Despite the fact that Dungeon Synth live events are becoming more popular as we speak, it’s still a bit of a rarity, so whenever one comes around I try my best to write down a review as a means to promote the scene. I do apologize for the pictures; they’re not the best quality; I’m an amateur and I make do with what I have (which is my phone). 😉
Against all expectations, Quest Master and a delegation from Out of Season managed to squeeze in one additional date within their EU spring touring schedule which has finished by the time this has been published. It didn’t include Fief as was the case for many of the other dates, but that wasn’t a big deal for me. You don’t get to see the Australian mastermind every day, so I bought my ticket the first chance I got. Coincidentally, Quest Master was the first live Dungeon Synth live act I’ve seen more than a year ago in Kortrijk. It just so happens Victorian Specter was the support back then as well. Regicide was unknown to me. But first, let’s talk about the venue itself.
The setting - Filmhuis Klappei
There is one important piece of the puzzle which I feel must be addressed, which is the venue and its team of dedicated volunteers. Filmhuis Klappei is a small, cozy and stylish movie theater in the center of Antwerp. It has only one movie hall, but what they lack in size they make up for in coziness and hospitality. Not only do they offer movies, they also function as a cultural center of sorts, offering art exhibitions, language courses, creative workshops, old-school theater, and motivational speeches. The interior consists of an entrance hall which leads to a patio to the far end and the actual entrance to the venue to the right. Once inside, you find yourself in a large room which splits itself into two halves; there’s a room with tables, chairs and sofas to the left which I guess serves as a room dedicated for the workshops (which also leads to the movie hall), while you will find the coziest bar I’ve encountered in quite some time to the right (and believe me, Belgium has a lot of those). I was a very happy person once I realized they had a wide selection of beers, but they offer many non-alcoholic beverages as well. They seem to focus on sustainable brands, which is something I can get behind easily. I didn’t take any pictures of the venue during the gig myself, but these images should offer you a glimpse. Here’s a link for those who can read Dutch:
I was unsure how this kind of venue would play out during a Dungeon Synth gig, but it was a far cry from The Pits in Kortrijk last year. The latter was catered to the underground punk, metal, and alternative genre which focused on the DIY mentality which we’ve come to expect from a more typical Dungeon Synth venue. Filmhuis Klappei was entirely different. For starters, you get to sit in a typical movie chair with all the comforts of a cozy bar. You might start to think how Dungeon Synth artists gets to play at this venue in the first place? Turns out a couple of the volunteers behind Filmhuis Klappei are dedicated Dungeon Synth fans whom I’ve seen at the Dark Dungeon Synth Festival back in October and the Malfet gig earlier this year (I might post these reports in the future as well). I spoke with one of them briefly, and he was visibly, but rightfully proud of having pulled this off. Hats off to you, gentlemen.
Now onto the most important part:
Regicide (BE)
As stated before, Regicide was unknown to me prior to the announcement of the gig. I’ve looked it up a couple of days before the gig, and judging from what I’ve heard, I was expecting psychedelic ambient with some elements of Dungeon Synth and electronica. That’s exactly what we got. Regicide live is a two-man act. The first member (whom I believe is the mastermind) plays the keyboard and is in charge of the mix, while the other is playing the electric guitar. The guitar serves as an important atmospheric element, so no riffs or chords should be expected.
They made full use of the cinematic equipment, projecting unique videos for each of the tracks (although a very stylized still was used for two tracks). This was a great decision, because it allowed us to get immersed within the psychedelic swamp which was Regicide. The videos added real gravitas to the performance. We got to experience the birth of many black widow spiders, the demolition of cooling towers belonging to power plants, industrialism and its subsequent pollution, psychedelic imagery, and a walking goose. Truth be told, that last part with the goose felt a bit quirky for the sake of being quirky because of a lack of context. Another quirky characteristic of Regicide is that they used a lot of bubbling sound effects in between the tracks so as to create a musical bridge of sorts. I do applaud this decision; without it, the immersion could have faltered.
A personal highlight was the second track of the set, which was called (bear with me) The orgy must be loud and continuous to drown out the claustrophobic screams from the dungeon below. Regicide used filtered, slowed video images of the climax of the movie Perfume (2006) in tandem with the beat and rhythm of the music, giving the performance an intoxicating nature. This was to a lesser extent true for the track related to the black widow spiders, though it didn’t reach quite the same heights.
It was an experience meant to pull you under, which Regicide managed to accomplish to the majority of the audience members. They received a well-earned applause. Then the room was emptied, and Victorian Specter could prepare his set without worry of prying eyes.
Victorian Specter (BE)
I’ve seen Victorian Specter three times by now (which is the most frequent Dungeon Synth artist I’ve seen live at the time of writing), and every time he tries to do things differently. He donned a fitting funeral shroud to mimic a ghost when he was supporting Quest Master in 2025. Earlier this year in Antwerp, he seemed to represent a Lovecraftian cultist wearing a simple black outfit consisting of a black hoodie from which a beard (or tentacles?) sprouted forth. He had a very similar outfit this time, but the overall atmosphere was very different. He still played some tracks which I definitely heard back in February, but he now chose a more esoteric and brighter approach. I think this was a good move, because Filmhuis Klappei wasn’t as dark and underground a setting when compared to the Pits or Antwerp Music City. He fully embraced the nocturnal nature of those venues back then, whereas he used a more daytime approach this time around. If anything, he showcased his versatility as an artist, and his commitment to make every live performance a special occasion. I respect such decisions a great deal. It definitely felt special (in a good way) when I first saw the light backdrop with concentric and symmetric symbolism, though the meaning behind 37022D typed down at the lower end of the backdrop was lost on me. It could have been a counting of days. If so, then it would make sense in a way. The choice of tracks, the backdrop and the perpetual birdsong samples definitely suggested we were witnessing a sunrise. The aforementioned samples were using both during and in between tracks, creating a continuous stream of music and sound. This was an improvement over the last gig back in February, when there were a couple of silences in between songs, breaking the immersion he tried to conjure up.
The tracks he chose had a more positive mood to them, but there were still those hypnotizing beats and melodies I came to respect Victorian Specter for. The monologue at the end (which seemed to be a prayer to the sun god Ra to my understanding) was passionate and impressive, even though he nearly knocked over the projector in the process. The show did go on, and if he was perturbed he didn’t show it. He, too, received a rewarding applause from the audience. He was already on his way of becoming the leading live Belgian Dungeon Synth act, but I now believe he has earned that title. I know that’s very much underground, but in the grander scheme of Dungeon Synth as a genre it means quite a lot.
Quest Master (AUS)
Quest Master barely needs an introduction. He is undoubtedly one of the most sought after live Dungeon Synth acts around, even though he has branched off into synthwave or vaporwave territory in recent years. I don’t mind it. In fact, I believe his newer outings are perfect for a live act. As a result, he has changed the pacing and enhanced the sound of many of his older tracks to suit the live experience.Quest Master live is a much more upbeat and energetic affair than one would expect. The slightly distorted, constantly changing and shifting video images make sure your focus remains fixed. There's simply too much to take in all the details, nor does pacing allow you to doze off. I do believe there might be a problem involved for people who suffer from epilepsy, which is fortunately limited to a couple of tracks. A mild warning is in place, however.
The titles of the tracks are announced individually each time they come around. Speaking of which, the set was very different when compared to 2025. A couple of tracks made a return, such as Onward Towards the Ethereal Pantheon, The Divine Rays of the Sunrise Eclipse and The Radiant Glow of the Submerged Temple. However, there were many which definitely weren’t part of the set last time. For starters, Obscure Power hadn’t been released back then, so it wasn’t surprising to find out that about three or four tracks came from his most recent album. If there’s one point of criticism I could point out setlist-wise, then it’s the underrepresentation of Twelve Castles. Only a single track came from that record, but fortunately, it was possibly the biggest surprise of the set. We got a brilliant live performance of Twisting Hallways of the Dancer’s Palace, which was amped up both visually (stunning visuals!) and auditory. The biggest surprise for me came earlier in the setlist, when the tempo was briefly slowed down in favor of building up anticipation. I did not know what to expect, but I definitely did not expect a brutal rendition of Sacrificed in the Defiled Chapel of Grivenstrak. If I had been able to stand up there and then, I would have thrown my fist into the air and screamed enthusiastically at the top of my lungs. It's in my top 3 of favorite Quest Master tracks, and one I would never expect would be included in a live set. The ominous footage combined with the dark beat working towards a staggering climax was nothing short of genius. This made my evening, but there was much more to enjoy. Other tracks included The Elder Prism, the futuristic Corporate Crystals, the enchanting Cathedral of Glistening Hope, the meditative Gregorian Chants Piercing Through the Towering Cathedrals of Helmstone City, and many, many others. He closed the set with Draconic Oscillations combined with footage from a Japanese techno-fantasy series from the eighties or nineties. It was a bit of a weird choice for my taste, but I’m not to question his creative decisions. Few words were exchanged after the final track, but Quest Master aka Lord Gorditch was visibly grateful for the reception and the applause he received. Some of us even made a standing ovation. It is only fitting; there is no question he went through countless hours of meticulous video and sound editing to get this result.
Epilogue
The movie theater environment worked out remarkably well, and it offered Dungeon Synth artists, who frequently use video images during their performances, a sense of creative freedom they seldom get to experience. Speaking of experience, it felt a bit different when compared to a classic gig where you stand up and get to do some impromptu moves (be they headbanging, swaying, or throwing your fists into the air). However, I do believe the venue was an excellent choice for which my tired legs were grateful. As a fun bonus, I got to purchase my first Fief long sleeve shirt at the Out of Season stall.
I went home satisfied and energized, as a performance of Quest Master ought to. My thanks go out to all the artists who performed this evening! You are all shining examples of why the Dungeon Synth scene is so unique.
Until next time!
#dungeonsynth #gigreport #questmaster #victorianspecter #regicide #livedungeonsynth #livemusic #filmhuisklappei #antwerp #music
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