Today, MetalTalk shares a premiere of the video for Shadows Awake, from Anglachel. The track is the opener of the Dungeon Synth album Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin a concept based on a tale by J.R.R. Tolkien. The album has been revisited and will be re-released on 15 March 2025.
“I wanted to capture the feeling of a world on the edge of ruin,” Admetos told MetalTalk about the latest album, a concept based on one of Tolkien’s most powerful stories. The story is of a time when honour, courage and strength dominated the world.
As a genre, Dungeon Synth is built on atmosphere, storytelling, and nostalgia for fantasy worlds and is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged from Black Metal in the early 1990s. With fantasy-inspired and often dark ambient sounds, there is often an atmospheric, dungeon-crawling or mystical feel.
With Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin, and especially the re-release, Anglachel will solidify the album’s classic album status in the Dungeon Synth community. “It blends atmospheric and medieval-inspired sounds to capture the fall of Gondolin and the journey of its survivors,” Admetos says of the story behind the album. “The album is about loss, resilience, and the passage into the unknown, staying true to the themes of the original tale.”
Anglachel And A World On The Edge Of Ruin
The inspiration and writing process were all driven to create an album that would reflect the tension and inevitability of Gondolin’s downfall. “I wanted to capture the feeling of a world on the edge of ruin, using layered synth textures, dark melodies, and a sense of movement that mirrors the story’s events,” Admetos says. “The writing process was immersive. I focused on building an atmosphere that feels both ancient and cinematic.
“At the same time, since this is a concept album based on one of Tolkien’s stories, I have tried to follow the sequence of the major facts of that story in every song.”
Anglachel, a project by Admetos (Elegos, Faunus), made its debut in 2017 with the release of the EP Of Tuor And His Coming To Gondolin. Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin was the first full-length, self-released on CD in 2019. The next full-length was Of The Men Of Dorlómin And Their Sacrifice In Nirnaeth Arnoediad, released in 2020. 2023 saw the release of the full-length Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath, a year which also saw Anglachel’s live debut.
Anglachel On The Roots Of Dungeon Synth
As a genre, Dungeon Synth has its roots in the release of the Mortiis album Født til å Herske in 1994, cited by many as one of the first true Dungeon Synth albums. The release in 1996 of Demo I by Depressive Silence is also considered a foundational work of the genre.
“Although Dungeon Synth originally started during the early ’90s,” Admetos says, “it was then lost for some years and was actually revived during the 2010 decade. Nowadays, it has flourished since it’s a creative space where artists can explore themes of medieval history, mythology, and adventure without the constraints of mainstream music.”
A Vibrant, Online-Driven Community
Dungeon Synth has grown into a vibrant, online-driven community, with Bandcamp being a major platform for releases. Despite its underground nature, it continues to attract new listeners, especially among those who enjoy fantasy, Black Metal, and retro RPG soundscapes.
In February 2025, Albion Dungeon Fest was a weekend sellout in London. Further afield, Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXXV is a multi-day DIY Dungeon Synth Festival taking place at The Raven in Worcester, Massachusetts, March 28th – March 30th. Echoes from the Dungeon Fest was recently held in Amsterdam too.
Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin will be released by FYC Records on 15 March 2025 in a Deluxe Edition 6-Panel Digi CD Format, limited to 200 copies, with a monogram patch and two stickers. There are also digital formats, plus other merch. There is also a bonus track, In Solitude I Wander.
“The scene is diverse, independent, and deeply connected to fantasy literature and RPG culture,” Admetos says of Dungeon Synth, “which makes it a perfect fit for an album like this.”
For more details of Anglachel, including links to Bandcamp for ordering Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin, visit linktr.ee/Anglachel.
Of Tuor, Idril, And Their Departure From Gondolin
- Shadows Awake
- Maeglin’s Treason
- Betrayed Homeland
- Under Siege
- Chants for Salvation
- Tuor Fights Maeglin
- Idril’s Secret Way
- Farewell to Gondolin
- Exiled in Barren Lands
- Sailing to Valinor
- In Solitude I Wander (Exclusive Bonus Track)
