Dungeon Synth Is Saving My Life
During the last night of the festival Hoarfrost came out dressed in what looked like a corpse painted barbarian. The artist had thick furs on his shoulders, spiked gauntlets upon his wrists, and belts which looked like it could deflect a sword blow. Though this looked like the start of a black metal show, the artist circled a minimal rack of synthesizers before placing a sticker which read “dungeon synth is saving my life” on the front of it. Those who saw this small moment cheered loudly and the applause felt more than standard fanfare which preceded a set. Looking around the front of the stage was mostly a congregation of people from an array of alternative looking lifestyles spliced together from different worlds. The cheers from the packed event space felt like an acknowledgment to a sentiment everyone silently shared but now suddenly had words.
Distant Stronghold was a three day dungeon synth festival in Maine as well as a semi-official birthday / reunion party for one of the most prominent and foundational labels in the scene. Out of Season, started in 2016, has existed long enough to see dungeon synth go from a microgenre revival, which existed at the time exclusively on the internet, to a multi day festival with international headliners, vendors, and attendees. Distant Stronghold was not only a showcase of past and present talent for the label but also a celebration for a style which has grown so impossibly popular yet retained its artistic ethos that it almost feels like a dream. At one point dungeon synth fans were bemoaning a 2017 Bandcamp article which brought unwanted attention to a niche style of music and veterans calling it a grim portent to the underground genre. Now we live in an era where the genre has multiday festivals and an artistic output which eclipses all previous eras. Maybe dungeon synth did die in 2017 after the publication of this article and are now living in some sort of extended afterlife surrounded by friends and family.
Out of Season was created in 2016 in the very distant stronghold of Portland Maine. Kyle found himself and his wife moving from a younger life of being actively involved in local hardcore and punk scenes to one of slower scenic views and lighthouses. While quaint and serene, there was a restlessness that comes from an era in life where you still have creative energy but maybe not the desire to be out until 11pm on a weeknight. Dungeon synth, a dark ambient microgenre with ties to the 1990s European black metal scene, was experiencing a revival of interest on places like Facebook and internet messageboards. It was in these few places one could interact with the few fans and artists who were captivated enough with the sound to seek out others and share knowledge. This is where Kyle and a handful of others found themselves unearthing obscure releases from the past, hashing out the intricacies and potential tenets of the genre, and pining for someone to release the growing scene of newer albums, made by artists who were starting projects in tribute to this sound, on physical media.
In 2016, the cassette tape, a format long buried by CDs and eventual music streaming, was experiencing a quiet revival of its own. Tapes offered budget production in perhaps the most aesthetic package possible for small music scenes. Dungeon synth’s inherent lofi nature lent itself to not only discarding the need for high fidelity but embracing a media that came from an era before social media and smart internet. I don’t feel there was so much nostalgia for cassettes as there was a romanticism where you could acquire limited and often handcrafted media directly from the artist. Since Bandcamp did not introduce direct physical media purchases to consumers until 2019, If one wanted to buy dungeon synth media during the mid 2010’s it was through the few small labels who were emboldened by a new boutique era of online storefronts. There was a confluence of emotions and factors which led to dungeon synth tapes being the most affordable way for small artists to make physical media as well as format which most venerated a distant era. It felt right to have this type of music on tape as it was made for this media. It was here that many including myself started to buy tapes from the few labels who specialized in its sound.
If one looks through even the Out of Season releases in 2016 you will an array of music from now classic records of the genre to ones that are ancient and obscure. There are also records which were hailed at the time of their release by the dungeon synth community but have since been largely forgotten. History is a funny thing and no one can predict what will be important for others decades in the future. I don’t think Out of Season could have predicted the things which are now staples of the genre nor do I think they thought this style of music would have grown beyond the internet. What I feel Out of Season did do was realize that this music was important enough to preserve and give it a place to thrive. They made tapes for community since everyone, despite their title, was an obsessive fan of the genre.
Over the course of its existence, dungeon synth has been propelled by its community and by the people who believed in its potential. While the genre is easily lampooned for its theatrical flair and bedroom sound, its history has succeeded because of people who believed. Whether or not it is writers blurbing albums for a small blog, or a label putting out 20 tapes of a demo, or archivists putting together comprehensive tomes of history, or established photographers showcasing this scene through their art, the success of dungeon synth comes from the people not only who create its sound but those who found it important enough to give it the attention it deserved. Out of Season, for its entire existence, has believed in dungeon synth and provided a place for them to be special.
When Hoarfrost put that sticker on his synth it reminded me of the reasons why I started to write about his genre over a decade ago. In my 20’s I always wanted to document music through photography like Bill Lemke or, by some cosmic coincidence, Peter Beste. I also wanted to write about culture and music with the casual chaos of Hunter S Thompson or Lester Bangs. Dungeon synth, for me, gave me access to artists who were willing to talk to me and eventually familiar with me enough to ignore me if I was pointing a camera at them. I didn’t start writing about this genre until I was in my mid 30s and photographing live sets until my 40s. This genre has given me focus and purpose in years when many people lose the drive to create and innovate. Wandering around the festival I see so many other people perhaps with a different story but the same feelings. It is not an over-reach to say that Out of Season is a large reason why we are all here today as they were one of the ones who believed in this genres’ potential and ability to be magical for others.
-KAP 2026
I had put Canturbury Tales out digitally on Bandcamp and it was getting some traction in the scene, but it was my first album and I was totally a newcomer with no real reputation. Still, I sent an email to OOS, asking if they would be interested in putting out a physical release of it (I was a huge fan of the large multi-cassette release of the Abandoned Place discography, so I actually suggested that format, given the album’s length), and despite the fact that I was a total stranger with no real pull in the scene, OOS immediately agreed and released it in that gorgeous cassette clamshell packaging that I still wish I had a copy of, myself. To this day, I’m still extremely grateful for OOS taking a chance on a totally new artist like myself, and I still think about it a lot. I’ll really always be thankful, not only because they picked up the Canterbury Tales, but because the label spent so much time and energy in making the presentation of my debut album so wonderful. – Chaucerian Myth
Kyle recently reminded me that when he launched Out Of Season, he contacted me to release a tape of “Another World, Another Time” and that I declined the offer because I wasn’t interested in physical formats or for some other obscure reason, haha. That was 10 years ago and I have no memory of it, but it clearly sounds realistic, as I’ve never made anything the way it is supposed to be made and was very solitary back then. Many moons have passed, and Kyle made me realise I was wrong. Since then, he has released some of the most beautiful Erang editions any musician could dream of, from tapes to LPs, or Boxset and CDs. He built all this little empire by himself, with hard work and love, and I think that’s part of the success of OOS, which is one of the GOAT labels in the genre. But more than all of that, I’m lucky to call him a friend. Really. He’s a genuine human being and someone who truly counts in my life. I raise my glass to 10 more years! (Also shoutout from Yannick B.) – Erang
I remember getting an email from Kyle back around 2016 saying that he was starting a label and had an interest in releasing my album “Winter Dreams” on tape. That album became the first release from Out of Season and I’ve always been very honored by that and happy that he reached out. It’s been great working with him since the beginning and seeing how much the label has grown through the years has been wonderful. Out of Season has became one of the banner labels of dungeon synth.- Foglord
It has been such a distinct privilege to watch my friend turn what was once his hobby into his livelihood. Scratching out a living in underground music is akin to an ascetic vow. The work involved—the constant, singular pressure to keep everything operating and the limited profits—is stressful but liberating. Seeing K. Forest do this and build a name for himself is something you love to see in the world. – Jordan Whiteman
Thursday
Steaming Woodlands is based in NYC though their history goers back to Texas which had them preforming at the Texas Dungeon Siege. This artist is also the organizer for Entmoot Record which acts as a dark ambient artist label as well as promoter for the nascent New York DS scene. It is funny that person who is so warm and outgoing in person is the creator to some of the more dismal dark dungeon music with covers which look like they were left in the castle copier for eternity. As an opener for a weekend I can not think of a more perfect tone which was set in long shadows across the darkening skies.
Shadowwrought had a very simple setup with an orb which sat between the laptop and synth in front of a projection which read “In This Kingdom Of Ruin.” This tableau could very well be the archetypal image for dungeon synth as a wizard figure looms over a table of digital alchemy. Shadowwrought is based in Colorado and is appearing in what seems like growing events on the Western US coast including a Los Angeles Dungeon Synth Festival. This artist is fairly new with only two releases but fit in with the crowd and scene as they floated around in their robes talking to fans and generally acting like a wizard just walked into the show.
Over the course of my time with in person dungeon synth events I believe Faydark (and related acts) is one I have seen the most. Between NEDS, GLDS, and the recent Appalachian Dungeon Fest, this artist has become a staple of the background ambience usually walking around by himself as a solo entity floating in and out of social circles occasionally wielding sharp swords with great care. Because of this I am able to see this performance grow with time and comfortable enough to joke around about the box of cords that appears on stage or the white earbuds which looks like he was taking a work call from the dungeon. The comedy also comes from a performance which is crafted with immense care and atmosphere and each time I see feels entirely escapist.
Lepra might seem like the out act out with the music involving drums and a delve into weirdo black synth punk. Lepra was certainty that and not only celebrates the outsider nature of this music but was the most local with Portland being their hometown. Lepra’s performance and existence showcases the local areas penchant for strangeness that even when you travel to the furthest point in a country you will still find odd things. It should also be noted that this performance was the end for the act and for reasons not shared was their final show. Even though this act was the oddballs in terms of sound their sound was capitalizing and exhilarating for a room full of outsiders.
Mycologia is the work of Adam Matlock. If you have not heard that name you are perhaps aware of his alias which Ill just copy the public ones from Discogs (An Historic, AOS, Archduke Adze Azküralthselïnon, Augoeides, Black Epheria, Conqueror’s Mourn, Deliverer, Dispell, Dust Seeker, Erszebet, Forest Walk, G. Zarapanecko, Ghost Of Forest, Great Knife, Kolessa, Mycologia, Mystal Tree, Nahadoth, Pen Draig, Pendragon, Pollinator Pathway, Revenant, Stroboseth, The Arborist, The Herbalists, Werepanther, Wrathsigil.) The reason for this three lines of text is to highlight the work of someone who is not only creates as if they were four people but also seems to resonate at a different frequency through life. This performance was the debut for Mycologia, a mushroom based fantasy synth project, which is one of the most recognized works in the creators repertoire. I don’t think I would have ever expected to hear the opening track of “Moose Antlers” followed by thunderous applause of excitement but life is a funny thing and here we are.
Malfet’s career began in 2018 and over the course of its existence has made four records. While this might sound like sparse compared to other artists who make four demos Malfet’s cinematic soundscapes and delicate atmospheres which go into these records lends itself to chapters in an ongoing book. I asked the artist about the lore and themes of the records and while there are many Arthurian references scattered throughout, the world of Malfet is an amalgamation of dreams, folkore, and personal mythology. Malfet’s debut, The Snaking Path, was released in 2018 and at a time when the internet microgenre was collapsing over infighting, inter-scene drama, and the question of how much experimentation was allowed in the experimental music genre. There were a few artists at the time which expanded their worldview beyond dark dungeon worship and pushed music with something that felt personal and natural. Malfet’s music did that and was one of the first artists to lay a foundation that we now see as a second wave of dungeon synth with an expanded worldview.
Friday
Part of the reason for enjoying attending these events is meeting people I write about and also make jokes regarding. Deep Gnome was a random discovery for me whose profile picture of a wizard in the woods smoking a bowl was something so absurd and oddly fitting to the idea of dungeon synth that I included it in one of my digests. Despite the absurd promo picture, which is still think about from time to time, this artist has built a whimsical world which is both somber and comforting in its melodies. Deep Gnome’s music has always been hypnotic which is why I still think of the absurdity or this artists deep knowledge of Boston area sports as a counterpoint to music which feels like it was made by gnomes.
I love that backdrop and the fact it is perhaps calling out like two artists who would use Begotten as visuals. I have always joked with this artist about seeing her show yet again as it seems over the course of many years we have been in the same spaces. In fact I believe we attended the same local metal shows but we just haven’t met in the world of dungeon synth quite yet. The Vaelastrasz I reviewed back in 2017 is not the same person who was at Distant Stronghold or any of the other live shows we have both attended. I don’t think you can be the same person for that long nor do I think this artist could sit still for that long. What has stayed the same through these many years is the reluctance to conform to even the motifs and perimeters of the genre she plays in. Its always been dungeon synth but it is often times much more and will be played seriously mixed with biting sarcastic comedy.
Despite Sombre Arcane only having three releases, this act feels more like an institution with history and influence being apart of the very foundation of live dungeon synth. Back in 2018 before the idea of live dungeon synth even existed, there were a group of people in a basement somewhere in New England having a party. This gathering of people would eventually lead to events like the Dungeon Skirmishes, Dungeon Siege West, and The Northeast Dungeon Sieges. Throughout the years, whenever there is an important event in the US or even in Europe, Sombre Arcane is probably involved. This is why finding only one record to showcase is difficult becasue despite these three releases, the act has become a sort of psychedelic ambient dungeon act leaning on live improvisation which allows each set to be different and utterly magical. For this event they were joined by Adam Matlock of Mycologia (but also Nahadoth) who was in that small little basement many years ago. Time is a circle and Sombre Arcane has always sat right in the middle.
I want to take everyone back to 2017 when the first Pumpkin Witch release came out as it was announced through private email. The letter which appears in the Bandcamp for Hovel of the Pumpkin Witch was the text of the email and no other information and was sent with no explanation how they came to be on the mysterious newsletter. Pumpkin Witch is an anonymous to most act meaning that if you hang around enough shows you will eventually get it. The experience of Pumpkin Witch is a delve into horror synth, dark ambient, noise and whatever constitutes the quasi genre of pumpkin synth. I don’t think Pumpkin Synth really exists but or if that really matters as if enough people are into it and believe its real then who is to say otherwise. By the look of the crowd (with some wearing pumpkin shirts for the show, I feel there are enough who believe.
At times you will find yourself wondering if there is anything you are missing from Grimdor. This dungeon synth act from Arizona has many demos all under 10 minutes made in comedic short supply. Through the years the releases of Grimdor have felt like specters and its minimalism is something otherworldly. Being at distant Stronghold and seeing this artist captivate an entire room reminded me there is some magic which entranced people decades ago. Grimdor could be a direct successor to the solitary dark dungeon figures who released dismal soundscapes on tape decades ago. The emotional honesty of the music which is draped in atmosphere is something which resonates with people either through the very scarce tapes that are always sold out or through an entire room of fans.
Though this picture is in black and white the visuals behind this performance were actually very colorful as it is the cover for the newest Fogweaver record, Dragonfly, which was premiered in its entirety at this performance. The figures in the photo are the artist as well as Luçien (one of the organizers for Woodland Fortress) who acts as a performative pantomime illustrating the moods and emotions of the music through movement. I have talked much about Fogweaver, the artist’s related projects and the labels she is involved in, but each time I see a performance it feels entirely new and special. Dragonfly, as a record, is both about the world of Earthsea but also as a statement of personal freedom in regards to the artist living as a trans woman. What I have always appreciated about Fogweaver and her music is the use of fantasy media as portal into a world which is not escapist as a means to hide rather a world in which the fantastic is used to illustrate real emotions and struggles. Fogweaver’s success as an artist comes through honesty in both her music and related arts and it is this quality which I feel has allowed her to become a defining voice for this genre.
Saturday
Hoarfrost was used in the opening of this article regarding the sticker which preceded the set. I feel it is important to underline how serious that notion is for some including the artist as this music quite literally saved their life during a depressive episode. Hoarfrost’s music commands attention and its somber atmospheres are not just dismal for show as I feel it comes from the darkest parts of life. This music is not without redemption however as there is a balance between beauty and coldness and much like the namesake of the project a moment of silent wonder. I have always enjoyed taking pictures of this artist as they are not only photogenic and charismatic but I feel there is an aura of light that comes not only through the person but through music.
One of my favorite moments of the weekend was getting a long explanation of historical reenacting from Hillsfar. But it wasn’t just historical reenacting rather something which lies on the intersection of reenactment, roleplay, and deep imaginative immersion. It also sounded fun as hell. All of these conversations makes entire sense when approaching an artist whose music fees like passage on a ship to a far away fantasy island. Hillsfar seems to live on the border between here and there and could very well be the person to whisk you off to a land of adventure. Tides of the Moonsea was released by Out of Season in 2026 in a special Sega CD edition with the CD cover looking like a video game disc. This is absurd and entirely fitting to the music contained within as this project wants nothing more than to spin tales.
I would like to point out that for Foglord I specifically gave the picture a more purple / silver tone to mimic early photography. Thank you for all for noticing. I have written much on Foglord as this artist has recently not only headlined at Appalachian Dungeon Fest but also released one of he strongest records in their repertoire even potentially creating a unique fusion of dungeon synth and Appalachian drone. This is not where they began however as he music below the pictures is from the 2016 Winter Dreams. This record, despite its wintery themes, was even an anomaly in the days of the dungeon synth revival for its gentle new age leanings. This artist however is also an anomaly as they could have walked out of a storybook about a magical mountain wanderer. Foglords’ music was one of the first I purchased through Out of Season, and this tape I believe was the first one I ever bought from he genre. It is perhaps the reason for my eventual interest in new age / healing music. This artist’s embrace of folk and old time music to combine with dungeon synth has been something so forward thinking its a wonder it comes from someone so polite and soft spoken.
I was up front for the beginning of this set talking to another attendee who was describing this music as dark dungeon music just relocated in a swamp. It continues to amaze me the effectiveness and resilience of this type music as it seems to be antithetical at times to what should be popular. There is something certainly to be said about the audience for raw dungeon synth which sounds like it is drowning in a mire. Putrid Marsh ‘s music is not complex nor would it ever be considered refined and it is because of those reasons I feel it attracts so many people. The artist loomed over a table of electronics dressed in hunting fatigues looking like a figure from a modern horror film. There will always be an allure to to the swamp / dungeon / crypt / underground which calls to so many people. for as much as dungeon synth grows beyond its dark pasts, there will always be people making dark and fetid sounds. Putrid Marsh has had many releases as well as compilations. The last two Putrid Marsh releases you can get from Out of Season are collections of the early demos from this artist as well as random short releases. This is important to note since Putrid Marsh’s work originally came in limited edition cassettes which looked slightly haunted.
It is a wonder to think that the majority of Frostgard’s music was released in the span of a few years as this artist has become one of the most recognizable names and acts in the dungeon synth community and perhaps one of the few entirely dedicated to the work of Tolkien. Beginning with the self released Valaquenta I in 2021, Frostgard’s music has possessed a feeling of timelessness and each live performance feels like it was read from a very ancient book. The Distant Stronghold performance was accompanied by paintings from Czech artist Gnome the Bard whose panning images of Middle Earth provided a dramatic backdrop to the music. I feel like I am not the only one who was captivated as walking around the performance saw many people entranced by music which felt like slow marching music across imaginary worlds. Frostgard’s dedication to not only music but to stagecraft made the event feels not only musical but like a ritual dedication to Middle Earth.
I laughed when they turned the lights out for this performance. The entire three days was filled with mostly blue light for performances but then for the final act for Distant Stronghold we were in almost zero light save for the projector and also battery powered candelabras. Dungeon synth continues to amaze me with the ability to play in zero lighting conditions for my photographs. If there is one artist that could hold the title for having recognizable name in dungeon synth it is Thangorodrim. You might be able to also say Fief which is hilarious in many ways. I remember when Taur Nu Fuin was released and noted how iconic the cover looked on its release. The medieval font the pitch black minimalism and the corpse painted figure which looks like it was photocopied to hell all fit within the spirit of what was called at the time as “old school dungeon synth.” This was music that could have been made in 1996 as much as in 2016. There was a sense of immortality even upon release with both the glacial melodies and the iconic cover. Throughout the years, as dungeon synth has changed, the things which are remembered y grown stronger providing a foundational pillar to not only the revival era but for the entire genre as a whole. It is only fitting that the act made its live debut at Distant Stronghold as people seemed to be gathered for one moment and that is to hear tracks like ” In Hills of Shadow Bleak and Cold” played in communion with other people.I have seen many live dungeon synth acts over the years and while I dislike putting them in order, this performance was one of the ones ill always remember.
Frostgard / Fragmented Memories / Malfet / Forgotten Lore / Steaming Woodlands @ TV EYE in NYC
Distant Stronghold was held over the course of three days from Thursday to Saturday in Portland Maine. On Sunday however three of the acts who played previously joined together for another show 300 miles away. This show wasn’t officially connected to Distant Stronghold but many of the headliners were also playing during the weekend and the other act, Fragmented Memories, was there all weekend as attendees and supporters. Fragmented Memories, from Netherlands, are a husband and wife act and also the organizers for Echoes From The Dungeon Fest — one of the growing number of of European dungeon synth festivals. Forgotten Lore is from Philadelphia who played previously at one of the Northeast Dungeon Sieges. Together they drove through a nor’easter to play. For those who might not be familiar with the East coast storms, a nor’easter is “a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean” we just happen to name after where we live.
On a very rainy afternoon, at the tail end of this nor’easter, we arrived at the venue already filled with a private party that was being held before the show. I think it was a baby shower but in weirdo adjacent fashion was filled with loud proto punk music and very loud drinking and raucous merriment. TV EYE, named after The Stooges song, is one of New York’s premiere places for punk and weirdo adjacent music. It also seems like a place to have a baby shower for those expecting with more than 10 tattoos. This was the second dungeon synth show I have seen at the venue and seems to be one of the best places to play for a nascent synth scene.
This show felt like a scenic route home for some while others called this place home or somewhere close to it. I arrived early as I drove from Maine to the venue as I did not want to drive through most of New York during the storm. Despite the weather paralyzing most of the city, the space was filled with fans and friends who braved a sullen Sunday evening to travel in imagination. The spacious backrooms provided enough room for the artists to lay out their costumes and do their stage makeup. At times this space felt like being backstage at a theatrical show with these artists more like traveling troubadours looking around for critical equipment they packed away in some side pocket or trying to locate the thermostat since it was goddamn freezing. I got the chance to see the very magical time of artists working through extended downtime and all of the excitement and boredom that goes with it.
This show wasn’t apart of Distant Stronghold but in some ways it is related. The show at TV EYE showcases the growing influence of dungeon synth and dungeon related acts as it moves beyond even one off events. It is one thing to gather for an anniversary for a label and quite another to come out on a Sunday to hear liminal ambient while water pools on sidewalks outside. At one point people on the internet were discussing he possibility of dungeon synth being played live and now we have an entire weekend of quasi related events in different cities. Its a marvel that we are here and it wouldn’t be possible without the artists who continue to innovate and the people who attend despite the shitty weather.
