░░
▐███▓
▐████ G R A V E W I S H ░░▄
▓░ ░█▓██▌░ ▓░ ░▐██▓ ▄
▄██▄▀▓░ ▐████▄ ▐██▄▄ ▄▄▄ ░███ ░▄█▌▓░
▄████░▀ ██████ ░█▓███▌ ░███▓ ▐██▌ ▓▄▄███░
░████▀ ░ ░▐██▀███▓ ░██████▓ ▐██▌ ▐██▌░▄▄▄██████▀▓
▐▓██▓ ▓ ▐██▌▓▀██▄ ▐██▌▐███ ░███▓ ███▐███▀▀▀▀ ░▄
░███▌▓ ▐█░░░▄▄▓░██▓▓ ███▄ ▐▓█▌░███▌ ▐██▌░ ███ ░██▌ ▄████▓ ░░
▓███░ ▐██████▌░███▓ ███▄ ███▄▄▓███▌ ░███░░▐███ ░█████▀▀ ▄▄▄▄▄░
▓███░▓ ▓ ███▓░▐██▓▓_▄████▓███████████▓ ▐██▌░▐███ ███▓ ▄▄██████▓░
▐██▌░░▓ ▄██▌░ ▐███████▀▀ ███▀▓ ░▐███▄ ███▓███▌ ░██▌▄████▀░ ▐░▌
░▀██▄▄▄▄███▀ ░▐██ ▐██▌ ████░ ▀███▄ ▐▓█████▓ ░█████▀░ ▄ ▓
▀███████▀ ▐██ ███ ████▌░ ░▀███▄██████ █▓██▓ ▀░▀ ▐░
▓▀▀▀▓ ░▐██ ███▌ ░▀░▓ ░░░▓▓▀▀░ ▓▓▀▀▓ ░▀▀▀▄ ░
▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ███░ ░ ░▓█████▄▓ ░▓▓ ░██▌ ░█
▀░▀ █ ░▓ ░███▓ ▄▓██░ ▄███▓▐███░ ░▌ ░███ ▄ ▀█░▄▄▄
▄ ░▐███▓ ▐██▌ █████▌ ░███▓░ ███░ ▓ ░▐██░ ▀ ▄ ▀▀░
▄ ▀ ▐███▌ ░███ ▀██▓██▄ ▄██▀ ▐███ ░██▌ ▀██▄
▄██▀ ░▓▓ ████▓ ███▓ ░░░ ██▌░▄██▓ ░███▓ ░ ▓▐██▓ ░ ▐▓▓▄
▐▓▓▌░ ░██▓ ████▌ ▐██▌▓▄█▓░ ▀███▀ ███▌░ ░▌ ░▐██▄███▄▄▄▓▓▓▀░▀
▀▓▓▓▄▄▓██▌░ ██▓██▓ ▐██▌███░ ████▄ ▀▓▓▓ ▓ ░ ░░███████▓▄
▓▓▐██▓▓ █████▌ ███▌███░ ▄██ ██▓ ░░ ▄▄▄██████████▌▓▐███░
▓██▌░▐██▀███▓███▓███░ ██▓▓▓ ▀ ░▄▄███▀▀▀▀▓ ░███▌ ░██▓▄
░███ ██▌ ▐██████░▐██▓██▓▓▄▄▄████▀▀░▓▄░ ▐████ ██░ ▀ ▄
▀█░▄▄▄ ▐█████ █████▌░▐███████████░░ ░▓███▓░ ▐██▓██ ░██ ▀██▄
▀▀░ ▓▀███▓ ▐░▀▀█ ███████▀▀░▐█▄░░ ▒▐███▓ ░▄██████ ███░ ▐▓▓▌
▄ ░░ ░ ░ ▄▓▀██▄▀ ▄████▄██▌███▓ ▄███▀▐▓▀ ▐██ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
▀░▀ ░ █ ▄▓▓▀░▓▓░ ░███▓▓▒▒█▌░██░ ████▓ ▓ ░██▌▀▄ ▀▓▄
▄ ░ ▓███████ ░ ░████▒░░██▌██░░███▀ ▐██▌ ▀▓▓▄
▄ ▀ ▓██████████░ ▐███░█▓▐░██▐▌▄███▓ ▓ ░▐██▄ ▐▓▓▓
▄██▀ ▓███████▓▓▓█▄▄ ▐██▓▒░░░███▐███▀ ▀██░ ▄▓▓▓▓
▐▓▓▌ ░ ██▓░░▓█████▓▓▓█▀ ░██▓▒░░░███▐██▓ ░░ ▄▄▓▓▓▓▓▀
▀▓▓▓▄▄ █▓░ ░▓████▓██▓▓█░ ██▓▒░▀███▌ ▓ █▀▄ ▀▄▓▓▓▀▀
██░ ░████▓▓▓█▓█░░░▐█▒▀▄░▄██░ █ ▄▓▓▀
░ █▓ ▓ ▓ ░▓███▓▓▓▓████▐▓▒▒▓████░ ▓ ▄ ▓▓▀
██ ▄▀▀▀▌▓ ░██████▄▄▄▄▄██▄▓▓▓███░░░░▄▄▄▄▄ ░ ▀ ▄ ▀▓ ░
▓█░ ▓▐▄▓ ▌ ▓▓▐█▀▒▒▒▒████▀░ ░░░▀█████▓▒▒▒▓▀█▌▓ ▀██▄
░▄█▓ ▄▄ ▓▄ ▌▀ ▓█▄█▄▄▓▓▀▀███▓░▄▄▄▄░░███▓▓░▄▄▄██▌ ▐▓▓▌ ░ █
▓█▓░▓█ ▀▌ ▐▄ ▐ ░█▓▓▀▀▀██▄█▓███▄█▄█▄▄▄▀▀▓▓▓ ░ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ░
▓█▓ ▓▐ ░ ▌ ▐▓ █▓▄▓▀░▓██░ ▀██████▀███▄░ ▄██▀▀ ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄
░██░ ▀▌▀▄▄▓ █ ░▄▀▓ ▓ ▓█▓░ ▒ ▒██▓▓ ▓░░▀▄▄░▀ ░ ▀▀████████▀
█▓░ ▀▌ ▄▀░ █▌▓ ▒ ██▓ ░ ░░▀▄ ░ ▀██▀
█▓ █ ░ ░ █░ ░█▌ ▓░ ▐█▓ ░ ░█░ ▀░▐
█▓ ▄▀█░ ░█░ ░ █▌ ░▓░ █▓ ░ ░ █ ▄ ░
█ ▓█▓ █ ░ █░▓ ░███▄▓░ ░▌▌ ░ ░█ █
░█▓▄ █▓▓░ ░▓█▀█▓▓▓▓█▓ ░ ░ ▐█ ▄
▄ ▀▓░ ▐▓▓░ ░ ░ ░ ▀░▀▀░ ░ ▓▌ ▀ ▄
▄██▀ █▓░ █░▓ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ▌ ▀██▄
▐▓▓▌ █▓░░█░▐█▓░░░ ░ ░ ░░ ░ ░░ ▌ █▀▄ ▐▓▓▌ █
▀▓▓▓▄▄ ██░░░▐█▓░▓░ ░░ ░█ ▌█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
█ ▀▀██▄ ░█░░▐█░▓░░▓ ░ ░ ▓ ░▓▌ ▄
░ ▀ ▓█░▐█▌░▓░░░ ░ ░░ ░░ ▓█░░ ░ ▐ ▀ ▄ ▓
░ ▐█░██░▄▓░░░▓ ░ ░ ░ ░▓░░░░█ ▀██▄
█ ▄ ▄ ▓█▐█▓▐▓░░▓█████▄░░░ ___░ ░░░▐█▓ █░ ▐▓▓▌
█ ▀░▀ ░ █ ▓███▓░▄██████████░░ _▄█████████▄ ██▓░█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
█ ▄ ▐█▌░▐███████████▌▓█▓▄▄▓███████████▌▐███▌ ▄██▀▀ ░ █
█▓ ░ ▄ ▀ ▐█░░████░█████████▌▓░███░█████████▌│▐██▌▀
█ ▄██▀ ▄▀██░░█████████████▌░░░▌▐███████████▌▓▐██ ▄
█ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▀ █░█░░▐█▓█████████▓ ▄▓▓░░███████████▓▓██▓▄ ░ ▀░▀ ▓█
█ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ █ ▄▓ ▐▌▓░░████████░░░▐█░██ ░░█████████░▓███ █
█ ▄▓▀ ░█▌▓░░▀▓████▀░░░ ██▓██▓░ ░▀▓▓▓▀▀ ░░▐█▌▄ ░ ░ █
█ ░ ▄██▀ ▐██░░░░░░░░░░░ ███▓███░ ░ ░░░ ░ █░ ▀ ▄ █
█ ░ ▐▓▓▌ ██░░░░ ░ ░ ░ ░███▓███░░░ ░ ░ ░▌ ▀██▄ ▓█
█ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ ▀█░░░░░░░ ░ ░███░█▓█░▌░ ▄░░ ░░_▄█ ░ ▐▓▓▌ ▄
█▓ ▄▄ ▀▀██▄ ▐██▄▄█▄▓░ ░█▓█░▐██▓▌░░▓ ▄▄▓▓██▀░ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ▀░▀
▄ █ ▄▓▐▀ ▀ ░▐▓█████░░ ░▀█░░▓▀▓░ ░░████▄█▓ ▄▄▄██▀▀▐▓▄▄▄
░▀ █▓ ▄▓▀░ ▄▀ █▀▄ ▐ ░███▀░░░▓░ ▓░▀░ ░ ▓▐▓▌▓ ▄▓▓▀▀ ▀▄ ▀▓▄ ▓█
▄▓▓▀ █ ▌ ░▌▌▀█▓▓░▐▓░░ ▄░▓▓ ░ █▓▌░██▀ ░ ▀▓▓▄ █
▐▓▓▓▐ ░ ▄ █ ▌▌░▐▄▓▓░░░█▓▄█▓████▄█▀▓▄███ ░ ░ ▐▓▓▓▌█
▐▓▓▓▓▄ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▓ ░▌▓░▐▓▀█▀██████▀██░█░▌█░▓▓▌▓ ░ ▄▓▓▓▓▌█
▀▓▓▓▓▓▄▄░▀ ▀██▄ ▌░░▐█ ░░▐▌░█▌▌░▐█░░░█░░▀▓▓ ░ ▄▄▓▓▓▓▓▀ █
█ ▀▀▓▓▓▄▀ ░ ▐▓▓▌█ ░░██▄██▌░▐▌▌ ░▌███▓░ ▀▓▄ ▀▄▓▓▓▀▀ █
█▓ ▀▓▓▄ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ░ ░▓█████ ▓▓ ▐██░▌▓░ ░ ▀▀■ ░ ▄▓▓▀ ▓█
█▓ ▀▓ ▄██▀▀ ░ ░░██▄▀░▓░▓ ░▌▀█▀█░░ ▓ ▓▓▀ ▓█
▓█▓ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▓ ░ ░▌░▓▓▓█ ▓ ▐░▓░░░░ ░ ▓ ▓ ▀▓ ▓█▓
▓██▀██████████████████████████▓▐▄▄▄▄▐░▓░▌▓ ▄▌░█████████████████████████▀██▓
▓██▄▓▄██████████████████████████▓░░▓███▓▓▌▀▀▀▓░█████████████████████████▄▓▄██▓
▓████████████████████████████████░░░▓▓█▌▓░░░███████████████████ ▄██████████▓
▓██ ▐▄ ▄▓▓ ▐█
▐██ ▄▄▓█▌ ▄▄▓▐█▄▓ ▄█▀▓█▌ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▐█▌ ▄▄▄
▓█▀█▄ ▓█▀▀█▌ █▓▓█▀▀█▌ ▐█▐█ ▓█▀ █▀ ██▀▀▓ ▓██▄ ██▓█▀▀█▄▐██
▓█▌ ▐█▌ █▌▀█▄▄██ █▌▀█▄▄██▄██▄▀ ▄▄█▄██▄██▀▀█▄▄▓ ██▀█▄█▌ ██▀▀ █▌█
█▌██ ▐██▀ ██ ▐██▀ ██▓ █████▀▀▓▄▄ ▄████▀ ▓ ▀██▌ █▌ ▓█▀
▓█▌▐█▌ ▓▀ ▀▀ ▓▀ ▀▓ ▀▀▀ ██▓ ██ ▀▀ ▀ █▌ ▓
▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▐█▓ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓██▄█▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▌▀
░▓█▓░ ▀█▄ ▓▐█▀▀ ░▓█▓░
░█▓░░ ▓ ▓ ▓░▓█░
░▓▄█████▄░ ▄ ▄ ▓▄██████▄░
░▐██▀▀▀▀███▓░ ▀▓▀ ▀▓▀ ░███▀▀▀▀██▄▓
▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀
███ ████▀ ▄▀▀▄▄█████▄▄ ▄▄█████▄▄▀▀▄ ▀████ ██
██ ▀██▄▐▄ ■ ▄██▀▀ ▀██▄ ▄ ▄██▀ ▀▀██▄ ■ ▄ ▄██▌ ▐█▓
░▓▄ ▀██▄▀▓█▄▄▄█▀▀ ▄ ▄▓▓▄ ▐█▌ ▌ ▀▓▀ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▓▓▄ ▄ ▀▀▓▄▄░▄██▀ ▄▀
▓░▓▄███ ▐▀ ▀▓▀ ▀▀ ▄██▀ ▀██▄ ▀▀ ▀▓▀ ▀███▄ ▓▓
▄██▀▓ ■ ▀▄▀ ▀▄▀ ■ ░▀███░
▓███▓ ░░ ▐▌ ▐▌ ░███▓
███▌░ ▀ ▀ ███▓
▐██▀ ▀███░
██▌ Artist...: Old Sorcery ░▐██▌
░▐██ Album....: The Escapist ░██▌░
▓▐██ Year.....: 2025 ▓▐██▓
▓▐██ Rel. Date: 2026-03-21 ░▐██▓
▐██ Genre....: Darkwave ██▌░
░ ██▌ Label....: Out Of Season ██▌
▐██ Source...: CD ▐██
░▐██▌ Type.....: Album ▐██▌░
▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░
▐██░░▀█▄░ ▓█▌ ███
▀██▓ ▓█▄ ▄█▀ ▓██▀
▓██▄ ▓▓▀▄ ▄▓▀ ▄██▓░
██▌ ▓ ▄▄▄ ░ ▐██▓░
██▌ ░ ░▀▄▓▓█▀█▄▀▀░ ▓██░
░██░ ░ ░▄ ▄▄██▐▓▓█▄░▄█▌██▀▀ ▀░ ░ ▄▄▀▀█░░▐█░
▄ ▐█▌░ ░▄▄▀▓▓███▀▄░ ▓▄▄█▌▓▓█ ▓█░
▀░▀ ██ ▀▀▀ ░█▓▄▄▄█▀░ ▓█
░▐█▌ ░█▌▐▓ ▓▄▄░ ▌
░█░ ▄ ▐▓▓▀▀▀░▓█▄▄░
░░▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▀█░▄▄▄ ▄█░▄▀▀▄▀▀▄░▀▀▄
▀▀████████▀░ ▀▀░ ▄█▓░░░░▀░░█ █▄█▓
▐█░▀██▀ ▄█▓░░░ ▐ ▄ ░▓█▄
▓ ▐▌ ▐ ▄█▀█░ ░ ░ ▄ ▀█▄▓█░
░▓▓▀▀░▄ ▌▓ ■░▒ ░ ▄ ▐▀▀▓▄█▓░░ ░ ░ ▄█▀█░█▐▓▌▀▄
░▀█▌ ▓ ▓▀▓ ░▄▄▓▀▓░ ░▀█░▀█▄░░ ░█░ ██ █░▀█▐▌
░▓░░▐▌ ▌ ░░■ ▄█▐ ▐ ▓▓▓█░▓█▄▄█░ █▓█▓▌░ ▀ ▄
▓░▓ █▓▐░▌ ▓ ░▓▓ ▓▐▒▄░░▐▓█ ▌ █▀▀░▐▀░█▀▓ ▐▌ █▌ ▀░▀
▄ ▐░▌░▐█ █▌ ▓ ░█░░█▀ ▐▓▐░ ▀▄▄▀▀▌░ ▄▄███▐████▄▓ ▌ █
░ █ ─▀▀▀█▓░█▄▌ ▐░▐░ ▄▄▄░██ ░ ░ ░▓░ ▐▌▓▄▌▓▓▌▓▐▓█▀ ■
▄ ▌ ▀█▄█▌ █▌▐▓░█▓ ▀ ░░░ ░▓█▄█ █▓▓▓▓▓█▄▓▓▐▓ ░ █
░ ▄ ▀ ░ ░ ▓██ ▄██▀ ░▌█░▄░██░░▐▌ ▄ ░▌▄░░░▄▌░▌▀ ▄ ░ █
▄██▀ ░░▓ ░▀█▐█▀▀▀▀▀ ▐▄██▀▀█▌░░▌ ▀░▀ ░▌ ▀░▀ ▐ █ █
█▄▐▓▓▌ ▀▄▄ ██▌▒ ░▄░ █▐▓░▐░ ░ ░▌▄ ░▌ ▄ ░
██ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ ░▓░ ▐██▀▀▀▓░ ▐█▌░ ▌░ ███▄░ ░▌ ▀ ▄ █
███ ▄ █▄▄██ ░░ █▐░ ▐▓ ▐▓██░ ░▓▓ ▀██▄
███ ███▌ ▀░▀ ░▀██▌ ▐▓▌░ ▌░ ▐▓█▓ █ ░ ▐▓▓▌
███ ▓████░ ▐█▌▄▄ ░ █▐▓ ░▌░ ░█▓▌░ ░ ▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
███ ▐█▓██░ ▒▐▌ ░▄██ ██░ ▄▄█▌▌░▄█░░░░░██░░ ▓▌ ░ ░░▌ ▀▀▓▌░
██▌░ ████░ ▄██▄░ ▄▄███ ▄██▄▄ █▓▓░▓█▓▓▄█▓▓▓░▌░░ ░█ ▄▄▓▄░▀▄█▓░▓▄▀▀▀█
██▌▓░████▓░ █▌░ █████▌ ▀██▀▀ ▓▀▀▀▓▄ █▄█▐█▓▓▓█▌▓░ ░░ ▐▄▄▄▄█▓ ▄░ ░ ▒█████
███▓▄████▓ █▌ ▐██ ██▌ ░██ ▄█ ░▄▄░▓██▀███▄▄▄██▀░▓▄▓█▀▀░░ ▀▒ █░ ░ ░ ▄▀▀█▄
██████████████████████████▄██▄▄▓█░██▄███▀░░░█▓▄▄▄█░▄▄▄▐█▓▄▓▓▓▓▄█▀▀█▄▄█▀░▄██▄
████▀███████████▓███████████████▀▓▓▀▐▌█▌█▀░▐█▀▀░ ▐███▄█▄▌░ ▀▄█░░░▌▄░░▄▓░▐▓▄▓▀
██▄▓▄████████████████████▓████████████▓▌███▓░░░▄░░░░███▓░█████▀░▀▐ ▓▓▓▐▓█████
████████▄▄███████████████████▐████████████████████████████████████▓█▌██████
▓█░▓▄▄▄████▄▓▀ ▄▄▓ ▄▄▄░█▌ ░▄▀▀▄█▓░ ▓▓█░████▓███░██▀▓▓███▓
▓██▓▐█▌ ███▄▄ ▐███▄ ▓▄█▀▀ ▐█▄█▀ ▄▀▀░ ▄█▀░ ░ ▓████████▐██████▓█▓
▓█ ██ ░█▓ ▐█▄▓██▄██▄▐█▌░ ▐██▌▓▄█▀▓ ▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄ ▓██▓▓▓▀▄████▐░███
█░█▌▄ ▐█▀██▀ ██▀ ▀███▄▄█▓ ███████▄▓▀▀▀▀▄▓ ░▄██▓ ▓ ▓██▓▀▄█████▓
▄▄▀▀▓▄▄█▄▐█▄▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░▄░░░▄▄▀▄▄▀█░▄▄▄▄▄▄▐█▌ ▄██▀▄▄▄▄▄▄ ██░████
▓ ░ ▓██░ ▓█▄█▀ ▓██████
▀▀▄▓ ▓▀▀▀ ▓ █
1. Dethrone Reason, Crown My Heart 4:32
2. The Badger-Folk Moot 5:20
3. Lycan Woods of Thraedon 4:16
4. Voynich 5:29
5. Gem Hoarder Goblin 5:08
6. At the Wayfarer's Lantern 4:36
7. Drink Deep the Poetry of Dreamscapes 7:44
8. Starlit Belfry Tower 4:41
9. Immortal Passion 8:35
50:21
Swords and sorcery have served as metal muses since the genreÆs earliest
days and for the most seminal acts. Indeed, many a writer here at AMG
Studios has indulged in a game or three hundred of Dungeons & Dragons,
and I imagine the same can be said of our esteemed commentariat. So, on
the rare occasion that dungeon synth, the correct soundtrack for all D&D
games, falls into the promo sump, itÆs picked up fairly quickly. Old
SorceryÆs newest full-length, The Outsider, didnÆt even make it that far
before Mystikus Hugebeard and I had a Canadian standoff about coverage
and settled on this appropriately lengthy double review.
Old Sorcery is the dungeon synth project of Lahti, Finland-based
multi-instrumentalist Vechi Vrajitor. The Outsider sees Vrajitor
continuing the ôMasks of the Magiö trilogy that began with 2025Æs
delightful and exploratory The Escapist. Small excursions from Old
SorceryÆs core sound yielded great results, incorporating sweeping
cinematic textures and classical instrumentation. That adventurous
spirit lives on here, but The Outsider ranges much further afield.
Vrajitor ventures into territory once explored by early Emperor, but he
emerges with a sound more atmospheric and raw. 12-grit tremolo walls,
blast beats aplenty, and echoing rasps like howling storm winds provide
a base upon which Old Sorcery centers icy synths (ôMagick Triumph,ö
ôBarrowgrim Asylumö), folk-minded woodwinds (ôThe Interior Gates of the
True Soul,ö ôWhere Sorrow Reignsö), and the searching reverence of
Sojourner or Eldamar. Rather than an end in itself, Vrajitor uses black
metal on The Outsider as a malleable vehicle to further explore the
concepts introduced in The Escapist.
The result is a 71-minute behemoth. Following The EscapistÆs
comparatively trim 50 minutes, The Outsider was a daunting prospect, to
say the least. I still think it could lose ten minutes or soùôThe Pain
Threshold,ö early sections of ôInnigkeitö and ôMagick Triumph,ö and the
quirky Gothic section of ôWhere Sorrow Reignsöùbut repeated listens
showed me that I was missing the forest for the trees. And like the moss
that grows on those trees, The Outsider grew on me. Both black metal and
dungeon synth are well-suited to fostering atmosphere and emotive
landscapes, and Vrajitor harnesses this shared propensity to his
advantage. With turns at times subtleùthe synths and guitars shifting
into lockstep at the end of ôMagick Triumphöùand at others, explosive
and invigoratingùthe phenomenal triple attack of gritty guitar,
ephemeral synth licks, and breathy woodwind solo in ôWhere Sorrow
Reignsö ù The Outsider is a journey, not a destination.
And it is the compositional vistas and narrative musicality of The
Outsider that make it a journey worth taking. The bones of a story are
hidden within The Outsider, and Vrajitor intends them to be found. While
there are presumably lyrics to The Outsider, VrajitorÆs vocals are
pushed back in the mix and filtered, allowing this to be a functionally
instrumental album. Such Old Sorcery as this will naturally whisper
different tales to different listeners, but I defy the skeptic to stand
on the moon-kissed snowfields of ôMagick Triumph,ö tarry by the campfire
and tender acoustics of ôInnigkeitö, or emerge from the airy,
crystalline caverns ôWhere Sorrow Reignsö and conjure no dreams of the
titular outsiderÆs adventures. Not merely a pairing, The Outsider weaves
wintery synths and raw, blackened atmospherics into a single spell and
adorns it with grand, evocative structures and diverse instrumentation
to create a story that needs no overt narration, but reveals its bones
through music alone.
Established through the excellent ôCastleö trilogy, Old Sorcery is a
mainstay in dungeon synth circles, and if The Outsider proves anything,
itÆs for good reason. While The Escapist took day trips beyond Old
SorceryÆs core sound, The Outsider bravely departs familiar territory
while never forgetting its heritage. While there are certainly passages
and pathways I trudged through rather than enjoyed, The Outsider is a
singular, grand tapestry, cleverly composed and beautifully arranged.
Old SorceryÆs latest is a work best basked in and consumed organically,
rather than dissected microscopically, and has only gotten better with
each spin. Set aside an hour on a cold, snowy day (there should be
plenty of them right about now), cozy up with a warm drink, and hear The
OutsiderÆs tale.
--
Whenever the yearning for old-school dungeon synth takes me, Old Sorcery
has long been one of my first choices. However, IÆm embarrassed to admit
that during my preparatory research, I was rather shocked to learn that
Old Sorcery debuted as recently as 2017 with Realms of Magickal Sorrow.
IÆd just assumed Old Sorcery has been around since, I donÆt know, time
immemorial, only because Old Sorcery so effortlessly plays that sort of
raw, old school dungeon synth that youÆd find on a cassette tape tucked
away next to a Jim Kirkwood or Depressive Silence. IÆm grateful that
Spicie Forrest clued me in on this release and allowed me to double
review with him, such that I could further inform our readers of the
truly quality dungeon synth act that Old Sorcery is. This opportunity
has not presented itself in a way IÆd anticipated, however, because The
Outsider is not merely dungeon synth like most Old Sorcery releases, but
also an album of raw, wintry black metal.
As The Outsider opens in ôMagick Triumph,ö rumbling horns and scattered
synths set the stage for a classic Swords nÆ Sorcery experience typical
to the Old Sorcery oeuvre, until a grimy guitar chord descends like a
fog. ItÆs worth mentioning that Old Sorcery has traveled this blackened
road before with 2020Æs Sorrowcrown, but itÆs done exceptionally well
here. ItÆs the kind of frigid black metal youÆd hear from Paysage
dÆHiver and Lunar Aurora, with a similarly raw production style to boot.
An overly raw-sounding mix that sacrifices too much listenability for
ôauthenticityö is an immediate album-killer for me, but The Outsider is
in that perfect sweet spot. The tremolos and blast-beats buzz with
wintry chill and the vocals are way, way in the back, and the synths are
always able to cut through the din. The mix has that nice, approachable
sort of buzz, like just a little too much wine.4 Still, headphones will
definitely be your friend for this album.
Old Sorcery weaves dungeon synth and black metal together such that each
is stronger for the otherÆs presence, effectively playing off each
otherÆs strengths. The dungeon synth elements in The Outsider enjoy an
active melodic role in the heavier songs, the inviting, pleasant tones
of old-school dungeon synth exuding warmth amidst the cold black metal.
It makes for some standout moments, like frostbiting synths fading in
and out through stormy guitar riffs (ôMagick Triumphö), or a crystalline
melody ringing hopeful above rhythmic tremolos and strings (ôWhere
Sorrow Reignsö). ôThe Interior Gates of the True Soulö is an exquisite
blend of synths and metal with an energy that almost reminds of Khonsu,
a percussive, mystical synth melody warping, shifting, driving the song
forward atop rolling tremolos. There is, naturally, a great deal of care
in The OutsiderÆs construction of atmosphere, but the melodic focus
given to the synths in relation to the black metal feels quite
refreshing for the genre. As such, The Outsider rarely feels passive
even across its length and maintains a strong sense of engagement from
moment to moment.
Speaking of length, The Outsider is notably on the longer side, clocking
in at over 70 minutes. But I find that Old Sorcery manages the time well
with a healthy spread of longer and shorter songs, coupled with their
diverse songwriting approach. The Outsider begins and ends with its
dramatic epics, as the bulk of the album swirls through cackling,
malevolent melodies (ôBarrowgrim Asylumö), softer dungeon synth proper
(ôInnigkeit,ö ôThe Pain Thresholdö), and fantastical electronic/metal
harmonies (ôThe Interior Gates of the True Soulö). ThereÆs nary a weak
link on the album, but while the staccato, electronic synth tones work
wonders in ôMagick Triumphö and ôThe Interior Gates of the True Soul,ö I
wish they were utilized a bit more in the ambient tracks. ôThe Pain
Thresholdö technically fits that bill, but itÆs written in such a way
thatÆs more sweeping and orchestral. It wouldÆve been nice to see the
sharper synth tones common to Old SorceryÆs other works explored in a
space less dominated by chaotic black metal, that I might appreciate
them in clearer focus.
All in all, The Outsider is another rock-solid album by an artist who
has consistently delivered great music, even though this album is a rare
break from the Old Sorcery mold. ItÆs well-paced, well-written dungeon
synth/black metal that is always good, and often great. IÆve often joked
that this hellsite needs more goddamn dungeon synth, and The Outsider is
my perfect specimen: just metal enough to bypass SteelÆs gaze, yet with
enough dungeon synth that I donÆt look out of place wearing my wizard
robes while listening to it. I furthermore suspect that my Spicie friend
has delivered similarly positive tidings, so now that youÆve had two
exceedingly trustworthy goobers tell you how good this album is, just go
listen to the damn thing.
▀▀░
░▄▀ ▄█▀
░▄ ░▐███░
▀█░▄▄▄ ▄░ ▀█░░ ░
▀▀░ ▄ ░
▄ █ ▀
▄ ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▄ ▀
▀░▀ ▀ ▀▀████████▀░ ▀ ▄ ░
░░ ░▀██▀ ▀██▄
▄ ▐ ░ ░ █▀▄ ▐▓▓▌ █
▄ ▄▄ ░ ▄▄▌█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ▄
▄ ▀ ████ ░ ▐███▌ ░ ░
▄██▀ ▄▄██▄▄ ░ ▄▄███▄▄ ▄ ▓
▐▓▓▌ ░ ▓████▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█████▓ ▀ ▄
▀▓▓▓▄▄ ▐▓███ ▌ ▌█████ ▀██▄ ▄
░▄ ▀▀██▄▐████ ▌▐ ▌▓ ▓▐ ▌█▓███ ▐▓▓▌ ▀░▀
█ █ ░ ░▓▐████▄▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▄ ▐▐·▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▄█████ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
▓ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▓▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄█▓▀▀ ▄░ ░
▄▄▄░ ▓ ░▐████▄▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▄▌▄▐▐▓▐▄▌█████ ▓ █
█████ ▐▄░ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████ ▓░ ▄ ▐▓
█▓███░ ▓▐█░▄▄ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐█ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄██▄ ▀ ▄ █▌
█████▓ ██▀█▀▀ ▐█▓██ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌███▓█ ▐█▓██▓ ▀██▄ ▀██▀
█████▓░ ▓█▌ ▐████▓▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▄ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▓▌▌▐▐▄▐▄▌█████ ▐████▌ ▐▓▓▌▓█▌
▄█▓███▄░ ▐█▄▓ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▀█▓███ ▐████▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ █▓
████████▄▄▓ ▄█████▌ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████ ▓████▌░ ▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄
██████████████████████████████▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ █████ ░██▓████▓██▓▓██████
█░█████▄▀█▄░████████▄▄▄▄▄██████▓████████░██████▄▄▄▄▄███████░▄██░█░█████████
▓██▀█████▓░░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░░░▓███▓█████ ████████▓
▓██▓▐████▓ ▓██ █░███ █░██████▓
███▓▄▀█▓ ▓ ▓█████▓███████
▓███ ░▄▄▄▓████▓
▓████████▓
▓██████▓
▓████▓