Wampyric Solitude "Lost Ages Of Darkness" (2020)

 

As the third of three attempts, this may be the best of "Vampire Synth" so far. In title alone it defines itself. Solitude... not a word that often comes to mind with music, even though it can be so inherent in the quieter arts of Ambient and Meditative music. As is the activity of listening, if not at a party or concert of course. The Curse Act I sounding so reclusive and illusory with devilish piano notes conjuring a cinematic presence of murder or death, now confined to the loneliness of lifelessness. At times this record strays from the mystique of its esoteric minimalism straight into the arms of a despairing solitude. As for its Vampiric half, I definitely get chills that suite a serious entertainment of the nostalgic, blood drinking folk lore myths.

The castle of its cover alone seems perfect. A decrepit Transylvanian castle in ruins... the grainy black and gray image casting the gloomy mood. Being so akin to the Black Metal scene its no surprise to hear snarling groans of grave sadness cry out across a lonely void on its closing track which musters a the most of its instruments as the gentle percussive beat and its rainy synths conjure a feeling quite similar to Noir Jazz. The rest of the record, however, makes its way to this darkly conclusion through the bleak, pale and terribly lonely minimalism its housed in.

The Lost Ages of Darkness aesthetics are so soft and subtle that even in its culminations of brooding synths, the quiet sounds feel as desolate in tandem as in there lonesome, which many singular melodies explore. With The Curse Act II the music pivots to a new kind of terror. Two minutes of dense reverberated bass kicks leads us too spacey, zany synths that wobble with an almost extra terrestrial threat. Is so carefully crafted as to not over emphasize its unnaturalness. Waltz steers us to the Jazz Noir again and the title track experiments with foggy ambiguities before The Last Wampyr charms with a little childlike melody... with a chilling undertone of course.

This record has revealed itself to be deceptively simple, chilling to inhabit and leaves me with a curiosity has to how long its spell will hang over me. So often can Dungeon Synth hinge on its tropes but this record feels deeper than any of that, yet its bare starkness say perhaps not? I think it takes real talent to make music like this strike a deeper nerve and so with this artist I shall persevere through a few more albums. It will be interesting to hear what lies ahead!

Rating: 7/10

An Old Sad Ghost "Coffin (A Letter For Carmilla)" (2018)

 

After the disappointing Wampyr we move onto the second of three picks from a list of so called "Vampire Synth". I'm please to say An Old Sad Ghost offers much more in its darkly theme and churchy mood but still falls short of the Nosferatu chills I was hoping for. Its a brief nineteen minutes, split into seven roman numeric chapters. They are all choral organ pieces conjuring a slight macabre Gothic charm. It mostly gives a sense of per-enlightenment times, its big foggy organs filling the firelight halls of some weathered cathedral.

Its small selection of organ and airy synth tones are most likely virtual instruments. Its programming shows itself as the "paying" comes with a consistent attack and sustain that offers little in the way of expression through nuance and subtlety. Given some of its arrangements generate simple rhythms with its harsh deadening of repetitive notes, it can be a distraction that an analog performance would of elevated. Its mixing is also a little crass with the instruments routinely rubbing into one another with the mechanical resilience its virtualized reality amplifies.

Flaws aside, Coffin evokes a warm and glowing sense of being sheltered from the grave and despaired. Its aesthetic gloomy, menacing and foreboding yet the majority of melodies performed feel confident, sheltered and warm. Often with this type of music I comment on the "distance from danger" yet here it feels as if all danger is removed entirely from this rather glum and grim temperament. Occasionally its notations peer into something more sinister but its only ever brief.

There is no doubt the music has some bold ideas, resonating with the imagination for ancient realms and cultural mystique. This polishes its apparent flaws. As a lone piece with no vocals, bass or percussion its strengths seem held back. With more love and care these compositions could be truly captivating. Currently they are not, for reasons aforementioned. This record will most likely drift from consciousness however It will hold its spell whenever I return to it. My final thought is the key question, does it inspire the "Vampire Synth" genre name? I think not, but given whats out there, this feels more Vampiric than other Dungeon Synth records that come to mind.

Rating: 4/10

Kauan "Ice Fleet" (2021)

 Underwhelmed by the soft and withdrawn, forever wandering Kaiho, the Estonian outfit Kauan return again. Having forever earned my interested with Somi Nai, I had to check this out. Its an album that, reflectively, has some charm attributed to the excitement of a fresh sound on these ears. I'm pleased to say Ice Fleet steers in a feistier direction again with its balance of cold, sombre beauty and lengthy swells of aggressive gusto finding an equilibrium to coheres us gently through the ebb and flow as a path is forged. Onward we trek, through the vast scenic wonder of deeply atmospheric, emotional and engrossing music to captivate. They have found their stride again here.

Part Post-Rock or Post-Metal, fostered by airy synths to brood a smooth and welcoming denseness, Kauan lunge into the epic with a touch of Doom Metal pacing with slow and crushing beats. They give momentum to scale on these linear journeys across the vast bewildering wilderness, or possibly oceans as its title and album art suggests a naval inspiration. Tremolo guitars cry out in reverb as the gravitas pulls in a single direction. Slow and simple melodies, often singular, break through the walls of sound as its direction converges on beautiful notations to bring gleams of light to its otherwise un-intuitively baron landscapes.

The record plays as one, growing into its more ambitious metallic beast early on with dramatic symphonic lulls between its eruptions of rugged guitar riffage that misses on Maanpako and does a devilish dance on Raivo when accompanied by howling, lurching screams as it dips into the Black Metal realm. The pull between dark and light is stunning and with its final numbers the music drifts to a calming, Etheral piece with airy, wordless vocals wandering in like a lost spirit. Its quite the contrast from the sailing frenzy in moments past but that is much of the magic of this record, how it holds opposing forces in a special place. The pacing is just right, everything broods and crawls to conclusion, holding us in its cold temporal majesty.

Rating: 8/10

Hexenkraft "Deep Space Invocations: Volume II" (2021)

 

Being rather fond of this Doom adjacent darkly Synthwave ride into the depths of hell, I thought I'd give some time to this new two track EP, having now built up an itch for the ever delayed full length debut Permadeth set to arrive some time in the future. Unlike Volume I its cuts are half the length but twice as intense, taking a massive influence from the Doom Eternal soundtrack. Gone are the acoustic guitars, soft strings and general meandering to the unsettling quiet of space and nature. These songs ride percussive strikes and dense wave synths to the edge of oblivion as danger lurks nearby. Its breaks for respites always pull one back into the action like a force of gravity. Its synthetic edge bleeds the lines between tone and force as it ebbs and flows in rhythm and shimmers of melody as notation whirls in its dark frenzy. Its always intense, like a spree of action with moments to catch your breath, knowing you've got to do it all over again.

Its reminiscence of Doom Eternal is uncanny. Although devoid of big chunky Djent guitars, its follows many of the same tropes and tricks to create a hellish synth atmosphere for action and carnage in other worldly environments. Track two, Devastated, feels like a guilty partner for its blaring siren like buzz saw cutting in and out of focus like a heart attack. Going purely off of memory, this is either a lifted idea from the Doom soundtrack or a brilliantly crafted inspiration that would also fit sweetly into the games audio, which in turn complimented the gaming experience massively. These are two of Hexenkraft's best executed songs, yet closely ride the curtails of another beast. Most important though, they are fun, engrossing and immersive even if short lived in the eight minute runtime. Its craft is focused and doesn't need to go beyond its means, unlike its predecessor which felt as if it had room for something more.

Rating: 4/10

Devin Townsend "Ghost" (2011)

Is it possible to completely forget a record? Of course, butt one you have great adoration for... Well that was me a while back as the lengthy, wandering Texada song comes on shuffle and an eerie feeling washes over. Prompted to give Ghost a proper spin again, it occurred to me its been a criminal amount of time since it last cross my mind. How many years had it been? I felt as if I was looking in a mirror and slowly recognizing my own reflection. The experience was a revelation of locked away memories, the key turn clicking as each track brings a flood of familiarity and feelings. This album was once my therapy, a force of calm to visit in times of need and yet somehow it had drifted away from me, despite all of its beauty and charm.

To me, Ghost feels like a further exploration of the magic Ki offered two years back. Stripping out the metallic grooves and sailing into the lofty indulgence of his deeply reverberated guitar tones, the inclusion of soft airy synths, dreamy electronic ambiences and the dynamic woodwinds of Kat Epple, illuminates a wholesome spirit most these songs embody. The opening is strong, Devin unloads his passionate pleas, gushing emotion forth in the wake of serine atmospheres and rapturous melodies plucked from his bright acoustic guitar. Its fine song writing, wandering in and out of soothing ambiences with himself and Katrina Natale swelling in the rises of voice and melody that form structures within the flowing river of sound.

The web of instrumentation is stunning, dense yet inviting, one can get lost of the layers of soft sound that breeze by. Dave Young's key work with the synths add an endless sparkle of cosmic curiosity with the psychedelic electronic tones he interweaves. The percussion from Mike St-Jean is timely and measured, complimenting the wondrous direction the music steers in. Retreating in its lulls and subtly rising in the surges of song writing, its a performance that understands exactly what the record needs, a textural performance of craft and softness.

Sadly, I feel as if the record falters in its length. At seventy minutes its initial pattern meandering between swooning atmospheres and bursts of life gets weight down at the mid point. Its with monsoon that the tone pivots to the exploratory. With a brief pull back to the spirited rise of traditional song on Texada, and again with a bit of a miss on Seams, the latter half falls victim to its calm as much of the genius in the first half leaves its lengthy final cuts with less to offer, hiding in the shadow of greatness.

Healing is the word I'm left with to describe this record mood. Its a therapeutic experience and a curious one to rediscover again. Its as if it never left but now with the tentative ears of an enthused listener, keen to analyze my own experience, I realize that genius is rare and can be exhausted. I have immense adoration for Devin and his unique sense of inspired identity that comes with his music but he is human after all. It feels like this record was left to fizzle out after hitting the mark aptly with its string of opening songs. Either way I am glad to of found this treasure again.

Rating: 8/10

Burzum "Thulêan Mysteries" (2020)

 A year late to the party, this supposed final album from a musician of genius, wrapped in controversy, encompasses ninety minutes of estranged, spiritual and Nordic inspired ambient music. Labelled as a compilation, I initially passed it up. In fact its a compiled collection of original works from the six years since The Ways Of Yore. In the post-prison era of his career, Varg's ambient leaning creations had not sparkled with the magic of a Tomhet or Hliðskjálf. I wasn't expecting much but found myself pleasantly surprised to hear the peculiar sound that captivated much of my youth emerging again. Alongside a couple of reworked melodies from classic songs, much of this loosely arranged music dives into that special, lonely and timeless place.

With some solemnly spoken word and slightly sung sections, Varg brings a little Norse culture to a handful of songs that break up the flow with a tone rooted in heritage and mythology more so than the mystic. All his songs share the minimalist approach, a handful of simple melodies, steady in pace and calming in their presence. Repetitive and droning, many of these songs need little complexity to hold ones attention. Textural experiments with raveling distortions and whirling psychedelic synths droning on a handful of the longer tracks show he still has the knack for that deeply mysterious and nature inspired sound of a lonely darkness. Both chilling and soothing in its unforgiving starkness and archaic presence.

A Forgotten Realm stands out as a unifying track to bring all thees concepts together. Lumped in the midpoint its arrival is like all the others, without intention. The albums flow is unstructured yet enhanced through repetition as familiarity sets in. The lack of direction tends to aid the already lonesome and wandering mood these songs conjure. With many short one to two minute cuts in the first half there is an impression of ideas left unfinished. In the second stint where longer pieces reside, a notable shift to the denser tone fleshed with experimental reverbs and droning instruments takes place. In this stretch the music enters an entrancing meditative magic I simply adore.

I barely knew what to expect going into this record. His previous ambient works had been a disappointment. Given the nature of its release it strikes me as music inspired and composed without future thoughts to release it, despite that eventually happening. Given its lack of structure or focus the sound feels more lending to a mood than experience. It will be one to put on from time to time in search of that curiously esoteric yet relaxing sound linked to a Norse Mythology that only this guy can capture.

Rating: 7/10

Arcturus "My Angel" (1991)

Finding myself on a Symphonic Black Metal binge of late, I turned my attention to Arcturus, an old favorite. Something then caught my eye, the release date! As far as the Norwegian scene is concerned, anything dated before late 1993 tends to carry a little mystique for the front runners who were involved before the explosion of popularity and exposure. This two song release is also considered to be the first inception of Symphonic Black Metal at a time where the 2nd wave sound was still forming its identity. I don't know how I never gave any attention before. Ive been aware of it since discovering this amazing band.

My Angel is one of those curious records that evokes thought over time and place, a band caught in a moment trying to find their footing with emerging musical ideas. It has soft remnants of Mortem, the Death Metal act these musicians were previously known as and with a strong shift away from that style the name change was certainly apt. The lasting aesthetic identities here are the iconic synth string tones, which feature heavily on their debut. That and a handful of compositions in Mortax give you an idea of where they will go. The drudging guttural grows and gloomy atmosphere will be left behind.

The record stands as a curious transition between music scenes and ideas. With the ideals of extremity and low fidelity yet to become hallmarks of the Black Metal genre, Arcturus pull on the slow pace of Doom Metal and simple power chord arrangements as their tools to sway towards evil and darkness. It takes on a haunting persona with the lead guitar on My Angel wailing like a lost spirit calling across fog swept moors.

The production is crass but capable. Sloppy and dissonant it carries a charm, one for the era you could consider a decent attempt at introducing these thick atmospheric key tones alongside the extremities producers where still figuring how to piece together. The second song, Morax, hit me as a three part song stitched together. While writing this blog I've learned they had a demo tape from the year before, further adding to the mystique. On that cassette Morax was split into three and alongside a synth intro, showed these guys had this sound together a little earlier than I initially thought! All in all a very enjoyable discovery for someone who thought I knew this all inside out!

Rating: 4/10

Earth "The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull" (2008)

With the pandemic slowing the pace of new music by the artists I follow, I've noticed the freed time has had me picking out forgotten treasures. It is much fun to revisit old favorites and after blowing the dust of Hibernaculum we get to revive the one about the bees and the lion! I never got deep into this one upon release and the reason is swiftly apparent - Its all to similar. Earth's slow, drudging pace and methodical unraveling of suspended, elongated chords and melodies brews a warm atmosphere. Once familiar with the niche, it dissipates too a mood, one to be conjured but hardly encapsulated by.

With its axis a little more woven into the softly distorted guitars, texture and aesthetic ooze from the speakers as its melodies clime to unleash brooding chords that ring out in slow motion. In its simplicity, amalgamating layers of ambiguous hazy noise gush forth from its crashing power. Heard best in its opening songs, the charm wears off as future songs pivot more so to the piano as the lead instrument and in this relegates itself to a less imbued form.

Rise To Glory introduces a remarkably hazy guitar solo that ebbs and flows in its shoe-gazing presence, sluggish and reflexive, its grasp on tension and human expression is suddenly cut short as a sudden pivot ushers in the pianos phase. Hung From The Moon goes there again with the piano but its not quite the same. This additional layer, free from the grinding pace yet flowing with a complimenting looseness is wonderful, a stand out element that doesn't get much time to flourish. With this they had something but without, its all to similar and the record tends to drift to the background, where it sets a fine and soothing mood of calmness and ease. A good record but its clear now why it didn't stick with me back then.

Rating: 6/10

Earth "Hibernaculum" (2007)

 

Here lies a blast from the past, one of my first steps into the worlds of Drone and Doom. Earth are known as pioneers in the field and Hibernaculum comes in the second leg of the duo's carrier after reformation a few years prior. To me this four track EP was a hypnotic exercise in simplicity and repetition that pushed its gradual shifts in tone and texture as the progressive archetype. Its entrancing mood was one I'd enjoy on many long walks home in the dark, I couldn't however convince my friends of its magic but with it passing my mind again recently, I have revived its wonder to my playlist to share with all of you through this music blog.

With the aged ears acquired since, I hear the likes of Noir Jazz as a distant cousin to this breezy, soft and natural record. Steeped in a neutral tone it feels rather adaptable to either the city night or natural beauty in the light of day. Its first three songs deliver gorgeous metallic acoustic guitar melodies. Drawn out at a snails pace its repetitious ideas are underpinned by chilling piano notes and the bellowing dense blanket of bass. Slow and methodical its incremental growth blossoms so slowly its like watching a face age day by day yet in the calming spell of its manor, an intensity manifests with its lurching distortion and subtle organs chiming in on the craft.

Its final song, clocking in at over sixteen minutes takes the temporal to its conclusion. The soft percussion performance of Adrienne Davies is drawn to a crawl as the textures of her cymbal strikes cry out in the void between lingering notes from a darkly guitar. A Plague Of Angels plunges into the chill of night where its counterparts exerted a sense of natural beauty, this one slides into the shadows, devoid of light yet still having this calming persuasion. Being able to hold the listener in its grasps, the gradual rise of blunt over-driven chords takes us into dramatic spaces as it grows bolder. It could be excellence in action, or possibly the countless hours of bonding that made it so vivid to me.

I've written on Earth's more recent Primitive And Deadly, back when I first started this blog. Its a different beast, more metallic and doomly with charming vocals and all. That was one of my personal favorites from 2014. This fun revival of an old gem has made me realize how little of their discography I have uncovered, perhaps one to dive into now! Hibernaculum is a fine record, solemnly neutral with a slight chill in its backbone, the temporal pace and sluggish unraveling is a power of its own! One to always return to from time to time.

Rating: 8/10

Anna Von Hausswolff "The Miraculous" (2015)

 

Searching for gems to talk about on my youtube music channel, reciting my words on the spellbinding Dead Magic was a reminder to continue my exploration of Anna's music. I recall giving The Miraculous a passing listen but now with intent I hear the formation of what was to follow. Two of its longer cuts, the thematic Discovery and sludgy Come Wander With Me, delve into the darkness with sprawling esoteric journeys to be fully embellished on her next outing. Cutting between its lengthy passing, a variety of compositions has the record peering into lengthy crevasse of darkly ideas briefly explored in there powerful temperaments.

It makes for a wonderful experience that doesn't quite feel as a whole but in no way empty. Anna brings her torment and shadowy expression through illustrious instrumentation ever poised by subtly and texture, always brooding its tones and melodic inflections in steadily brewing atmospheres. She is often forthright and powerful with her singing, rising up to swell with the music where it is right but also sitting out the instrumental sections that deserve limelight too. In a couple cuts she lurches back to the shadows, compromised by the darkness of the albums most ambiguous musical passings. Her words always with a distress.

There is much to be adored here, however its final three songs highlight the lack of flow that is overcome by the engulfing nature of these dense songs. Evocation takes another plunge into the monstrous lunges of slow and sludgy Doom Metal bordering on temporal with its snailing pace. The following title track pivots to winding organ piece of dense and heavy airy textures, an experimentation in droning gloom that sticks out as the biggest difference. Anna's voice briefly arises in angelic form as if to pull the music into its apex yet it drifts back into its duller phase without climax.

It all ends with Stranger, a subtle sense of a wild west theme permeates its accent, illuminated by the spangled acoustic guitar chiming in at its peak. This pivoting is what stunts a greater sense of what the record is. Many wonderful concepts are realized while its songs switch from one to the next. I have very much enjoyed the experience but I feel as if there were three or four distinct sounds being jostled, making it feel like a collection of songs over an album. This sort of esoteric and ethereal music brings that preference for a unified vision out of me when listening. Still wonderful though.

Rating: 7/10

Blood Incantation "Hidden History Of The Human Race" (2019)

 
Catching wind of high praise thrown its way, Hidden History Of The Human Race is a well articulated Death Metal record for fans new and old, a bridge between styles within a sub-genre normally tired to the bone after thirty years of evolution that has stagnated in recent memory. Denver based Blood Incantation hit a fantastical stride on this sophomore album, boasting four dynamic, progressive songs, one of which is a lengthy eighteen minute epic that in all reality feels like two songs bolted together through effect soaked acoustic interludes that play up its alien, cosmic theming, both present in the music, song names and on the otherworldly album artwork.

Its Opens up with an aggressive plunge of snarling fretwork deploying pinch squeals, a battering of blast beats and the oldskool roar of Paul Riedl. The groove and bombast lasts but a minute before the atmospheric dimension opens up. Howling guitar leads, frantic drumming and alien melodies drill in its angle before chopping through a riff fest interspersed fiery bursts of guitar lead and crushing growls that permeate the music through its dense reverberations. At times it borders Doom Metal with slow, drawn out groans that brood with intensity in a menacing manor.

This shade of brutality has it all, flickers of Nile, Morbid Angel and Thrash infused era Death show their influences on the guitar work. Whats best is how these songs open up into atmospheric lunges of crawling pace, the percussion breaks down and livens up again in bursts of energy. The albums third song explores these dynamics further with a guitar tone led song, playing into Post-Metal territory as its acoustic guitars get awash in a haze of textural distortion. We even get treated to a flickering of psychedelic old school synths emerging from a foggy synth interlude on the eighteen minute juggernaut. A brief moment but one that signifies all elements have purpose.

The spur of excitement this band conjure is not a short one, every listen has been lively and fruitful. These songs hold up as its alien, cosmic inspired atmosphere holds a lasting curiosity, conjuring mysterious imaginations of what could be out there. It has been a common theme in recent years for bands to play the nostalgia card, yet pulling off truly inspired music. This is another one to add to the pile, Blood Incantation clearly derive ideas, tones and techniques from the greats that walked before them but in this instance they have pulled it altogether with a touch of class felt best in its frequent lunges into shivering atmospheres of alien unease. With great vision and a wonderful execution, the album is one for any fan of the brutal genre.

Rating: 8/10

Grimrik "Die Mauern Der Nacht" (2015)

 

My curiosity in Old Sorcery's use of retro synths had this artist recommend to me as a link between Dungeon Synth and old school electronica, something that I don't think bridges the divide but I see the connection. Grimrik has been one of those instantaneous connections that needs little explanation however its darkness is of a different breed in my opinion. Die Mauern Der Nacht, translated, "The Walls Of The Night" has deep and lonely astral vibes of unending exploration through the dark abyss of the night sky. The synths that make it so brood and meander on the endless mysteries of the cosmos with an undercurrent of eeriness manifesting in spooky synth tones and puzzling melodies that conjure its peculiar position.

Its slow, atmospheric, taking its time to unravel as arrangements of buzz, sine and triangle saws work in tandem. Sprawls of classic textures sweetly stitched together over airy choral synths and murmuring baselines conjure the sense of vast distances between stars, the unending voyage. In doing so the album is structured as one seamless piece of music, cut into smaller fractions. Its events are sparse as many tracks explore the bare bones through minimal layers of sound, drifting to the next movement, often given a little gusto through quiet percussion, which looks to do little beyond creating a framework for pace with simple bass kick and snare arrangements.

Its gleam and shimmer is charming but musically the record is quite uneventful and sparse. On one hand it plays into the concept, on the other it does get a little dull for this listener as its tone and temperament is one I have explored before with the likes of Oscillotron. On that note, this theme too I have heard through the likes of Arkhtinn and Darkspace. Its the same slice of sound that others have smothered with satanic aggression in the form of howling screams, shredded guitar chords and pummeling drums. In the wake of all that, I've found this flavor a little lacking.

In the opening phases recurring melodies lock it in for a slow but steady pacing but the music never crescendos and slumps in the latter half as songs take on a cinematic flavor with string led compositions brooding on a temporal rhythm. The lack of spectacular hiders it. As much as I love these star struck nebula vibes, the music never evolves beyond much of a mood setter for my taste. Great as background music but after a couple of spins it felt dull to give my full attention. Definitely a worthwhile check out but something I might not come back to until a long night time drive home under the those walls of the night sky.

Rating: 5/10

Old Sorcery "An Inkling Of Void" (2020)

 

As the second of two, one track EPs between the albums, An Inkling Of Void immediately identifies itself as soft, reverberated, smooth oscillating synths play out minimalist melodies of eerie calm. Its the melodies of limbo, caught between sadness and rest, glimmering in the moonlight. Although its design is gorgeous and the aesthetic timely, its all to reminiscent of Burzum's twenty five minute epic, the first to my ears to establish this niche. That shadow looms as the spell cast is not as potent, however the song grows into its own as spacious bass saw murmurings usher in yawning starlight synths to steer the opening portion of melody to a scenic route.

Its then, that richer arrays of synths arrive to create a curious atmosphere. Its faintly reminiscent of Steve Roach but with an uneasy underbelly typical of Dungeon Synth. In this stretch, the meditative mood takes over and time drifts slowly by. Past the midpoint a brief heavenly uplift is teased when new tones shift the temperament but it plateaus and we return to the normality again. Eventually the music steers back around to the opening melodies, embellished by all that came between. This plodding ending feels conclusive and satisfying as it fades. I was Initially put off by the opening construct, it took all but a few spins for any preconceived notions to be shattered. Inkling has got a soft, sweet, secluded magic of inanimate shadows and starlight glow. A fair treasure to behold if you value this ambient temperament and sequestered mood.

Rating: 5/10

Old Sorcery "Strange And Eternal" (2019)

Every once in a while a record gives me writers block. Its as if I can't pinpoint where the magic emanates. It is of course from the sum of its parts but on this outing the tranquil immersion into this enchanted realm is so indulging the whole record seems sequestered by itself. Of course sitting down to write, giving focus and attention more of its elements reveal themselves and yet its strange atmosphere still mesmerizes.

 Old Sorcery's staple-mark whirl of psychedelia synth tones is as ever present and more involved on this outing. They embed mystique into scenic passages of warm and airy beauty. Its slightly estranged, with a ghostly, ephemeral charm falling short of spooky or eerie. With a richer set of instruments and layers its ambience feels more direct and involved as playful, mischievous melodies dance frequently in focus.

At the middle track rolls around the clouds are overcast as mood and temperament shift. It brings out a cryptic voice of esoteric conjuring, lurching discernible words from the shadows. The song pivots to a magical moment of colorful madness as echoing pianos and trippy oscilating synths dance in a spiraling tandem. That crafty voice returns again here, and then on its final fifteen minute epic album closer.

After a lengthy brooding of classic Dungeon Synth styling, the voice arises with arcane reverberations, reciting in a tongue and tone fitting of an occult ritual. I believe it is simply Finnish, the title translating to "The Sleeping King On Fire". As a non-native listener, the ambiguity stokes majesty within this deeply mysterious music. Its the one new element that really stood out among the endlessly entrancing normality.

I still feel as if this record is alluding me but whats obvious is with more involved instrumentation and less of a focus on ambience and atmosphere, both these aspects are enriched by the boldness it strides with. It occupies a friendly space yet is still shrouded in mystery. One of its best aspects are the pivots, when sudden transitions arise they feel rather integral to the overall vision and momentum this time out. This is one record for me to return to often as its magic feels rather untarnished.

Rating: 7/10

Erang "Imagination Never Fails" (2020)

 

Last year was the first since Erang's inception that passed without new material released. The French Dungeon Synth musician now brings us the eighteenth installment in this lengthy saga. The brief absence is perhaps explained in its eclectic opening songs and lack of manifestation to new territory. Unlike the direct pivot to another aesthetic like Songs Of Scars and Anti Future, Imagination Never Fails toys with new ideas before providing a variety of flavors from this mature, distinct sound.

With sampled narration, or presumably voice actors, its opening title track, A New Age Is Rising, Far Away and New World Slave adorn the music with promise of something carefree from the lands beyond limitations. Digitized voices reminiscent of Daft Punk and retro synthesizers whirling in astral majesty rub up against the atmosphere led by ethereal voicings. Crashing onto triumphant horns and percussive drives of ancient war, fleshed out with shouts and battle cries, Its as if anything is possible in this peculiar union of inspirations. It is unexpected but attention grabbing and fun.

 Then with Long Ago In The Hidden Kingdom we shift to the Erang of old, mystic and meager instruments play curious yet lonely melodies of eerie nostalgia and beauty with that particular craft. Its lovingly composed and as the songs roll on some excursions into percussion akin to "world music" as it might be called, help shape up its narrative, building up momentum and dropping out aptly, giving rhythm and movement to the fantasy worlds these tunes do conjure.

These songs are certainly nothing to gloss over, Shipbuilding Memory has a powerful uplifting sense of melancholy to it, reminiscent of Ascent by Brian Eno. The issue is simply familiarity, after seventeen records these additional numbers simply slip into the vastness of all that share their distinction. For a new listener however, these may be fresh and exciting sounds within the world of Fantasy and Dungeon Synth music.

I Would of liked to hear more of that opening intrigue. The narration gave a sense of direction and adventure, only recurring briefly on one other song if I recall correctly. The whaling overdriven guitar resetting the momentum on the opening track before returning with an arpeggio was a delight but a lone moment. Those initial retro synths helped shape a new path too but alas it was not walked upon for this listener. Listening to Erang is always a pleasure and always will be. I am just hoping in the future they can find new avenues to explore as that's where the excitement is! As it where in the opening four songs.

Rating: 5/10

Old Tower "Plague Harvest" (2020)

With a history of patchy release in Old Tower's beginning, a stride of good form developed into a unique craft of darkness, culminating with The Last Eidolon. It is a stellar record, the apex of the Dutch musicians scenic Dungeon Synth spell. News of fresh music excited but ultimately disappoints as its lengthy, fourteen minutes halves dabble in the black ambience that usually builds to bigger and grander things. Plague Harvest however, meanders in the moments before, its shadowy reverberated sounds of eerie mystique and foreboding despair barely enriched by the creaks and cracks of movement in the tunnels of darkness ahead. Being a creature of atmosphere, the music drags its way into denser constructs, with only a flicker of melody and brief sense of event as lightning strikes under the downpour of glum rain and howling winds.

These details of particularity return in the second stint as distant clanks echo against the crackle of a dying fire. Its light stays as light, airy synths of temporal presences sway in against the gloomy weathers, overtaking it to eventually hear the trickle of a river and sounds of life in the distance. Eventually the flickering returns and darkness prevails on a rather uneventful affair. Writing these thoughts out makes it all seem more obvious that this is an exercise in a different approach to story telling. Against the backdrop of what came before it, Plague Harvest often feels like the calm before the storm this artist had forged before. On their own, it does feel underwhelming but its temperament is its own. Expectations may of caused disappointment but I don't think so this time around.

Rating: 3/10

Old Sorcery "The Path Lies Hidden" (2018)

 

Another journey has begun, Realms Of Magickal Sorrow lured me in and now I've become obsessed with Old Sorcery! This fantastical fusion of Dungeon Synth and enigmatic oldskool Electronica is a fascinating one. Fortunately, there is more to be unearthed! Between albums are two twenty minute, one song gems. The Path Lies Hidden is the first and firmly straddles the line between halves, for almost its entirety.

Kicking off win the bass region with buzz saws and sine wave synths, the music resonates and rumbles as a rhythmic melody forges a path through the foggy ambience, a low distant humming. As it repeats over and over a variety of instruments play along, awaiting there turn like destinations on a cosmic journey. Crystallized synths and sparkling sounds dazzle in little eruptions of magic along the path.

As the pallet grows the music sways between its halves with cosmic synths dancing and playful Fantasy melodies chiming in. It even deploys those classic "strikes" of synthetic sound among echoing percussive hits like the pioneers did. Its a mesmerizing ride that comes to transition in the mid point, an unnerving darkness sets in as the repetitive melody is textured to a sound design less astral and cosmic.

In its final phase, the playful Fantasy melody returns to stay as we arrive upon our destination. Its a peaceful, charming place with a cold, lonely touch to it. Like a serine garden that's frozen over, Its beautiful but chilling and empty. The Path Lies Hidden is a powerful song with an indulgent persuasion that has made every spin a pleasure. It is currently my favorite song from this most interesting of artists in the genre.

Rating: 6/10

Clipping "Splendor & Misery" (2016)

 

Last outing, their debut CLPNG, I found myself at odds with the swift articulation of Daveed Diggs and his Avant-Guard instrumental backing. Rapping to the sound of an alarm clock is certainly different but for all their merits and experiments, not a lot of the music clicked emotionally, despite the impressive lyricism. On the groups second, Splendor & Misery, the inventive approach to sound design seems aptly steered towards atmosphere and electronic industrial details that reinforce the emergent theme set down from the very opening.

Fuzzes, drones, deep rumbling bases and ambiguous swells of sound among the buzzing of electricity gives one the sense of interstellar travel marked by the mention of a ship in the opening verse, which hurls words rapidly from the perspective of a mothership observing a cargo ship. Its puzzling and thought provoking but following this narrative feels like a tangle of observation and emotion that becomes a blur in trying to understand the meaning of this tale from spaces cold abyss. Its like a puzzle, one I couldn't quite get my head around.

From its cold mechanical bleeps and bloops churning over like an 80s computer, radio static injects and transitions to bluesy music, a choral of burdensome vocals etched with a great pain sing their sorrows. Although these occurrences are brief, they add a further complexity to this mysterious story. Rapping over the sounds of old printer technology, True Believer brings about tension with convention, driving a regular percussive groove and uniting these contrasts for a brief moment. More convention arises again on Air em Out, a party track vibe resonates from Daveed's flow with minimal instrumental reinforcement.

Whats remarkable on this outing is how well the lack of convention works. A relatable anchor is unnecessary as the theme comes together cohesively. The opening raps are entrancing, a rapid mechanical monotone expression. As the album progresses I seem to loose sense of the narrative but there is no lack of appreciation for all remarkable that follows. Much like on their debut I find myself in great appreciation of the art but not finding a strong emotional bond with it. I will continue with this trio though, their music is deeply intriguing and this spacey outing is a big step up!

Rating: 6/10

Old Sorcery "Realms Of Magickal Sorrow" (2017)

 

Dungeon Synth can almost seem like a cliche of itself at times. With the similarly Old Tower fresh in ones memory, the haunting grayscale cover, a gloomy castle and cryptic band logo sparked my amusement, especially the name. It was as if a "starter pack" meme had been taken to heart. This is no fault of the Finnish musician but having consumed an abundance of this music, its tropes are often laid all to bare. I'm glad I didn't pass it over, Old Sorcery does indeed have a magic worthy of attention.

Opening with its decrepit lurching synth and lonely washes of airy ambience drifting from its piano chords, the slow paced drawl of decaying nostalgia unfolds without surprise. Its atmosphere holds majesty and wonder, a sense of lost grandeur, magic and might, buried by time and dust. Its at eight minutes that the artists flair comes to light and a new dimension is steadily pried open with a deepening sense of wonder.

Reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and the likes of early electronic acts, the hypnotic whirl of a lopping oscillating synth seemingly rises from the ashes. Although standing at odds with its stereo panning, heightened pace and differing melodic intent, its steadily gains a foothold with the contrasting sound. At this point a psychedelic journey has begun. Realms Of Magickal Sorrow makes its distinction as a record with something different to offer the Dungeon Synth scene.

It would be quite straightforward to deploy this technique of swirling synths, wavering in pitch and volume, to induce an entrancing temperament. Old Sorcery however redeploys the power of oscillated synth tones with powerful subtlety that clings so frailly to this hallucinogenic vibration. One can envision secrets kept in keeps of cold stone as plants and herbs, guarded secrets of an esoteric cult.

The second track, Vaikerruksen Portti, uses a similar synth setup to the first track but with laser zaps and more electronic instrument design accompanying it. Both halves go strong, the Dungeon Synth side toys with mischievous melodies in the forefront, backed by dark organs and deep choral voicings. Its a loud and powerful outing to play up the unique union. A Lost Soul Amid The Listening Trees finds eruptions of gleam and glory, horns and glistening synths dazzle between the long and yearning stretches of shadowy ambience. It has a foreboding presence devoid of electronics.

In A Forest Trapped, those glistening synths return for a sleepy track of yawning pace with a dreamy persuasion. It builds to playful melodies before we arrive at the final track, possibly my favorite. Further Beyond The Melancholic Horizon opens like an Old Tower track, deep drones of devilish dreariness, lost in the distances. One can hear the deep gong strikes and an eerie fuzz of ambiguity. Suddenly it gives way to a different composition, then taking a few minutes to arrive at the final destination.

The next few minutes ponder the infinite, the synths ripple into the void, minimalism and subtlety slip into madness. Its a glorious moment in a song that goes through some vivid transitions that work masterfully. I did not expect to find such a rich experience within this genre I feel can so easily be overplayed. Old Sorcery has brought a sequence of deeply curious ideas that play into the dark, spiritual, meditative flows I just love. With another two albums, there is more to discover now.

Rating: 8/10

Heilung "Futha" (2019)

Futha is more of an experience than a collection of formulated songs. It is what Heilung specialize in, esoteric, bleak and bewildering music that pierces a nomadic spirit with an atmosphere of fright and wonder. Primitive instruments, ritualistic chants and a tribal spirit forge inducing passageways of entrancing rhythms between heathen cries calling to the gods. These Norwegian have taken deep inspiration from a mythic take on their pagan heritage. Reading up on the use of bones, ashes and even antiques from temples as instruments, the music is as vivid as their dedication to it.

The best of the record comes with both the effeminate and male voices chiming, singing in native tongue over driving looped percussion with airy synths steaming into dense smothering atmospheres. With long and lengthy songs totaling seventy two minutes the repetitive nature sets in as a temporal, spiritual mood seeking the roots of a humanity that once looked very different. Futha takes its time, build ups are sluggish, some interlude ambiences steady forward with no sparkle or polish. It fits in so well to the vision but it is not always as captivating the initial charm on first listen.

The nostalgic purity is alluring but that undercurrent of mother natures cold cruelty is always present. In the final stages the record bites its teeth in with a grimness as guttural vocals are drawn in word by word on Elivagar. Its like the beginning of a cursed ritual, ghostly voicing uttering out every breath with a textural viscosity that brews in intensity. It leads into the last two numbers like a portal to the past, one is at the center of a psychedelia induced blood ritual of entranced primitive sacrifice. Futha offers up a remarkable experience in fractions but isn't always captivating from start to end. It is certainly worth your time if cultural music of lost tribes is in anyway enticing to you.

Rating: 7/10