Review published on 18/09/2026.

France is an excellent breeding ground for high-quality Dungeon Synth projects. Erang and John Lordswood are well-known torchbearers in France, but Baddoar certainly deserves this cognomen as well. Forge of Nova is but one of his many projects, but this one sets itself apart because of the space theme, which in turn creates a unique sound. He’s definitely on a roll when it comes to Forge of Nova releases; he has had no less than four(!) releases in a single year. Blood Furnace was released earlier this year to great reception of yours truly, so imagine myself being pleasantly surprised when I learned of newcomer Sterevenn. Forge of Nova brings us cosmic Dungeon Synth meant to suck us into the colorful reaches of outer space where glittering starts, vibrant nebulae, and a carefully constructed pantheon of cosmic deities await. Indeed, Baddoar has enlisted the assistance of an individual called Bleunwoann to help with the worldbuilding aspect of his project. Whoever this person is, I think he or she did a wonderful job, and rightfully deserves credit for this contribution. I suggest reading the background on Forge of Nova's Bandcamp page before giving it a try; it helps with the immersion, which is always important when dealing with music and worldbuilding.

Contrary to many other projects dealing with the space theme, Baddoar seems to regard outer space as a birthplace for wonders (or indeed, life itself) rather than a cold void resulting only in death and oblivion. Is it dangerous? Oh yes, danger does await the unwary traveler, but there is hope to be found here as well. This is important, because hope is one of the universe’s strongest building blocks. Baddoar never leaves sight of this element, though consciously or subconsciously I cannot say.

In my experience, all good Dungeon Synth releases always have great opening tracks. They should draw in the listener one way or another, which in turn creates expectations. To this end, I believe You are Sterevenn is a grand mid-tempo opener in which Baddoar takes his time for the build-up. He does so at first with soft electronica, but later with pounding percussions interlacing with soaring synth play and subtle ambient elements. It becomes even better when we hear a soft choir joining in, giving it an ethereal twist which works wonders for this concept. I’d like to give a special mention to the choice of the title of the track given by Baddoar, because it puts you, the listener, into the role of an apocalyptic dragon which has just witnessed its own birth. It is a bold move creatively speaking (second-person singular narrative can be tricky), but it does wonders to your immersion. He also uses sound effects occasionally, but most effectively when they appear. That distant thunder near the end of the track is pure gold. A promising start to a cosmic Dungeon Synth release if ever there was one.

Budding Greed starts ominously with electronica and eerie synth touches, as if the malignant intentions of the dragon Sterevenn are gnawing at its mind, urging it to become a creature to be feared. I imagine myself seeing the dragon staring at the infinite globes residing within the universe. It becomes increasingly megalomaniacal until it starts to do its terrible work and the Dark Moons Age commences. Budding Greed ends on a quieter note, as if Sterevenn is contemplating its next course of action.

The silence is subtly interrupted by the ambient tones during the opening minutes of Dark Moons Age, which slowly evolve into a dark composition with foreboding undertones. I’d like to imagine the beating of the percussions to be the beating of Sterevenn’s colossal wings, signaling the coming of the dragon to various worlds. They embrace and smother at the same, its influence evident and the consequences immediate. The finale of the track is as triumphant as it is intimidating.

And then there’s Power and Conquest, my favorite track of this album. It starts off ever so quietly, almost completely silent, before the track commences in earnest as we hear a bang of sorts, after which the choir, distant percussions and a dramatic sequence of synth play join in. Again, we hear sound effects, but this time I’d like to regard them as the exhalations of the omnipotent dragon, instilling anticipation to the subconsciousness of the listener. However, the tone shifts somewhat when he hear the sudden inclusions of string instruments and eventual faster pace of the drums, which brings a sense of triumph to the composition. In my mind’s eye, I see Sterevenn’s might growing more powerful with each passing second as the dark moons wax until it is starting to fulfill its apocalyptic destiny. Many worlds see the dragon in their night sky, stricken with fear and awe.

As to the closing tracks of the album, I will be more concise in my analysis. Not that there isn’t much to say about them, but they stand as a little less unique when compared to the first four tracks and contain many of the elements which I have already written down. Be that as it may, I think Unchained has an interesting marching rhythm which I find very appealing, courtesy of a snare drum being put into the forefront. Album closer Revenge taken in Crystal contains the very same snare drum, but it is used in a more subtle way, making it a more solemn composition than the penultimate track. The one thing I’m missing on this record is one last glorious composition, a grand finale suitably glorious for the dragon created specifically for the end times. That’s not a big deal, but it leaves me with a slight sense of hunger, a feeling of a climax which does not come into being. I might have felt different if the album closure had been for example Dark Moons Age, but I do understand the decision when taking the pacing of the record as a whole into account.

My conclusion is that Sterevenn is a bit more grounded and forbidding in its compositions than its predecessor. This release contains darker elements than Blood Furnace, giving Baddoar's most recent album a slightly grimmer tone. It sounds dangerous and foreboding at times, whereas Blood Furnace sounds wondrous and more up-tempo (relatively speaking). As it stands when compared to its illustrous predecessor, I like some individual tracks on Blood Furnace more, but I prefer Sterevenn as a full album, because I think the all compositions combined suit the subject matter a little more.

Fenix Silvermoon approves, and declares: