Dungeon Synth pt2
Since there was, believe it or not, a time even before the Dungeon Synth tag, it might be of interest to revisit just a few influental releases and give a late praise to their inspirational qualities?
Three important releases are hereby brought to the table due to their imaginated importance of how the current scene has developed. They are all Norwegian, released in the nineties, and at the time overshadowed by the more tabloid friendly second wave of Black-Metal. Enjoy!
Mortiis ”Födt til Å Herske”
(Malicious Records. 1994)
If you want a good example of what a pure Dungeon Synth album sounds and looks like; this record is where you should go. ”Födt til Å Herske” (Born to Rule) is as close you get to a original blueprint of the genre and going back to it today makes you realise this and how suitable stripped down and ”naked” this first born offspring of Mortiis really is. In hindsight, this debut LP is like a newborn child and it´s quite interesting on how many levels that metaphor do work as a proper depiction of this effort. Speaking of it musically, it´s just the basic bricks that´s being used here. Quite simple melodies that walks on through the songs without making any major deviations in scale or pace. I recall that I responded to this project with a mixed feeling back in the days as I thought the music was being a bit too one-dimensional but still imaginative and uniqe. Listening to this historical piece today does not change this view though. The greatness of this album and concept still lies in the feeling conveyed and the images it paints. Who would have thought that this minimalistic piece of influential art would be considered as a genre defining work more than twenty years past it´s release? I for sure did not see that coming. Guess the long nose belonges to me now, right?
Wongraven ”Fjelltronen”
(Moonfog. 1995)
It´s quite remarkable how many different projects that Mr Wongraven, aka ”Satyr” were playing around with at the time of this release. It´s quite clear that he had both a creative flow but also the means to realise the ideas and visions that were a part of the Black-Metal community at the time. This album was made public the same year as his other sideproject Storm released the album ”Nordavind”, and in the year before his main act Satyricon released no less that two albums. So it was quite busy days in the cabin for Mr Wine around this era. It´s also obvious where the musical inspiration came from, and that this inspiration clearly shines through all of this mid nineties releases that Satyr was involved in. I´ve heard that Mayhems ”De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” sometimes are referred to as sounding ”typical norwegian”, but to me an album like this do more rightfully fit such a description due to it´s pompous and folk music inspired expression. This album actually sounds just like the norwegian stereotype that we Swedes carries more or less seriously. That they like being ”on top of the hill” so to speak. While listening to this album that preconception seems just right as it conveys a strong ”proud of the past” and national romantic feeling. Something that were kind of ”the new black” at the time, and not only in Norway, mind you. Regardless of what you may think of such an arrangement, the music presented here are both well composed and well performed. The first song ”Det Var En Gang Et Menneske” offers a lot of transisions and parts of pure magic if you like sombre, yet uplifting melodies with a medieval vibe to it.
I did like this album a lot when it was released, and still do, but I´m not sure if it would classify as a pure Dungeon Synth disc today considering how the different instruments and vocal parts were played and recorded? Regardless of this, ”Fjelltronen” still awakens nostalgic feelings of a distant past, and ought to be a significant album to the D.S community due to this unquestionable quality. A a wild guess is that it’s not just me who would rather see a sequel to this album than yet another pretentious Satyricon LP? Thought so...
Trolltjern ”Hymner fra Trolltjern”
(Selfreleased demo cassette 1995)
Among the relatively few D.S releases I’ve heard, it’s probably this demo cassette that I’ve listened to the most. I still have the copy I ordered from the band, after reading an interesting article in # 3 of Skogen magazine, and returning to this treasure feels both beautiful and nostalgic. The music holds much of the same emotional state as the contemporary black metal scene explored at the time but lacks both distorted guitars and aggressively satanic lyrics. The six songs appear more like gloomy stories told with folk-inspired melodies. The recording holds high class on all accounts but has never been released as an album. The complete recording are up on Youtube, though. (If you want to drown yourself in trollish ambience.)
You´ve just read a few reviews that are to be found in the first issue of Hinsides Magazine together with a lot of other (and more contemporary) exclusive content.
Order your copy here: