Random tape pull time. Picked a shelf, picked a tape, and listened all the way through. In this case, I read all the way through, too. I love the Dungeon Synth Magazine series from Heimat Der Katastrophe. I only have a couple, maybe one or two, of this auditory narrative project. The format is great: four short stories paired with four songs from four different artists.
This issue, number 7, opens with a haunting musical tale from Fogweaver. The ethereal, elemental sound that this artist is known for, used in this dark, twisted way works really well. “The lady in the graveyard” is about a greedy adventurer that disturbed the wrong grave and is now running for their life from a pack of ghouls. Fogweaver builds upon the fear of entering a graveyard at night, the terror of coming face-to-face with the undead, by increasing the intensity as the narrative moves along. Bells, haunting melodies, and pulsing percussion is underscored by the sound of creeping wind and crows.
Next is Apparition of the Plains, and this one is not what you would expect from the name. I haven’t been able to find anything else by this project. The journey begins with light-hearted fantasy nature infused synth, plodding along with plucked melodies. The story companion to this piece follows a military troop in a fantasy world, heading towards the breach in a great dividing void between two lands. It is written in the style of a daily log, which adds a layer of empathy and immersion to the experience. There were some great new age and other ambient elements in this chapter that I really enjoyed.
The next piece is one scored by Unsheathed Glory. The immediate impression is of a vastly epic scene, like overlooking a valley as the sun rises and shadows lift from the land while one tall, stone spire rises in the distance. The story that accompanies this song is about rival wizards and their inability to keep from antagonizing the other. The music throws all of the epic fantasy and dungeon synth elements that Unsheathed Glory is known for into this tale of suspense, which supports the main character of the story, an adventurer caught in the middle of the wizard’s conflict. The arc that this musical narrative takes is very well constructed, and had me hooked from start to end.
The last section of this magazine is by another project that I had never heard of before and can’t find much else about. Topografia enters with a profound synthesized musical journey. Explorative, experimental, and so thoughtful in its composition. The written story that accompanies this is “El Culto Del Eclipse” and sets the scene with a mysterious practice of indigenous islanders in the east indies and how they dealt with invading conquistadors. The music is both odd and intriguing, and then all of a sudden it hits so hard with a guitar solo out of nowhere. There’s a definite Tangerine Dream, and in some ways a strong Pink Floyd, influence coming out with this.
I really enjoyed the dive into Dungeon Synth Magazine Issue no. 7. Read the stories a few times while you listen to this. They’re short and it brings the experience full circle. All of the written stories are available on the bandcamp page in the track lyrics for each part of this release.
Find it here: https://heimatderkatastrophe.bandcamp.com/album/hdk-121-hdk-dungeon-synth-magazine-7
The Reliquary Notes Online 