In the absence of lyrics an artist must creatively compose captivating arrangements in order to construct a vividly fascinating musical world. Dungeon synth is a style of music which I have always found to tell such amazing stories without using lyrics, especially when pertaining to how the artists are able to hook listeners with the utilization of profound sounding synth arrangements.
Vanishing Amulet is an upcoming dungeon synth act that I fortunately stumbled upon while checking out a channel on YouTube called, "The Dungeon Synth Archives." This one-man dungeon synth act offers up a vivid and spellbinding debut album with the release of, “Nocturnal Heritage.” The album definitely pays homage to classic dungeon synth releases from artists like Mortiis, Old Tower and Secret Stairways. However, the album also has a very unique sound that blends together a variety of different influences, thus creating a dreamy spectral ambiance. Vanishing Amulet really dives deep into the medieval and fantasy inspired sounding landscapes that take on this very cinematic like quality. Also, there is a very raw and muffled sound that gives off a very haunting, yet melancholic vibe as the album progresses.
Each track comes across as part of a chapter in an epic tale and the albums flows with an enchanting synergy. The opening song, “Gothic Aristocracy,” greets you with a bombastic burst of mesmerizing notes that create a very triumphant sounding piece of music. The melodies and the brilliant layering of the keyboards reminded me of material you might hear from the band Summoning. On the second track, “Lament for a Princess,” you feel as though you are drifting into a tranquil trance like state of mind and the music is extremely soothing.
I believe that this album can appeal to a wide range of music fans, because the attention to detail and the breath taking atmospheric elements are unbelievably remarkable. Tracks like, “Light Bleeds Through the Old Lace Curtains” and “Secrets of Her Descent,” happen to be perfect examples of how a dungeon artist can go about constructing these landscapes which sort of lull you into a calming realm of endless tranquility. Sometimes dungeon synth artists need to be careful, or else they might end up gettin stuck in a very generic sounding repetitious arrangement which can lead to people losing interest. However, listening to this entire release I can honestly say that there are no moments where you become disenchanted with the direction of the music. Until the very end, you will find yourself possessed by the ghostly synth arrangements that guide you along this pathway shrouded in mist and mystery.
As I said before, Dungeon synth is a style of music that requires little words and is primarily fueled by breath taking atmospheres to pull you away from the shackles of everyday life and into a realm of majestic splendor. Vanishing Amulet is an artist that definitely knows how to draw influence from past dungeon synth artists, while still creating a very refreshing musical offering that does not sound lackluster in the least bit. I highly recommend this album for anyone who is looking for a release that conveys powerful raw sounding emotion with an almost cinematic like quality. Vanishing Amulet’s music might not get used in some braindead TikTok video, however, this type of music does not seek to follow mindless trends, and instead focuses on forging compositions in an attempt to inspire the listener's imagination.
Check out the entire album below via the Dungeon Synth Archives :
Always enjoy your reviews Robby.
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