Dungeon Synth fanatics that are familiar with the works of Nameless King know that it is full of medieval, mellow song structures and contains elements of acoustic arrangements. Although a bit different from your typical DS album, it is firmly rooted in the genre and last months ‘Disciple Of The Dark Sun’ is one of my favorite DS releases of the year so far.
Halberdier is conjured from the same mastermind that created the aforementioned project, but this time fantasy-style keyboards and esoteric-themed arrangements battle to the forefront to make ‘To Return Victorious’ another DS album of the year contender.
First of all, the preparation of each track is extremely smooth and well thought out and blend seamlessly into the next as if the whole album is telling the story of a great King’s warrior returning to his kingdom. Additionally, the production element is fantastic! Even the low end bass keyboard tones that are present in a few songs are heard equally in the mix. Just like traditional old-school black metal, I know production is not an element of success or even a focus of attention half the time. In some cases, Dungeon Synth is the same way and fortunately – for both genre’s – there is a time when great production does and doesn’t work. In this case, it’s a prominent feature of this album! Some stand out tracks include, “A Wretched Sleep In The Rain”, “Fear In The Horsman’s Eyes”, and “A Proper Burial For The Fallen”.
I really hope this is a first of many albums to come from Halberdier. This is an exceptional DS album without having over-the-top quirky elements and without also straying far from the path. These ten tracks are so absolute, that the album will be on repeat before you know it. Please support this amazing up and coming DS artist by clicking on the link below and downloading ‘To Return Victorious’.
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Dungeon Synth & Dark Ambient Reviews!! 