The genre employs aesthetics and themes typically associated withblack metal[4][5][6] juxtaposed to the typical heavytremolo-picking,blast-beats, and harsh, shrieked vocals of black metal by way of compositions of instrumental or ambient music commonly used as introductions,interludes, or "outros" in black metal,[7]death metal, andheavy metal[8] albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Though often paired withmedieval andfantasy motifs throughout the 1990s onward, some prominent contemporaries of dungeon synth reject the excessive prevalence of high-fantasy themes.[9] Dungeon synth is contentiously likened tovideo game music, due to fantasy influences, the usage and layering of synths, and a focus on ambience;[14] however, acts such asMortiis have rejected the influence of video game soundtracks on dungeon synth.[15][16][17]
The progenitors of dungeon synth areMortiis andBurzum, who both originated from theearly Norwegian black metal scene: Mortiis being formed by Håvard Ellefsen, the bassist ofEmperor; and Burzum originating as a black metal solo project byVarg Vikernes ofOld Funeral andMayhem.[36] Under starting Mortiis, Ellefsen embraced the influence ofTangerine Dream,Klaus Schulze,[37]Skinny Puppy andEnigma.[38] Mortiis' first demo, clocking in at just under an hour in length, marked the first time a musician made use of black metal aesthetics on a release that contained entirely instrumental and non-traditional black metal instrumentation.[39] The second iteration of this demo tape would be the first time Ellefsen would use the phrase "dark dungeon music" to refer to its style.[40] Mortiis went on to be a major performer of this genre and the style is heavily prevalent in early releases such asFødt til å Herske[41] and later releases from thereturn to the "Era I" sound, chieflySpirit of Rebellion.[42] Other prominent contemporaries of the genre include Old Tower, Sombre Arcane, Thangorodrim, and Depressive Silence.[43][44]
In 1993, Danish one-man synth project The Dark Funeral released a demo, which is occasionally invoked alongside Mortiis' earliest works as another example of nascent dungeon synth but the project quickly ended after releasing two demos.[52][53] That same year, Jim Kirkwood published two works which would retroactively be touted as influencing early dungeon synth music:Through A Dark Glass[54][55] andTower of Darkness.[56][57] 1994 saw the publication Pazuzu's...And All Was Silent, which is now a part of dungeon synth canon.[61]
