This is another of the dungeon synth releases on the HDK label I brought back from our recent trip to Portland. Some of Kobold’s releases are tagged on Discogs as chiptune in addition to dungeon synth. I’m not sure I’d go that far. There is definitely a lo-fi-ish component to the songs – and not lo-fi in a grungy, indie way, but in an 8-bit kinda vibe. And The Valley Of The Forgotten Secrets does have some of that early, basic synth sound, but when I think of chiptune I’m thinking of music from old school Nintendo games, and this is a bit more advanced (plus there appears to be a theremin in play…).
The progressions in the songs are often simple and basic, which resonates with me as much due to personal taste as for any other reason – it’s similar to how I compose my own music (but to be fair, I think Kobold’s music is much better than mine). “The Rage of the Lizard Men Tribe” is a high point, the pounding low end giving the sensation of the lizard men marching toward war, their armor on, weapons in their hands, faces set with grim determination. “The Abyss Horror” is probably the closest we come to true old school chiptune.
The Valley Of The Forgotten Secrets is #8 in HDK’s Dungeon Nostalgie series, and like the others it includes a role playing game module. Named after the album, the 20-page module booklet is broken down into five chapters, complete with maps and illustrations. It doesn’t provide rules or stats, but you could easily use it as the base of a Dungeons & Dragons adventure, or tie it to any other fantasy-based RPG.
The Valley Of The Forgotten Secrets is available for streaming and purchase at the HDK Bandcamp page HERE.