First official video by Mørke Og Lys out now, ‘Tanacetum Vulgare – Tansy’, taken from the debut album ‘Lethal Sphere’
The first official video by Mørke Og Lys showcases the second track (“Tanacetum Vulgare – Tansy”) from their debut album, “Lethal Sphere”. The video, which can be viewed below, was filmed on Parnitha Mountain in Attica, Greece.
Mørke Og Lys is a one-woman dungeon synth project founded by Hildr Valkyrie, who is well-known for her numerous collaborations as a session vocalist with black metal and dungeon synth bands such as Emyn Muil, Elffor, Helrunar, and many more.
The video follows the sorceress Èrkyna as she searches for rare herbs to gather and increase her powers by creating magical potions for her sorcery. After collecting the herbs, she performs an ancient rite to thank the old gods and goddesses for their gifts of nature, using the same knife that cut the herbs to gain more energy from the steel. She then rests her mortal body at the roots of an ancient tree before continuing her journey on the magical path of sorcery, embracing both darkness and light.
The debut album comprises 11 tracks, each named after a plant species known for its use in witchcraft.
The release is available on cassette via the US-based dungeon synth label, Dark Age Productions.
About dungeon synth as a music genre
Dungeon synth is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by its dark, atmospheric soundscapes, often inspired by medieval, fantasy, and dungeon-like themes. The music typically features synthesizers, keyboards, and sometimes samples, creating a moody and often minimalist sound.
Dungeon synth artists usually tend to focus on creating immersive, atmospheric tracks that evoke a sense of mystery, exploration, and ancient times. The genre has gained a dedicated following over the years, and its influences can be traced to related genres like dark ambient, neoclassical, and neofolk music.
Here are some of the artists active in that specific scene.
- Mortiis – One of the early pioneers of the dungeon synth genre, Mortiis is a Norwegian musician who started his solo project in the early 1990s after leaving the black metal band Emperor.
- Old Tower – A Dutch project that has gained a significant following, Old Tower creates dark, atmospheric music inspired by medieval and fantasy themes.
- Depressive Silence – A German project active in the 1990s, Depressive Silence is considered one of the early influential dungeon synth acts.
- Erang – A French artist known for his prolific output and fantasy-inspired music, Erang has been active in the dungeon synth scene since the early 2010s.
- Fief – An American project that creates light, melodic, and medieval-inspired dungeon synth music.
- Guild Of Lore – Another American project, Guild Of Lore is known for its immersive soundscapes and atmospheric compositions.
- Thangorodrim – A project inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Thangorodrim creates epic and cinematic dungeon synth music.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
