Quagmire Magazine (2025)

15/05/2025

Issue 3 of Quagmire features an interview with Dungeon Synth dynamic duo Sombre Arcane!

In this very in-depth interview with Shane Hall and Josh Pratt we discuss in length their latest masterpiece “Realmsong”, as well as many other SA things such as their heavy involvement in organising the annual Northeast Dungeon Siege!

Here is a short excerpt from the interview;

“Kelthas The Dread” rises from the grave and truffles on sliding simultaneously back into the earth to be reborn again on the other side – which is somehow even darker… Shane, you employ some really sinister sounding keys in a ‘noise’ like fusion here, the music in parts sounds like ‘sharp shimmering metal’ and brings to mind Tyrannus for me?

Shane: Tyrannus is great! Lovely person, too, who I’ve had the pleasure of sharing some great (and funny) times with. This song is all sound design I guess, huh? I mean it has that hanging motif on the kantele but I beat that up quite a bit with distortion…this song came about largely because things were a bit too melodic - so we wanted to make something a bit more sinister and unnerving. We had a live version of this worked out that had some more bombastic drums on it as well, which I’m sure we will pull out someday.

Purchase the book/ cassette now by following the link in the bio or go to:
quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

02/05/2025

Hey all it’s Bandcamp Friday which means right now is the perfect time to support independent underground music⚔️

Quagmire 3 is OUT NOW!
210 professionally printed full colour pages strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide - this will never be reprinted with the incredible cover art of Erang by Silvana Massa!
Featuring in-depth interviews with Erang, Quest Master, Fogweaver, Out of Season, Peter Beste, Ancient Meadow Records, Sombre Arcane, Chaucerian Myth, Nahadoth, Illusionment, Silvana Massa and Arcana Liturgia.

Comes with a professionally dubbed cassette by Orko Productions featuring tracks from all artists interviewed including exclusive unreleased tracks by Quest Master, Sombre Arcane, Illusionment and Arcana Liturgia- plus a bonus track by Ruins of Xibalba!

Order your copy now before they are all gone for good -
Link in bio or go to
quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

26/04/2025

Quagmire 3 features an in-depth interview with Jordan Whiteman from cult DS label Ancient Meadow Records.

Jordan is also the author of Dark Dungeon Music - The Unlikely Story of Dungeon Synth, which in fact I am currently reading and immensely enjoying- I will post a review of it shortly.

In Jordan’s Quagmire interview we discuss lots of the projects he released through Ancient Meadow and why he loves them for example Depressive Silence, Erythrite Throne and Lone Sentinel to name a few. We also of course discuss his book and lots of other cool things like some of the gems from his massive tape collection.

210 professionally printed colour pages with an accompanying cassette featuring all artists interviewed (plus digital copy) - limited to 200 copies worldwide - never to be reprinted with the same original cover art of Erang by Silvana Massa - don’t miss out!

Order now link in bio or go to
quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

15/04/2025

Issue 3 of Quagmire features an interview with esteemed American documentary photographer Peter Beste. It was very exciting for me to get the chance to do this interview (thanks to Erang for organising it), being a massive fan of his work for many years now. In fact my beautiful wife of 15 years Danielle surprised me with his book “True Norwegian Black Metal” for my birthday not long after we had met - so it obviously has a very special place in my heart (See pics attached).

My mate Oytun Bektas from Tir/Orko Productions also contributed to the interview where we discuss Peter’s recent heavy involvement in the photographic documentation of Dungeon Synth amongst many other cool things including U.F.O’s.

Strictly limited to 200 professionally printed copies worldwide - never to be reprinted with the same original cover art of Erang by Silvana Mass - the book/cassette is selling fast so don’t hesitate if you want this collectible order it now in bio or go to quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

23/02/2025

Issue 3 of Quagmire features an interview with the extraordinary Dungeon Synth label Out of Season! Here is an excerpt from the interview with founding father Kyle;

Congratulations on establishing what would have to be the biggest label worldwide for Fantasy/Dungeon Synth music! The amount of work you have put into the label is beyond commendable - not to mention what you have accomplished as a pioneer for Dungeon Synth as a genre in and of itself. Has it been a long, hard road to get to where you are now?

OOS: I feel extremely fortunate to be in the position I am at this point… but I can also recognize that there’s been an insane amount of hours and hard work that have gone into this endeavour since we started. Legitimate countless nights spent packing boxes, doing artwork and layouts, wholesale orders, and now we’re getting into the live music/touring side of this whole thing which is another beast in and of itself… it’s essentially my entire life. I have no other hobbies or interests really, because at this point there’s just no time, which I’m fine with to be honest.

How much do you think the genre has grown in popularity over recent years and do you believe that it will continue to rise?

OOS: yeah, I mean it’s grown massively since we’ve started back in 2015, 2016 and it felt like the pandemic era was a bit of a peak in terms of engagement and new eyes coming into the sub-genre.. Then we went through a bit of a valley and now it feels like we’re on the upswing again (as of summer 2024). It’s a bit cyclical like anything else. But I do have strong convictions and I’m of the opinion that things will just continue to grow. The biggest thing I can say that has happened is that we transitioned a bit from a small sub-genre to a legitimate genre of music in and of itself in the last 5 years or so, which has been a collective effort among a relatively small group of people in the entire world. It still feels pretty exciting.

Only 75 Quagmire copies left of 200 worldwide - never to be reprinted with the same original cover art - order now by following the link in the bio!

quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

10/12/2024

The third artist to feature in Quagmire Issue 3 is Colorado’s Fogweaver!

In this in-depth interview with Evergreen we endeavour to navigate her mesmerising mystical ambient Dungeon Synth project inspired by the world of Earthsea.

Evergreen is a truly beautiful person with an extraordinarily special creative imagination and she was an absolute pleasure to interview!

Photography by the incredible Peter Beste.

Follow the Bandcamp link in the bio to order Quagmire #3 or follow this link;
quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

14/11/2024

The second artist to feature in the third issue of Quagmire is Australia’s Quest Master. My friend Jon Weber (Lurid Orb) and I interviewed Gordo from Quest Master over the phone a few months back, the results of which make up this casual, fun, down to earth interview, where we discuss many things including Quest Master’s recent US tour and his latest masterpiece “Sword & Circuitry”.

Quest Master also headlined the Quagmire 3 Book Launch at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood, which was an outstanding success.

Dungeon Synth is a genre that evokes the mystique and atmosphere of medieval fantasy worlds, drawing inspiration from decrepit dungeons, ancient forests, and forgotten castles. Among the many artists who have contributed to this genre, QUEST MASTER truly stands out as a beacon of creativity and invention.

Through intricate compositions and evocative soundscapes, Quest Master transports listeners to realms of magic and adventure. Since his emergence in the Dungeon Synth scene, Quest Master has garnered a dedicated following and critical acclaim from all around the globe.

The artist’s ability to create immersive and emotive music has resonated worldwide with listeners, earning Quest Master a place among the genre’s most respected figures. Through meticulously crafted compositions and a deep understanding of imaginary narratives and atmosphere, Quest Master has created a body of work that invites listeners to embark on their own fantastical journeys. As the genre continues to evolve, Quest Master’s legacy will undoubtedly endure, inspiring future generations of like-minded artists to explore their own mystical realms of sound and imagination.

Quest Master even generously contributed a previously unreleased track to the Quagmire compilation cassette, entitled “From Castles in Clouds to Temples of Hope”.

Strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide and never to be reprinted with the exclusive original cover art by Silvana Massa, purchase the book and cassette (by Orko Productions) now through the Bandcamp link in the bio or by following the link below;

quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

14/11/2024

The second artist to feature in the third issue of Quagmire is Australia’s Quest Master. My friend Jon Weber (Lurid Orb) and I interviewed Gordo from Quest Master over the phone a few months back, the results of which make up this casual, fun, down to earth interview, where we discuss many things including Quest Master’s recent US tour and his latest masterpiece “Sword & Circuitry”.

Quest Master also headlined the Quagmire 3 Book Launch at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood, which was an outstanding success.

Dungeon Synth is a genre that evokes the mystique and atmosphere of medieval fantasy worlds, drawing inspiration from the decrepit dungeons, ancient forests, and forgotten castles. Among the many artists who have contributed to this genre, QUEST MASTER truly stands out as a beacon of creativity and invention.

Through intricate compositions and evocative soundscapes, Quest Master transports listeners to realms of magic and adventure. Since his emergence in the Dungeon Synth scene, Quest Master has garnered a dedicated following and critical acclaim from all around the globe. The artist’s ability to create immersive and emotive music has resonated worldwide with listeners, earning Quest Master a place among the genre’s most respected figures.

Through meticulously crafted compositions and a deep understanding of imaginary narratives and atmosphere, Quest Master has created a body of work that invites listeners to embark on their own fantastical journeys. As the genre continues to evolve, Quest Master’s legacy will undoubtedly endure, inspiring future generations of like-minded artists to explore the mystical realms of sound and imagination.

Quest Master even generously contributed a previously unreleased track to the Quagmire compilation cassette, entitled “From Castles in Clouds to Temples of Hope”.

Strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide and never to be reprinted with the exclusive original cover art by Silvana Massa, purchase the book and cassette now through the Bandcamp link in the bio or by following the link below;

quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

05/11/2024

Quagmire 3 is a tribute to Dungeon Synth pioneer Erang and The Land of the Five Seasons!

Erang recently celebrated his tenth-year anniversary, and I have followed his work for many years now, so now indeed was the perfect time to archive his work in an in-depth interview (63 pages in fact). We delve into the enigma of time (the theme of which weaves its way throughout the book as a whole ~ as well of course as Erang’s work) and the many ages which are present within the Realm of the Five Seasons - some examples being the First Age, the Lost Ages and the New Age.

The second part of the interview is conducted by my friend EM maestro Jim Kirkwood, whom I interviewed in a similar fashion in the second issue of Quagmire. Jim recently created an amazing piece of art (included as the inner back cover art in the book), also in honour of Erang’s anniversary, so it made sense to include him - and I was very happy when he agreed to take part in the interview.

The book even contains a 29-page appendix featuring artwork, poems and short stories from the Land of the Five Seasons by Erang, so this ‘tome’ is in essence an essential part of any Dungeon Synth enthusiast’s collection. As I mentioned previously, I have followed this fantasy off shoot of Black Metal/Dark Ambient music for a long time now, and seen many incredible artists come and go - but none have lasted the test of time as has this multitalented musician. Erang is an individual who has toiled endlessly for the betterment of this style of music and remains a true pinnacle of the genre as a whole – his latest masterpiece “The Kingdom is Ours” being a perfect testament of this.

Photography by the incredible Peter Beste.

210 colour pages professionally printed and accompanied by a cassette (Orko Productions) and digital compilation featuring tracks from all artists interviewed – strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide - Quagmire 3 will never be reprinted with the same original cover art by the fantastic Silvana Massa - so purchase your copy now by following the Bandcamp link in the bio.

Or alternatively follow this link;
quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

29/10/2024

Busy packing orders here 😎 thanks so much to everyone who has ordered a copy online so far - and of course to everyone who purchased the book and cassette at the Bendigo last week - we are truly humbled by the incredible response Quagmire 3 has received!

If you are interested in ordering don’t stuff around these are moving very quickly and will never be reprinted with the incredible cover art of Erang by the amazing Silvana Massa!

Strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide - order yours now through the Bandcamp link in the bio!

quagmiremagazine.bandcamp.com

25/10/2024

Quagmire Issue 3 - Australian Dark Mystic Music Magazine is OUT NOW!
A professionally printed book - 210 full colour pages strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide - this will never be reprinted with the incredible original cover art of Erang by Silvana Massa!

Comes with a professionally dubbed cassette by Orko Productions featuring tracks from all artists interviewed including exclusive unreleased tracks by Quest Master, Sombre Arcane, Illusionment and Arcana Liturgia - plus a bonus track by Ruins of Xibalba!

Issue 3 is a Dungeon Synth Archive featuring in-depth interviews with Erang, Quest Master, Fogweaver, Out of Season, Peter Beste, Ancient Meadow Records, Sombre Arcane, Chaucerian Myth, Nahadoth, Illusionment, Silvana Massa, and Arcana Liturgia.

Issue 3 of Quagmire is also a tribute to Dungeon Synth pioneer Erang and The Land of the Five Seasons - The Kingdom is Ours!

Includes a very special appendix featuring poems, short stories and artwork by Erang!

Follow the link in the bio to order now!

Quagmire Magazine

15/05/2025

02/05/2025

26/04/2025

15/04/2025

23/02/2025

10/12/2024

14/11/2024

14/11/2024

05/11/2024

29/10/2024

25/10/2024

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