(Actual) Dungeon Synth

A Guide For People Who Are New To The Genre

Required Listening

The heart and essence of dungeon synth is comprised of these albums. Some of these may be repeated elsewhere in this site.

Mortiis

Anden som Gjorde Opprør

Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent

Crypt of the Wizard

Burzum

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (Tomhet)

Dauði Baldrs

Hliðskjálf

Depressive Silence

Mightiest/Depressive Silence Split

The Darkened Empires

Mourning/Demo '96

Self-titled ("The 7in")

Mournlord

Reconquering Our Kingdom

Elffor

Dra Sad I-III

Everything else.

Corvus Neblus

Strahd's Possesion - Chapters I & II

Dark Ages

A Chronicle Of The Plague

The Tractatus De Hereticis Et Sortilegiis

Gvasdnahr

Through Mists and Ruins

Murgrind

Inheritor Of The Forest Throne

Journey Through The Mountain

Forgotten Kingdoms

Blue Moon Gate Between Worlds

Old Tower

Rise Of The Specter

Remembrance Of The Lone Enclave (Compilation)

Erythrite Throne

Everything

Valar

Towards The Great Unknown

Old Sorcery

Realms of Magickal Sorrow

Strange and Eternal

Erang

Tome I-IV

Thangorodrim

Taur nu Fuin

Til Det Bergens Skyggene

Self-Titled

Darken Wood

I-VI

Vinkaldr

Enchantments of Old Lore

Secret Stairways

Enchantment Of The Ring

Lamentation

Whispers From Carmilla's Tomb

As ShadowKingdom Comes To My Sight

Fullmoon Over Faarhaeven

Origins

These artists and albums comprise the earliest dungeon synth within a reasonable frame of time. Of course, the artists that influenced these albums might be called "proto-dungeon synth" but that's beyond the scope of this site.

Mortiis

The Song of a Long Forgotten Ghost

Født til å Herske

Anden som Gjorde Opprør

Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent

Crypt of the Wizard

Dark Funeral

In Thy Forest

The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud

Self-titled

Die Verbannten Kinder Evas

Self-titled

Pazuzu

And all was silent...

Awaken the Dragon

Wongraven

Fjelltronen

Cernunnos Woods

Lost Woods

Awaken the Empire of Dark Wood

Tears Of The Weeping Willow

Immrama

Lunar Womb

Planets

The Astral Grief

Gothmog

Medieval Journeys

Lamentation

Eine Symphonie Der Nacht

Fullmoon Over Faerhaaven

As ShadowKingdom Comes To My Sight

Mournlord

Reconquering Our Kingdom

Depressive Silence

Mightiest/Depressive Silence Split

The Darkened Empires

Mourning/Demo '96

Self-titled ("The 7in")

Burzum

Self-titled

Det Som Engang Var

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

Filosofem

Dauði Baldrs

Hliðskjálf

Equitant

The Circle of Agurak

Aghast

Hexerei Im Zwielicht Der Finsternis

Penitent

Demo 1995

Fata Morgana (Mortiis side-project)

Self-titled

VOND (Mortiis side-project)

Selvmord

The Dark River

Green Eyed Demon

Secret Stairways

Enchantment of the Ring

Turning Point

Drifting Across the River

Asmorod

Dance in the Winter Fog

Maelifell

The Summerlands

Demo '96

Walpurgisnacht

Die Biomechanische Kriegsmaschine

Nocturnal Funeral

The Winterfog

Promotape II

Dragonwynd (TSBB side-project)

Amulet ov Ages

Valar

Into The Unknown

Wings of Darkness

Where Dragons Forever War

Lord Wolf

Awakening The True Face Of Darkness

Darklands Of Hate

The Empire of Blood and Shadows

Solanum

Spheres of Time

Spectral Poetry

Mimir

Like A Dark Night Of Winter

Dark Forest

Wirbelnde Winde Der Zeit

Cintecele Diavolui (Mortiis side-project)

The Devil's Songs

Eternal Fear

Ancient Woods

Forest Silence

Winter Circle

Casket of Dreams

Dragons of Autumn Twilight

Forgotten Pathways

Shrouded In Mystery

Jääportit

Halki Lumisen Metsän

Kauan Koskematon

Ildjarn

Unknown Truths

Landscapes

2000s

Dungeon synth music experienced a noticeable decline in the quantity of releases during the 2000s. Despite this, there are still some highly-celebrated releases from the first decade of the 21st century. Again, this is non-exhaustive.

Elffor

Into The Dark Forest

Mittwinter

Vinterdrøm

Uruk-Hai

A Night In The Forest

Dragons of War

Valar / Uruk-Hai - To Whatever End / Enslaved In Evil Darkness

Aardia

Fairy Tales From Beyond

Embraced By Fear

Sirion

The Long Journey

Quenta Silmarillion

Emperor of the Forest

Compilation

More...

Night of Swarog

Era of Ice

Nebel Torvum

Fallen Leaves Forgotten

Old Monks' Saga

Epopee

Aldaron

Forest Path

Vinterriket

Several releases...

Mortiis

The Stargate

Cain

Notforgiven

Valar

Magic and Wyrmfire

Hidden Paths

Valar / Uruk-Hai - To Whatever End / Enslaved In Evil Darkness

Mortiis

The Stargate

Modern

Since the resurgence of dungeon synth music after the "rediscovery" by Andrew Werdna the genre has exploded in popularity (for better or worse), resulting in a deluge of thousands of releases. Most modern dungeon synth falls short of the genre definition. To that end, these are modern quintessential dungeon synth albums/E.P.s/demos.

Elffor

Dra Sad Trilogy

Sequestered Keep

The Land Beyond Dreams

The Vale of Ruined Towers

Wandering Far

Thangorodrim

Taur Nu Fuin

Gil Estel

Mortiis

Spirit of Rebellion

Barak Tor

March of the Triumphator

Murgrind

Journey Through The Mountain

Inheritor of the Forest Throne

Old Tower

The Rise of the Specter

Stellary Wisdom

Remembrance of the Lone Enclave

The Last Eidolon

Mournful Moon

...As Shadows Fall Over Zenitheaen

Forgotten Kingdoms

Demos

Blue Moon Gate Between Worlds

Wallachian Cobwebs

Night Sobbed A Potion Diseased

Sombre Arcane

Realmsong

Dungeontroll

The Resurrection of Uzohrian Glory

Seregost

Halls Of A Nameless King

Kyvon

Frozen Grimoire

Lone Sentinel

Grieving the Lost Ones

Frostgard

Valaquenta I & II

Elminster

Kingsorrow

Mournbound

Legends of the Dragon Forge

Grim Horn

Call of the Ancient Spirits

Ghoëst

Demos 1-18

Tales Under the Oak

The Toad King