Immateriæ Forges Through Medieval Times Via Mystical Deep Space Portal

Usually when listening to a good Dungeon Synth album, we can imagine being taken back to a distant, medieval time when knights battled for the glory of the king, the forest was an enchanted place of mystical beings, and the inhuman population crowded the dungeons below. However, with the recent release of ‘Leere’ by Immateriæ, Dungeon Synth has safely weathered the elements of deep space and produced a four track – nearly thirty minutes – of cosmic synth that epitomizes the reason why I named this blog, The Dungeon In Deep Space in the first place.

Album opener, “Through Dark Matter And Misty Thoughts” starts off slow and then the DS style synthesizers materialize, adding multiple layers and provide a wonderful melody to this otherwise, gloomy track. For a track that seemingly has a lot going on, it’s also very minimalistic – an approach that works rather well. The second song is the eight and a half minute long “Awakening Of The Psyché.” This track showcases a great mix of reverb synths mixed with space ambient tones. The overall vibe of this song will leave the listener with a sense of loneliness and isolation, but also with a vision of clear direction and accomplishment. “Reaching Beyond The Old Sites” fades in with the same music as the outro of the previous song and continues the journey through the cosmos as our protagonist ventures past distances not previously known by man. This ten minute long track replenishes the mind in a more positive direction even though there is no end in sight for this endless voyage. The final track, “Distant Stars In Elder Memory” is a short track that is full of layered synths to signify a possible ending of some sort in this epic adventure.

Although this is a relatively short album, these four tracks are extremely well put together and the ambiance of the production is amazing. I’m really hoping that Immateriæ is going to provide a follow up release soon in the same vein as ‘Leere’ because it’s something new, fresh, and exactly what the Dungeon Synth Community needs right now. Please support this artist and click on the link below to download this amazing album!

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Link:

https://immateriae.bandcamp.com/releases

The ‘Path Through The Realm’ Is more Adventurous At The Direction Of Haxan Dreams

Blazing a path of more than just through a realm, Haxan Dreams has created a soundtrack that could accompany any adventure, whether it be through an enchanted forest, an icy cold winter storm, or the grim hollowness of a desolate mountain trail. The music on ‘Path Through The Realm’ is simply stunning and is more or less a cinematic dungeon synth masterpiece. However, this album is so much more than that. As I listen to these arrangements over and over again, I’m quickly reminded of a time when these musical preparations greatly existed as intros, outros, and the occasional filler tune on many black metal albums from the late 80’s and early 90’s.

Album opener, “The Realm” has some great dungeon synth keyboard parts that are accented by low-pitched (and barely audible) spoke word narrations. “Mountain Passage” has a very old-school vibe to it as well as some nice classical arrangements embedded within. The backing ambient track would also be amazing to listen to on its own. “Forest Of Idran” is the first song on the album that has that classic black metal intro vibe to it. The arrangements of the instrumentation is so compelling and dark, as if the composer is writing of a journey to be met with demise. Continuing on with the elements of black metal misery type intro’s, “Love And The Abyss” starts off melancholic but counters that emotion in the end with uplifting keyboard melodies. “Battle Of Twin Mountains” is an ideal spiritual piece that includes some tribal beats and bells. Just as the title suggests, this track seems as if there is an engagement in battle that takes place in the mountainside. “Dance Of The Coven” contains some tribal vocal elements that work well with the crescendo of the music. It’s almost as if a tribe of mountaineers have claimed victory in battle and are then displaying their ritual dance to claim praise to their high lord. Album closer, “To Dwell In Darkness” is an eleven minute long opus that shows a return to the elements of true old school dungeon synth and provides the final gateway to cross into the realm as set forth at the beginning of the album.

Haxan Dreams has created a very mature dungeon synth recording that mixes several elements of other musical genres and ventures into tribal beats with narrations and chanting patterns. Of all of the great DS albums that have been released this year, ‘Path Through The Realm’ is turning out to be one of my favorites so far. Support this wonderful album that is out now on Dungeon Deep Records by clicking the link below.

Link:

https://dungeonsdeeprecords.bandcamp.com/album/path-through-the-realm

Woodland Crypt’s Haunting Vision Conjures A ‘Gateway To A Forest Forgotten’

When I look back over the dungeon synth albums that have been released this year, it is truly impressive on how the genre has grown and the ways the music has branched out into many sub-genre’s. On Woodland Crypt’s latest EP, ‘Gateway To A Forest Forgotten’, the music takes us on a gloomy, deep forest adventures that has a cold, winter synth vibe to it, while maintaining elements of fantasy synth. This is quite an impressive feat for an artist that only has a few releases so far. The six tracks contained on this album are uniquely impressive and push the boundaries of traditional dungeon synth, almost crossing into the realm of post-dungeon synth.

“Sacred Glen” is an excellent choice as the lead off track as it exposes a particular calmness while traversing the gateway to the forest. “The Barbarian (Gûndabar’s Theme)” blasts right into a fantasy keyboard part that shows signs of aggression and commitment for the journey through the forest. The journey begins to slow as “Mausoleum Of Moss” provides a bleak atmosphere with some slight field recordings to give just enough atmospherics to set a gloomy precedence for the next track. “The Green Man” is an eerie song filled with lush keyboard tones and the occasional high-pitched accent that leans more toward traditional dungeon synth music. “Yule Festival” is a hymn filled with melancholy and crackling fire field recordings and contribute to the overwhelming sense of togetherness once reaching the final destination in the forgotten forest. “Return To The Mountains” closes out this astonishing album with an epic display of minimalistic synths and ambient droning.

Woodland Crypt has succeeded in constructing a meticulous album full of forest hymns that fit right in the ever-so-growing dungeon synth community. When a listener can don a pair of headphone, kickback, press play and let the music take them on a soulful journey, then the artist has reached a remarkable status. Although Woodland Crypt has only released two albums so far, they show signs of limitless potential and I’m looking forward to many more releases by this great talent. Join in on the journey and download ‘Gateway To A Forest Forgotten’ today!

Link:

https://woodlandcrypt.bandcamp.com

Hexelwir Deliver A Flawless Medieval Score For Dark Enchanted Times

From the deep, hollow forests where dragons sleep, to the kings mighty castle on an oceanside plateau; to the villages where younglings are pilfering goods from the local market, to the halls where knights proudly practice their craft, and to the mystical lands where witches conjure up spells to bring back their dead, Hexelwir’s ‘Manifestation Of Forgotten Souls’ runs the gamut Of audible damnation and provides the soundtrack for which these territories tell their story of war, peace and survival.

Musically, this album is much more than a product of the dungeon synth genre, it’s a score to an imaginary story set in a fantastical medieval times that adds multiple layers of acoustic instrumental passages, haunting field recordings, dark ambient textures and the occasional black metal vocals to provide a sonic layer of morbidity that mixes extremely well amongst the lighter, more traditional dungeon synth tracks. “Silent Night In Transylvanian Forest” begins with soothing choir-like vocals and some nighttime field recordings before easing into some spooky keyboard arrangements with the occasional evil laugh that can be heard in the distant background. “My Trees Are Your Coffins” takes you deep in the woods in the middle of the night with black metal-like vocal narrations (that seem to be backwards) and distant screams. An acoustic guitar passage eases in about halfway through the track and closes it out in that fashion. “Fire In The Night” is probably one of the lighter tracks on the album that reminds me of an after-battle party song, where everyone in the village is gathered at a central location and drinking until daybreak. “The Land Of Fire And Steel” is another track with traditional dungeon synth elements but also contains black metal style vocals, as if an Order of Chivalry are being prepared for battle by the Knight’s Commander. “Dark Medieval Ceremony” is a twisted track containing screeching vocals, choir-like chanting and layered dark ambience with a touch of sinister field recordings to add to the overall grimness within. These are just some of the standout tracks on this amazing recording that presents a story meant for the dark imagination.

Hexelwir’s fourth album is an extraordinary album that contains elements of dungeon synth, dark ambient, black ambient, tribal & medieval beats and atmospheric folk music. Even though firmly rooted in the dungeon synth genre, this album is sure to garner more fans from other musical genres as well. The album art is amazing, the production is spot on, and for fifty five minutes, your mind will be taken on the most satisfying journey like never before. Please click on the link below and support this fascinating artist:

Link:

https://hexelwir.bandcamp.com/album/manifestation-of-forgotten-souls

Nameless King side project, Halberdier, deliver dark fantasy debut in ‘To Return Victorious’

Dungeon Synth fanatics that are familiar with the works of Nameless King know that it is full of medieval, mellow song structures and contains elements of acoustic arrangements. Although a bit different from your typical DS album, it is firmly rooted in the genre and last months ‘Disciple Of The Dark Sun’ is one of my favorite DS releases of the year so far.

Halberdier is conjured from the same mastermind that created the aforementioned project, but this time fantasy-style keyboards and esoteric-themed arrangements battle to the forefront to make ‘To Return Victorious’ another DS album of the year contender.

First of all, the preparation of each track is extremely smooth and well thought out and blend seamlessly into the next as if the whole album is telling the story of a great King’s warrior returning to his kingdom. Additionally, the production element is fantastic! Even the low end bass keyboard tones that are present in a few songs are heard equally in the mix. Just like traditional old-school black metal, I know production is not an element of success or even a focus of attention half the time. In some cases, Dungeon Synth is the same way and fortunately – for both genre’s – there is a time when great production does and doesn’t work. In this case, it’s a prominent feature of this album! Some stand out tracks include, “A Wretched Sleep In The Rain”, “Fear In The Horsman’s Eyes”, and “A Proper Burial For The Fallen”.

I really hope this is a first of many albums to come from Halberdier. This is an exceptional DS album without having over-the-top quirky elements and without also straying far from the path. These ten tracks are so absolute, that the album will be on repeat before you know it. Please support this amazing up and coming DS artist by clicking on the link below and downloading ‘To Return Victorious’.

Link:

https://halberdier.bandcamp.com/releases

Inoriand Sends A Chilling Reminder Of How Bleak ‘Silence’ Is In This Post-Dungeon Synth Oeuvre!

When it comes to music, specifically extreme forms, the term “post” is sometimes misunderstood and in some cases, way over used. However, when we look at the basic definition of a music genre that has the term “post” attached to the front, it really means that the music it rooted in that genre, but then branches out to explore other realms that may be rooted in other genres, or not at all. So my first thought when I heard Inoriand’s latest outing simply titled, ‘Silence’, was that if there ever was a time to coin the sub-genre Post-Dungeon Synth, this is the album that would start the clock.

‘Silence’ is definitely rooted in dungeon synth as the standard sounding keyboards are ever present. However, they are used in a very bleak and non-conventional way that presents an icy cold presentation of dungeon synth in a twisted approach with an almost dark ambient feel to each song. The nine tracks are simply titled, “Silence I – IX” and are arranged in a way that they transition smoothly from track to track. Most of the songs are very minimalistic with minor arrangements that add to the overall obscure feeling to the album.

When it comes to esoteric dungeon synth, Eldest Gate Records has just the lineup of great artist to maintain that integrity. Inoriand has a handful of great albums but ‘Silence’ takes the cake as their shining moment. I hope they continue to leverage this momentum and produce more albums of this nature. Check this album out and support all of the bands on Eldest Gate Records, as you will not be disappointed!

Link:

https://eldestgaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/silence

Ugorim – The New Breed Of Dungeon Synth Has Arrived!

Dungeon synth has been around for ages and the influential beginnings – to this day – are still debatable. However, as with any genre of music, over time there will be growth, the introduction of new elements, and overall changes that may not be accepted by some. Take Ugorim, for instance. In just two month, they’ve released two demo’s of some of the most amazing music that’s been release this year, and it doesn’t sound like your typical DS recording.

August 3, 2019 saw the release of the second demo, ‘Lost Scriptures Of The Twilight Coven’. Containing six tracks of medieval-style dungeon synth, there is so much more on here than on your common DS album. The addition of drums on the second track, “Where Arcane Deities Gather”, adds a welcomed element that thickens the sound quite a bit. “Forgotten Guardian Of The Twilight” has a very eerie, trance-like feel that sounds like it could fit right in with a Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross Soundtrack recording. “Crypt Beneath The Forest” has the most traditional old-school DS sound on the album but also contain the live drum element to give it a more powerful sound.

When it comes to modern Dungeon Synth, Ugorim is the band to watch out for. In just under two months, they’ve released two outstanding demo’s, ‘Catacombs Of The Shrouded Mage’ and ‘Lost Scriptures From The Twilight Coven’. Although these demos vary in song structure, they are similar in the fact that they offer so much variance to the DS community. Please click on the link believe and support this outstanding up and coming DS band.

Link:

https://ugorim.bandcamp.com/album/lost-scriptures-from-the-twilight-coven

Old-School DS from Alabama!!

Nameless King, from Huntsville Alabama just recently dropped his second album of old-school medieval dungeon synth via his Bandcamp page (link below). Anyone familiar with the DS genre knows that it can take on many forms! In my opinion, Nameless King is one of the stand-out artists of the genre, as the arrangements are beautifully crafted to include acoustic passages, and layered textures that combine melody and soothing instrumentation. After just two albums – released in as many months – Nameless King is proving to be a grand force in the kingdom! Don’t sleep on this album, as it’s probably one of the best DS releases this year so far!

Disciple Of The Dark Sun:

https://namelessking.bandcamp.com/album/disciple-of-the-dark-sun

Aufhocker – Dungeon Synth plus so much more!!

Canada’s Aufhocker is the Dungeon Synth/Neoclassical Darkwave project of Andru Jorj. Since November of 2017, Aufhocker has released a staggering 27 releases and it doesn’t look like he’s letting up anytime soon! Now, I know what you’re thinking – there is no way that he can maintain a pace like this with consistent relevance. However, that can’t be further from the truth. Aufhocker finds a way to keep things interesting from album to album with everything sounding the same. The latest album, “False Confessions” is already one of my favorite Dungeon Synth releases of 2019. If you’re familiar with Aufhocker, what’s your favorite album?

False Confessions Bandcamp page:

https://aufhocker.bandcamp.com/album/false-confessions