Synthwave Sunday: VHS Glitch, Chrome Death OST

There’s a reason why today’s Synthwave Sunday feature on VHS Glitch will be the third time we’re featuring him in this space: he brings straight fire, duh! He’s also incredibly prolific. In addition to his original albums, EP and singles, he’s become something of a go-to guy to compose scores for 8-bit-inspired videogames. The original soundtrack for Chrome Death, out now for iOS and Android (watch the trailer below), is VHS Glitch’s third such endeavor, and it may be his best OST effort yet.

Followers of Synthwave Sunday know I’m a particular sucker for the harder and darker stuff, and my love for Chrome Death bears that out. It’s not as aggressive as, say, anything by Carpenter Brut or Dan Terminus, but the pace is fast, the tones are gnarly, and the vibes are decidedly shadowy and twisted throughout. The solo guitar lead on the ballady “Moment of Silence” gives a nod to metal, as do the chugged rhythms later in the track, but the ethos is still unmistakably synthwave. And that’s wherein VHS Glitch’s true strength lies: he’s a master at using layer upon layer upon layer of synth tones — all different, but complementing one another through contrast and clever melody counterpoint — to create rich sonic atmospheres in which to get lost and unwind.

The Chrome Death OST is out now; stream it below and buy it on Bandcamp. Check out the game’s trailer below as well and buy it here.