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| Neuropa Records, 2018 |
Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm.”
When I think of ‘Barbaric’ music, I think of acts like Blasphemy and Revenge, with their muddled caveman riffing and fast but sloppy drumming. When keeping warmetal out of the equation, I think of steady pounding rhythms, devoid of melody, trance-inducing, and so loud that you can literally feel every hit. To be barbaric means to be unsophisticated, lack nuance and act rude. Yet here I am, holding this marvelous piece of music called March of The Triumphator; a record that is ought to be barbaric but positively floors me with its delicate nuances.
In an interview with Barbarian Skull from 2018, Barak Tor explains that this genre-description is “not only because of the concept but also because [the music] is simple, straightforward and quite monolithic, as barbarian prehistoric civilization.” And whilst descriptions like those evoke memories of Sun O))) live-shows - amongst other things that Barak Tor share little resemblance with - let us simply embrace the genre-description for now and dive into the music.
March of The Triumphator is a fantastic experience. You know you’re in for a ride when the first notes of a record already lure you in - and what follows simply doesn’t stop grabbing your attention. In 42-minutes time, Barak Tor continuously changes its palette when it comes to instruments and atmospheres. One moment a gentle wind instrument lifts you up, the other you’re being assaulted by grand war drums. Its layered compositions do not only stress the albums replay value but also make it that the atmospheres on the record are never one-dimensional. These are not just proud war songs, nor are they specifically frivolous or melancholic. Not unlike Conan the Barbarian, these songs shine because of their polished nature. They’re never too gritty, too overwhelming, or too light-hearted. Rather, they’re all of these things, constantly interchanging and overlapping, tumbling over each other and enhancing their own effectiveness. Honestly, you can drop your needle anywhere on this record, and it will instantly draw you in.
This record was one of the first when it comes to contemporary Dungeon Synth being released on vinyl, and for good reason. If there are still copies out there, consider it a must-have because Barak Tor’s combination of moods and broad instrumentation provides a solid and diverse musical escape.
TL;DR: Highly recommended and sophisticatedly approached Barbaric Dungeon Synth. Like its first influences, Hero’s Quest and Conan the Barbarian, it merely pretends to be barbaric whilst actually engaging in much richer dynamics.
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