Songs of Mourning / Dusk Review

Band	Forlorn Citadel
Album	Songs of Mourning / Dusk
Type	Compilation
Released	November 23, 2018
Labels	Northern Silence Productions
Length	31:21

Reviewer :  KaroshiMetal         Rating :  80 / 100

While the ambient genre known as dungeon synth has a reputation for emerging out of the black metal scene, it has seen it's fair share of blending it's medieval-like sound within the metal genre itself. When it comes to mixing black metal and dungeon synth together as one, this album is one of the best representations of that very combination. Although the melodies and rhythms presented on this release have a very simple and straightforward structure, that still doesn't necessarily damage it's performance in terms of overall instrumentation quality.

"Songs of Mourning/Dusk" by Australia's Forlorn Citadel is a 6-track compilation albums that contains tracks from the artist's previous two demos, clocking about 31 minutes in total. What we are delivered here is an entirely pure mix of black metal and dungeon synth fused together for one side while we have another side that is purely instrumental dungeon synth. The compilation opens with the track "Battle" that starts with a wind sound effect for a good 10 seconds before it gives us a keyboard sound that is very reminiscent of a horn as it is accompanied by slow drum and tambourine beats. This lasts for a good moment until it introduces raw guitar tremolo that plays alongside as the keyboard and drum sections maintain the same melody and tempo. It delivers an atmosphere that may place the listener in a mindset of taking part in an epic battle just like the very title of the song suggests, until the guitar eventually comes to a pause to introduce gloomy vocals that chant along with the other instruments for another good moment before bringing back the raw guitar. At this point, the instrumentation work of the keyboard and guitar riffs changes up their rhythms as they maintain a proper tempo that keeps the very same atmospheric mood in play while the vocal work itself also brings in the raw shrieks that raw black metal is known for. The melody structure this song plays overall has a simple pattern as it switches to a different rhythm before bringing us back to the same melody we have already heard earlier before ending with another wind sound effect. While this can be a repetitive composition choice, it still knows to keep this certain mindset in check.

Something to also keep in mind is the use of the wind and landscape sound effect. While I have already mentioned the first track opens and closes with such a sound effect, this is also a thing that the other tracks literally open and close with for a good short moment. As such, this can be seen as completely unnecessary as it's something the listener may possibly get tired of, despite the sound effects only lasting for a few seconds. But as we get past the opening effect on the second track, we are immediately thrown into the raw guitar riffs with epic yet simple drum beats. While the first track presented itself as having a more lightened melody, this second track titled "Valour" gives us a somewhat more darkened feel while maintaining it's fantasy-like mood with riffs that easily remind the listener of a few pagan black metal bands like Xenophobia, Huginn, and maybe a bit of Graveland. This lasts for a about 48 seconds until it brings in the keyboard, giving a resonating effect along with a lightened harmonic tone that plays alongside the other instruments and the accompanying gloomy vocals. The composition for this song has a similar structure as the first track, giving us the same rhythm for a good while until it begins with a different unique rhythm, and eventually switches back to the same rhythm we already heard earlier. The third track "Loss" is very much in the same vein, although it at least contains a somewhat slower tempo in some parts as it also brings in the use of classical piano. And as for the production quality itself? While the guitar work maintains it's raw distorted sound, the keyboard itself also has a somewhat cleaner quality that easily makes it really stand out.

Now as we are finished with the mixed metal side of this compilation, we are thrown into the album's second side: pure instrumental dungeon synth with untitled tracks. This part of the album is taken directly from one of the previous two demos, which greatly explains why this part of the album is instrumental. While these last three tracks open and close with an effect of what sounds like rainfall, it of course contains simple keyboard melodies often accompanied by steady drum rolls, although it does have it's own share of moments that includes the use of alternate keyboard sounds as well as percussion pieces such as woodblocks, chimes and sleigh bells that can be easily identified in the second and third untitled tracks. These three instrumental tracks have an overall soothing mood that can easily place the listener in a calming mindset, whether it be relaxing in a forest or enjoying the sight of snowfall from their very own home.

"Songs of Mourning/Dusk" is a compilation that blends black metal and dungeon synth together as a big vision of epic battles, adventure and ease. Despite this piece of work containing simple instrumentation structure as well as the repetitive landscape sound effect, this is still something that can easily be revisited due to the atmospheric mood it presents itself overall.