Dungeon Synth albums tend to either hit their mark or run far astray of it; sometimes it works, others it drops like a heavy stone cast into the bottom of a well, dying with an audible plunk! before being forgotten utterly. There are innumerable practitioners of dungeon synth, but in a burgeoning genre of shameless imitators and low-low effort albums there is a dearth of projects that evoke the same thrill of innovation and sense of wonder that the minority manage to conjure up: a real sense of otherworldly glamour and fantasies fair or foul. That is what dungeon synth, to me, is about: escapism and immersion within realms most extraordinary, and one-man dungeon synth act Nameless King’s 2019 release of “Sovereignless Souls” is one such album that captures the aesthetic and spirit of the genre almost flawlessly.
This album doesn’t stray far thematically from the project’s other releases, but this one is apt to be a favorite of fans of Dark Souls and dungeon synth in general. Many bands have taken up the Dark Souls banner as an inspiration for their music. “Sovereignless Souls” is awash in Dark Souls lore, as well as wistful and foreboding ambiance that is as captivating as it is elegiac. Crisp production, bright keys and woodwinds contrasting with ominous drones, all executed with deft precision create an inimitable – and palpable – atmosphere of grim medieval darkness and adventurous longing.
For fans of Dark Souls and dungeon synth alike
Listen and support below:
Sovereignless Souls by Nameless King
Towers of Rust 