Summoning - Lost Tales

Napalm Records, 2003

It was like a gloom, with a thousand facets 
It shone like silver in the firelight 
like water in the sun, 
like snow under the stars, 
like rain upon the moon 

Stuck between the much-praised Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame and Oath Bound rests Old Tales; an odd addition to Summoning’s extensive discography due to its lack of guitars, screeches, and brief play length. Featuring enhanced echoes of material that stems from Dol Guldur and Silenius’ Mirkwood, one could argue that Lost Tales balances between being a short compilation and stand-alone endeavor. Therefore, I think it might be interesting to approach the record not as an isolated work of art but rather as a mirror with which we can reflect on Summoning’s broader material. Throughout this writing, I’ll try to give an interpretation of how Lost Tales relates to the project’s other works - and in what ways it branches off.

Within its first 45 seconds, the opening track Arcenstone manages to do something that is so unlike Summoning that I can not simply ignore it, even if it is such minute detail. In between a conversation concerning the Arkenstone, there is this fragile and unstable violin melody. It stutters, reestablishes itself, detunes and finally dissolves, to never return again. What makes this brief moment stand out, is Summoning’s oeuvre’s overall lack of attention to fragility and uncertainty. The project’s musical landscapes - not unlike many of Tolkien’s sceneries - are vast, open, and more often than not portray courage, power, and pride. When Silinius and Protector go for a more quiet and timid approach Summoning’s palette can become gentle and mysterious - as can be heard in a track like Dol Guldur’s Angbands Schmieden. Yet, very scarcely do we find a level of intimacy as is portrayed within Arcenstone’s first seconds.

Let us not dwell on this, for the thought of a more delicate Summoning gets mercilessly trampled by proud bombast as soon as the track starts to build up steam. Honestly,  Arcenstone is a trademark Summoning track, despite originally being written for Mirkwood. Its melodies remind of those on Minas Morgul and Dol Guldur; they’re soothing yet powerful. Its diverse use of both soaring and pulsing synths creates a dynamic that beautifully co-operates with the pacing of the rhythm section. One could easily imagine guitars and vocals creating an explosive final act - but they do not, and it honestly does not matter.

Where Arcenstone drifts off in a comfortable fashion that most of us would classify as typically Summoning, it is Saruman’s aggressive bombast that harks back so far I find myself back in Lugburz territory. Where some have claimed that Summoning’s real discography started with Minas Morgul, it was the fierce black metal-induced Lugburz that at first waved the Summoning banner. While Protector in an interview from 2006 proclaimed that the debut is disliked by both him and Silenius, it is interesting to hear that at least the energy that was found in Trifixion‘s hectic drumming managed to re-introduce itself briefly as the percussional foundation of Saruman.

Sadly, Saruman does not evolve beyond its bombast. Even when the synths take a step back, the percussion keeps pounding away. We could argue that this echoes Isengard’s ever-going industrial urges but at the same time it turns a 9-minute song - that does carry interesting elements - into a tiresome ride.

In the end, Lost Tales can be seen as a fascinating addition to every Summoning fan’s collection. While in its core the two tracks stay very loyal to what can be considered Summoning-esque, they also engage with rarities like delicacy and hecticness; two elements that Summoning still hasn’t managed to successfully incorporate within their sound.

TL;DR: Arcenstone is an absolute gem and makes it that Lost Tales deserves a spot in every Dungeoneer’s collection.

Summoning on Bandcamp | Summoning on Facebook

Lost Tales - An Old Wizard's Secrets

Mystic Timbre, 2020

"I looked then and saw that his robes, which had seemed white, were not so, but were woven of all colours, and if he moved they shimmered and changed hue so that the eye was bewildered."

To me, a great amount of Dungeon Synth’s quality can be measured through its hummability. While I’ll always be receptive to long-winded corridors of texture and specific types of production, it’ll be a chain of notes that decides whether or not I will return to a song or album. Which raises the question: does An Old Wizard’s Secrets make me hum like an aging magician, finding its way through its singular vision?

If you’d asked me this question back in January I’d told you that there was no doubt in my mind it would. The then released track Follow One’s Singular Vision was a lovable devotion to old-school hummability - and has seen many repeats in this house. Now, two months later, I am surprised by the diversity An Old Wizard’s Secrets brings to the table. Not only did we get the earworms I so highly praise but we got a carefully balanced composition along with them. This levitates Lost Tales’ effort from highly catchy to mainly catchy but more-often engaging.

While short, the album feels cohesive. Slow and long-winded passages dance with adventurous and upbeat melodies; all drenched in a production that harks back to a pre-90’s setting. A few copies of the cassette are still available, so do yourself a favor and plunge within this first world by Lost Tales. A world out of which I hope many others will come forth.

TL;DR: Short but engaging Dungeon Synth. I believe it makes your beard grow faster.

Lost Tales on Bandcamp | Mystic Timbre on Bandcamp