Erang
To start things off for my series delving into the mysterious depths of the world of dungeon synth, I’d like to talk about Erang. While it would make sense to start off with the godfathers of the genre (such as Mortiis, Burzum (ambient albums, obv), Lord Wind, etc.), I’m gonna mix it up a bit and kick off with some Erang!
Anyway, I consider him arguably the best of the new school of dungeon synth artists, because he remains true to the spirit of the original pioneers of the genre while at the same time bringing in his own style and influences as well. Plus, it’s actually really good!! I’m not a huge fan of his earlier stuff (I found “Tome I” – “Tome IV” a bit too “amateurish” for my tastes), it’s pretty obvious that Erang is channeling something very special indeed. I picked several of my favorite albums to discuss:
Another World, Another Time (2013)
Another World Another Time (2013)
It’s with this album that Erang takes his shit to the next level. It’s so good!! Perfect for what I was looking for in quality dungeon synth / RPG music. The song “The Kingdom of Erang” is a great example of how he combines the old-school sound of early Mortiis with his own, more modern and polished style. The simplicity of the music is still there, but he’s also not just purely emulating or copying Mortiis…pretty genius stuff!! I wish I could make music like this!! Great album, but not quite as good as “Within the Land of My Imagination, I am the Only God”.
Within the Land of My Imagination, I am the Only God” (2014)
Within the Land of My Imagination I am the Only God
Yeah!! This is another excellent Erang release!! Lots of beautiful, atmospheric, and imaginative dungeon synth, great for role-playing and/or stimulating your imagination!! From gorgeous, contemplative stuff (“Autumnal Lullaby”, “The Age of Wonder”) to heroic, video game-inspired pieces (“Feast of the Night”, “The Underwater Kingdom’s Coral Palace”), and more traditional-sounding dungeon synth (“The Execution of the Drunken Tyrant”, “Funeral for Erang”, and “My Heart Belongs to the North”), this release has it all. I can’t recommend it enough, as it is easily one of the best albums of the new wave of dungeon synth. Also, killer album title…it definitely has had a big impact on me.
We Are the Past
Destined to be another classic release, this is the most recent of Erang’s albums and is somewhat of a departure from what he’s put out in the past. This time around, he has incorporated more guitars and stringed instruments (one song even bordering on full-on folk metal!) and the sound, while still clearly Erang, has shifted a bit more into neofolk and ambient celtic/medieval type stuff. Still great for role-playing games and medieval ambience, but a little less “dungeon synth”-esque. While I really enjoyed this album, my favorites are still “Another World, Another Time” and “Within the Land of My Imagination, I am the Only God” just because they’re essentially a modern take on the kind of music I’ve been searching for for years, thinking that it had probably gone extinct with the original “first wave” of dungeon synth and was a dead genre.
In closing, Erang is a great place to start for anyone looking to check out new-school dungeon synth! In my opinion, his music is the best of the new stuff right now. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Listen and support Erang’s music: http://erang.bandcamp.com
Keep updated about Erang: https://www.facebook.com/kingdomoferang
Erang’s channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/songsoferang
Katabaz Records: http://katabazrecords.bandcamp.com/
Read our interview with Erang here!
