Continuing upon an indulgent Desert Synth tangent, Trollslayer follows up the warmly received Pharaoh with this nightly counterpart. Possibly insinuated by its stark two tone cover, this luminescent starlit atmosphere conjures mellow visions of nocturnal escapades. The opening track's exotic pattering percussion and expressive flutes fondly reminiscent of Isles of Sea and Sky's wonderful soundtrack. Passing its fond warmth, Temple Of Set bestows cultural Middle-Eastern instruments into the mix.
Now the record gets moving through its arid shades of night. Each incarnation offers a sultry sense of adventure across expansive dunes. Skirting danger, dread and alarm, one is safe within its warm auditory wonder. These songs melodically drift from tuneful fruits of oasis springs, to tonal swells of dusky menace, never threatening, always enshrouded by a soft touch of desert mystique, the heart of this records charm.
A personal highlight, the pair of Crypt songs. Their collective temperaments both sharing a strong sense of human emotion, perhaps that of an individual exploring such sequestered places. Sphere Of power struck me as an attempt to end the record on a crescendo but its swell of instruments and clashing cymbal seemed a rather messy mix of sounds. Along this journey there are many flavours to pick your favorites from, all with this inspired Dungeon Synth grip on a western perspective of far away places.
Rating: 6/10
Rating: 6/10