DESOLATION PLAINS - Traverse the Golden Road (Track Premiere)

Almost a year ago, Desolation Plains' fantastic Sword of Hailstorm was drafted into service as the focal point for our inaugural INTO THE DUNGEON column. Due exclusively to, well, my own laziness, this proved to be the only entry in said series. In retrospect, that's a damn shame, considering how many stellar exemplars of the genre I checked out exclusively on the basis of really fuckin' enjoying Sword of Hailstorm. I listen to it frequently to this day.
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Needless to say, I'm pleased and honored to present here today a new track from Desolation Plains' forthcoming Kingdomfall. Check it out below! As always, we'll meet ye on the other side.

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"Traverse the Golden Road" is a premiere exercise in overt mood and subtle narrative--a quality that is swiftly becoming a bit of a calling card for Minnesota's finest dungeon synth outfit. Like unto the best of the style, this track creates the kind of closed-eyed immersion I crave--it is the soundtrack to an epic that unfolds in casual yet deliberate fashion. I'm firmly of the mind that tangibility is a prime quality when it comes to escapism, and here, an imagined voyage down the titular road isn't hard to summon. 

Desolation Plains continues to harness the power of implied narrative progression. "Traverse the Golden Road" practically oozes that oh-so essential sense of forward momentum. Despite working with an inherently limited palate, there's a notable lack of stagnation across this track–and, it should be said, the album as a whole. And maybe it's just a result of the increasingly warm and sunny weather 'round these parts, but this track seemingly exudes a certain warmth that was thematically absent from previous winter-themed outings. The bright glimmers and assorted twangs that come to full fruition in the track's midpoint bring to mind a relaxing cacophony of springtime fauna. The scenery is ever-evolving, and, as such, the song does a great job at maintaining interest. Always a plus in the synth arena. 

Anyways, enough chit-chat. "Traverse the Golden Road" is a wonderful song and a harbinger of a great album. If you enjoyed the track, check out the (equally excellent) singles available now: opener "Ancient Awakenings in Forgotten Mists" and the tastefully dramatic "Wraiths With Swords," which features some truly excellent swordplay effects. And look. If you've made it this far, you should also probably just nab the pre-order already.
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Desolation Plains - Kingdomfall will be released May 1st, 2022. Find it here!

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