Dungeon Crawl: Top Dungeon Synth ov 2025
Better late than never.
Hails, dungeon denizens! Below, in no particular order, are 20 of my fav dungeon synth albums ov 2025.
Roll a d20 and consult the list below if Fate (AKA probability) should be your guide, or read the whole thing if you’re a big dawg, 100% certified dungeon degen. Lastly, cheers to all of the musicians out there plying their synthcraft!
1. Emeth — Heroic Epics Cycle
April 18, 2025
Mystic and powerful dungeon synth for chivalric deeds and heroic feats. Sampling the knight’s oath from Dragonheart in track 2 was an absolute power move on Emeth’s part, and I’m totally copping it for my next DnD campaign. I’d like to think Sean Connery would enjoy this, but there’s no way dungeon synth wouldn’t confuse the absolute hell out of him.
2. Mondholz — Atlantean Echoes
April 1, 2025
The puremoods concept album no one asked for, but I definitely needed. Shout out to The Dream Journal Institute for dropping so many bangers this year (also see #20).
3. Faydark — Lost Empires
April 11, 2025
Hard as hell Faerun synth from the desolate plane of the Shadowfell Ohio. Maximalist tunes 4 braving the Underdark fastnesses of the Drow and sacking the unholy temples of the Spider Queen 2.
4. Grim Keep – Devoured By Night
July 21, 2025
Lord Bakartia’s back catalog was my winter 2024-2025 soundtrack, and I’ve featured a few of his releases in past Dungeon Crawls, so ofc I’m including him here. He also calls his fans “Filthy Peasants” (endearingly) and seems like the type of guy I would want to share an xtra crisp basque wine or NA bevvy with. Anyways, this album is about knights dying and lamenting as they’re awaiting resurrection and enthrallment by dark sorcery in a cursed castle, or something. Classic dungeon synth hijinks.
5. Forgotten Relic – Forgotten Relic
November 11, 2025
Big boi dungeon doom from the guy who brought you IGoM Certified Fav Friarbird and Magic Hilt (😩💦⚔️). The fact that the final album pilgrimage from this project breezes by despite its lugubrious pace is a testament to Grey Friar’s synthcraft. FFO: cool big boi slow stuff like crowbar riffs, mournful congregation riffs, or the last glacial maximum, zweihanders, ōdachi, the “Forgotten Relic” by Forgotten Relic from Forgotten Relic hat trick.
6. Swordceror — The Hungering Keep
August 25, 2025
Is a Swordceror a sorcerer with a big sword, or a sentient sword that is also a sorcerer? Asking for me. Skeleton Mage, the bones behind Swordceror, is one of the coolest and prolific new DS acts to emerge this year. I could include any one of his releases here, but the lo-fi warble, improvised melodies, and S-tier name of The Hungering Keep really captured my imagination. “Siege” and “The Black Castle at Juniper” are some of the hardest, most battle-ready synth jams I’ve heard in all of MMXXV.
7. Shattered Sword – The Long Night
June 6, 2025
This Scottish bud has been steadily releasing cool, vidya game-inspired stuff to little fanfare within the dungeon synth community (pronounced communiteh), and I mean to rectify that. The Long Night is as cold as the glint of steel on a moonlit night, heavy as a +2 great sword, and rad as hell. FFO: big drum beats, big swords, big synth melodies, and big WoW concept art.
8. Lored Legend – Realm
August 25, 2025 | Dungeon Crawl Review
Like I said in the last Dungeon Crawl, Realm is pure unadulterated Fantasy Synth. A sub-sub-genre crystallized to its very essence. There’s a Breaking Bad reference here but I only consume media with swords so it eludes me. Anyways, if you need that 99.1% pure doots n’ toots, Lored Legend is the one who knocks or something.
9. Actias Luna – L’illa dels Somnis
April 23, 2025
I love it when an artist sticks the dismount on a crossover from painting incredibly sick dungeon synth album covers to making incredibly sick dungeon synth. Not sure how many times that’s happened, but I love it. I also love it when they name themselves after a big ass moth. If you aren’t inspired and thoroughly loin-girded by these battle-ready tunes then LEAVE THE HALL.
10. Hardi Les Preux — Danse aux Carmusses
October 26, 2025
A late-breaking medieval ambient treat for the trve hurdy-gurdy-pilled, bardcore acolytes. Highly danceable, a great accompaniment for cooking a hardy stew, and there’s a big ole “NO TO NSBM” disclaimer in the album credits to boot (he’ll ye). I’m eagerly awaiting whatever comes next from Hardi Les Preux. FFO: Fief, rolling bardic inspiration, recorders, and illuminated manuscripts.
11. Resinator – Ritual Bath
March 21, 2025
A stoner-themed project belying their tongue in cheek weed puns with some of the sickest music you’ll ever hear? Many such cases! Slap play, enter the sauna, “AND ALL THE FORCES OF THE FIRMAMENT WILL FORTIFY YOUR STRENGTH!”
12. Aura Merlin – Moon Gates
October 6, 2025
WIZARD’S TOWER SYNTH? GRIMOIRE GROOVES? MERLIN SCHOOL?! 10/10 no genre tag notes. Aura Merlin, who dropped one of my fav albums ov 2023, is back with another slab of New Age-infused fantasy synth for the trve 9th level spellcasters among ye. Coincidentally this is also my favorite album featuring an owl on the cover this year.
13. Deåvasea – Tusäe Luataala
September 5, 2025
Frosty but cozy synth about *checks notes* a sisterhood of contortionist nuns. Flexibility Synth, natch. Love it when the album lore and song titles feature a vaguely Finnish, umlaut heavy fictional language. Listened to this on an airplane and I was relaxed af.
14. Sylfvr – Inverted Castle
October 25, 2025
One of my favorite Frenchmen dropped a dreamy and ethereal album that twists and turns to the beat of whatever arcane heart powers its titular, fucked up magic castle. Wonderful synth textures, propulsive percussion, and Final Fantasy references await in these uncanny halls. Squarely in the pocket of Square Enix and Big Drum, if you ask me!
15. Master Witness – Demo
June 23, 2025
Sorry haters, in the grand tradition of death metal musicians writing better synth interludes than black metal musicians, the Undeath Dungeon Synth demo absolutely rocks. If there is an inherent justice/good sense of humor to the universe, Kyle will someday open an Undeath show with a synth set.
16. Hen Witch—Hearthen Tome IX: Another Potion For Another Friend
November 1, 2025
Friendship with George Winston’s December ended. Hearthen Tome IX: Another Potion For Another Friend is my fav cozy winter piano album now. But dang bud, it’s called “comfy synth” not “heartbreakingly beautiful solo piano synth.” In hindsight it does say “melancholic piano” plumb near the bottom of the BC tags, but how am I supposed to read with someone cutting onions in here? I guess the BC tag word limit can’t fit “warming up under a blanket on a cold winter’s night after a long, long day synth.” Check out the rest of the Hearthen Tome series (especially Moth Knight) as well!
17. Ithildin – Suite magique
November 12, 2025
Audacious and progged the heck up wizard organ jams that transport you on a grand adventure in a faraway land (Quebec). Dour, dungeon music this is not. The quest Ithildin invites us on is as full of mirth and laughter as it is of peril and mystery. Now give me a charisma saving throw (spell save DC 28), lest you be charmed into an irresistible dance 💃 🪩 🕺.
18. Kame — The Turtle Hermit Way
June 15, 2025 | Dungeon Crawl Review
I’ve lost track of how many times my kid has asked me to play “Remembering Grandpa Gohan,” and then asked me to explain why Grandpa Gohan died. I’ve played this album so many times for him the opening melody and every beat of percussion in the first track has etched itself into my being. I’ve had to explain, on numerous occasions, why the actual Dragon Ball anime doesn’t feature the music from Turtle Hermit Way (“It’s cool music by an Italian guy who liked Dragon Ball, not the actual soundtrack to the Dragon Ball cartoon” is not a satisfying answer to a 5 year-old). But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Music shared with a loved one is music to cherish indeed. Thank you, Erestor.
Anura’s Mire – Sage of Murk
January 10, 2025
Frog battle synth supremacy ⚔️ 🐸 ⚔️. Murk and mystery cloak this emanation from the mire, but fear not! Like the clarion call of Pseudacris crucifer, the glint and glimmer of its triumphant melodies shall be your guide o’er bog and fen! If Frog from Chrono Trigger had his own solo spinoff video game this would be its rad as hell OST.
Castle Waters – Ethereal Elegance
September 1, 2025
In the words of my kid, “this is so nice and peaceful.” Indeed, buddy. Indeed.
