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Posted: |
Apr 21, 2022 - 5:33 AM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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You're welcome, amigo, and thank you for the recommendations as well!
Have you heard Heilung? They're a neofolk group that describes their music style as "amplified history," taking their lyrics from ancient texts of various languages. Much more percussive than any of those mentioned above, but very hypnotic and beautiful, at times even frightening and war-like.
Of their three albums to date, I much prefer the live album "LIFA" to the two studio albums it's bookended by. Check out this track for an example (if you aren't already familiar with them): https://heilung.bandcamp.com/track/krigsgaldr-live
The performance that resulted in the LIFA album was also recorded on video, and you can watch the entire thing on youtube. The costumes and choreography really add a sense of realism to the spectacle.
I'll be honest: I did not enjoy Heilung. At times I thought some of the tracks were beautiful and hypnotic, but only when the female vocals were there, or the music's percussion calmed down and was otherwise vocal-less. I plain and simple just couldn't get past the male vocals, very grating to me. And too much percussion overall for the style of music, though it seemed to fit overall with Heilung, if that makes sense. So this one's a miss, but I continue to appreciate new suggestions!
Did just a little digging last night in the neo-folk genre, and I think I'll need to do so again when I'm in a different mood. I wasn't drawn to any other albums unless they were completely devoid of vocals, and that was before I sampled Heilung. Will share any gems I've found so we can continue this conversation branch!
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Posted: |
Apr 21, 2022 - 7:38 AM
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By: |
Josh
(Member)
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I totally get it. I have to be in a certain mood to be able to enjoy Heilung, and that comes only once in a blue moon. I guess "tribal neofolk" would be a more fitting description of their music. I ended up selling their two studio albums because of the prevalence of gruff male vocals (ironic, since I love them in metal); there's even a 10-minute track in the middle of their first album that has no music whatsoever, just a man telling a long, theatrical "campfire tale" in an aggressive, gruff voice and in a language that I didn't even recognize. That was the dealbreaker for me. I still love that live album, though, but like I said, only once in a while.
And like you, I'm very hit-or-miss with neofolk, and much more often the latter. It's rare than a neofolk album strikes me hard enough to justify a purchase; I have only a few in my collection so far.
Now, back to dungeon synth! Sort of. I recently picked up Glenn Danzig's Black Aria (1992) and gave it a first spin last night. I was very impressed! I'm surprised it doesn't get more mentions in conversations about the origins of and influences on DS, at least not that I'm aware of. Definitely recommended if you don't have it yet.
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Posted: |
Apr 28, 2022 - 8:12 AM
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By: |
Josh
(Member)
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Now, back to dungeon synth! Sort of. I recently picked up Glenn Danzig's Black Aria (1992) and gave it a first spin last night. I was very impressed! I'm surprised it doesn't get more mentions in conversations about the origins of and influences on DS, at least not that I'm aware of. Definitely recommended if you don't have it yet.
I've heard of it, but have no idea what it sounds like. Will check it out, thanks Josh!
Received and listened to Hagathorn's "Hartwold" album (their most recent not counting the forthcoming one). Blew me away!!
Oh, reminder on the very limited new DS CDs from Naturmacht. The 3xCD bundle's already gone (I picked up the last one), but the individual CDs are still available. Probably not for long though.
Cool. I'm interested to read your impressions of Black Aria. I've been a fan of Danzig's various bands (The Misfits, Samhain, Danzig) since high school--well, up to Danizg 4, which was released in 1994--but I'd purposely avoided Black Aria since it was a complete 180 from the punk (Misfits) and blues metal (Danzig) styles that he's known for, but now that I've become a DS fan, I decided to check it out and was very glad that I did!
And thanks for the reminder about the Naturmacht CDs. I watched the quantities wane over the course of the past couple of weeks but failed to pull the trigger on any of them due to a self-imposed moratorium on purchases until I've paid off my current Paypal Credit debt lol. Que sera, sera. 
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Posted: |
Apr 29, 2022 - 4:49 AM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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By the way, Black Aria is currently OOP on CD, but used copies can be found for a reasonable price at the usual suspects, if you're so inclined.
I *still* haven’t had a chance to listen to the entire album, but I can tell you that I was shocked to hear that this came out of Glenn Danzig. I’m only vaguely familiar with his work, be it in Danzig, Misfits, Samhain, etc., but know of the latters’ influence on numerous metal genres. I had no idea Danzig solo had put out a record like this! And just listening to a minute or so of each track, I’m also confused as to why I’ve never even seen Black Aria referenced at all in any DS convo. Well thank you again for turning that around for me. Getting quite the education from you sir, thanks! And will share my thoughts upon full listen.
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Posted: |
Apr 29, 2022 - 5:02 AM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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Any thoughts on the Wizard-Discs DIY CDr releases?
https://wizardiscs.bandcamp.com/merch/wdr-037-worlds-between-cdr
I find much of the music intriguing if not downright enchanting, but they look a lot more "homemade" than something I'd usually be willing to shell out duckets to add to my collection.
Since W-D is also based in the US, I’ve found that so far my purchases from them have been prompted by a mix of the fact that they’re inexpensive, and that if I’m even a little intrigued by the music, I only have minutes to purchase before they’re sold out (so FOMO, I guess). I only have a few of their CDrs, one from Coniferous Myst, one from Devonian Dawn, and that one you linked from Keys to Oneiria. The first two are interesting, but honestly I probably won’t give them another listen. But Keys to Oneiria, that’s a gem. When I first heard that digitally I was pining for a CD release, then days later W-D announced it. I jumped. And have listened to it numerous times since.
But yes, these releases are bare-bones physically at best. They come in either a plastic white clamshell or thin clear plastic case, have no liner notes, and often an unmarked CDr. So the allure is purely in the music, you aren’t getting a valuable or pretty physical treasure, for sure. Now that I no longer have the ability to burn CDs, these are all the more appealing, but I haven’t had the urge to jump at other W-D releases since Keys.
Heads-up on another similar label to follow: Witchlike Dungeons. In the last few weeks, I’ve purchased from them twice, for CDrs for artists that almost never put out proper CDs: Meadow Grove (the last one I posted about, above) and Elminster. Check it out! But same thing goes: very much homemade discs, no oohs, no aahs, just the music itself.
https://witchlikedungeons.bandcamp.com/
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Wow what a genre! I like that this thread is mostly losher22 posting, but it's very intriguing music. I always find themed music fun, and like the "dungeon" categories that have been applied to this. Will definitely listen to more of it, thanks!
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Posted: |
May 4, 2022 - 5:05 PM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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Snagged my first Jim Kirkwood album recently, and for an incredibly low price considering how old this CD is and the fact that it's never been reissued in any format (at least according to discogs):
https://www.discogs.com/release/357081-Jim-Kirkwood-Tower-Of-Darkness
A few tracks into my first spin now and wow, this is fantastic! So fun, and very much in the Berlin school, with hints of Three O'Clock High and Near Dark-era Tangerine Dream. Most highly recommended.
So strange that you’re posting this now, and stranger still this is your first Kirkwood album. Just a few weeks ago I asked the DS Reddit community for Jim Kirkwood first-time recommendations, as I don’t own any of his material, but have heard some of his stuff on YouTube’s Dungeon Synth Archives and loved the old school video-gamish / Berlin school sound. Get out of my head, dude!!
Jeez, Tower of Darkness did go for cheap. The few CDrs I saw of his on Discogs weeks ago were pretty pricey, just enough that I didn’t leap. Yet, haha. ToD does sound pretty awesome! Thanks for the recommendation!
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So I was thinking, hey, I should listen to some more Dungeon Synth, I think I'll check back in here for more recces.
and here you all are talking about Kirkwood, a musician I've been enjoying for many years after I found him offering many of his albums as free downloads.
So now I've got to listen to some his music before digging more D Synth.
This thread is like a flipping encyclopedia!
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Posted: |
May 9, 2022 - 6:23 AM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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Yes, we are definitely on intersecting musical journeys!
I've been pining for official CD releases of Kirkwood's first few albums for a while now, but it doesn't seem like that'll happen anytime soon (if at all), so I decided to check out what few were pressed back in the day, and Tower of Darkness was the first opportunity that presented itself, so I snagged it. I paid $12 plus postage, which was a steal in my opinion, especially since the music is even better than I'd hoped (it was more or less a blind buy). If I see another copy pop up for sale, I'll let you know!
Thank you sir! I hadn't gotten any further than sampling some of the multitudes of albums on Bandcamp, but until I do, I really appreciate you keeping me in mind!
Hey, back on DS-esque neofolk for a moment, if I could. Was reviewing my collection for other neofolk-styled albums besides the Hagathorn and Thurnin ones I recently obtained (and Thurnin, by the way, is effing awesome). It was then I realized I'd forgotten about Les Discrets from back in 2009/2010, pretty much the only period I was interested in them, and before I heard they went all country-shoegaze or whatever. Digging more into Les Discrets's catalog pointed me to this compilation album, which seems to have tons of dark neofolk-style artists on it. Have you heard it, and/or do you follow any of them? Curious to hear your thoughts, as I haven't listened to it yet!
https://prophecy-de.bandcamp.com/album/various-artists-whom-the-moon-a-nightsong-sings
And speaking of Hagathorn, they have a new album out for preorder, sounds just as wonderful as the first!
https://hagathorn.bandcamp.com/album/bj-rndansen-2
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Posted: |
May 9, 2022 - 6:27 AM
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By: |
losher22
(Member)
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So I was thinking, hey, I should listen to some more Dungeon Synth, I think I'll check back in here for more recces.
and here you all are talking about Kirkwood, a musician I've been enjoying for many years after I found him offering many of his albums as free downloads.
So now I've got to listen to some his music before digging more D Synth.
This thread is like a flipping encyclopedia!
Hi Sean! Well, you helped inspire this thread, so yeah, check back often! Trying to keep the conversation going despite there (understandably) not being that much interest 'round here. I'd definitely consider Kirkwood one of the progenitors of dungeon synth, which was not his intention, but his fantasy / Berlin school style hasn't been imitated too much, so it still all sounds fresh despite its age comparable to modern DS. Feel free to share your thoughts as you listen to more!
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Posted: |
May 9, 2022 - 7:57 AM
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By: |
Josh
(Member)
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Hey, back on DS-esque neofolk for a moment, if I could. Was reviewing my collection for other neofolk-styled albums besides the Hagathorn and Thurnin ones I recently obtained (and Thurnin, by the way, is effing awesome). It was then I realized I'd forgotten about Les Discrets from back in 2009/2010, pretty much the only period I was interested in them, and before I heard they went all country-shoegaze or whatever. Digging more into Les Discrets's catalog pointed me to this compilation album, which seems to have tons of dark neofolk-style artists on it. Have you heard it, and/or do you follow any of them? Curious to hear your thoughts, as I haven't listened to it yet!
https://prophecy-de.bandcamp.com/album/various-artists-whom-the-moon-a-nightsong-sings
And speaking of Hagathorn, they have a new album out for preorder, sounds just as wonderful as the first!
https://hagathorn.bandcamp.com/album/bj-rndansen-2
Thanks for the links! Regarding the compilation, I have the original album (on CD) that the Dornenreich track is taken from, and it's one of my faves from the genre. They first came to my attention via their black metal album Her von welken Nächten, but it's their folk album that earned a permanent place in my collection. Check it out here: https://dornenreich.bandcamp.com/album/in-luft-geritzt?msclkid=4b2a968ecfa711ecab4128180e4e838d
The only other artist from that comp that I'm familiar with is Ulver, but only through their first three albums (circa mid-'90s), the second of which is folk (the first and third black metal). That particular track isn't on the albums I own, however I highly recommended all three. Check out their second (folk) album here: https://ulverband.bandcamp.com/album/kveldssanger?msclkid=fa910825cfa711ecabb3cf02f8f4cc10
Man, that new Hagathorn track sounds amazing! Definitely bookmarking that.
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