most part) and doesn’t seem to get any recognition through the various social media channels. The fact is, Aufhocker has been releasing persistent material since 2017 and doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. Even though ‘Ascent’ was just recently released, I’ve been playing it almost non-stop and it easily made its way to my Top 10 list. Additionally, this has also become one of my favorite Aufhocker releases as it’s showcases a variety of audial flavors, backed by incredible songwriting. “Obsidian Chronicles”, “Whispers In The Abyss” and “Amidst The Umbral Void” are amongst my favorite tracks and they all have contrasting styles that still blend together very well. That’s the unique aspect of this album as no two song sounds alike, but as a collective whole, they all synchronize very tastefully. If you’ve not checked out this project before, this album would be a great start!
Simon Heath, the mastermind behind the Dark Ambient project Atrium Carceri, as well as the massively influential Cryo Chamber label, has released a new project in the sphere of Dungeon Synth called Mountain Realm. This masterful release, called ‘Grayshadow Ruin’, is thirty three minutes of tasty (and gritty), dungeon-influenced offerings that are equally mesmerizing and ghostly. Featuring a lo-fi production effort, along with the sound of tape hisses, the songs themselves are of top quality and detail an ancient world of hypnotizing chaos and mythical characters. My favorite tracks include “Beyond The Mist”, “Goblin Cave” and “A Lone Wizard Emerges”, while the remainder of the tracks are not that far behind. For this being the first release by this project, I’m impressed and intrigued by the quality of each song and how well this album pays homage to such a wonderful genre of music. Don’t pass this one up and stay tuned for the future offerings from the newly created Cryo Crypt label.
If you ever want to introduce someone new to Dungeon Synth music, I would consider this the ultimate album for making that connection. From the lo-fi production to the completely Medieval sounding compositions, ‘Fortress Of The Black Sentinel’ is the consummate soundtrack for ancient times. Not only are these battle hymns for the weary, but this is the soundtrack for a kingdoms majestic reign of all the lands. With only three tracks, and a playing time of just under thirty five minutes, these offerings are not only majestic, but they yield the sword of Medieval might and honor. “The Battle Of The North Reach” is my favorite track of the three and could easily be a song that represents the entire Dungeon Synth genre.
Like a lucid dream, where everything is in slow motion and mysterious beings speak a voiceless thought, ‘Magelight’ by Fogweaver shines through like a luminous entity of tranquility and mesmerizing audial substance. This is an absolutely sensational album that will captivate the listener with dreamy compositions and emotive arrangements. Every single track on this album is stunningly beautiful and full of effervescent life. Representing the more serene side of Dungeon Synth, this can easily be enjoyed by all as it still contains the traditional genre aesthetics and the synth lead work is simply captivating. Even if you’re not a fan of Dungeon Synth but are still into electronic music, I can’t recommend this album enough. Fogweaver is a very consistent project and after hearing this new album, there is no doubt that it was completed with a massive amount of heart and soul.
1. Erythrite Throne – Wrath And Anguish Of The Black Wyrm
Erythrite Throne is my all-time favorite Dungeon Synth artist and I consider it one of the GOAT projects of the genre. So, it shouldn’t come to a surprise that at least one Erythrite Throne release will make it to my Top 10 list. The questions is, which one. Sometimes this is more difficult than coming up with a top 10 list in general, but this year that wasn’t a problem. ‘Wrath And Anguish Of The Black Wyrm’ is not only my favorite Erythrite Throne album of the year, but it’s my top pick for Dungeon Synth album of the year for 2023. The six tracks contained within maintain that tradition Erythrite Throne sound while expanding on genre aesthetics such as an enlightened classical palette, compositional integrity, enchanting synth leads and even a touch of Black Metal-style vocalizations throughout. My favorite tracks include “Forgotten Spirits Feast On Dragon’s Flesh” and “We Slumber Deep Within Realms Of Vampyric Wisdom”, as they showcase all of the characteristics mentioned above and so much more. Make sure you check this one out for a masterful Dungeon Synth treat.
This was another fantastic year for Dark Ambient music. Not only were there many releases from well-known artists, but there were many great releases from up and coming artists as well. That being said, I was a fan of so many Dark Ambient albums this year, that it was almost impossible to come up with a Top 10. I could have easily had a Top 100 but it would have taken me forever to compile and write about each of them. After much thought (and a few changes along the way), I’m happy with this Top 10 list and hope you enjoy it as well. If some chance you’ve not heard any of these projects, I highly recommend them. Happy readings, Happy New Year and I already can’t wait for 2024!
10. Monasterium Imperi – Sanctium Choir Collection
Scorpio V has released four extremely impressive albums under the Monasterium Imperi moniker this year but ‘Sanctium Choir Collection’ is the grandest of them all. Over two hours of bleak, Gregorian chants over haunting drones is exactly what I love about this project and ‘Sanctium Choir Collection’ delivers in a monumental way. In all honesty, I wish this album was about four hours long but the seven epic tracks contained within will do just fine. Perfect for meditation, background noise or sleep music, I can’t recommend this one enough. Even though it’s only been out about a week, it definitely deserves a spot on my year end list. Don’t sleep on this one!
Infinexhuma released ‘Denown’ back in March and it’s been one of my go-to Dark Ambient albums ever since. Featuring a murky blend of industrial noises and immeasurable drones, this album almost has a ritualistic essence to it. This intense collection of colossal modulations is – at times – downright terrifying. There are bits of sinister vocalizations that will have you checking the perimeters for evil entities and I wouldn’t recommend this to fall asleep to, unless you desire the most extreme forms of nightmares in existence. Highly recommended for fans of more extreme forms of Dark Ambient music.
Scorpio V’s second entry in this year end list is for his bellwether project, Metatron Omega. Released on the mammoth Cryo Chamber label, ‘Kataphasis’ continues a long string of Metatron Omega albums that emphasizes Dark Choir chants and haunting ambient textures. In addition to the elongated droning modulations, there are some beautifully melodies throughout that adds another dimension to this imposing offering. Chances are, if you’re reading this article, then you’re already aware of this massive project and the consistent vibes of the six releases available on the Cryo Chamber label Bandcamp site; but if you’re not familiar with Metatron Omega, I highly recommend ‘Kataphasis’ as a starting point.
Dev-I-Ant is another amazing project that has a pretty consistent catalog of sinister offerings. From the opening modulations of ‘A Place Of Warmth And Tears’, I knew this album was going to be a malevolent journey into the depths of darkness. From terrifying soundscapes throughout and the horror-like theme that spews from every track, there is no way that I could leave this masterpiece off of my year end list. If your aim is to be aghast while experiencing Dark Ambient music, then look no further than this album and be prepared for a frightful encounter.
Sonologyst excels at releasing masterful Dark Ambient albums that build upon isolationism through elongated drones and minimalist haunts. On the projects latest effort, ‘Shortwave Spectrum’, the intonations go above and beyond than ever before. Featuring over ninety minutes of ghastly sequences that are reminiscent of sounds that may be heard at an abandoned communication station, these tracks provide the full experience of abandonment and psychotic terror. Although not as ominous as other releases in my collection of Top 10 releases, there is an everlasting presence of dread that has an equivalent effect. If nominal Dark Ambience is your thing, then the works of Sonologyst will be right up your alley and ‘Shortwave Spectrum’ would be the perfect starting point for diving into this eerie style.
The third and final entry for this Top 10 list by Scorpio V is the enthralling, latest chapter of raw, Gregorian Chants by Eshaton called, ‘Pneumos’. Consisting of a single, thirty four minute track, ‘Pneumos’ builds upon coarse production efforts, grainy synth modulations and persistent dark choir effects to deliver an ancient – almost Medieval – sound that is consistently bleak but with an emotive posture. As Scorpio V continues to expand his unique sound fit for a fantastical universe, Eshaton is quickly becoming my favorite project out of all of his endeavors. Even fans of Dungeon Synth will become drawn to this effort and appreciate this massive sound for what it is – dismal and introspective.
I continue to be astonished by the consistent output from Blackweald. Not only are the albums filled with dreadful, Dark Ambient soundscapes, but the theme choices and album length are a huge undertaking as well. ‘The Fermi Exhibit’ is over five hours of unhinged, maniacal ambient music that contains bits of Space Ambient, Ritualistic tones, industrial Ambient and Isolationism all wrapped up in a single release. Additionally, the use of field recordings and demonic effects are prevalent throughout, making this a true Dark Ambient masterpiece. My favorite track is the one hour, forty four minute long “Vast Emptiness”, as it is a Space Ambient showcase that goes from nominal tones to penetrating horror and the listener gets to experience the dark unknowns of doomed space travels. Don’t pass on this immaculate offering.
Stars Without Light is a completely new listening experience for me and I was immediately hooked when listening to ‘Beneath And Before’. Even though this is the first album from this project, it’s easy to identify that the music contained within is the product of a veteran Dark Ambient musician. From crisp drones to apocalyptic soundscapes, this is for certain, one of the darkest offerings in my Top 10 list. At times, it borders into complete noise terror with complacent Industrialism, with a surprising ritualistic twist, and other times it sways through chaotic soundscapes that are equivalent to vicious nightmares. Even though this offering is just under thirty six minutes, you’ll feel completely drained of any comforts upon the first listen. This is a brilliant release that must be heard by all fans of Dark Ambient music.
If you’re not familiar with the Planetary series by Ruptured World, then you’re probably living under a rock or are not familiar with Ambient music in the first place. All jokes aside, This series – which consists of four releases – is an enthralling experience that has a complete story narration that is just as exhilarating as the music. In the latest installment, ‘Xenoplanetary’, Ruptured World goes all out to provide one of the best listening experiences ever recorded and – in my opinion – the best chapter of the Planetary series. The music, which is completely captivating and full of trance-induced emotions, plays on loop until the listener is completely entrapped. Then, the haunting narrations of Alistair Rennie will send you spiting into an otherworldly experience like no other. Tracks like “The Cruel Darkness” and “The Daze Of Foreboding” are so good, they’ve remained on repeat since the album was released in January.
God Body Disconnect is one of the most consistent artist on the Cryo Chamber label and whereas his albums has mostly a dystopian feel to them, I find myself drawn in by the simple (and sparse) narrations that provide a huge amount to expression to each release. However, ‘The Weight Of Regression’ is a monumental achievement in multiple ways and this seventy six minute endeavor is my favorite Dark Ambient album of 2023. Not only are the dreamy synths still present throughout, but the addition of percussion instruments provides a Dark Noir texture which ultimately emits a potent sound that is highly addictive. “Remnants Of A Soldier” is almost like a Post-Rock track that hypnotizes for over eleven minutes, while “Dosed And Dreaming” is one of the most calming experiences on the entire album. All in all, there is a lot of variety on this album that gives it the ability to remain fresh and relevant for a long time to come.
As I continue to explore the depths of Ambient music, I often find myself amazed at the talent that is out there. Daily, I dig through the trenches of Bandcamp, in search of something new and innovative. Other times, it’s chance encounters on social media that brings in the amazement. My introduction to Anser Flare was the latter. Where as a lot of Ambient and Dark Ambient music slowly builds in layers, creating songs of epic lengths, Anser Flare takes a more modest approach, creating celestial incantations that are shorter and often times more lively. I recently had the opportunity to have a discussion with the artist known as Anser Flare (now simply known as Anser), to find out what this project is all about. Hope you enjoy this interview and please check out the fascinating works of Anser!
1. Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for The Dungeon In Deep Space. Let’s start with the origins of Anser Flare. How did this project come about?
I was originally interested in doing something more minimal than my old project Madrigals. It made sense to keep the styles separate as in July ’22 I was in the middle of recording a DS split.
2. Your first release was ‘Gnosis’ back in September of 2022. I find a lot of musical influences on this recording and it transcends the thresholds of just Dark Ambient. Who were some of your influences at this time?
Gnosis was heavily inspired by Aphex Twin, Kraftwerk, Prurient, and some of my dark ambient collaborators on Umbra Vulgaris such as Sylvanum and Narbaiz. Gnosis was about a young man who leaves Earth after it’s rendered mostly uninhabitable by a meteor. There is a full story but lately I’ve paid less attention to shaping the narrative.
3. After the ‘Gnosis’ release, you had a track on the ‘Falling From A Star’ collaboration. Can you talk a little about that project and how it came about with the other artists?
This split was fairly spontaneous. Aradias Kingdom and Fenrir both expressed interest in a “space ambient” split after they had original tracks on UVR’s “Shades of Dark Ambient V2”. My comfort zone leans more to the “pure dark ambient” side with less percussion or overt DS.
4. In June of 2023, you released ‘The Ethereal Hours’, which is another stellar musical journey that branches outside of the ambient genre more than ever. What led to the inclusion of these elements?
Thank you for your kind words! I have always been a big fan of 80s electronic, its revival with outrun/retrowave, and needed to step out of the comfort zone and make something pop fans might like. “Can You See Heaven” came about in trying to channel the 80s. As well as hearing The Weeknd in every shop for over a year and needing to get those songs out of my head!
5. I really dig the track, “Space Habitation” as it perfectly sums up the discordant and sonic journey for this album. What’s the story behind this 8+ minute track and is this longest song you’ve produced to date?
Space Habitation is the longest track across all my projects so far, yes. At this point in the story, the main character has left earth for good and lives permanently on a space station closer to Mars.
6. In October of 2023, you released the ‘Apostate’ album and it’s more of a Dark Ambient adventure, filled with a good amount of celestial drones. What influenced the soundscapes on this album?
“Apostate” was influenced a lot by Mortiis and Burzum, but without high fantasy reference points. Where the previous album was more extroverted, I tried to create a very subdued, solitary feeling. It also basically ignored the story written so far.
7. In my opinion, the track “Reincarnate” is some of your best work and has a minimalistic quality that can easily be built upon. What’s the chances of releasing more works of this nature?
Very high. One of the Logic synths “Haunted Castle” from that song makes its way onto each release at least once.
8. I know that 2023 is coming to a close but do you have any more releases planned for the immediate future?
Nothing immediate. There will be another full-length from Anser in mid 2024.
9. How about collaboration efforts? Is there any more of those in the works?
You might know that I play synths in the Dungeon Synth project “Deabruen”. I consider that a long-standing Anser-Narbaiz collaboration. But no splits planned at the moment. “Ethereal Hours” will also be out on cassette this winter from Fantasy Audio Magazine, and “Apostate” from Umbra Vulgaris on November 17.***
10. I know that for many independent artists, the Bandcamp platform has been extremely reliable (up to this point) but do you release music on any other platforms, including physical releases?
Bandcamp is the main way. All the tapes and CD-R’s of Anser are available through UVR on Bandcamp and Discogs, and for streaming on Spotify, Apple etc.
11. You’ve mentioned Umbra Vulgaris a few times so far. Is this a label that you put together? If so was it intended only for your own projects or was it open to other artists as well?
Yes, UVR was an idea dating back to early 2021 as a way to release my own music on CD or cassette at low cost. There have been multiple people tangentially involved behind the scenes but it’s always been my label. It was open to other artists from Fall 2021, but with an emphasis on split EPs and albums, such as those with Sylvanum, Narbaiz and Frostgard. Full length albums from other artists arrived in 2022 and it became a “proper” label.
12. If I’m not mistaken, the first release on this label was ‘Fallen’ by Madrigals. Can you talk a little bit about this project and is it one that you plan to continue at some point?
That’s right, it was a digipak limited to 100 copies. I still have about a dozen. Madrigals was a melodic dungeon synth project that mostly used ideas I had been holding onto for years, before really becoming aware of DS as an active genre. After realizing a lot of it existed, and people were doing much cooler things with it than me – e.g. any of the other artists on those splits – it lost its magic and Anser became my primary focus. I don’t plan to continue as Madrigals.
13. What’s your opinion on digital releases versus physical releases? How have both formats helped shape Umbra Vulgaris Records?
Digital releases without a physical tend to get unfairly written off. Cassettes have their obvious charm, and CD’s too in my opinion; so they’ll always be part of what I do. As far as the label goes, it would be great to try and grow the digital side – free compilations, e-zines, even considered a podcast. In the current setup, we’re trading and wholesaling off a lot of cassettes to build up an extensive distro selection, which will help support more digital output. The distro is overwhelmingly tapes, so we’ve been pigeonholed as a “tape label” which is probably fair.
14. I really appreciate you taking the time to have this interview session. Do you have any final thoughts for those that may be reading this?
Thank you very much for your questions, and thank you to the readers!
We have finally reached our favorite holiday of the year – Allhallows Eve, or Halloween as it’s referred to in modern times. For the youngsters, the festivities are completed by dressing up as their favorite characters and obtaining as much candy as possible while Trick o’ Treating! However, for others, it’s the perfect opportunity to embrace the darkness and dwell in all things maniacal and evil! Whether it’s watching your favorite horror series or getting an ear full of brooding music, there is no other day quite like this. My favorite thing to do is to have a dark music marathon of new and old music, no matter the genre. If you’re like me, there is never a shortage of music to listen to but if you’re down for checking out something new, I’ve compiled a set of summary reviews for seven new releases that are bound to get you into a dark, atmospheric mood. I hope you enjoy these recommendations and please support all of these artists and the labels that provide a platform for their ominous craft.
1. Halloween Scene – Issue No. 1-The Graveyard Manor
If you’re not spending Halloween with the sounds of spooky intent, then unfortunately you’ll not get to experience the full effects of the most ghostly night of the year. Thankfully, we have ‘Issue No. 1 – The Graveyard Manor’ by Halloween Scene to supplement our sinister audial needs. Over an hours worth of grim incantations of darkened ambience, this recording is just what we need to provide the eerie atmosphere for this special night. Whether it’s the ominous textures of “An Old & Gloomy Road”, “The Haunted Manor” and “An Eerie Secret Passage”, or the discordant soundscapes presented in “A Safe Room To Escape?” and “Cadavers Unearthed For Fiendish Reasons”, there is an uncanny presence though out that magnifies the intensity of this horror-filled evening. I hope that Halloween Scene continues to release these seasonal recordings, as it sets the mood perfectly.
Onasander never fails to deliver the darkness and on the latest outing, ‘Eltanin’, we find a heavily drone-induced recording with the expansive elements of deep space ambience. Delivered in a soothing arrangement of flowing, broad textures, there is an ominous presence on each track that creates an unhinged barrier of menacing darkness. Tracks such as “Acrid” and “Council Of War” generate a dreamy scenario of comprehensive modulations akin to drifting in a celestial dimension, while “Ancient Nightsky” and “Outer Primitives” produce a range of eccentric soundscapes that may provoke a sense of fear. At any rate, this six track offering by Onasander is not only another amazing recording in his consistent discography, but it has a persistent sound direction that easily aligns with the theme of Hallows Eve.
Some Dark Ambient recordings are not meant for the squeamish; and by squeamish I mean those that are adversely triggered by haunting timbres and disturbing soundscapes. ‘A Place Of Warmth And Tears’ by Dev-I-Ant is a resounding journey through the macabre via unhinged, nightmarish textures and ominous field recordings. There is a frightful presence throughout this album that will send chills down your spine and may give your nightmares a nightmare. At almost seventy minutes in length, there is no escaping these terrifying modulations as they continuously elicit a sense of dread and provide jolts of disarray without any notice. Whether it’s Halloween or not, this is how Dark Ambient was intended to be played. If you think you’re ready for this menacing journey, then test the waters with tracks such as, “Carriage Of The Fox” and “The Room Of Despair”. These are prime examples of how disquieting this album is.
4. Erythrite Throne – Forever At The Mercy Of Thy Abhorrent Cruelty
Erythrite Throne has never released anything short of amazing. After all, in my opinion, Erythrite Throne is the G.O.A.T. of modern Dungeon Synth. On ‘Forever At The Mercy Of Thy Abhorrent Cruelty’, Wyrm constructs six tracks of Medieval enchantment, with powerful orchestrations and somber emotions that are compelled to bring out a sense of ensorcelled sorrow. It’s inevitably special when you can produce a sound of lugubrious intent and captivating beauty at the same time. At just under an hour, these six long players succeed in setting a gloomy mood and maintaining it for the duration of the recording. Not only is Erythrite Throne a treat to experience all year round, it’s uniquely amazing to experience it during the Season Of The Witch as well, as it magnifies the intensity of the darkness and all of the evil it brings with it.
Skuggkonungen, an adept purveyor in the realms of Dark Ambient and Dungeon Synth music, presents his latest recording of minimalistic ambient music called, ‘Skördetid’. As if endlessly adrift in a vivid, hallucinating dream, these six modulations are crafted with enlightened intent. The electronic spectrum is a hallowed spectacle on this recording as each track presents a variety of soundscapes and modulations that flow seamlessly into the next, offering a unique, emotional experience along the way. Whether it’s the cold, disturbing drones of “Den Sista Frosten” or the retro soundscapes of “Vilan”, this amazing album has something to offer for all fans of ambient music. As Halloween festivities present a fabric for chaos and unhinged enjoyment, ‘Skördetid’ can be listened to for winding down from all of the abrupt discord that may have played out previously. Needless to say, this is a beautifully ominous album that can be enjoyed at anytime!
When it comes to ambient improvisations, Mora-Tau is one of the best in the business. ‘Music For Ghosts’ is no exception as it showcases a sense of disharmonic nostalgia in the form of three epic tracks. At seventy two minutes long, there is plenty of room to balance haunting atmospherics with audible storytelling. Just in time for Halloween, this album can be used a a backdrop for those bleak moments that are to be expected during this dark, festive season. With layers of dissonant synth leads, there is a particular grimness that lurks around every corner and nothing is as it seems while churning through these long players. At just over twenty one minutes, the lead off track, “The Water Dripping From The Veins Of A Leaf” is the shortest on the album, but sets an ominous mood for what’s left to come. The albums title track (and fitting closer for this amazing recording) is twenty six minutes of sporadic modulations that complete the soulful journey that only Mora-Tau can present so eloquently.
7. Various Artists (Dustopian Frequencies) – Ghost Stories
In true Halloween fashion, Dustopian Frequencies presents ‘Ghost Stories’ a collection of tracks from four artists that go above and beyond the confines of basic presentation, by manifesting audial renditions of their favorite hauntings. With each song being around ten minutes in length, there is an endless space for translating these stories into magnificent audial performances that maintain the same level of impact. From Dark Ambient and Hauntology to Industrialized trance pieces, each convey a story or horror in their own unique way. My favorite amongst these transmissions is “Dullahan” by Everyday Dust. This whirlwind of a performance is a sonic journey through various modulations and sound sequences that are not only mesmerizing but paint a picture of a dystopian time where perpetual escapism becomes the norm and defeat by death exists at all costs. Each of the remaining tracks are high-level outings that demands the listeners attention with the utmost reward hanging in the balance.
Mombi Yuleman is one of the most versatile electronic producers making music today and there is no doubt that he’s one of my favorites as well. Whether it’s the nightmarish effects of his conceptual Dark Ambient masterpieces or his upbeat Psychill offerings, he can almost be considered a one-stop shop for all of your electronic audial transmission needs. This year has been one of his most accomplished to date has he’s released a string of albums that elicit a variety of styles. One of my favorites (thus far) is the buoyant offering called ‘Underground Dwellers’, a maniacal Psychill adventure that is inspired by 80’s horror cinema and details the terrifying experience of diseased rats banding together to take over a futuristic Chicago setting. Featuring eight tracks of contentious beats and retro-styled synths, this is an amazing album that can be played and enjoyed on just about any occasion.
The vigorous album opener, “Sewer Rat With Babies” may sound very familiar – especially if you’re a Rush fan. The very first sequence sounds like a homage to the album ‘2112’, with its sonic sequences and space-like modulations. However, that’s where the similarities stop and the Psychill action begins as this track goes into a full-throttle, dance mode inflection. Peculiar soundscapes and galloping rhythms continue to drift with ease, as a looming darkness continues to impress. “Subway Tunnels” begins like an 80’s synthwave soundtrack piece, as inner city soundscapes and Sci-Fi cinematic timbre sets a bleak vision of classic soundtrack vibes and haunting Dark Ambient structures. With shrills of sewage vermin and Berlin School sequences, this is the perfect build up to the next track while maintaining the overall vision of the album. “Experimental Growth Formula” commences with thunderous drones and melodic pads, leading to a head bobbing cadence that is groovy without being over the top. New wave styled synth leads and bits of reverberated keys lead the charge in this mid paced, late night excursion. About halfway through, an abbreviated pause followed by a quick narration leads right into a grinding Psychill section that continues to build with synth leads and ambient atmospherics. “Increasing Metabolism” is a bleak intonation that continues with the audial storyline and presents a precipitous beat, solid keys and and just enough atmospherics for the listener to continue their own interpretation of the theme of the album. There is an amazing shift in keyboard effects toward the end that finds a balance between melancholy and controlled chaos. As the synth leads continue to build this track ends in a wall of sound that you just want to continue for longer than it actually does. “Gods Feast” slows the pace down a bit but certainly conjures a wall of sound in the form of modulated drones, captivating sequences and distant sounding synth soundscapes. As the Berlin School sequences start to progress, it’s apparent that the underground dwellers have taken over and morphed into an indestructible force that is bringing their subterranean terror to the surface. “Contamination Hazard” starts with some grimy ambient textures and a short narrative before breaking into a minimalistic beat. This track is a slow builder but with each layer we get an addictive blend of fabulous synth arrangements and upbeat percussive parts. There is a futuristic vibe to this track represents a complete takeover of the mutated vermin, as they steadily devour everything in their path. “Saving The Day” is probably my favorite track, as it supremely represents the best in retro synthwave and 80’s electronic soundtrack recordings. Although there isn’t a percussive element to this song, the multi-dimension synth leads provide a harrowing cadence that magnificently assembles into a synchronized arrangement that is as much grimly lit as it is enveloping a sense of light. The final track on this amazing nocturnal adventure is “Hidden Nest”. At almost nine minutes long, it’s the longest track on the album and is a fitting conclusion with its blend of celestial sounds, jubilant synth leads and rapid beats that remain constant throughout. About halfway through, this song becomes a cinematic marvel in that it creates such a dynamic sound of flowing textures and elongated synth impulses. By the time we reach the end of the track, there is a myriad of thunderous activity that illustrates complete havoc, as the subsurface vermin demise all in their path.
Mombi Yuleman continues his streak of masterful albums as he dominates in multiple electronic genres. Whether it’s ghastly Dark Ambient albums or invigorating Psychill releases, there is no doubt that he is at the top of his game. Although I’m more of a fan of his Dark Ambient works, ‘Underground Dwellers’ is quickly becoming my favorite album from his extended discography of greatness. As of this writing, I’m excited to learn that there is already a plan to release ‘Underground Dwellers II: Swamp City’. This is excellent news as this is a story line that could continue across several albums and I’m glad that the next one will see the light of day in the near future. As for ‘Underground Dwellers’, don’t sleep on this amazing album, as I can assure fans of electronic music, this one is an Album Of The Year contender. Please click the link below to check it out and please show your support for this amazing artist.
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I continue to be amazed by the vast amount of electronic artists that exhibit a level of creativity that transcends a single genre. I know this is something that happens more often than none, but to find an artist that excels in this variety of creativity is wonderfully compelling. Since last year, I’ve been following the works of Dragon-Orb and often find myself completely absorbed in his innovative prowess – specifically when it comes to what genre will be the focal point of each release. Whether it’s Dungeon Synth, Crypt Hop or Ambient, Dragon-Orb has a musical gift that keeps on giving with each new album. I recently had the opportunity to chat with the mastermind behind this project, gaining a good insight on the intricacies that circulate around the being known as Dragon-Orb. I’m happy to share this interview here so please enjoy and support this gifted talent that is dedicated to making some killer electronic synth tunes.
1. Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for The Dungeon In Deep Space. You’ve been putting out music for a few years now but for those that are not familiar, how would you summarize the musical vision of Dragon-Orb?
I started this wanting to try and make fantasy music. I can’t exactly remember how I came across the genre of dungeon synth but I believe it was from black metal and fantasy music and I loved the whole vibe of it and thus I wanted to try create my own. In life I was feeling down and low but I said you know what I want to try do this genre, I want to make something that brings some value and maybe that was me trying to give myself that feeling. It took me some months to try make the sound and figure it out but then I finally found my so called sound with a track I made called The Heavens and from there I just kept at it, learning to do better melody’s and learning layering and what vsi felt right with another, what reverbs worked, delays and so on and so on. The musical vision for me was to create fantasy worlds with dungeon synth, I wanted to tell a story through sound and as amateur as I am with no theory education I managed to create that vibe. From there I’ve kept at it and learned better ways to mix, produce and better ways to present but I consider myself an amateur at everything. I’ve done 2 tracks for a video game called Doodle Taxi and I’d be glad to make music for other things but the goal is generally for me to create, I like the fact I can express myself through music and I can try different things and genres to be creative. I also like the idea of my music helping people in a positive way through my fantasy music for that fantasy feel, my ambience to help people chill, meditate and some of my ambience has a fantasy feel or my spiritual hip hop poetry to help people be inspired or think on a deeper level. The goal of Dragon-Orb is to create art and in general an outlet for me to be creative and for others who like my stuff to listen to. There is some things I would like to do on a grander scale however I want it to impress people and it will be magical so I won’t get into it but there is vision for Dragon-Orb and its just to be creative and if good opportunities occur and I can collaborate great but I’m also content with creating for the sake of creating also.
2. To me, you blend the influences of hip hop and grime with Dungeon Synth aesthetics. Which genre came first for you and how did you decide to fuse everything together?
Dungeon synth to me was first when I started doing this Journey and then I decided to express myself vocally as spiritual, conscious rap inspires me and seldom do the masses hear it and like every smaller genre now you come across it on the internet and it opened my mind. You may get the odd meaningful mainstream song now and then but most is made for club rotation and indie artists are smaller but are more free than say a major who has a job to speak what someone else has wrote or a tailored image. I think with rap beats its not really sometimes a melody or professional musician on the beat that brings people as rap beats are quite simplified and sometimes they aren’t but feel simplified, it is a genre to me of a vibe and you don’t have to be a fully trained musician to do it because it can be a rhythm. Generally I just don’t care what others may think to an extent and I just make whatever I feel sounds good beat wise from a synth, sitar, so on and in my opinion to be creative you generally have to just be your self, sure you can be inspired by people or a genre but don’t try be exactly like the top mainstream artists and be you unless you want to make just party music then all the best with it. Some people say my beats are unique and my style of writing, expression but I’m just being myself and don’t conform to a sound everyone may be chasing or style. Most casual listeners of music who don’t want to create who are listening to the top 10 or whatever chart wise are probably not into the art of writing or expression as a artist actually is or writer.
3. Your first album, ‘Optimistic’ came out in April of 2021. Looking back on that album now, did you achieve the musical endeavor that you set out to do or did that progress over time?
I would say it has progressed over time but for that time I achieved my endeavour. I didn’t know how to I guess properly mix back then, I’m still an amateur at it and my computer back then couldn’t handle much. Mixing wise was basic, I wasn’t sure how to make my voice more impactful on some stuff hence the second take vocals being overlaid on some tracks and sometimes that was experimenting with the sound also but for that moment in time it felt good that I done it and I expressed myself and looking back it’s still an alright quite raw album. Senses I felt was much more of a step up
4. Correct me if I’m wrong but ‘Ancestral Wolf’ is one of your first all Dungeon Synth album. Who/what were some of your influences for this lighthearted and majestic recording?
Passing Moments was my first album and Ancestral Wolf was my second. Ancestral Wolf was dedicated to my fathers dog who sadly passed away and he was the inspiration, it’s also dedicated to our pets ancestors and that can apply to anyone with a dog who wants to think of its ancient lineage. The comfy synth Archives has been very good to me and has helped me a great deal and a lot of artists there have dedicated albums to deceased pets. But yeah a family pet was my inspiration and its ancestors.
5. I’ve really enjoyed the ‘Passing Moments’ album and the mix of Medieval Dungeon Synth and Ambient textures is just fascinating to listen to. Do you have a particular theme in mind when recording all Dungeon Synth albums such as this one?
This was when I was figuring out how to do melody, maybe I used a little to much harp, not so much a theme but like aspects of a world from its seasons, places, adventure hence the dwarves sneaking around dragons gold track, that was inspired by the hobbit film. I generally try and create a story with my music but often the title comes after the songs completion and my track titles can say where we are in the story.
6. In July of 2021 you released the amazing ‘Communicating Harmony’, which finds you submerging into Dark Ambient territories. Was releasing a Dark Ambient album a part of the Dragon-Orb mystique? Do you plan to release more Dark Ambient albums?
I most certainly will, I like to create ambient as well so yes most definitely. My last Dark Ambient album was Dark Dreams. I definitely want to venture into that ghostly ambient world again. I enjoy making dungeon synth fantasy music but I also like to try express myself or just in general be a creative and try different genres also. Not really a mystique though, I just wanted to try create atmospheres
7. The album, ‘The Reunion: Mitakuye Oyasin was a very intriguing release. How did this collaboration come about?
It was another rapper called Eternal Turbulence who reached out to me and also a artist called Truthseekah, he wanted me to produce it though and mix it so I thought cool it may be a fun thing to do and I can say I have a collaboration album. I guess we are 3 artists on a spiritual journey and translating our thoughts into song.
8. Have you thought about releasing an album that contains Hip Hop, Dungeon Synth and Dark Ambient?
I’ve just done on a project now that has dark ambient and rap called Ghost where it follows a ghost in a ghost story on the other side and it’s a concept album however the lyrics can relate to real life also
I maybe might venture into the dungeon synth world with hip hop but I like my Dungeon Synth to have that Medieval and fantasy world type feel.
9. What are some of your own indicators for what type genre album you release? Do you get quick hits of inspiration for one genre vice the other?
I find it’s best to just go with the flow, normally I don’t plan things that much I just go with the feeling of what do I want to create today but I want to do some Synth wave, dark wave kinda stuff next so maybe that will be a plan and different direction as I wouldn’t mind doing vocals but more of a gothic style I’d say as well as a possible just instrumental synth wave release.
10. For your hip hop recordings, what is your lyrical vision? Do you write lyrics naturally for whatever comes to mind or are you influenced by world events?
I write naturally what comes to mind, sometimes its just appears there in my head and I write it fast like the whole vision just appears in my mind instantly at random moments and I have to write it down or I will say I want to write something today so I will then try craft the thought
11. What type of equipment do you use for recording? For your Ambient albums do you record your own field recordings?
I’ve been going out recording sounds in nature now yes, generally I just use my phone to record in nature and try not to breath heavily haha. Sometimes I will record myself walking, all sorts really. People who do music that doesn’t really require instruments perhaps should record themselves and learn how to lower pitches, Paul stretch and stuff as you can make some unique sounds with the most simplest of things including your own voice.
Generally if it’s studio recordings I use a microphone and an audio box interface.
12. What are the plans for Dragon-Orb for the remainder of the year? Do you plan to beach out into other forms of music?
Yeah I will probably be venturing into the Synthwave style a little more but for those that like the Dungeon Synth Fantasy stuff I will be venturing into that yes so something could be out by winter at least, maybe earlier.
13. I really appreciate your time! Do you have any final words for those that will be reading this interview?
Thanks to you first and foremost for this interview and to everyone who’s been on this journey with me.
Dungeon Synth & Dark Ambient Reviews!! 