Title: In the Mists Before the Beginning
Artist: Trogool
Rating: 4.0 / 5
Genre: Dungeon Synth
Year: 2015
Country: USA
Label: Self-released
In the past year since I started this zine, there has been an increase in the Dungeon Synth genre. There are now more active Dungeon Synth projects than ever before, we even saw the release of the first printed Dungeon Synth magazine (Masmorra) and the first live Dungeon Synth performance (Taur Nu Fuin). With the increase of attention to the genre, there is an increase of Dungeon Synth music being created. Some of these projects are exceptional, while others are less creative. Trogool is definitely in the first category rather than the latter, and In the Mists Before the Beginning is a prime example of the modern Dungeon Synth style.
In the Mists Before the Beginning is one of the best new Dungeon Synth projects I’ve come across, next to Faery Ring and the already classic Hedge Wizard. It is clear that Trogool was not created on a whim, but has a specific vision and intent. From the amazing logo to the concepts (according to the bandcamp page, this release is “A chronicle of adventures from North of the Rim” and is adapted the by works of Lord Dunsany), Trogool is the complete package; great art and concepts complimented by strong music. I was first drawn to the project after reading Murgrind’s review that Trogool has a “Conan atmosphere”, and this analogy is very accurate. While most Dungeon Synth projects will cite Basil Poledouris and his Conan The Barbarian soundtrack as an influence, not all show a direct similarity. Trogool’s music carries an almost Mediterranean atmosphere not unlike the Greek composer who created a soundtrack for Conan’s tales of high adventure. Whether or not this was intentional is not known to me, but the feeling remains in any case. The opening track “Far Foothills of the Morning” utilizes strong brass and choir melodies, the trumpets here especially bring the great work of Basil Poledouris to mind. However, this does not imply Trogool is simply imitating other artists, there is a special touch here that could only be found in the Dungeon Synth genre.
The track “Beholder of Ocean” is another great example of why Trogool’s music is exceptional. Rather than taking the listener on a journey into the dark forest, this track evokes visions of a vast sea from the dry coasts. In this sense Trogool reminds me of some of Lord Wind’s work, where the typical castles and European woodland tropes are not explored and the focus is more on the barren fields and dangerous seas of a Hyperborean landscape. The use of percussion adds to these visions and gives the music more depth and focus compared to the more ambient dynamics of many Dungeon Synth projects. Trogool’s debut is an impressive and promising display of Dungeon Synth, which builds upon the foundations of the classics of the genre while also crafting a unique and original vision.
