Interstellar Space – Special Halloween Review #3: Lurk – ‘From The Depths Of Y’ha-nthlei’

After releasing a few EP’s, a Demo, and participating on both Crypt Hop Compilation releases, Dungeon Synth vanguard, Lurk, has finally issued its dynamic, Lovcraftian album entitled, ‘From The Depths Of Y’ha-nthlei’. Upon initial listen, it took me only about a minute or two to realize that this album is extraordinary to the point that it belongs on my Dungeon Synth Album Of The Year list. Let’s dig in to this distinguished offering.

“From The Depths Of Y’th-nthlei” initiates like the opening theme song to a Hollywood movie with it massive sound and bombastic orchestrations. Hints of Middle-Eastern tones add a multi-cultural influence, while haunting narrations pave a dark path for this nostalgic Lovecraftian story. “Tenebris Et Spiritus” starts with a bold keyboard melody, played in a rhythmic pattern. Layers of effects build on to this colossal sound and it’s makes for a perfect transition into a sick Crypt Hop beat toward the last minute of the track. It’s dark and groovy and you’ll want to throw up your sword in an offensive stance and bop your head at the same time. “A Mountain Walked” begins with eerie soundscapes and ghostly narrations, continuing the storyline of the album. Wonderfully produced percussion play a tribal-like, rhythmic pattern while supernatural keyboard effects provide a ritualistic ambience. As this is settling in, tribal chanting from a group of warriors begin their mantra. “Vast Plains Of Madness” commences with a retro sound of hissing tapes and various soundscapes before a piano arrangement eerily plays a melody on top of the continuous battle-like effects. “700 Steps To The Gates Of Deeper Slumber” has a haunting ambient track in the background while slow footsteps can be heard. Soundscapes and field recordings are embedded in spots as another Crypt Hop beat is slipped in perfectly to keep everything in sync. Another Middle-Eastern orchestra effect is fused in with the main melody and it absolutely works perfectly. As the song fades out, the footsteps can still be heard walking off in the distance. “Moon Wine In The Phosphorescent Wood” begins with sounds from the wilderness and a pounding drone that slowly fades into the mix. A warm percussion part is added, as well as additional layers of effects. This is all brought together eventually with a louder mix and is absolutely beautiful – and almost has a chill out vibe too it, as it is very mesmerizing to listen to. I almost wish this track was ten or twelve minutes long! “Ascending The Steps To Unknown Kadath” has a very nice symphonic feel to it and toward the middle of the track contains some very nice retro-wave keyboard work. Everything in this song harmonizes beautifully and the addition of the Crypt Hop beat in the last minute is very unforgettable. The final song on the album is “Behold The Great Onyx Temple”. It begins with the sound of a distant thunderstorm and a deep drone and after a some additional field recordings, a thudding bass drum infiltrates the mix, along with harrowing keyboard effects. All of these tones slowly begin to muffle and fade out as this spectacular album comes to a close.

The first full-length album by Lurk was well worth the wait. After enjoying the amazing music thats been released on a few EP’s and compilation albums, the compositions on ‘From The Depths Of Y’ha-nthlei’ have amazed me beyond expectation and this album may also end up on my Dungeon Synth album of the year list as well. From the story, cover artwork, and the incredible music, this album blends everything perfectly to deliver an amazing release. Please show your support for Lurk by downloading this album at the link below.

Please Like/Follow my blog so that you’ll get first hand updates every time I post a review. While your at it, please check out my friends podcast called “The Opinionated Optimist” at the other link below, where he reviews anything and everything. He will be releasing a set of special Halloween Podcasts as well. Thanks for visiting the Dungeon!!

Links:

https://lurkmusick.bandcamp.com

The Opinionated Optimist:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opinionated-optimist-podcast/id1485260250?i=1000491868998

Interstellar Space – Special Halloween Review #2: Scott Lawlor – ‘The Veil Between The Worlds’

Scott Lawlor is one of the most diligent artists in the Ambient community as his Bandcamp page seems to have a new release every week or two. Not to mention, the quality of his work is unparalleled for the consistency that is always on display as well as the epic album lengths to keep the listener engaged on all the magnificent journeys he takes them on. It just amazes me how he seems to effortlessly put out top-quality drone and ambient music when you least expect it. ‘The Veil Between The Worlds’ is another masterclass in minimalistic drone and space ambience that engages the listener for nearly two and a half hours.

“Passing Through The Veil” is the perfect album opener for this extremely lengthy drone album, as the buildup lurks along at a snails pace. The anticipation assembles in drudging layers just as the spacey drones do. As the deep drone moves slowly in the background, other sinister synths stretch out elongated modulations in random patterns as if there is a particular evil at every turn. This near 15 minutes drone certainly calibrates the senses for the massive output that will immediately follow. “In This Forever Unfolding Moment Now” catapults the listener into the far corners of the universe where not even the closest star provides an ounce of light. This bleak, eighteen plus minute long drone, will have the listener wondering in the vast, cold vacuum of space where they are alone and without contact from any living being. The frequency and pitch increase and grow louder, shedding light and hope while the continuous hum becomes warm and effervescent. However, toward the end, darkness prevails and the tone changes back to a minimalistic and mystic occurrence. “Shadow Aspects Of The Veil” starts with a warming drone sensation that flows seamlessly into other timbres that are also mild and accepting. Then suddenly, the sound drops off to a desolate cry from an empty apocalyptic wasteland. Slowly, a tepid buzz emerges, like the sun through a thick layer of smog and fog – the brightness is upon you but you are submerged in a gloomy atmosphere that is almost suffocating. This seventeen minute long journey comes to a merciless end as the last few minutes are filled with horrifying, deep-end whirrs that could waken someone for a nightmare. “Mystical Field Of Limitless Possibility” is the first of two tracks on the album that surpasses the twenty minute mark. The piercing drones continue, as if you’re on a doomed mission in deep space and the only enemy is time itself. As the purr shift from a dark to light focus, it allows for many moments of recollection. “The Exploration Of Inaccessible Realms” continues the ill-fated mission with a more minimalistic approach than on previous tracks. The drones here make me feel as if solitude isn’t an option and there is a particular coldness about these twelve minutes that make them even more haunting. At just under seven and a half minutes, “As A Distinct Energy Form” is the shortest track on the album but that does not take away any of its relevance at all. The bending of the prolonged notes are distinct on this song, making it one of the stand-outs on the album. “An Infinite Field Of Interconnected Vibration” starts expanded, singular notes and after a while, multiple notes are fused together to create a piercing, grande effect that would work extremely well in a Sci-Fi movie scene. The final few minutes are almost like calming white noise and almost mesmerizing to listen to. This sound leads right into “The Mirroring”, although it fades out rather quickly at the beginning, while a monstrous, industrialized drone slowly ascends at an agonizing pace. As the build up reaches its apex, screeching vibrations cry out in pain at blistering volumes and fade with a calming effect. This leads right into the second longest track on the album, “Veiling Process”. At over twenty minutes long, this is sure to satisfy all of your drone wants and needs as it maintains this expanded note for the entire song while only deviating from its singularity with a few chords and soundscapes. This is probably one of my favorite songs on the album and is meticulously crafted as a drone should be. The final track on the album is, “Beyond The Veil”. Expanding the dissonant hum from the previous track, it adds layer of horrific sounds and effects to give this album a thirteen plus minute long nightmarish ending. None of the sounds are rushed, as the are sequenced and fade out at their own speed. Another genius track for an album full of magnificent drones!

Scott Lawlor is a Jack-of-all-trades ambient musician that can do no wrong (in my book). He can release an extremely dark ambient one day and a few days later, release a beautiful piano album. Not to mention over the past few years, he’s done some awesome collaboration work with artists such as The Flesh, Full Of Black Sand, Wings Of An Angel, DeepDark & Rebekkah Hilgraves (just to name a few). That being said, he has quite the resume for releasing spectacular albums at any given time and ‘The Veil Between The Worlds’ is no different. As a matter of fact, this is probably one of my favorite albums by him at the moment. Please support this hard working musician and download this epically amazing album at the link below.

Links:

https://scottlawlor.bandcamp.com/album/the-veil-between-the-worlds

The Opinionated Optimist:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opinionated-optimist-podcast/id1485260250?i=1000494787519

Interstellar Space – Special Halloween Review #1: Erythrite Throne – ‘Witch Tales’

If you’ve been listening to Dungeon Synth longer than five seconds, then you should be familiar with one of the most consistently active artist in the genre, Erythrite Throne. Delivering a unique brand of vampyric Dungeon Synth that is not only unmatched, but irrefutably the work of one of the most talented synth musicians in the business. Here with another dose of Hallows Eve inspired tunes called ‘Witch Tales’, Erythrite Throne continues to stay at the pinnacle of the genre with another persistent release.

“Blood Of The Black Goat” is a beautiful album opener, with somber synth melodies, radiant background tones that help stabilize the sincerity of the track, and retro-synth leads that are as luminous as they are gloomy. “Consumed By Eternal Night” continues the magical synth arrangements that we’ve come to love from Erythrite Throne, and every layer wondrously fuses together to produce an amazing moment. “Essence Of The Pale Moon” commences with a single, opaque keyboard intro and then tiers of ambience begin to build around it and eventually take over as the main melody. “Carved Upon Holy Skin” begins with distant, high-pitched keyboard modulations and from there, the song slowly builds into a masterpiece, adding layers of keyboards with various effects, fusing them all together in a ghoulish arrangement. At about the halfway mark, a cleaver drum beat is introduced to take this track to all new evil heights. “Bathing In The Blood Of Innocence” creeps in like a mythical fairy tale and even includes a whimsical keyboard chop that is fascinating and memorable. In perfect Erythrite Throne fashion, layers of keyboards build, creating a dynamic wall-of-sound, and then it fades out as if it were just a prelude to something greater to come. The final track on the album is the epic, “Into The Ritualistic Chambers Of Night”. This song epitomizes the vampyric Dungeon Synth sound and include haunting keyboard melodies, massive drum beats and malevolent, blackened vocals. What a perfect track to represent this season and to also close out this amazing album.

It’s no secret that Erythrite Throne is one of my favorite Dungeon Synth artist and I’ll admit that I am probably a little biased, but it’s hard not to be, especially when these albums are absolute gems and are consistently being released when you least expect it. ‘Witch Tales’ is no exception, as it contains all of the elements that make Erythrite Throne the artist that we’ve all come to love. Although this is a shorter, twenty minute long release, the material is still amazing and will be on my playlist rotation for quite sometime. Please continue the support for Erythrite Throne and download this amazing album at the link below.

Links:

https://erythritethrone.bandcamp.com/album/witch-tales

The Opinionated Optimist:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opinionated-optimist-podcast/id1485260250?i=1000494541339

Nostalgic Tales Of Horror Told Through Enthralling Dungeon Synth On Mystica Visio’s Massive Debut Self-Titled Album

The Dungeon Synth genre has become an invaluable platform for many artists to harvest various styles of synth music. Most artists are able to maintain a strong foothold with typical genre topics, while venturing out to the far reaches of other subject matters, such as time & space, emotions, and horror. Whereas the majority of the brand resides around Medieval content and RPG-influenced arrangements, some artists extend for endless endeavors in order to orchestrate a different approach to the genre. In some cases, the outcome is a bit obtuse but in other situations, the outcome is magnificent. Case in point, the self-titled debut offering from Mystica Visio is a grim journey down an endless, morbid path that is more psychological thriller than horror. The music is deep, emotional, beautifully desolate and of course, Dungeon Synth! The six tracks contained within this thirty eight minute recording are fascinating and memorable, yet you’ll be watching over your shoulder in frightful anxiety as the tracks move from one to the next.

The maniacal terror begins with “Mystical Visions Of A Dead Past”. With deep, crushing synth effects that paint a vivid scene of solitude and anguish, this is the perfect opening for this sojourn of emptiness. Once the layered, high-pitched keys commit to the mix, the haunting melodies pave the way for an exemplary listening experience like no other. “The Glowing Figure” commences with a peaceful synth arrangement and slowly introduces layers of harrowing effects that take this track down a dark and daunting path. The low-end tone in the background create an ominous drone that extends a symphonic effect, while maintaining a discordant keyboard arrangement throughout. This is a somberly flowing song that maximizes the intent of a dreadful feeling or experience and it certainly succeeds like no other. “The Prophecy Was A Lie” is the closest this album comes to producing a tradition Dungeon Synth sound. The harmony on display in the layered keyboard chops is wondrous and without a doubt, you’ll be humming this restrained melody even after the song is over. Another key element is the beautiful drawn-out synths in the background that tell a story all on its own. Although it fuses perfectly with the synth leads, it would also sound amazing as a stand-alone track of a subdued nature. “Journey Across The Lake Of Lost Souls” contains a bewildering retro synthwave vibe that would be perfect to listen to on a late night (or pre-dawn early morning) drive. Although it doesn’t quite get into full on Berlin School synth mode, there are definitely hints of that style and this seven and a half minute long track seems just too short for the amazing music that is on display here. Up next is the absolutely stunning, “Spell Of Entrapment”. This song has everything that I love in a synth track; it’s dark, full of emotion, tells a wordless story, has a huge retro vibe and is almost eleven and a half minutes long. Genre’s aside, this is possible one of my favorite synth songs of the year (from any genre). There is nothing I can say in this review that will give this song it’s due justice other than, every time I listen to it, I’m mentally removed from my current state of being and taken somewhere that I never remember visiting. What a huge effect from such an amazing song. The final track, “Within These Damp Walls I Found My Home”, end the album on a brooding, yet sincere note. There is depth and pain in the intonations that are played, yet I also hear a lighter side of Mystica Visio at times. It’s obvious this arrangement tells of agony and foreboding of the unknown, yet there is a certain peace with knowing the gruesome outcome. Droning synths pace the musical scales while illustrious keyboard effects take center stage with a lead arrangement that is almost deafening, but necessary for the narrative. This is the perfect track for ending this album as it sums up everything that Mystica Visio is all about.

With one foot firmly planted in Dungeon Synth and the other floating around in various other synth genres, Mystica Visio is one of those special artists that has what it takes to create something unique and special. ‘Mystica Visio’ transcends the genre spectrum and delivers a synth masterpiece and I also consider it one of my Album Of The Year contenders – yes, it’s that good. Don’t let the fact of this being a debut album fool you, as Mystica Visio creator – Gustavo Jobim – is a seasoned, synth veteran and an award winning composer (for his Original Soundtrack for the ‘Os Principiles’ movie soundtrack). If you’ve not had the opportunity to dive into ‘Mystica Visio’ yet, now would be a good time. Please support this astounding album by downloading it from the link below. I’ve also included a link to Gustavo Jobim’s solo works as well, so please give those a listen.

Please Like/Follow my blog so that you’ll get first hand updates every time I post a review. Thanks for visiting the Dungeon!!

Links:

https://mysticavisio.bandcamp.com

Solo Works Of Gustavo Jobim:

https://gustavojobim.bandcamp.com

http://www.gustavojobim.com

Moloch Conspiracy Produces A Chilling Listening Experience That Eclipses Genre Boundaries On ‘Incantatios From Ugarit’

The bewilderment of ritualistic ambient music never ceases to amaze me. The element of dark, ceremonial soundscapes fused with minimalist drones and tonal ambient vibes conjure a malevolent atmosphere that takes a special artist in order to create this monstrous effect. If not done correctly, the outcome can lead to an extremely boring affair with no sense of liturgical reasoning. Fortunately, Moloch Conspiracy has mastered this craft and presents us with the bold ‘Incantatios From Ugarit’, a dynamic, ritualistic encounter that reaches the far scopes of the obsidian spectrum.

“The Cold Escape” epitomizes the ritualistic experience and is the perfect album opener with its nefarious soundscapes and ominous atmospheric undertones. Harrowing vocals add a layer of chilling bleakness that is thought-provoking, yet unforgiving. This gloominess continues into “Daughter Of Anu”. With the vocals more dominant and layered than the first track, a depth of ancient ceremonial vibes begins to come into view. The addition of haunting narrations and acoustic instruments create endless boundaries as this musical exorcism is now in full stride. “She Clambers Over” begins with a dissonant musical arrangement, played over a dark drone that has a feeling of misery and suffering. As the distant, narrations read through long lost religious texts, constant, soft percussive rhythms provide a trance-like state for the lister to absorb everything that is happening. “The Familiar Weapons” introduce new sounds to the album as this track has a lighter arrangement than the previous ones. That’s not to say that the message and delivery aren’t as heinous, as female vocals and narrations take center stage once again. Containing more soundscapes than ambient tones, this track stands out amongst the dark, ritualistic listening experiences. “The Head Of The Cauldron” commences with sinister drones that fade in like an evil spirit taking over a summoning encounter. Dark, and atmospheric with the occasional ceremonial instrument inclusion, this is one of the more perverse tracks. With “Visions Of Namtar”, Moloch Conspiracy once again proves the versatile nature of songwriting on this album. Although, it starts off with a lighter sense of reasoning, it quickly takes a turn to a more gloomy ordeal. Featuring bleak drones and somber soundscapes, this is actually a busy track as there are a lot of things are going on without sounding over bearing. The final track on the album is “Legions To Legions”. Beautiful drones and ritualistic chanting are at the forefront, as it soon becomes an all out dark ceremonial experience – a climactic summoning of evil spirits. Various instruments add liturgical tones throughout, as this wondrous sacrament of evil comes to a daunting close.

‘Incantatios From Ugarit’ is an exception Dark Ambient album album with majestic ritualistic influences and it goes without saying that Moloch Conspiracy didn’t hold anything back for this magnificent listening experience. From somber drones and bleak atmospherics to female vocals and ceremonial narrations, ‘Incantatios From Ugarit’ contains all of the elements necessary for an album worthy of multiple listens. Please support this captivating artist by downloading the album from the link below.

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Links:

https://eighthtowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/incantatios-from-ugarit

Coelus Cataclysmus Take Us On A Vexing Adventure That Declines To An Abhorrent Demise On ‘Solus Plaga’

The mysteries of a musical journey can be just as mesmerizing as the theme it is providing a soundtrack for. When a daring story line begins with a typically painless setting and transcends obscurity to end up grim and twisted, there has to be a unique listening experience to go along with it. Coelus Cataclysmus contributes exactly what is desired on the extremely versatile, ‘Solis Plaga’. Adapting to just about every thematic scene imaginable – in this story of cosmic destruction and the inevitable downfall of mankind that soon followed – a diverse mix of genres are fused together to arrange a boundless album of energy and creativity. From traditional dungeon synth, medieval synth & neo-classical, to droning soundscapes and retro-synthwave, ‘Solus Plaga’ generates a hefty forty eight minutes of playing time across nine unique tracks.

“One Last Hike” commences the doomed adventure with lush keyboard tones and traditional dungeon synth effects that drone slowly, but in a harmonious effort. Eerie soundscapes give the feeling of solitude and despair, yet the journey must go on. “Darkening Skies” establishes a beautiful Medieval foundation with its orchestrated effects and sorrowful melodies. High-pitched keyboard leads have an ominous texture, yet mix very well with what all is happening in the background. “Night Eternal Sets” is one of my favorite songs on the album, as it begins to introduce elements of retro-synthwave, contributing to the bleak atmosphere of the story being told on the album. The layers upon layers of somber synths have a dream-like quality and will have you wanting to listen to this one over and over again. “Cataclysm” is where the darkness really begins to seep through, as low-end drones barely penetrate the audible frequency ranges. Suddenly, dungeon synth leads ring out in bizarre desperation as it paints an oblique setting. Toward the end of the track, heavily distorted drones come crashing through to represent the beginning of the end of times. “Chrestomathy Of Dread” is a stand-out track with its anomalous creativity and fusion of both slow and faster drum patterns throughout the song. There are spots of peaceful ambient endeavors and other times, the main synth melody of the track shines through like a discernible addiction. “Bring Out Your Dead” starts with a malevolent synth chop with indistinguishable narrations or screams happening in the background and off in the distance. This track has a crushing Medieval vibe and there are several times where brooding soundscapes penetrate the mix to provide something a bit different. This is another stand-out track and they seem to get more gloomy as we reach the final few songs. “Rapture” begins with a sulking drone that soon explodes into a wall of symphonic patterns that clearly portray the end of the world (in musical form). However, after a few minutes of this cacophony of sound, layers of glowing synths suggest a grim aftermath of harrowing desolation. “Empty Lands” is another sonic track that is heavy on the distorted keys, Medieval-like percussion and occasional soundscape to keep everything together. This track has several symphonic twists and turns that are not only pleasing to the ear, but fully show what Coelus Cataclysmus is capable of doing. The final song on the album is the dreary, “Red Rain”. Full of emotion, this dismal track really sends the listeners to an oblivious state, as the collapse of civilization is complete and the only thing left is the atrocities of nature itself. The droning keyboards and bleak ambience really set the tone for this nightmare as the main keyboard melody is so beautiful, yet at the same time, so painful to hear. What a great way to end this spectacular album.

Coelus Cataclysmus have created a monstrous album (and storyline), where the music not only acts as the protagonist but ends up as the villain as well. There are no musical boundaries here, as multiple synth sub-genres coalesce as one to produce a breathtaking listening experience. ‘Solis Plaga’ is an adventure that must be heard to be felt and understood, and this album ranks highly amongst my Dungeon Synth favorites for this year. If you’ve not heard this yet, I can’t recommend it enough, so please support this magnificent work of art and download it from the link below.

Please Like/Follow my blog so that you’ll get first hand updates every time I post a review. Thanks for visiting the Dungeon!!

Links:

https://coeluscataclysmus.bandcamp.com/album/solis-plaga

Colonial Skyway Provide A Desolate Soundscape Of Midwestern-Influenced Ambience On ‘Landline’

As with any genre of music, there is a wide variety of flavors to choose from even in the dark ambient arena. Whether it’s the cold, isolated drones of space ambient; ominous, ceremonial vibes of ritualistic black ambient or the harsh soundscapes that infiltrate the airwaves in industrial ambient, there is always something to appeal to a particular mood. Colonial Skyway takes us down a different path with an equal balance of warm and cold ambient vibes, heavily influenced by the Midwestern landscape and character. The output is a minimalistic and bleak recording that is heavy on atmospheric and transparent drones that are trance-inductive and perfect for the meditative practice. On the latest album, ‘Landline’, the listener is taken on a spiritual journey in which the mental excursion is self-induced, yet magnified by the listening experience.

The album begins with the sincere and barren, “Data Over Iowa”. The hiss and crackles of tape loops flourish lightly in the background while light winds and diverse soundscapes contemplate in a cycled pattern. Somber keyboard tones are introduced as another element to the mix vice as a standout instrument, adding to the depth and meaning of this track. “Overnight” is a bold statement on the album as it is an eleven minute continual drone that doesn’t contain any additional instrumentation, soundscapes or field recordings. When you put in perspective the song title and it’s style, it all makes sense. If the listener sits back and lets this track take them away to another encounter, then the perpetuity begins to come together. Next up is my favorite venture on the album, “Could Be Down”. Featuring cold atmospherics and bleak soundscapes, this is one of the darker experiences this album. Deep tonal synths sway with high and low modulations, perpetuating a feeling of solitude and malevolence. While enjoying the apocalyptic feeling of this recording, it’s astonishing to know that this ten minute track seems to pass by so quickly. “Calling Merrytown” is another dismal piece that could easily be in a horror film sequence, at the point where viewer anxiety has reached it maximum level, and just before a climactic and violent sequence takes place. However, for the theme of this recording, I can imagine traveling through a deserted town where the infrastructure has all but rotted or collapsed, with weeds growing through every crack in the roadways and sidewalks and vines creeping up everything that remains vertical. Even without the help of a deep drone, the consistent looping of the discordant keyboard chops are enough to keep the shock value in tact. “Subdivision” starts with a warm drone, as if the clear sky of the early morning dawn radiates on the horizon. I can imagine driving down a long empty highway, listening to this track while (in unison) the sunrise slowly comes into view. The final song on the album is “Town And Country”. With the faint sounds of (what could be) a train soaring by, howling keyboard effects provide a shining light to end this amazing album. The elongated keys drone systematically throughout most of the track fading softly into the final few minutes that end in the same fashion as it began.

Colonial Skyway have put together an immaculate recording of expertly crafted dark ambient material. The use of field recordings, soundscapes and overbearing deep drones are used sparingly and in proper taste. However, that has all been replaced with long, intelligent drones and keyboard use, that is full of emotion and mid-west landscape influences. For me, this is the perfect meditative album for sleeping and even complementing thought patterns while working or just trying to relax. I highly recommend checking out ‘Landline’ so please support this fascinating artist by downing the album from the link below.

Please Like/Follow my blog so that you’ll get first hand updates every time I post a review. Thanks for visiting the Dungeon!!

Links:

https://colonialskyway.bandcamp.com/album/landline

Neo-Classical Elements And A Conceptual Medieval Tale Give Life To Almesbury Abbey’s ‘Queen Guinevere’

There are many stories that depict the life of Queen Guinevere, the nefarious wife of King Arthur, but one of the most regarded chronicles is her lustful betrayal of her husband and consequent affair with Lancelot. After a period of time, she returns to the King and is forgiven of her treacherous disloyalty. However, King Arthur decides to go pursue Lancelot, leaving Queen Guinevere in the care of Mordred, who has an ulterior motive of his own – a plan to marry the Queen. Fleeing his proposal, Queen Guinevere seeks refuge in the nun convent known as Almesbury – where she subsequently remained for the remainder of her life due to the humiliation of her infidelities. Much of this was paraphrased for the sake of this review but it’s such an intriguing story and the major influence for the album at hand. Almesbury Abbey, one of many projects by Arnaud Spitz (and the material contained within), is a rediscovery of compositions previously written but finally released on this conceptual album based on Queen Guinevere’s concluding years in the Almesbury convent.

Somber opening track, “Guinevere’s Gone”, begins with a hauntingly alluring melody that seems so full of sadness, yet offers a bit of brightness with the extended synth tones that weave in and out of the main keyboard passage. Keeping it simple, this song doesn’t build upon layers of synth leads and rhythms, but instead draws the listener in with its beautiful simplicity. “Mordred’s Curse” is where the excitement begins and the grim, Medieval arrangements take over. Layers of obscured synths and a sudden bit of pulsating effects, followed by nightmarish sounds give this short track a big presence on the album. “The Creeping Mist” is another enticing track that is full of wondrous melody and droning ambience to give this brooding dirge a full and really clear sound. The lead synth chops are used sparingly and in good taste, as they provide an additional warming atmosphere. Next up is my a favorite song on the album, “A Madness Of Farewells”. Commencing with a mysterious synth effect that fuses into an elegant, yet melancholic arrangement, this has to be one of the most memorable moments on the album. Medieval-style keyboard leads and layers of dungeon synth melodies complete this monumental song and in my opinion, it’s just not long enough. “Almesbury Gates” starts with blasting cathedral-like organs before developing into a modest dungeon synth arrangement. These two styles battle back and forth throughout the track with the occasional pulse effect, giving it a percussive feel. Toward the end, the melody changes and contains an echo effect, providing a grandiose sound. “Heathen Of The Northern Sea” is an enchanting piece that compliments the style of Almesbury Abbey. The lead keyboard chops are magical on this track and pay further homage to the traditional dungeon synth sound. “My Sinful Queen I Forgive Thee” has the characteristics (and sound) of a classical guitar composition with hints of retro progressive synth arrangements, with regards to tone and its progressive time signature. The final track on the album is “Beyond These Voices There Is Peace.” The choir-like vocal effects are both ominous and mournful at the same time. Medieval synth interpretations slowly crescendo into the mix and ultimately overtake the vocal effects all together. As more synth sounds are introduced, the more dismal the track gets, painting a very grim picture to close out the album.

Almesbury Abbey is a very fascinating project that contains elements of neo-classical, dungeon synth and Medieval compositions. Knowing that all of these magnificent pieces were written and inspired by the latter days of Queen Guinevere, makes it all the more worthwhile. If you enjoy synth music of a more intimate setting with hints of harsher overtones, I would highly recommend checking out ‘Queen Guinevere’ and supporting this prodigious artist by downloading the album from the link below.

Please Like/Follow my blog so that you’ll get first hand updates every time I post a review. Thanks for visiting the Dungeon!!

Links:

https://almesburyabbey.bandcamp.com/releases

Artists Of The Obscure Realm Conjoin To Finalize The Overture Militia Compilation Known As, ‘The Plan’

Label compilation albums are the perfect introduction for not only finding new and electrifying bands and artists, but to also dig deep and explore in a vast array of genres that we – for the most part – tend to generally only skim the surface. Earlier this year, Overture Militia Inc., a small label that spotlights artists of the post-industrial and dark ambient domain, released a valiant, eighteen track collection known as ‘The Plan’. Examining genres such as dungeon synth, dark ambient, drone, harsh noise & industrial, ‘The Plan’ is an hour and forty six minute journey into the oblique side of esoteric music. Although this is an amazing, yet bleak outing, I will further examine a few of my favorite tracks below.

“Ruination, The New Dawn Cometh” by Old Tower is the second song on the album and one of my standouts overall. Although most of the album consists of harsh, industrialized noise and dark ambient, this dungeon synth track fits in perfectly, with its austere sound, doomy tempo, and thick synth tones. There is a great bit of melody on this song, which is hauntingly beautiful. However, don’t get use to it because that vibe stops almost completely after this song. “Nursery” by Aseptic Void is the fourth song and it contains some of the creepiest dark ambient emotions I’ve heard in a while. The sound bit in the beginning – of children playing on a playground – adds an extra sinister awareness to all of the malevolent soundscapes that continuously possess the audio waves. Low-end drones and the occasional guttural narration is enough to give consistent nightmares. “Unhallowed” by Ursuper is the fifth track on the album and it continues in the dark ambient arena with a brooding, minimalistic approach in the beginning. It’s one of those tracks that slowly grows and builds to a climactic ending but you never know what’s going to happen in between until it actually does. At around the four minute mark, industrial affects increase in volume as if total annihilation is soon to happen. Over the next couple of minutes, this mechanized sound crescendos before slowly fading into oblivion. “The Horsemen Ride Out On Foaming Steeds” by Nordvargr is the ninth track on the album and probably one of my favorites. Nordvargr is such an amazing artist that consistently delivers appetizing music that borders post-industrial, black ambient, and death metal (specifically with the vocals). This track is a standout masterpiece on the album and the guttural vocals are what make this so appealing and unique. I could listen to this style of music all day. “White Sun Over Our Children – Exhale 22” by Miracle Of Love is the tenth track on the album and is just over ten minutes long, making it one of the longest songs on the album. Beginning with a short blast of harsh noise, it soon settles into a rhythmic drum & bass loop with minimal synth effects and soundscapes. Every so often, the drum beat alternates rhythms and the occasional harsh noise sample is thrown in for good measure and in good taste. For the last three or four minutes, the drum beats are replaced with drones and maniacal sound effects. “Hackfleisch” by Rubber Nurse is the eleventh and most evil sounding track on the album. It’s a near three and a half minute grueling drop into the abysmal hole of blackened industrial ambience, with a fair share of barely audible voice samples. Never the less, this sounds killer and I want to hear more by this artist! “Euer Hunger” by Todesritual, is the twelfth track on the album and is like listening to a scene from a horror movie. There are layered whispers, obscure field recordings, industrial soundscapes, and mild keyboard sounds, but they all come together in a frightening way and the final minute is an excellent throwback to the retro synthwave sound of the 80’s.

Overture Militia did an excellent job putting together this compilation of artist from varied backgrounds and genres. For those that are into obscure music and for those that don’t mind venturing into territories of the unknown, then ‘The Plan’ is for you. This album is sure to contain some artist or tracks that will get your blood pumping (or boiling), allowing you to continue following their artistic endeavors outside of this compilation. That being said, do yourself a favor and support the underground by downloading this album from the link below.

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Links:

https://overturemilitia.bandcamp.com/album/the-plan

Lunch Cult Bends The Knee To A Variety of Genres And Musical Influences To Present ‘Knights & Knaves”

When it comes to exploring new territories of music for some artists, some are a little apprehensive about taking risks while others compromise their original sound altogether despite reproach. One such collective is Lunch Cult, a LoFi Garage Rock Band that transcends experimental creativity but has never strayed too far from the pop/rock genre…until now. On latest album, ‘Knights & Knaves’, Lunch Cult fuses an improvisational blend of Dungeon Synth, ambient textures, crypt hop moments and synth effect wizardry to produce an eclectic concoction of three Medieval tales that will have the listener spying for influences throughout each track.

Animated album opener, “Return To Cucumber Castle”, sets things off in high gear as the somber synth tones are reminiscent of a jazzy, noir setting that slowly begins to incorporate layers of effects, hip hop rhythmic beats and hypnotic keyboard effects that perfectly harmonize with the main chop of the song. At about the halfway point, a fast drum beat takes over and plays along side the main keyboard section. This combination of fast beats and slow keyboard arrangements go over really well and flow perfectly into the next section of the song, as if it’s taking after a 70’s prog rock instrumental track. As the song climaxes in the final minute or so, all of the arrangements come together in unison and slowly fade out to a improvised saxophone section. Up next is the eccentric “Knavesong”. Random keyboard licks, percussion grooves and saxophone notes, come together as individual improvisations but can be easily interpreted as a single and relevant composition. There are parts of this track that remind me of of the OLD (Old Lady Driver) track, “Backward Through The Greedo Compressor” from their 1993 album, ‘The Musical Dimensions Of Sleastak’. Like any fusion-era jazz composition – that seemed wildly random at the time – this kind of music is an acquired taste for some and an audible gem for others. I fall in the latter category and commend Lunch Cult for their creativity and output, and for remaining open to ideas that unfold across multiple genres. The final track on the album is the twelve minute long “Knightsong”. With more of a straightforward approach, Lunch Cult takes the listener on a Medieval journey with brooding Dungeon Synth sounds that are augmented by haunted rhythmic beats and ambient sections. Although it is more minimalistic than the other tracks on this album, it has a heafty output and at times sounds chilling. There are small bits of chiptune thrown in at random and the peculiar noises that fade in and out throughout, are done in great taste. There is an awesome video premier for this track below, and I highly recommend checking it out. It’s really entertaining and put together very well with a comedic, but impeccable storyline.

If you take the time to peruse through Lunch Cult’s Bandcamp discography, you’ll probably reach the conclusion that there’s truly no accounting for musical taste. The sounds you may hear on one album will be completely different from the next. That couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to ‘Knights & Knaves’, as it includes rich ambient textures, Dungeon Synth overtones, a little bit of quirkiness and a considerable amount of anything else that can be processed to compose magical musical endeavors. Check out the awesome video for “Knightsong” (below) and support this unique band by downloading ‘Knights & Knaves’ from the link (even further) below.

Video Premier of “Knightsong” (Official Music Video):

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Links:

https://lunchcult.bandcamp.com/album/knights-knaves