The genre employs aesthetics and themes typically associated withblack metal[2][3][4] 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,[5]death metal, andheavy metal[6] 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.[7] Dungeon synth is contentiously likened tovideo game music, due to fantasy influences, the usage and layering of synths, and a focus on ambience;[12] however, acts such asMortiis have rejected the influence of video game soundtracks on dungeon synth.[13][14][15]
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.[34] Under starting Mortiis, Ellefsen embraced the influence ofTangerine Dream,Klaus Schulze,[35]Skinny Puppy andEnigma.[36] 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.[37] 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.[38] 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[39] and later releases from thereturn to the "Era I" sound, chieflySpirit of Rebellion.[40] Other prominent contemporaries of the genre include Old Tower, Sombre Arcane, Thangorodrim, and Depressive Silence.[41][42]
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.[50][51] That same year, Jim Kirkwood published two works which would retroactively be touted as influencing early dungeon synth music:Through A Dark Glass[52][53] andTower of Darkness.[54][55] 1994 saw the publication Pazuzu's...And All Was Silent, which is now a part of dungeon synth canon.[59]
