Труп Колдун "Under The Cold Moon" (2026)

 
Earlier this year, I passed on writing about Under The Cold Moon but the YouTube algorithm has surfaced Warlock Corpse's recent live shows. They are a delightful reinvigoration of raw Black Metal energy. The band's quirky fusion of deranged Dungeon Synth a breath of fresh air in an aging scene. Previously an occultic one man band, this live act had me thinking on the arrangements I heard on this dusky album. Now it all makes sense, they recorded this one as an actual band.

Despite seeming more like a traditional Black Metal record, a punkier, less bleak energy drives its harsh guitars and pounding bass. Cheesy Casio and Korg aesthetic synths penetrate the metallic menace with flushes of toxic color across nightly fogs. Everything is simplistic and energetic. Alternating A/B structures and Heavy Metal groove push its gravely momentum into cheap and cheery horror motifs.

Atop its oddity remains those snarling vocal howls. Distinct and charming, they do become somewhat of a "one trick pony" as the same cadence from low to linger on a high gets recycled consistently. No song here strides for greatness. It's more of a Vibes record, where you settle into this ghoulish mood as it runs through a bunch of gruesome riffs and eerie melodies. Highlights included Three Corpses By The Road and the end track Cursed Circle. Dabbling with dirty distorted synth effects for a grand conclusion. A spark of potential for something a little more unusual and involved. 

Rating: 6/10

Труп Колдуна "Prophecy Of The Bleeding Bloom" (2026)

 

Труп Колдуна returns victorious with a captivating set of esoteric bedroom composer songs. Split into two distinct halves, Prophecy Of The Bleeding Bloom hits a stride as the quirky Dungeon Synth motif collides with cryptic Fantasy tunes in pleasing union. The record kicks of with a string of alluring mystical instrumentals, unusual and enchanting, almost lullaby like with an undercurrent of daker obscurity yet to unravel.

The glistening Stellar Citadel perks ones ears. Star twinkling melodies bestows the arrival of drum machine percussion. Its pounding bass kicks embus a driving Synthwave alike energy that will frequent the second half of its runtime. On the proceeding All In Vain, scowling howls enter the fold, empowering this lurking dark underbelly to come forth as its final songs lean into this obscure union of sound.

A curious dance energy accompanies the abrasive echoing cries. Melodies melt in its wake. The whole thing feels held together with duck tape, yet it works wonderfully. Exploiting simple rhythmic pleasures, twisting and corrupting tunes in heresy, a charming abomination blossoms. Although I don't feel a sense of lasting impact, this is a delightful, entertaining, yet brief encounter with a truly bizarre oddity of sound.

Rating: 6/10

Труп Колдуна "Eternal Prisoner" (2025)

 

Despite the shoddy stark presentation and tacky musical quirks reeking of "low effort", my time with Eternal Prisoner has taught me that Труп Колдуна does indeed posses a curious charm that empowers an otherwise "cheap" sounding musical project. This machination of Dungeon Synth and off-kilter vibes leans on the unusual, an exploration of mystic atmospheres from alternative realities adjacent to whats previously been established as "the norm" within this Low Fidelity environment.

 The occasional splattering of Black Metal highlights this shifted vision. The menace of snarling screams on Black Throne, Cursed Circle cue this difference, housing the genres extreme riffing ideals on dusty Synths instead of frothing distortion guitars. On a similar oddity, Eternal Prisoner, the underlying fundamentals constructs a misdirect as its main moods mostly borrows an 80s Post-Punk tone. Its this subversion that consistently suggests subtle Vapourwave and Witch House influences from the keys.

 Each song plays as its own little isolated craft, a brief two to three minute venture, mostly oriented around one or two musical ideas born from antithetic experimentation. As a whole, variety keeps it interesting, paced well by intervals where percussion and vocals erupt. Only Gloomy Sanctum stuck with me, something about its strange warbling synth and the soft Egyptian suggestions had me lingering on its vibe.

 Rating: 5/10

Труп Колдуна "Melodies For Ghosts" (2025)

 

Competing with a slew of low effort bedroom producers, this stark cover art aesthetic suggested such presumptions, the phoned in part at least. I have no doubts about its home-brew production, this is "one man" synthesizer composition through and through. What struck me with awe, was a delightful enchantment emanating from these simplistic compositions. With musical charm before textural dressing, Melodies For Ghosts for ghosts achieves its esoteric suggestions, one with a whimsical stride.

Each track is a meditation on an idea, a premise laid out its in titling. These curious arrangements of dreamy synths play approachable yet mystic. Classic Dungeon Synth motifs, leaning towards a nostalgic fantasy realm. The Kazakhstan composer carves themselves a harmless niche of colorful magic into an otherwise darkly realm. I could hear no suggestions of Middle-Eastern cultural, or even musical influences. Had I not done my research, I would not of guessed this came from outside the western world.

Highlights include the opening Ghost Theme, a dense mystic of broody instruments, evoking the realms of beyond. Sanctuary Of Supernatural Cats perks ones ears with a classic 80s drum machine percussion boldly woven in. Phantom Tempest toys with bass and groove, taking us on a nightly stroll through this otherworldly plane. Melodies For Ghosts is a brief sub twenty minute record but a thoroughly enjoyable one!

Rating: 5/10