When it comes to the quieter side of music, dedicated Decibel readers know how much we like the ambient soundscapes and spooky synths. I’ve written about dark ambient in the past and my colleague and resident curmudgeon Neill Jameson has provided extensive coverage of dungeon synth and its many offshoots. However, there is still a lot of sonic territory to explore, something I realized when I came upon a dungeon synth project called Mountain Realm. Aside from really enjoying Greyshadow Ruins, I came to a startling realization when I looked them up on Bandcamp. They were under a label called Cryo Crypt, which immediately made me think, “Wait, CRYO Crypt … as in, related to Cryo CHAMBER???” Lo and behold I was right, the same mastermind from Atrium Carceri who runs my favorite dark ambient label also runs a dungeon synth operation.
I knew I had to reach out to Simon Heath and learn more about both of his musical domains — and share this knowledge with all of you — as dark ambient and dungeon synth hold vast potential for reflection and inspiration for metal listeners and musicians alike. Check out my interview with Simon below, along with some selections from both labels. I think you’ll find it to be illuminating and amusing in equal measure!
Grayshadow Ruins by Mountain Realm
—
Thank you so much for agreeing to chat with us. I’ve been a big fan of Cryo Chamber for many years now, so let’s start by talking about dark ambient. How did you get started with Cryo Chamber? Were you inspired by projects like Raison D’être and other early practitioners of the style?
It all began with my Commodore Amiga 500, where the sharp crack of whips and the haunting echoes of screams filled the air — oh, the joys of teenage angst! Each sound was meticulously crafted, creating torturous soundscapes that felt alive and immersive. Over time, my approach evolved, incorporating a more cinematic style with melodic layering and gritty elements that evoke visceral reactions. Up until then, my closest experience with the genre had been through the chilling horror soundtracks that set the mood for countless films. However, it wasn’t until later that I encountered the term “dark ambient,” and soon after, I found myself on the same label as some of those veteran acts, which was an exciting revelation.
Starting Cryo Chamber stemmed from a desire to dislodge the genre from the metal and industrial umbrella that had confined it for far too long. At festivals, the atmosphere often felt off, as many dark ambient and noise artists beside me seemed to indulge in ironic fascism and snuff photography. Not my crowd at all—I didn’t even own a pair of leather pants!
This realization prompted a shift in focus toward a small cinematic dark ambient sub-genre. Cryo Chamber aims to weave environmental storytelling into non-modern themes — futuristic, ancient, fantasy, and space — elements that resonate deeply with me as a book and RPG nerd. I grew up completely immersed in these worlds, and I wanted to create soundscapes that transport listeners into those narratives, evoking feelings of wonder and mystery.
Forgotten Gods by Atrium Carceri
Tell us a bit about Atrium Carceri. What is the primary theme behind this work? It seems to shift within different groups of albums, with “The Untold” and “Metropolis” seemingly connected, for example.
It’s a bit convoluted, but it begins with a straightforward horror theme on the first albums, where reality is ripped apart, starting with Cellblock. Each album delves deeper into psychological horror and occult themes that explore what lies beyond our perception of reality. This exploration has similarities to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, shedding light on the nature of existence and the shadows we face. Much of this work is inspired by an RPG called KULT, which I grew up playing. In fact, my very first Atrium Carceri concept tracks were music created for an RPG campaign. This particular RPG even sparked a motion in Swedish Parliament, where they tried to ban roleplaying games, citing that “young, talented individuals who were previously unknown in criminal contexts” were inexplicably committing serious violent crimes after long-term involvement in role-playing. The world can be a strange place!
How did you come to know the artists behind Kammarheit, Apocryphos, and Cities Last Broadcast? I’m especially fond of your collaborations with the latter, with Black Corner Den and Black Stage Of Night being particularly evocative listens.
I had gravitated toward Pär’s (Kammarheit/Cities Last Broadcast) music for years, and when we finally connected, it turned out we were both big fans of each other’s work! Our discussions felt very down to earth and interesting, and we shared similar inspirations. All three of us really clicked when we collaborated on the albums Onyx and Echo. There’s something magical about the creativity that emerges from those overcast skies and the deep winter atmospheres that we all draw from.
Apparatus by Atrium Carceri & Kammarheit
Shifting gears to Cryo Crypt and dungeon synth, what motivated you to expand your realm into this sound (to use very dungeon-synthy language)?
I actually started producing before “dungeon synth” was even a term. My friend Simon Kölle and I had a project together called Za Frûmi, an orc saga that spanned eight full-length albums back in the day (2000-2008). It even got us featured in Wired Magazine — believe it or not, the article was titled “Orc and Roll”…
We also ran a dark fantasy label called Waerloga Records, which is still up but not actively releasing anymore.
After a few years’ break, I moved from Sweden to the U.S. in 2011, and that collaboration came to a pause (though perhaps not for good). I dove into Cryo Chamber while Simon Kölle ventured deeper into the film industry as a composer. Despite this shift, the drive to compose dark fantasy music never left me; it just didn’t quite fit under the Cryo Chamber umbrella.
Recently, some dark ambient artists began producing more in the dungeon synth space, and I was pulled in by Pär, who works on his Winter Synth/Dungeon Synth project Aindulmedir, and another artist on our label who has a dungeon synth project called Tales under the Oak. After sharing some music, their encouragement reignited my passion, and I started producing with more focus under my project Mountain Realm, ultimately launching the Cryo Chamber side label, Cryo Crypt.
What sets Mountain Realm apart from my earlier fantasy works is a heavy reliance on my Amiga 500 days for inspiration. I discovered my 15-year-old studio hard drive, filled with retro samples and gritty recordings, and got to work. The goal became blending the best of my old lo-fi sounds with modern hi-fi production, creating something that feels both nostalgic and fresh.
The Mountain Realm project draws heavily from my old roleplaying days with Drakar och Demoner (essentially Swedish Dungeons and Dragons). Those campaigns were filled with laughter and creativity, played out in our parents’ basements, fueled by soda, and later in our own apartments, sharing pipe weed under the weight of Swedish winters.
The Ghost from Sheol by Vikorra Doom
It’s really cool that the three acts present on Cryo Crypt currently are alter egos of some of the big names from Cryo Chamber. Do you anticipate more artists making the jump now that the avenue is open? I’d love to hear what Beyond the Ghost could do with a medieval version of The Last Resort.
We’ll see! Just as Cryo Chamber carved out its niche within dark ambient, Cryo Crypt is a sub-genre of dungeon synth that emphasizes a Nordic sound with dark ambient-inspired production techniques. There’s potential for exciting collaborations, and hopefully, we’ll attract more innovative artists to join us in what we’re building.
For your own music, in particular, is there an approach you take that’s different for Mountain Realm vs. Atrium Carceri? I suppose more melodies make a difference for the former, but you do have songs like “A Curved Blade” for the latter as well, so I imagine there is a common thread at least.
The entire project setups are quite different from one another, and the approach to mixing and composing varies significantly. Atrium Carceri leans towards a subtractive method; I’ll create a composition I’m pleased with and then remove elements to retain the essence while allowing the reverb to breathe more freely. On the other hand, Mountain Realm is much more melodically focused, benefiting from some tape crushing in the mix that gives it a unique character.
I do stress over any overlap between my projects; it happens occasionally, but it’s rare for me to create a track for one project that ends up in another after some remixing.
Do you see your efforts diversifying further from here? Would you be open to broadening Cryo Chamber into more industrial music and perhaps Cryo Crypt into black metal? Or do you intend to stay within a more cinematic space?
If I were to diversify, it would need to be a genre I actively listen to, where I can explore worldbuilding and themes. Years ago, I almost launched a side label for Cryo Chamber that would focus on Cyberpunk music, featuring albums from different sectors of a city — think gangs and cults. I’ve yet to hear the type of Cyberpunk music I’d like to see in films and games; I imagine that fifty years from now, the sound will be much more futuristic and strange. Much of the Cyberpunk music in our media feels too modern like rock, punk, or EDM — at least license some music from something like Autechre if you’re going to use old genres in your depiction of what the future sounds like. Anyways, it would be fun to experiment with creating new futuristic genres and theorize on what kind of instruments they would play, how the culture has changed and what it would sound like.
In closing, let’s give you a chance to plug any releases you’ve got coming up soon on either label. Got anything that you’re really excited about?
As of this writing, my collaboration with Tales under the Oak, titled Mountain Realm & Tales under the Oak – Tribal Alliance, is likely out soon. For Cryo Chamber, our schedule is packed with fresh releases, culminating in December with our annual mega-band collaboration Lovecraft album. Follow us for more info on that in December, and thanks for listening!
The post Interview: Simon Heath of Cryo Chamber and Cryo Crypt appeared first on Decibel Magazine.