Wintercry - Swords and Magic

Self-released, 2014

Let us go hence, somewhither strange and cold,
To Hollow Lands where just men and unjust
Find end of labour, where's rest for the old,

Very little seems to be known about the Ukrainian Wintercry. So far I haven’t been able to find any physical releases, social media activity or contact information. The project carefully manages to hide in obscurity; only showing three releases on its Bandcamp page. Today, we’ll carefully approach one of them.

Swords and Magic is Wintercry’s first full-length and draws inspiration on the story of Duul-Asdaat - a necromancer who once was a priest, but lost his faith and became obsessed by the Dark Dreams of Four. Once again I am confronted with my own lack of knowledge. Who is this Duul-Asdaat? What caused him to lose his faith? Who are the Four? All that is left for me to do, is waddle ignorantly through the music that has been provided.

Let’s get straight to the point here: this ignorant waddling is a blessing. From the get-go, Wintercry drags us in with cold and hollow synths. Its melodies are airy but wild; like a gust of wind, moving rapidly through dark caverns. We are immediately accompanied by deep toms, pounding their way forward and thus creating a real sense of urgency. This is no time for warm and comfortable dreaming, traveler. Something is brooding, nearby, yet out of sight.

Even when, later on the record, the percussive elements slowly evaporate, we are not welcomed by a feeling of ease. Instead, Swords and Magic manages to capture an ambiguous ambiance until the very last note. An ambiance that is pleasant to the ear, but also gives me a real sense of danger.

Duul-Asdaat might have lost his faith, but Swords and Magic has fully won me over.

TL;DR: Highly recommended.
Old-school sounding Dungeon Synth that rides our imagination from the beginning till the very end.

Wintercry on Bandcamp

Apoxupon - How The Garden Grows

Mystic Timbre, 2019

“Pan, who and what art thou?" he cried huskily.
"I'm youth, I'm joy,
I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.”

How The Garden Grows + Influences / Inspirations is a Spotify playlist that - as the name already explains quite clearly - contains said record and Apoxupon’s musical inspirations. I was delighted to find Vali’s Forlatt in there; an intensively beautiful album that managed to drag me through my angsty teenage years. Markus Stock’s Empyrium is also included, together with the rather unexpected Ben Frost, whove’s all-consuming liveset still holds a special place in my heart.

Knowing his peers, Apoxupon sets out to find a balance between the more introverted, nocturnal and melancholic tunes from his influences, and a sound that could be described as brave, hopeful and sunny. Throughout approximately 45 minutes we roam in the greenest, overgrown gardens, accompanied by soft harp melodies, meandering flutes and the occasional, upbeat-pounding percussion instruments. From time to time I feel as if Koji Kondo has taken the steering wheel - which strongly underlines how catchy and accessible this entire effort is.

In its core, How The Garden Grows aims to make the listener at ease through its engaging melodies, smooth pacing and playful nature samples. Mixing this with the post-impressionist painting The Snake Charmer by Henri Rousseau, makes for an incredible package that is as mysterious as it is alluring. Consider this snake charmed.

TL;DR: A bright, green light.

Refreshing Forest Synth that craftily avoids worn-down aesthetics.

Apoxupon on Bandcamp | Mystic Timbre on Bandcamp

Vorvadoss - A Pulse From The Shimmering Beyond

Atrocity Altar, 2019

The idea of being a sort of disembodied, floating eye
which sees all manner of marvelous phenomena
without being greatly affected by them.

These days there’s no shortage of short Dungeon Synth releases. Personally, I find it hard to keep up with the creative enthusiasm of this rather young community. Note that this in no way is a complaint, but the simple realisation that the scene’s productive forces are beyond my capability to consume. Luckily, I stumbled on A Pulse From The Shimmering Beyond before it got pushed out of sight by numerous other efforts.

Hailing from the upside down part of the world, Vorvadoss strikes us with a short, but charming EP that makes me wish Jean-Michelle Jarre made a Dungeon Synth record. From start to finish we are accompanied by a warm, gentle atmosphere that breaths tales of wonder and excitement. Its most striking spoken-word passage, taken from Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P. Lovecraft, magnifically lifts the entire EP into an alien domain, unbound by earthly frictions and restrictions.

What delights me the most of A Pulse From The Shimmering Beyond is its embracing of Dungeon Synth’s escapist character. Its calm pace creates a distance between the music and ourselves, allowing us to observe how it slowly unfolds its layers in a mere 15 minutes.

TL;DR: Highly recommended
Like Salvia, short but exquisit.

Vorvadoss on Bandcamp

Paysage d'Hiver - Die Festung

Kunsthall Produktionen, 1998

Come and cover over the sadness
that lies always in my reason.

It’s a common saying that music takes you somewhere else. Dungeon Synth and Black Metal are no exception when it comes to music's ability to transport the listener from its current surroundings. Misty forests, murky cellars, mighty mountains, star-filled skies and restless seasides; we’ve all been there from time to time. Sometimes it’s because of a certain song. Sometimes it’s because of a specific melody. Very rarely it’s because of the richness and unified character of an entire discography.

It’s been over a decade since I first set foot in Paysage’s marvellous universe, solely created by the hands and through the mind of Wintherr. I’ve spent countless hours immersing myself in his frost-covered landscapes, fiercely trying to make my way through the snow; vastly inspired and impressed by its glimmer and mystique.

Wintherr

Where most of Paysage’s material consists of icy black metal, unhinged and unchained, Die Festung feels like the distillation of a spirit that’s present throughout the projects entire oeuvre. Calm and grandiose it lingers, both in the deep and complex sound of the album’s 15-minute opener 'Eishalle' and its more minimalistic followers. It is this dichotomy that made some refer to Die Festung as being anticlimactic - and yes, there is no typical crescendo waiting for us towards the end. There is, indeed, no spine-trilling build-up or massive, euforic closure. Instead, 'Eisenhalle' effectively draws you in, to eventually make space for the record's more humble half. It’s as if you’re being pushed, aggressively, into the unknown, only to find yourself in an utmost serene surrounding.

Die Festung delivers climax through serenity.

TL;DR: An essential listen.
Wintery landscapes that explore us as much as we explore them.
Paysage d'Hiver on Bandcamp | Paysage d'Hiver on Facebook

Moth Tower - Sharpen Thy Knife, Curse The Sky

Gondolin Records, 2018

A bear, who long had danced for bread,
One morning from his keeper fled;
Back to his native woods retreated,
And, by his brother brutes, was kindly greeted.

I’ve been overwhelmed by Sharpen Thy Knife, Curse The Sky for quite some time. Not particularly because of how good it is - and it is good - but mainly because of its dynamic songwriting and ambiguous character. Throughout 45 minutes it ranges from passages that remind me of old-school RPG soundtracks, the semi-uplifting vibes of Forest Synth and - of course - the moody characteristics we all know and love from early Dark Dungeon Music.

It’s this diversity that makes Moth Tower’s first musical effort such an enduring one. Its shifts of tone surprise, but never catch you off-guard, as all transitions flow rather naturally. In order to describe the atmosphere it evokes, we could draw a parallel from the artwork that is portrayed on the inside of the J-card. A bear, two foxes, and a squirrel, dance on the edge of a forest. The entire scene feels both familiar and unnatural. At first glance one could interpret it as a feastful activity, but the longer I stare at it, the more foreboding it seems to get. It reminds me of some of my favorite works by William Holbrook Beard, who’s satirical paintings aim to give insight into man’s endeavors, using a broad variety of animals in man-like activities.

On the right: William Holbrook Beard's 'The Bear Dance'

The same quirkiness that is to be found in the artwork also embodies Sharpen Thy Knife, Curse The Sky’s musical spectrum. Nowhere does it really comfort you, contrasting many contemporary Dungeon Synth releases. Instead, it spreads a joyful, yet threatening atmosphere. One that freezes the listener on the spot. Something is wrong. We feel unsafe. But we’ll be damned if it’s not fascinating.

TL;DR: A modern classic.
A musical translation of old folkloric fairy tales. Dangerous, gloomy, and suspiciously catchy.
Moth Tower on Bandcamp | Gondolin Records on Facebook

Nortfalke - Troch Dieze Omfaundere

Lafawijn Records, 2019

Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can.

I've been wanting to write about Nortfalke since the release of the excellent Atmosfeer, back in January. Two weeks ago, this Dutch wanderer surprised us with a very limited 7" named Troch Dieze Omfaundere, which - according to the internet - loosely translates to 'By this Embrace'. I figured this would be the one to truly dive into - and discover what treasures could be found.

Before I start rambling about the music, I'd like to address that Nortfalke seems to prize the use of old, analog synthesizers when it comes to the sculpting of his music. One could argue that the combination of MIDI and modern VST's can easily mimic the over-glorified sounds of older hardware, but I think that going down that road isn't doing justice to this approach, at all.
I like to imagine that the use of hardware - and its limitations - creates a strong bond between the artist and the material. One that forces the musician to make radical choices, take his losses and cherish his victories. One that's more adventurous, since the further the music develops, the more it dictates - and there's no way to go, but to go forward, deeper into its core.

Nortfalke

Nortfalke makes it rather easy to assume that what's stated above is true. His music is incredibly adventurous, surrounded with mystique and dangerously easy to succumb to. It feels lived in. Molded. Rather than being a quick escapism for the artist, it feels like something that has ripened and now is ready to be shared with those who have a taste for it.

Troch Dieze Omfaundere’s A-side at first feels like a continuation of his previous efforts. Wildly atmospheric, minimal and deep. It’s slightly less melodic than most of the material that you would find on Atmosfeer, but instead delivers a strong sense of introspection. A sense of flight and solitude.

Excerpt from 'Verscholen Dimensies'.

Where the A-side shines because of its minimal and brooding atmosphere, the B-side shines because of the complete opposite. Both Tacht Nooi De Baalch and Leechte embrace a more melodic approach that forces us to listen and simultaneously drag us through airy and rich landscapes. The use of deep and repetitive percussion makes both tracks feel alive and welcoming. No longer are we floating high above nearly visible grounds; we are somewhere - and this somewhere tries to speak to us. The adding of shouting vocals to Leechte only extends this feeling of being welcomed in an unfamiliar surrounding.

When Leechte ends, the 7” ends. My needle returns to his familiar resting place, yet I feel restless. Restless and curious towards future stories by this wonderous artist.

TL;DR: Highly recommended.
Troch Dieze Omfaundere is a short adventure when it comes to length, but gives a lot of material and diversity to truly dig into.
Nortfalke on Bandcamp | Nortfalke on Facebook