The time is upon us in which we annually celebrate Allhallowtide – the remembrance of the dead – otherwise known as Halloween. In the modern day, Halloween is celebrated by trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses or attending costume parties. However, some of us prefer to press play on some of the recently released dungeon synth and/or dark ambient releases that pay tribute to this dull and chilling festive day. If you’re seeking something hair raising to listen to that will satisfy your taste of both the DS and DA genre’s, look no further than ‘Halloween Manifesto’ by Rhäzüns. A collection of two previously released EP’s, the first half is more in the dark ambient realm, whereas the second half dives into dungeon synth – the perfect combination for the types of music my website was designed for.
Album opener, “Brume” quickly manifests into a haunting soundscape as if you are floating seamlessly in the vacuum of space and then are suddenly thrusted through a dark nebula and sucked in a voracious black hole. The grim echoes of the keyboards ring from ear to ear as background noises cause a panic throughout the track. “Mire” contains classic instrument sounds as if they were peeled from an Alfred Hitchcock movie soundtrack. the ambient tones provide the perfect backdrop to combine all of the arrangements happening in this track and it makes for one creepy dirge. “Gale” contains more of an industrial ambient sound as harsh textural undertones contribute to the eerie expression of multiple droning sounds, which results in a terrifying elegy. “I” is the first dungeon synth track on the album and has both grim and upbeat parts, as well as constant drum rolls to make for a very entertaining piece. “II” contains some bizarre voice-like sounds, mixed with some off-kilter keyboard arrangements to provide more of a variety of tunes on the second half of the album. “III” is a simple keyboard arrangement played over and over again with various soundscapes and drum beats playing in the background. However, this is very affective, as it’s one of the most melodic and accessible tracks on the album. “IV” has an awesome cathedral-style keyboard part in the beginning that is complimented by a dungeon synth keyboard melody. Although it’s one of the shorter songs on the album, it’s one of my favorites and I find myself playing this one over and over again. “V” is very well written and could easily be used in a fantasy or science fiction movie soundtrack. From the steady drum beats to the various keyboard arrangements and the low-end bass pattern, there is a lot happening in this song and may take multiple listens for the listener to comprehend what all is going on. “VI” is another masterfully written piece as it contains a flute-like sound and a simple drum beat with a soft sounding guitar melody that can barely be heard. This is another stand-out track for me, as groove and riff in this song make it seem like something being played at a war dance or a festival before a great battle is about to take place.
Rhäzüns have released something very special in ‘Halloween Manifesto’ as it covers several genres of music that I love and is dedicated to on of my favorite holidays of the year. Wether you’re a fan of dark ambient or dungeon synth, I’m pretty sure that you’ll love this album as it meshes the two genres near perfectly. Show your support for this excellent artist and album and download it from the link below.
I would also like to give a special shout out to Waclaw Traier and Droned Artworks for designing and painting this wonderful album artwork. He is also the mastermind behind the artwork of The Dungeon In Deep Space and I cannot recommend his art enough. Not only are his paintings fantastic, but he is a true professional to deal with and I’m also happy to call him my friend! Check out his work at the link below.
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Link:
https://handwerkmusic.bandcamp.com/album/halloween-manifesto-2
Droned Artwork:
The Opinionated Optimist:
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lVoWSvmJCB7A6hJTYTpaq
Google: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kNWVhZjZjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz
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Halloween Episode: https://anchor.fm/brian-caraviello/episodes/Halloween-Special-e8asia
Dungeon Synth & Dark Ambient Reviews!! 