Caduceus - Middle Ages demo 1995
1) Intro (Legends Fall)
2) Middle Ages Part 1
3) Middle Ages Part 2
4) Middle Ages Part 3
5) Outro (Seeds of Desire)
---
(Unknown):
6) Untitled (bonus/advance track?)
Mega / 4shared
Since there were requests (well, one by comrade kingpossum) for dungeon synth in the recent vote I thought I'd post that next. This another sending by the same person who contributed the Daoine Sidhe rip. Thank you! Any and all extra information on Daione Sidhe would still be welcome, by the way. This one fortunately had a bit more informative cover, it's a project by a Lithuanian fellow who called himself Lord Caduceus Xul and according to Discogs has at least one more tape released under this banner. He has also been involved with a few other projects performing electronic, industrial and ambient sorts of music, including Drama with the late Lord Ominous of Anubi fame. (Large) cover scans are included.
There's five tracks of the demo proper plus an untitled track which is not mentioned on the covers and which we're not even sure if it's the same project or not. Could be a bonus track, advance of upcoming material or whatnot. It's a bit different from the demo material, more in... uh, pure ambient mode? I'm actually somehow envisioning some sort of 80's action film or TV show in my head while hearing this? Not the car chase with explosions and jumping over collapsed bridges bit, mind you. Still the overall sound is similar enough to believe it'd be from the same source. Would really like further info on this. The actual "Middle Ages" consists of intro and outro tracks and three parts of divided quite unevenly as the third part runs for over eleven minutes. But the durations are on the booklet so it's no mistake. Completely instrumental, very soundtrack-like (as in game soundtracks rather than movie) and obviously keyboardic sounds, no real attempts to masquerade as harpsichords, lutes, violins, horns or what have you. It does have an almost neoclassical feel to it at some moments but mostly it's rather upbeat pseudomedieval synth music fit for old game soundtrack from a person with connections and influences from the 90's black metal scene as a quick look at the thanks list reveals. Not bad, especially if you grew up with old computer games there is extra nostalgy involved. If you're looking for refined, dramatic soundscapes this will not be your serving of enemies' blood in their own skulls. Others might want to study this item a bit further, I seem to find myself enjoying the demo more on repeat listens.
8 kommenttia:
Album cover looks really familiar.
http://a.imageshack.us/img6/7686/utumnonormorketsrike.jpg
Ok, I found that it was used for D&D: Hordes of Dragonspear
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-BYMzkDG94/Uk66K70h7aI/AAAAAAAAzpo/K-Ss2gWL4m4/s1600/FZN8.jpeg
@Eugene:
I thought so too when I saw it and recalled it was either from one of those fantasy posters they sold everywhere at certain point in the 90's or an AD&D product! Thanks for tracking it down, though I'm almost 100% it was used also somewhere else besides that module. I remember very well idly contemplating the ball-and-chain on that foremost orc's spear often and I didn't the have "Hordes..." book. :D
Thank you for the post. There's really something quite listenable about all this silliness. New age-y, yet falling enough this side of angels and fairy dust to be likable. Or is this the outpouring of the bedsit musician whose calls to Tangerine Dream didn't get returned? Whatever, it's interesting and strangely appealing.
And yes, the untitled bonus track is a curious addition. I guess when the artist is as single-mindedly focused on the Middle Ages as his album and track titles indicate, he's at a loss to name a track that takes a different sonic path. One could suggest "Renaissance" to stay with the theme of historical periodization. But that doesn't jive with the 80s action film it evokes for our illustrious host. So "untitled" it shall remain.
Great post. And let's dig up that other release, shall we?
@kingpossum:
Thanks for the analysis, glad you enjoyed it too. It's somewhat a grower, I was quite unimpressed on the first listen back when I got the rip. Not really sure why I got that 80's association, some kinda Miami Vice-vibe along the way.
Sure, I'm also intrigued by the other tape so you can rest assured I will be striving to score a copy or a rip!
BTW, I just discovered something that could qualify for BM spoken word. You all here will probably find it old news, a German outfit called Distrust. I've only heard their 1996 release Scar In My Heart, which includes many spoken segments and even saxophone. Metal-Archives puts the goth tag on them. Whatever, I find it pretty interesting. And I'll suss out Apator whom you name dropped in the survey post.
Haha, video game music was what exactly what I thought when I first heard this. That's why I was wary of calling it dungeon synth when I sent it to you.
I did track down a copy of the other for sale:
http://www.ferrum.lt/forumas/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20659&p=504274
but I don't know Lithuanian or if he'd even send to me :\
@kingpossum:
Actually I'm not familiar with Distrust (who seem to be still active) so that's new news for me. I'll check them out tomorrow when I've a day off. Approach Apator with caution, if you must!
@anon:
Hey, I like video game music so no need to hesitate before sending me such! Hmm, the forum post does not look exactly fresh and he says PM so one would have to register there. And I really, really don't want to register in any additional places if I don't have to. I'll bother my contacts first or hope someone appears to sell an over-priced dub on Dicksucks. :(
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