Interview: Unsheathed Glory

Pictured: Unsheathed Glory. Photo by J.A. Carbon.

The dungeon synth scene brings out some of the most creative people you can find. Artists craft entire worlds and lore wrapped in sonic landscapes rather than the more traditional ways of building fantasy worlds, such as writing or painting. Unsheathed Glory is perhaps one of the most impressive dungeon synth artists in regard to world-building.

At Blacforje, we’re big fans of Unsheathed Glory, and the artist’s most recent album, Beneath Sun & Soil, was our #2 pick in our top dungeon synth albums of 2025. We got to chat with Pat, the central creative force behind the project, to learn about his creative process and the world of Charvencia. 

Thanks for being willing to do this interview! I’m excited to chat with you! First, I love asking people about where they are from: You’re based in Boston, correct? Do you find that influences your music in any way?

I’m pretty close to Boston! Just about 30 minutes west of the city, but pretty much a straight shot in. I’ve always enjoyed the music scene in Boston and have been able to catch shows of varying levels. Seeing shows at a more underground level really shows you what’s possible. 

I also don’t take for granted how close I am to Northeast Dungeon Siege in Worcester, MA, which has easily been the biggest influence for me wanting to take my music to a live setting. They have been able to get such incredible acts to play there from around the country and the world.

Your music is so narratively rich, and you provide so much detail on your Bandcamp about this world of Charvencia you’re building. How did building that world start? Are there other avenues you experiment with writing like that? 

Thank you so much. It’s been really fun making music around this world as it gives me a chance to work on different themes and write toward a full story. The worldbuilding has been growing with every release I’ve done with this project, and I started writing stories with the albums for the past two. This is something that I will be doing going forward, and I’m working on writing stories for past albums, too.

I’ve seen there’s an actual world map for your albums. How involved are you with that? I see you work with Red Beard Maps on it. Do you find that situating your albums in a particular place within Charvencia guides a lot of the creative process, or is it more secondary?

My second album, A Journey Through Realm and Region, was the first one that really gave me the idea of making this world, and I worked closely with Red Beard Maps to actually create the Charvencia map for that release. That album travels through the whole world, from a tavern to the dwarven ruins atop the mountains, and seeing this journey on paper really added to the story for me. Most of my solo work after this album picks a different spot on the map and adds to the lore of it.

Your most recent release Beneath Sun & Soil explores what is commonly called The Underdark in many fantasy settings. How did you decide to create an album around that setting?

Sometimes I look at my map and try to pick a spot that would be a cool place to expand the lore and write music about. I thought heading underground toward the mountains would be a nice change of pace, since most of the albums have taken place in the eastern part of Charvencia.

Pictured: Unsheathed Glory. Photo by Mrs. Unsheathed Glory.

I find that Beneath Sun & Soil balances a sense of wonder with a sense of peril. Was that something you were considering when making the album? Do you find that you yourself view parts of our world that way?

Oh absolutely! It’s such an interesting setting in my opinion. At times it’s quite dark and desolate, while other times it has this solitary beauty with translucent elements. I wanted to explore making music with those themes in mind.

I also found the album's ending abrupt yet fitting, if our readers want to see what becomes of your protagonist. That said, it still feels like a cliffhanger (pun intended?). Can we expect any returns to the Khusramli Mountains and Lumethoria in the future? 

There are some loosely connected themes in most of my albums that will start to become more clear in the future across a few different media. So everything is fair game for a return!

What are some other artists (dungeon synth or not) that have influenced your music? 

My very close friend originally showed me Depressive Silence and Secret Stairways while we were painting minis for DnD, and I was absolutely hooked at that moment. Later, I dove into newer artists like Fief and Fen Walker and loved the fantasy elements of their music. I’ve always thought the Warcraft II soundtrack was hugely influential to me as well. It was easily the earliest fantasy music that stuck with me from the ‘90s.

As a people of faith, we like to ask each artist about their own worldview, both spiritually and philosophically. Does spirituality or philosophy play any part in your life as both an individual and as an artist? If so, can you tell us about that?

I wouldn’t say that any specific spiritual tradition or philosophy has had a huge influence on me or my music, but I’m sure I pull things from different cultures and ideas subconsciously. Music itself is a very spiritual experience for me. When I’m playing or even just listening, it feels like tapping into this universal feeling that connects us.

You are actually able to take Unsheathed Glory live, correct? How has that been? What goes into that, and do you hope to continue with that? 

Yes I am! I have been able to play local shows, fests, and most recently a faire. This is something that I’ve always wanted to do with music, and to finally be able to do it has been amazing. I’ve met so many incredible people and I am proud to be a part of this “scene” that has been growing. 

I have a couple different types of sets I’ve been doing: one that follows my music a little closer to the records, and one that’s more of a stripped-down version without any backing tracks. It’s been fun switching things up lately with the second one.

What can listeners expect from Unsheathed Glory in the near future? Any upcoming projects? 

I am currently working on a new album, which takes place in a different part of the world of Charvencia. I also have plenty of local shows, faires, and some different regional shows coming up this year, so be on the lookout for that!

Final question: this is the hard-hitting question: why do New Englanders love Dunkin’ so much? I mean, it’s just Dunkin’, right? 

They aren’t great, but they are just everywhere, so if you need a quick fix, you’ll probably drive by one before you blink again. I try to head to local spots when I can instead.

You can follow Unsheathed Glory on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.