For example, let’s talk about an artist whose influence on Dungeon Synth cannot be overstated, even though he himself does not label his music as Dungeon Synth. Mortiis is a Norwegian artist who started as a bass player and founding member of perhaps the best black metal band of all time; Emperor. All in all, his tenure was rather short-lived, but he really wanted to forge his own path, even if it proved to be a rockier one when the Black Metal scene in Norway was in full swing. He dared, which is deserving of respect, if nothing else.

To this end, I believe Dungeon Synth is much more than a music genre having evolved from two niche music genres put together. It’s the lifestyle of those who create it wat makes it more defining. It's music with soundtracks for imaginary worlds.

The illustrious blogger Andrew Werdna gave the following description of what Dungeon Synth is back in 2011:

“Dungeon synth is the sound of the ancient crypt. The breath of the tomb, that can only be properly conveyed in music that is primitive, necro, lo-fi, forgotten, obscure, and ignored by all of mainstream society. When you listen to dungeon synth you are making a conscious choice to spend your time in a graveyard, to stare, by candle-light, into an obscure tome that holds subtle secrets about places that all sane men avoid.”

While gloomy and overtly dark in nature, Andrew’s description is apt. This is certainly true for the influence brought on by Black Metal. We tread a world often bereft of light, for that is the place where this music is felt at its strongest. When we take a look at the classic projects, they do include many elements you would find in ambient music (which is how it was called back in the Nineties). Old school Dungeon Synth tends to bear an “ugly” or “unpleasant” sound. In fact, one could question why anyone would want to listen to this genre in the first place. It’s slightly off-key, sometimes even out of tune, often repetitive, and on top of all this is created using analogue techniques to enhance a Lo-fi atmosphere. In this regard, Dungeon Synth perhaps retains the spirit of Black Metal the most, despite having no freezing riffs or suffocating blast beats. Both genres were often created using low-budget equipment and techniques, and are still being used even to this day. Despite this deliberate DIY approach which results in a primitive sound, and contrary to the aggressive approach of Black Metal, the projects which lean more into Ambient Music territory tend to contain many fine details in their compositions. Echoing reverb, choirs, spoken word passages, string arrangements, percussion and subtle piano play (through a synthesizer) bring interesting soundscapes to life. The Austrian band Summoning should be considered as a major influence for the genre and offers a marriage of Ambient and Black Metal Music, but I will gloss over it somewhat quickly for brevity’s sake. Still, their influence on the genre is immense.

Examples of early pioneers of Dungeon Synth include:

The early works of what many now consider Dungeon Synth were often laden with melancholy, whose sound and imagery really hearkens back to its black metal roots. Despite its propensity for rebellion, misanthropy, and dark rituals, Black Metal often has interludes to further enhance the atmosphere the artists want to evoke. It goes a bit against the grain of what Black Metal “should” be, but I believe these interludes occasionally revealed a glimpse of the wounded souls producing such music. Art and heavy hearts often go hand in hand.

However, that doesn’t mean Dungeon Synth has to be this way. One of the heralds of many subgenres within Dungeon Synth would have to be Jim Kirkwood. In fact, his early work seems to predate the Dark Ambient scene derived from Black Metal. He instead took his inspiration from the German Electro scene of the Seventies (as did Mortiis), and combined this with clear hints at literary fantasy, pop culture, and mythology. His sound is far removed from the gloomy atmosphere of the Dark Ambient scene. He opted for a more electronic approach to create veritable soundscapes which remind me of acts such as Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, whose influence is by no means less important. Not just from a musical perspective; the influence of literary fantasy (Tolkien in particular) and even homebrewed worldbuilding would become a staple for many artists in years to come.

The 2000’s were quiet for the genre, but this began to change in the 2010’s when the influence of the internet was soaring to new highs. There are some artists who have made modern classics which inspired many other projects. Not only is Erang’s discography impressive, but all of his music bears references to a fictional world of his own design. One should also consider Vindkaldr, Old tower, and Hedge Wizard as major influences. All of these artists retain many elements from the classics of the Nineties.

However, this doesn’t mean Dungeon Synth has to be this way. In fact, there are many projects nowadays which have drifted away from this approach and chose to produce different sounds and approaches. Incidentally, one of the most popular projects at the time of writing (and one of my favorites) is Fief. The man behind Fief favors a more romanticized vision of the medieval period combined with whimsical fantasy, and his music shows. Some would argue this is more akin to the neo-medieval music genre, but so many Dungeon Synth projects tend to incorporate medieval elements nowadays that it has become very prevalent, so I cannot oversee or ignore it. Here are some other examples as well which many fans consider modern classics of Dungeon Synth who incorporate medieval elements.

There are also projects which do something completely different, but are still regarded as subgenres of Dungeon Synth. You might want to ask yourself: what are the links between these vastly different compositions? It’s the use of a synthesizer as core instrument, creative escapism, and the authentic nature in which this music is conceived. Many Dungeon Synth artists still produce audio cassettes as a way of selling their music, which often end up as meticulously produced packages put together with loving care. Some artists create their own artwork for their music, be they paintings, drawings, photography, or a combination of all three. It speaks volumes to the artists’ commitment to see their dreams come to life through music, knowing fully well that they operate within a niche, if not downright obscure genre. I find its innocence and authenticity awe-inspiring, because it takes great effort and determination to produce this art (as is the case for any form of art).