|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Oct 1, 2019 7:06:07 GMT -5
Hello all, I would like to introduce you Castle Zagyx, my long-term project inspired on literary sources of classic fantasy and science-fiction: Howard, Lovecraft, Leiber, Bierce, Derleth, Chambers, Poe, Tolkien, Poul Anderson, Maturin, Wallpole, Vance, Le Guin, Moorcock, C. A. Smith, Aasimov, Orwell, Bradbury et alli are my main references, along with the work of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson on TSR Hobbies. (Dungeons and Dragons, Boothill, Chainmail, Chevaliers and Roundheads).
Beside that, my musical background comes from skinhead oi! music, streetpunk and hardcore scenes. I played bass, drums and guitar on lots of bands during 90s. Since 2000s I've been expanding my taste and studying more seriously rythm, harmony, composition, orchestration and counterpoint. I love all classic music, from Vivaldi and Couperin to Ligeti and Shostakóvich. Also, I enjoy black metal, grindcore, neofolk, martial industrial, idm, techno, neurofunk, drum and bass and uk dubstep genres.
Castle Zagyx is slowly moving from dark ambient, dark synth and symphonic/soundtrack to a more straight Dungeon Synth stylistic approach. Please, check out my last mini-album, Dungeons of Despair, and homage to five oubliettes of Sword & Sorcery.
Hope you like it, cheers from Spain.
|
|
|
|
Post by andrewwerdna on Oct 1, 2019 21:10:56 GMT -5
Just finished listening and I like this a lot. It has an ornate, engaging, and unique composition that still sounds really raw and traditional. There's a interesting use of space, absolutely soaked in reverb.
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Oct 2, 2019 11:33:59 GMT -5
Thanks for your comment Andrew, I'm glad you like Dungeons of Despair.
You're right, I love the dull and disperse sound texture that comes from mixing some analog convolution reverb with some analog tape-deck saturation, like the old times of Wongraven, Mortiis, Emperor, early Enslaved and so on. I never record my synths without this chain, and I try to manage sounds and sections taking carefully panning and orchestral blend/layering, so it produces a raw and classic DS framework due the lack of modern electronic music tecniques like modulation and automation.
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Nov 25, 2019 4:49:58 GMT -5
Hello, I would like to share with you the release of my latest album, Cavaliers of the Western Heartlands. On this occasion, I've chosen the theme of the cavalry and deities of the Forgotten Realms created by Ed Greenwood during the 60s and 70s of the past century. I have tried to make the atmosphere of the album more solemn, majestic and bombastic; with lots of brasses, reeds, fanfares and so on. My goal has been to recreate the greatness and mystery of Toril, Faerûn and their many orders of chivalry.
Due to its nature, the configuration of this album has a more orchestral character, but still retains a bunch of classic DS passages and, above all, the spirit of solemnity, escapism and seclusion of the genre.
Hope you like it.
|
|
|
|
Post by anfortas on Dec 5, 2019 9:47:36 GMT -5
Wow, this is incredibly beautiful.
I have never heard about the Forgotten Realms before, so I cannot say how much your album captures the spirit, but this won't prevent me from liking your songs.
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Dec 13, 2019 7:22:43 GMT -5
Thanks you friend.
Forgotten Realms make up a vast and extensive fantasy world created by Ed Greenwood (and Jeff Grubb, Douglas Niles, etc.) in the late 1960s. Since then, countless novels, tabletop games and videogames based on the Realms have appeared. Possibly the most popular works are Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter sagas, along with the characters Drizzt Do'Urden and Elminster. Some works are very good, while others ... meh.
However, I started playing Advanced D&D through the 1993 FR black boxed set and I enjoyed the first novels of Moonshaes Islands, Shandril, Azure Bounds, the Avatar series, the Dark Elf trilogy.... That's the reason why I'm very fond of and have great memories about Forgotten Realms. I've tried to make this album as a tribute to that spirit of adventure: intense, casual; sometimes innocent, but always exciting. I hope I have managed to show a little glimpse of the majesty of this fantasy world.
|
|
|
|
Post by element0s on Dec 13, 2019 16:51:07 GMT -5
Nice. The more orchestral, cinematic stuff is my shit and classic pulp + sword and sorcery is my bread and butter. Will give this a listen over the weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on May 31, 2020 10:13:43 GMT -5
Too much time without updating this thread! Some 'old news' from the Castle: On december I released The Frozen Moor of Your Memories, a Winter Synth EP inspired on the Antarctic feats and deeds of XVII Century (von Bellingshausen, Lazarev) and the late modern period (Amundsen, Scott, Mawson). Also, I try to imprint some lovecraftian vibes (At The Mountains of Madness) and a bit of adventurer and romantic mood (Antarctica by K. S. Robinson, Who Goes There? by J. W. Campbell). This time, I've utilized lots of field recordings, audio degradation techniques, a deliberate lack of bass/low frequencies and the use of some step sequencers in order to achieve a mix between Winter Synth, Berlin School and maybe some Synthwave styles.
castlezagyx.bandcamp.com/album/the-frozen-moor-of-your-memories-epThis EP has been released on tape this month by Realm and Ritual (US), a small but careful run of 15 cassettes. realmandritual.bandcamp.com/album/the-frozen-moor-of-your-memories On March, I put my utmost efforts on Beacons Burning On The Winter Horizon, a three-way split album in company of excellent projects and folks: Encloaked (Can) and Mortwight (US), a pair of brilliant artists and great persons. I contributed one long track, Three Hearts and Three Lions (I. The Court of Duke Alfric / II. A Werewolf in Tanberg / III. Caves of Trolls & St Grimmin’s-in-the-World), a piece inspired on Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson, a superb novel of the silver era of Sword & Sorcery literature. Soon, I will be able to tell some good news about a physical release of this split. Next steps include a tape release of Cavaliers of the Western Heartlands with Gondolin Records (Denmark), and a tape release of Dungeons of Despair with another European label (coming soon). Meanwhile, I'm working on new stuff.  Best regards, J. Arkham. |
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on May 31, 2020 10:46:55 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Jun 16, 2020 5:37:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Jun 20, 2020 4:43:00 GMT -5
New single, Battle Standard of Aquilonia. A track inspired on Robert E. Howard's works and Conan soundtrack by Basil Poleduris. On this occasion I've tried to create a simple and catchy song, based on strong percussions and modal harmonies (phrygian and dorian), in order to reinforce the warlike mood and the Sword and Sorcery "epic". castlezagyx.bandcamp.com/track/battle-standard-of-aquilonia-single |
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Jun 22, 2020 5:45:55 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by crystallogic13 on Jul 1, 2020 14:34:10 GMT -5
Nice CastleZagyx, I enjoyed the 3-part split you released earlier and of course looking forward for the recent R.E. Howard release, will accompany some late DArk Horse Conan readings I've been into..
But, mostly, endless respect for your thematic playlist you posted here , it's such a fine thing and entity in itself, I wish more people would do these, especially with their own works!! Regards!!
|
|
|
|
Post by castlezagyx on Feb 11, 2021 12:18:23 GMT -5
Sorry crystallogic13, I missed your last post, I don't come to this forum as often as I would like. Many thanks for your words. Time for updates! I took part on the recent Gondolin Records release of Solanum's classic Spheres Of Time: |
|
|
|
Post by ayloss on Mar 2, 2021 1:43:34 GMT -5
Have to admit I've only just listened to your music although I was seeing your name around, absolutely excellent stuff. Loved the gritty sound of Dungeons of Despair and so far Doors to the Battlefields of Ertbe sounds excellent with that big orchestral/soundtrackish sound.
|
|
i'm a newbie here, thanks for the approval!