Style: Classic dungeon synth, dark dungeon music
Primary Emotions/Themes: An epic for the ages
Thoughts: Perhaps once per generation does an album such as this grace a genre. Once in the eons of time. Throughout history there are legendary albums in every genre... albums that not only find themselves being of the utmost quality. Nay, there are those who find themselves calling others in the genre to aspire to the heights that they themselves so achieved.
Thangorodrim. The mighty volcanoes raided by none other than Morgoth himself. Serving as the foundation for his ancient fortress of Angband. This is a place of great evil, untold magic, and powers that no mortal can comprehend. It only be fitting that some of the finest dungeon synth created in the renaissance of the genre take on the same name.
Taur Nu Fuin contains four epic compositions... nay journeys. These tracks are not merely music, but rather a recollection of events to an epic tale. Consisting of nothing more than simply a keyboard and layers upon layers of synthesized instruments combined with drums... drums in the deep.
Words do not pay tribute enough to the greatness that is on this album. Simply put, these four epics contain foundational work for the genre. Coming some twenty years after the grim birth of dark dungeon music, Thangorodrim elevates the genre by taking the principles explored by the Norwegians and adds a cohesive structure to the songs that were not present before.
An example is needed, yes. None Stirred the Listening Leaves offers itself as tribute for the ears of the weary observer. Starting with nothing more than a timpani calling the song forward the song quietly adds what will become the backbone of the entire twelve minute epic. A gentle piano plays a meager melody... and so the foundation is laid.
This humble beginning is built on by horns calling in the distance, beckoning the listener to heed the call of Thangorodrim. As the epic grows, the basis of the piano melody is never truly forgotten. It resurfaces time and time again... each rendition being more powerful than the last. Each rendition reminding the listener that this is indeed the same epic that started off with such humble beginnings. By the end of the twelve minutes the same melody is once again played, reminding us - the denizens of Thangorodrim - where we came from and where we ended up. It is absolutely phenomenal.
These four epics are some of the finest music to ever come out of the modern (or even early) dungeon synth lexicon. It's an album for the ages and one that stands the test of time like few can.
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