Artist: Altar Of Moss
Title: Seekers Of Hidden Lore
Type: Album / Video
Label: Nocturnal Curse
Ysbryd is a restless artist as I have noted before and this is his Altar Of Moss dungeon synth project which again shows a different side to his interestes and obsessions. It has been available for a little time but I waited to review it until I had the VHS which alert/lucky people such as myself managed to purchase as it is really rewarding to see the vision of a project come together. Anyway album first and a little of the VHS later.
The opening passage, ‘Seekers Of Hidden Lore Pt1’ has that glorious synth sound. You know. The one. Echoing, simple, but rich with that fantasy/medieval feel to its core. This is pure, evocative old school DS as it should be; full to the brim of the ability to weave complex magic from simply the perfect trade between sound and picked note. It really is just exquisite. ‘Orc Blood’ adds a drum beat, flutters of almost pipe sounds and the feeling of solid, true steps onwards. A little of the Welsh roots steps across the threshold with ‘Drws Tylwyth Teg (Fairy Door)’; haunting backwash but an enticings, almost sweet melody pulling you in. ‘The Dead Marshes’ are less welcoming; ominous and solemn, a sense of stillness to it, unhealthy, pallid light seeping down through low cloud and casting a sickly taint over dark water and black, rotting grasses.
‘Seekers Of Hidden Lore Pt II’ has taken a path possibly to be more wary upon. The beauty of the first replaced by careful steps in a strange land where age lies heavy. ‘Old Tales’ exist here. The Moat Troll, first with constant steps to warn you away, then ‘Byddin Ysbridion’ (spirit army?) with an ethereal haze of the other place rubbing against the living world. It is all so effortless in the way the music flows from Altar Of Moss and yet you can feel the application to the art in every note. ‘O’er The Freezing Waters’ is a brittle, sharp sound with the distant crash of waves wrought by the synths and percussion. I feel a little helpless in the current and find myself eventually on land, ‘ ‘Neath The Mines’ where sound echoes hard from dark rock and the glistening damp water which filters down. Reaching ‘The Black Gate’ the music turns to monolithic and implacable. A Pulsing, dark sound with haunting cries from behind it, issued by things I have no wish to see. This is the sound of ancient, aged and weathered iron black as the wood it binds. ‘The Mountains Green Cloak’ has the same feel of being before the monolithic and yet, this music brings out the feeling of awe, being in the presence not of malevolence but of the perfect, ancient but ageless soul of the life that persists forever before and above you.
‘Seekers Of Hidden Lore PtIII’ is somehow still full of wonder at the journey. There’s a lightness here that has not been present before. Optimism? Or simply the joy that comes with setting eyes upon the lost or the never before found. ‘Coiff Of Mithril’ with the metallic sounds, light and magic notes dancing from perfect craftsmanship, ends the album as such. A simply full-of-wonder moments of discovery both bright and dark, ominous and able to swell your heart with joy.
Simply top class, inspired dungeon synth from a rare talent indeed.
And there is more.
We are also blessed with a twenty minute live session of just wonderful flowing improvisation. Which brings me to the VHS.
First there are some quite wonderful visualisations for either of the album tracks; rough shot but perfectly atmospheric journey through woods and ruins following out lone armoured adventurer. Grainy, black and white mostly, obscure and incredibly well done on the usual dungeon synth budget of zero plus huge talent and passion. It really is compelling. Parts have the adveturuer in a montage of keyboard playing on location, others walking with determination through the landscape. Shots of stone circles, old churches, ancient woodlands and beautifully added borders make this just perfection for me.
The live session is also filmed here, Ysbryd at his keyboard in armour and backdrop and a truly suitable framing for this enthralling session.
The album for me is the finest that Altar Of Moss have yet produced; transportative, beautifully painted with raw old school strokes and touches that only superb talent can bring to such colourful life. The full package with the VHS (and cassette of course) is just a superb inspiration. I am so glad they saw this through as it is a true treasure unearthed by, well, Seekers Of Hidden Lore indeed
Gizmo
Altar Of Moss – Seekers Of Hidden Lore | Nocturnal Curse Records
Walking The Liminal Space 