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| Self-released, 2019 |
And blood with ashes mixed therein;
And from the sky, on sleeping folk,
Mine engines did full vengeance win!"
To be innovative, is to take risks. Some of them will be rewarding. Some of them will be punishing. On paper one might be sceptical about specific musical tropes Vandalorum exposes throughout Flagellum Dei. Throat Singing, rock drums and techno-esque arpeggio’s are not considered to be must-haves within more conventional Dungeon Synth circles. Yet, in practice, one might be surprised by how well Flagellum Dei manages to pull it all off.
To me, picturing Dungeon Synth that’s inspired by the Huns and their barbaric warfare includes a form of bombast. I can easily imagine grandiose war drums and clashing battle-sounds while thinking of music that focuses on Attila's troops and their quest to best Rome. Surprisingly though, none of that is to be found in Vandalorum’s music (apart from a very brief battle sample on the second track). Instead, the record creeps, softly; only to lash out at you with an unexpected twist, rather than delivering a constant punch in the gut. This balance between a more familiar atmosphere and some very well-placed curve-balls is one of the record's biggest strengths; and thematically o so fitting.
When one dares to oppose a stronger power, one needs to be as cunning as one needs to be unpredictable. The Huns knew this when they opposed Rome - and Vandalorum knew this when it unleashed Flagellum Dei on our ears.
I, for one, welcome our new Eurasian overlords.
TL;DR: As atmospheric as it is surprising.
Flagellum Dei captures the feeling of losing your balance amidst a familiar landscape.
Vandalorum on Bandcamp | Vandalorum on Facebook
