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ASCEND
artist: VA
year: 2023
label: NTS
catalog_no: ntscv3
country: UK
discogsID: 26454458
format:
1xLP
tracks:
A1: Evol - The Dark Dreamquest (Intro) (2:19)
A2: Corvus Neblus - Forever I Shalt Dwell in Ravenloft (4:44)
A3: Asmorod - Fiat Abyssus (Second Chapter) (8:07)
A4: Vindalv - Swaerth Stimma (excerpt) (6:39)
B1: Apeiron - Pan's Journey To The Cosmic Void (16:07)
B2: Secret Stairways - Lammas Tide (03:45)
C1: Dolch - Tumulus (02:49)
C2: Endoki Forest - II (03:34)
C3: Lunar Womb - Night Towers (09:36)
C4: Maelifell - La Dame du Lac (02:17)
D1: Kadotus609 - The Summoning Through Crimson (06:30)
D2: Neptune Towers - To Cold Void Desolation (11:47)




genres:
['Electronic', 'Rock']
styles:
['Black Metal', 'Atmospheric Black Metal', 'Dungeon Synth']
tags:
['Compilation', 'LP']
notes:
17.03.23 words by Will Dickson

Explore the roots of the dungeon synth sound with ASCEND: in the early 1990s, a handful of black metal artists were enticed by the possibility of conjuring new fantastical worlds from the deep isolation of their home setups. Rather than the dense metal sound of their existing projects, this new direction would be centred around intimate synth soundscapes: forlorn organs and otherworldly MIDI theatrics.

Featured on the compilation is a recently reappraised project from the late Matthew Davis, working under his Secret Stairways. A simple home recording on a Yamaha KX-W392 manages to be both elegant and tortured, ambiguously devotional and recalling latter years Popol Vuh. Previous NTS host and Darkthrone frontman Fenriz also closes the compilation with a track recorded under his Neptune Towers moniker. Italian black metal ensemble Evol provide the compilation opener, with more appearances by Finnish act Kadotus 609 and German band Dolch.

Compiled by Bruno Harper, Samuel Strang and Will Dickson for NTS.