Dungeon Synth is a style of at-home made fantasy synth. Despite it being a modern incarnation, its history is rooted in the 1990’s black metal scene, when its members created ambient synth projects and circulated those releases through tapes. These black metal side projects laid the groundwork for dungeon synth’s atmosphere and ethos regarding aesthetics, production, and distribution. Dungeon synth is primarily a solo endeavor with one person writing, playing, producing, and distributing the music. Today, it has become a diverse genre and cottage industry with tape labels, forums, festivals, and an international fanbase devoted to its history and development. Branching out from its beginnings to include a spectrum of sound, dungeon synth has transitioned beyond its dark ambient beginnings to a sound that includes neoclassical, new age, medieval, and even chiptune music. The space between fans and creators, since its beginning, has been small, leading to an intimate scene that exists today almost entirely on the internet.
This aspect of a virtual community and scene has shown itself unintentionally resilient within the 2020 Covid pandemic. The process of creating music in isolation and sharing it with an international fanbase through virtual albums and mailed media is something that has been unaffected since the wake of a global pandemic. Livelihoods of the creators and parcel service interruptions aside, dungeon synth, along with other virtual genres thrived while live music was suspended for a few years. In the early 2020’s dungeon synth began branching out into live performances ushered and supported by the success of the Northeast Dungeon Siege along with other festivals internationally.
I have been writing, reviewing, and cataloging the history of dungeon synth since stumbling upon its existence in 2014. Initially perplexed by its discovery, I began sharing the strange records I found with everyone I knew, marveling at this small scene of people making fantasy synth. What may have started as fanciful irony, has since evolved into a deep love for a genre of music I found almost by accident. Since that time, I have become an advocate of the genre, writing primers for its history, retrospectives for its albums, and organizing compilations for its creators. It is my hope to codify a roadmap for people who may not know of its existence but would love it if they did. Dungeon synth has a unique history among its creators, fans, and the space in which it exists, as it defies conventional classification — continuing to make music in far away places, for far away people.
My love for dungeon synth has led to a greater appreciation for fantasy ambient, new age, cosmic, electroacoustic, vaporwave, noise, outsider, and field recording. My dive into dungeon synth’s past has led to many roads of connected styles of visionary synth which have all been made by people with an inclination and equipment in their homes. It is truly my belief dungeon synth is apart of a family of related styles which has many artists reaching out to the other side and creating here things that exist deep inside or far beyond.
– Updated 2024
Part I: Classic Dungeon Synth (1990-2000)
The use of the words “modern” and “classic” is easier to refer to with dungeon synth’s history two largest waves of interest with “modern” in referring to dungeon synth’s revival since the 2010’s and “classic” to refer to dungeon synth as it existed in the 1990’s. It is at this point, I am supposed to tell you the easy and linear history of dungeon synth forming from black metal side projects. Artists like Mortiis, Wongraven, and Burzum would combine synth with fantasy aesthetics and sell it to black metal fans. That can be the answer and you can move on to the music, but I would be untrue to myself if I made it that simple. Genres and subgenres have a strange way of forming and even stranger ways of being written about. With enough time and hindsight, writing about music becomes easier since enough distance is created to make connections. Not only is dungeon synth still being created and its modern history has yet to get to a place where reflection can occur, its creation and foundations are still being connected. While some artists are revered for their worship of classic dungeon synth and the term “Old School Dungeon Synth” signifies a proximity to black metal and perhaps a relevance to a core philosophy, dungeon synth’s roots are tenuous.
Classic dungeon synth never had a connected scene of influence outside of cassette trading circles. It has no documented motivation nor easy narratives to tell a tale of creation. Classic dungeon synth just existed collectively and independently in the mind of its musicians with their releases, which were then resurrected by fans and archivists decades after their original releases. Before 2011, dungeon synth as a concept and even name did not exist; rather it was a nebula of likeminded music under the name “dark dungeon music,” “neoclassical,” and/or “medieval” that was sorted with other dark ambient, darkwave, and experimental electronics. Dungeon synth did not begin as a named genre until one of its fans, Andrew Werdna, started “The Dungeon Synth Blog” in 2011 to promote the type of music made by Mortiis, Wongraven, and related artists. The creator of that blog coined the name and collected the material he found interesting and fit his view on what the genre should be. This arcane way of genre creation lays at the foundation of dungeon synth and its existence would not be if not for fans like Werdna archiving and connecting the dots.
Dungeon synth, in its classic sense, exists due to the will of its fans who are uncovering more and more releases, which in turn, reshapes its history over and over. One of the releases that will be discussed, The Sleeping Green by Lunar Womb, is a construction of a late 90’s release that was shelved and lay dormant on a harddrive for almost 20 years. This release, which is popular today, would not exist if not for the then current interest in modern dungeon synth. On a personal note, I even have a working theory that classic dungeon synth was a DIY adoption of the fantasy ambient that was created in the 1970’s with Kosmische Musik, and continued in the 1980’s with new age electronic music. As more releases are discovered, Dungeon synth’s history is becoming dotted with records that fit more into the history of electronic music than the birth of black metal.
One of the more popular early dungeon synth releases (one that is even tagged as dungeon synth) is 1991’s Master of Dragons by electronic composer Jim Kirkwood. Kirkwood was a UK musician who made a series of fantasy ambient records in the early 90’s. Master of Dragons would be an interesting starting point for dungeon synth as it has the aesthetics and sound for an origin story. As far as I know, Jim Kirkwood had no connection to the 90’s black metal scene, rather his self released fantasy ambient records were just an extension of Berlin School electronics. It is my belief that dungeon synth in 10 or 20 years will have a more formalized history and for now exists as a genre that is being written as we speak. Its history is being constructed almost simultaneously, which makes writing about it strange if not incredibly exciting.
As of now, we have a roadmap of black metal musicians who made synth albums that were a long form version of the interludes that would prelude or act as an epilogue to many black metal demos. Additionally, we have dark ambient musicians who would release synth based records in the same trading circles as black, death, and thrash metal records. These are all well known parts of classic dungeon synth and is the sound tagged as “Old School Dungeon Synth.” It is a world of gloom where there are instances of wonder and magic but it is all cast in a haze of morose shades.
Classic Dungeon Synth Recommendations
Compared to the scope of modern dungeon synth, the boundaries for classic dungeon synth are smaller and more homogenized. The variety between these early releases is going to be more similar than different. This is due to the prevalence of home recordings and the proximity to black metal and dark ambient. Additionally, even in the most “peaceful” releases there exists a sense of loneliness and solemnity. There is never (at least to my knowledge) levity within these releases, as the journey into synthscapes from black metal and metal minded musicians was a serious affair akin to meditation rather than something for a gaff. This is the bleak world of dungeon synth before it even had a name and its creators were the grey lords of escapism. For brevity, I included the highlights, If this type of sound is the thing you have been looking for, enjoy your journey through the lower worlds.
Jim Kirkwood – Master of Dragons (1991)
The success of Master of Dragons is important as it shows dungeon synth is not fixed to a point. While dungeon synth lore states its sound began in the 90s as an offshoot of black metal ambient made by Scandinavian musicians, Jim Kirkwood, a UK progressive electronic musician is also there. Kirkwood’s dedication to fantasy material married with a lofi electronic sound would be a prototype for dungeon synth in the 2010’s. Master of Dragons is a doorway into the greater independent synth scene which existed among underground tape labels and private press labels and is a doorway to minimal, cosmic, and new age of the 1980’s. Even if you do not ascribe to the possibility that dungeon synth is related to 70’s and 80’s synth, Jim Kirkwood is still a delight for anyone interested in self produced fantasy electronics which has gotten a second life in the age of the internet.
Mortiis – Født til å herske (1994)
Håvard Ellefsen, better known as Mortiis, is a project which is almost synonymous with classic dungeon synth, or at least the history of dark medieval synth. Mortiis to few was the bassist for the black metal band Emperor from 1993 to 1994. Mortiis to many more was a milestone in the development of what was then called dark dungeon music and a waypoint for future composers to model their sound. While Mortiis would make a variety of music, it is his “Era I” records or the releases that span from 1993 to 1999 that would become the center of reverence. Født til å herske (Born To Rule) is a 53 minute song split into two parts ,which brings the listener into a world of cold and uncaring passages that snake around the undercroft of a long abandoned castle. Between shadows and sunlight, Født til å herske is dramatic in its approach to cast emotion and atmosphere in a macabre play. The interplay with the keyboards and mixing is something that is both commanding and immersive. Mortiis’ instance on the repetitive melodies that make up this song is a cornerstone of classic dungeon synth, as the music becomes a meditative chant used to transpose oneself to distant places. Mortiis would go on to explore different styles in the 2000’s before returning to his legacy as an alumni in the wake of the dungeon synth revival. The 2020 record Spirit of Rebellion is a reworking and recording of the 1994 record Ånden som Gjorde Opprør, which was inspired by his 2017 performance at the Cold Meat Industry 25th anniversary event (explain this a bit). This music means a lot to its creator and, though a lot of Mortiis’ image is the punchline to internet jokes, Født til å herske and the majority of Era I is a testament to the power of this sound.
Depressive Silence – Depressive Silence II (1996)
Depressive Silence is perhaps one of the most popular if not most celebrated early dungeon synth projects. This is perhaps due to the fact the band started as a parallel project to the melodic black metal band Mightiest. Members Andreas Kreiler (Ral) and B. Schmidt (B.S) were both guitarists / keyboardists who created a synth entity for the 1995 split with Mightiest. While Depressive Silence’s second release Depressive Silence II is perhaps the more iconic release, with its cover almost being symbolic of dungeon synth. In the haze of mist and fallen ruins exists the whispers of entities that offer no guidance or reassurance. Depressive Silence II is a solitary adventure with an opening that could be one of the banners for classic dungeon synth. Both Ral and B.S. would go on to make one-off projects with a final release in 1997. These releases all happen to be some of the best music made in this time period. Solanum – Spheres Of Time (B.S) and Gothmog – Medival Journeys (Ral) are essential and worth exploring for anyone interested in this time period.
Wongraven – Fjelltronen (1995)
Wongraven is the work of a Satyr well known as Sigurd Wongraven from the Nowegian black metal band Satyricon. Fjelltronen stands as the only release from the project outside of a 6 band split with Darkthrone, Neptune Towers, Storm, Isengard, and Satyricon: Fjelltronen’s history is rooted in Norweigan black and folk metal and its sound reflects this atmosphere with a 32 minute escape into fog ridden lands stalked by choral chants, soft acoustic guitar, and piano melodies. The success of Fjelltronen, and Wongraven in general, is the nebulous nature of the sound as it does not rest on a sole genre but rather gather a cadre of similar styles under a banner of grim atmosphere. The cover for Fjelltronen is a cropped image of “Til den grønne ridder” by 19th century Norwegian fantasy painter Theodor Kittelsen. Not only was the same image used by black metal act Carpathian Forest for their EP Through Chasm, Caves and Titan Woods but Kittelsen’s works were also used by Burzum, Satyricon, and a host of modern dungeon synth artists. Fjelltronen remains a staple in classic dungeon synth as its bridge to black metal both in style and spirit.
Jääportit – Kauan Koskematon (1999)
Kauan Koskematon is the debut full-length from Tuomas M. Mäkel also known as Jääportit. While Jääportit lacks a black metal connection, it makes up for it with a strong foundation in the substyle of winter synth as well as a consistent output during the dark period of the 2000’s. On the project’s website, Mäkel writes the inspiration for the project centered around the work of Mortiis as well as darkwave and neoclassical works from Arcana and Dead Can Dance. This nebulous origin produces itself in one of the most modern sounding records. Jääportit could exist in 2020 and be lauded for the approach to frozen landscapes, which are iridescent in the moonlight. Kauan Koskematon’s embrace of drone and regal melodies exist in icy embankments and would only be underscored by the artwork from Aslak Tolonen (From the Finnish neofolk band Nest). Winter synth would go on to become one of dungeon synth’s most popular substyles which, even though it borders on the edge of existence, is still a style that draws in listeners with an invitation to a glacial court.
Secret Stairways – Enchantment of the Ring (1997)
Secret Stairways was the solo project of US black metal musician Matthew Davis. Davis would lend his talents to the 90’s black metal project Blackened Chapel as well as the gothic darkwave project Twelfth of Never. Secret Stairways was his somber synth project that saw releases in 1997 and 1999. Both album’s music was backed by the same sense of melancholy that would haunt most of Davis’ music, but a sense of twilight wonder with 1999’s Turning Point reached the zenith of production for these self released projects. Enchantment of the Ring has become iconic for its production and sense of wonder which creeps across the ground like fog. For most, Secret Stairways would reach a wider audience decades after its initial release and years after the suicide of Davis in 2011. Both Secret Stairway releases now stand as a shrine to its creator, who seemed to be a mage capable of marrying melody with a lingering sense of loss and grief.
Lunar Womb – The Sleeping Green (1999/2015)
Lunar Womb was a project started by Henri “Trollhorn” Sorvali known in other circles as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pagan metal band Moonsorrow and keyboardist for Blackened folk metal project Finntroll. The Sleeping Green was intended to be the third demo for the composer, following two other dark ambient releases (released on Meat Hook Productions who also released Moonsorrow records as well as Sorvali’s other project Woods of Belial). For various reasons, the third demo was shelved until 2015 when Sorvali found the tracks and intended artwork for the record. Additionally, 2015 was also the time when dungeon synth was experiencing it’s modern revival, which led Sorvali to remaster the tracks and release the long awaited demo. The Sleeping Green is caught between two worlds, as it was originally intended to be from the late 90’s but has now had the benefit of cleaner, more modern production. It is now we can hear Sorvali’s vision, which combines the folk melodies heard on Finntroll and Moonsorrow releases with the atmosphere of what would later be called dungeon synth. The result is a sound that is both enchanting and immersive, and is the best soundscape Lunar Womb produced, as it saved an unintentional blueprint for modern dungeon synth.
Part II: Modern Dungeon Synth (2011-Present)
Dungeon Synth, in the modern sense, began with the advent of a stable internet. Not only were blogs, social media, and a reliable streaming service and marketplace the tools composers needed to reach a global audience, but they were also the same tools used to unearth, digitize, and disseminate the obscure and forgotten releases from the 1990s. While the nascent idea and aesthetic of dark keyboard music carried on in various dark ambient, neoclassical, and medieval records in the 2000’s, dungeon synth as a focused style did not exist until the appearance of internet blogs that not only collected older releases but codified the aesthetics and proper name for the genre. The work of blogs like Asmodian Coven and eventually the Dungeon Synth Blog allowed a new generation to not only discover older releases but also be inspired to make new records.
The mid 2010’s saw a boom in dungeon synth as interest grew across social media and online forums. This boom was a revival of the classic sounds of the 1990’s as well as an inclusion of melodic ambience. While high fantasy and nature were always a part of dungeon synth’s aesthetics, the modern era is when artists embraced the escapist themes for their records, taking on theatrical personas and dedicating full releases to fictional narratives. This shift in style would provide an avenue for new creators and fans to travel and deviate from its classic roots.
Dungeon synth composers differ from other musicians in that the barrier for making the music in the style was low and its reach was only anchored by an internet connection. Composers had no need for touring or even working with other people. These composers only needed a computer, internet, and imagination to be a musician. If one wanted to take a release from the writing, composing, recording, and even manufacturing of the marketing media, they could do it all without leaving their room. This cottage industry spread among creators, who all varied in their levels of professionalism, but were connected by social hubs such as Facebook, Bandcamp, and online forums. All in all, Dungeon synth is similar to other internet centric microgenres whose scene and community exist entirely in a digital space. Dungeon synth, much like other microgenres, has a pitch to newcomers based on sound and aesthetics. It is alluring but also poses a unique question: ‘Do you want to listen to Dungeon and Dragons music made by people in cloaks playing synth in their bedroom?’ The answer was a resounding ‘Yes’ by many and the dedication to the tabletop hobbies by fans embraced the style into their folds. Dungeon synth had an aesthetic and the boom of home releases would only strengthen its legacy.
Dungeon synth is a style of music that has grown quickly throughout its modern era, showcasing the evolution of a music genre in an expedited timeline. Its precursors, foundation, watersheds, and experiments, which usually take years and decades to be established by a genre, have been collapsed into only a few years. This rapid progression can be attributed to the ease of virtual engagement of the community, as well as at home production of its albums. Albums could be made within months, causing a flourishing of new ideas, which would cause reactions to the evolution at an exacerbated pace. Criticisms, tensions between stylistic tastes, and feuds between the scene could be waged easier, leading to an accelerated collapse or synthesis of ideas. This drama of a small scene that went through a surge of popularity and cracked under the influx of new fans is not unique among genres, yet dungeon synth went through it in a matter of a few years as opposed to the decades it normally takes. This acceleration has matured dungeon synth to leap forward in its evolution, and has led to one of the best periods in perhaps its entire existence.
Dungeon synth continues to be fascinating for many reasons. One is boring while the other is fanciful. The boring reason is that the musicians live in an age of reliable internet and with a low entry for making music, this leads to a consistent output of new material. Combine this with a continual fanbase that is just discovering the sound and you have a continual wave of consumers. The more fanciful reason is that dungeon synth offers a sense of magic to its listeners. Dungeon synth offers a style of music and scene whose intimacy between artist and listener feels like a relationship, and the subsequent journey is more like an adventure both of you are undertaking. This relationship between art and artist is something I find particularly powerful, as each release is like a chapter in an ongoing story that both us as the listeners and them as the creators are unaware where it will take us. We are all players in this story and we will go to far away places.
Modern DS Classics (2011-2020)
Til Det Bergens Skyggene – Til Det Bergens Skyggene (2011)
Til Det Bergens Skyggene is a German artist who is also the operator of Voldsom Musikk — a label specializing in black metal and dark ambient. Til Det Bergens Skyggene is a project that was responsible for 5 releases in a few short years before ceasing. The third and self titled release has grown in legacy in the dungeon synth scene for its reverence to the classic sound of the 1990s. With a focus on texture and ambience, Til Det Bergens Skyggene, the album, moves at a glacial pace across a landscape of fog with only shadowy outlines of trees and ruined structures. If limbo or the desolate landscapes of the afterlife had a soundtrack it would most likely sound like the track “Skog, Natt Og Stjerner.” This is a record that does not approach pleasantly and, in fact, it does not approach at all. Rather, Til Det Bergens Skyggene walks ever forward through the growing opaque wall of fog uninterested in anything but the crawl of time. It is aloof, magical, and completely uninterested in being accessible.
Erang – Another World Another Time (2013)
For many, Erang was their first exposure to dungeon synth. This came through a compilation video put out by this French artist simply titled “2 hours 30 minutes of Dungeon Synth, Medieval Fantasy Music by Erang.” It was a simple video that provided 2 hours and 30 minutes of background music for reading, playing games, or whatever the user wanted. I feel there is something omnipresent about Erang as the music seems to touch every aspect of the sound. Another World Another Time catches the artist as they climb out of the classic dark ambient sounds of Tome I-IV to to craft a world of imagination and wonder. If I could offer any one record which I feel captures the variety in dungeon synth, it would be this. Additionally, 2013-2015 would see some truly fantastic works from Erang and this release is indispensable in one’s journey into dungeon synth.
Fief – I (2016)
Fief is a wonderful artist to start with in dungeon synth as it is a very popular sound among fans. In fact, Fief may be one of the most popular dungeon synth artists, which is no surprise given the string of amazing releases. Rather than a direct narrative, Feif’s five albums are vignettes into a medieval world that might or might not have any sort of fantasy elements. This is a long campaign in a low magic world that is filled with just as much danger and excitement as other more dragon-filled narratives. I feel Fief is popular due to both accessibility with the production as well as a charm in its minimalism. This is tavern music for the weary traveler and while there are few patrons, the hearth is warm and roaring.
Chaucerian Myth – The Canterbury Tales (2016)
I have written a lot about Chaucerian Myth and the artist’s debut The Canterbury Tales. I wrote an introduction to the album for the CD reissue, which is on the inside flap. To put it simply, The Canterbury Tales was a watershed moment for dungeon synth as it took the growing modern scene and its bedroom recording, married it with English literature, and cast a drama into a 3.5 hour epic. An unofficial soundtrack to Chaucer’s collection of stories published in 1483, each of the tales is scored by the sounds of fantasy synth. The Canterbury Tales was a fantastic release from an active member of the Dungeon synth community, which set a new benchmark for intensity and devotion to the craft. In terms of atmosphere, there is little space between Fief and Chaucerian Myth. The difference lies in the length and scope of The Canterbury Tales, as these songs are cast in near 20 minute epics that wander sometimes lost in the tomes of history books. This is passion amid piles of books and its charm is undeniable.
Thangorodrim – Taur-nu-Fuin (2016)
Taur-nu-Fuin was a monumental record on its release. I remember when it came out there was something that changed about the scene as its release pointed to a new benchmark for direction. With it’s cover, which worships the aesthetics of second wave black metal, to the sweeping labyrinthine sounds, to the obscure Tolkien lore, Taur-nu-Fuin was a champion of the classic sound that lay in the graves of Mortiis and Wongraven. With four songs and a running time of 50 minutes, Thangorodrim is intense in its need for commitment. This is not background music rather a passage into corridors that lay far out of the reach of sunlight. I would urge people to listen to this release for nothing else than to experience classic dungeon synth in a modern incarnation.
Old Sorcery – Realms of Magickal Sorrow (2017)
At a time dungeon synth was reverent to the ways of the old. Albums were crafted to sound like classic era ambient and the cool releases were the ones which evoked a sense of nostalgia. Old Sorcery offers a trip to the past with melodies which are reverent to the ways of old but without being married to the sound. Realms of Magickal Sorrow came out in a time when others were doing the same sort of style but after a few years, this is the one which feels the most complete and sustainable. Old Sorcery is the work of Juuso Peltola who is in many projects with many sounds. Old Sorcery is an aesthetic and potentially a great starting place for an exploration in lower dungeons.
Sequestered Keep – Wandering Far (2017)
There is a joke among dungeon synth fans about the prolific, bordering on oppressive, release schedules some artists use. The years between 2015 and 2016 saw 14 releases from US based Sequestered Keep, which would have fit into this trope if not for the fact that all of it was outstanding. Wandering Far was the only release of 2017 and, for me at least, it was a grand declaration of magic and somber distance. Sequestered Keep aims in the same direction as Lord Lovidicus but collects the shadows as much as the highlights. Much like the album covers, Sequestered Keep offers rolling landscapes that are filled with as much joy as they are with sorrow. Sadly, 2018 would see the last release from this artist, so Wandering Far as well as the finale, The Vale of Ruined Towers are now monuments to the legacy of this artist.
Aindulmedir – The Lunar Lexicon (2019)
Few artists baffle me as much as Aindulmedir. I don’t think I have ever seen them post and to my knowledge are not connected to the dungeon synth scene. Every few years, this Swedish project just puts out stellar winter synth and everyone loves it. Much like the figures on each cover, Aindulmedir exists as a hermit working within some remote castle and then sends missives to the greater community. It is truly an enigma which I choose to keep secretive. The Lunar Lexicon is a fantastic ambient record which can be appreciated even outside the realm of dungeon synth for its slow meditation on the nature of silence.
Hole Dweller – Flies The Coop (2019)
Hole Dweller has had many sounds over the years but Flies The Coops was perhaps many peoples entrance into dungeon synth. when I discuss modern classics, I think of records everyone might be familiar with. Flies The Coop was the sound of a hobbit house in the afternoon and presented low fidelity not as an adversarial aesthetic but something comforting. this sound would be later explored in full with the comfy synth boom a few years later but for now it was the gentle croaking of frogs and the gentle melodies of tea time put to tape and then played for a year before reaching the right level of fade.
Fogweaver – Spellwind (2020)
Few records have captured the imagination of listeners as Fogweaver’s. This is perhaps due to the tireless workflow of the creator Evergreen and their related projects. Spellwind was released in February of 2020 a few months before the pandemic would shut down most of the world. In hindsight it was a time when everyone was uncertain and anxious and perhaps a record of calming melodies dedicated to the lore of the Earthsea novels was what everyone needed. Fogweaver would have many albums after this as well as other dazzling projects through Windkey Tapes ads well as related projects. I still think aback on this record as it was one of the releases which got me back into dungeon synth after a few years absence.
Vindkaldr – Enchantments Of Old Lore (2015)
DIM – Compendium Reliquiae (2021)