Man - an all dungeon synth split is a helluva way to start your Saturday. The thing is - I feel like I kind of needed this. After a long night, there is perhaps nothing better than a wander through the castles and forests of old with two of the premier Finnish dungeon synth bands on the market today. Perfectly complimenting each other, Druadan Forest is wonderfully epic and brooding whereas Old Sorcery embark on something a bit more magical. It's a delight to really lose yourself in the tormented magic of this offering.
Druadan Forest kick off the split with two songs of mystic magic. There is a real breadth to these offerings and a sense of darkness that makes for some magical listening. It's a delight to really get lost in what's being done here. It may be retro facing, but I love it for that. Isn't that the point of this genre anyhow? Old Sorcery, as I said before have a more magical seeming approach. In some ways they are the lighter of the two bands. I particularly enjoy their offering, 'Of Dragons Blood.' The way that Old Sorcery handle the build ups and capture the imagination makes for a delightful conclusion to an epic record.
So yeah - this isn't a split that is reinventing the genre nor one that really breaks any new ground in a very traditionalist sonic landscape. Instead it's just a solid offering that understands exactly what makes dungeon synth such a valuable part of our listening. On cold winter mornings like this one where all seems still and your desire to exit from the murk diminishes it's a pleasure to really immerse yourself into a record like this that hearkens back to days of yore and paints a picture of a time we wish we could reclaim.
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