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'''Midnight Syndicate''' is a Cleveland-based musical group that has been working mainly in the genre of ] music since 1998. A 1997 self-titled release covered multiple mainstream genres. Their music is commonly used to provide atmosphere during the ] season, in ] and in the ] industry. '''Midnight Syndicate''' is a Cleveland-based musical group that has been working mainly in the genre of ] music since 1998. A 1997 self-titled release covered multiple mainstream genres. Their music is commonly used to provide atmosphere in both ] ]s and the gaming industry.

{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Midnight Syndicate
| Img = midnight_syndicate_promo_photo.jpg
| Img_capt = Gavin Goszka (seated) and Edward Douglas in 2005, photographed by Anthony Gray. | Img_size =
| Background = group_or_band
| Alias =
| Origin = ], ]
| Genre = ], Halloween music
| Years_active = 1997 - present
| Label = Entity Productions
| Associated_acts =
| URL = http://www.MidnightSyndicate.com
}}
'''Midnight Syndicate''' is a Cleveland-based musical group that has been working mainly in the genre of ] music since 1998. A 1997 self-titled release covered multiple mainstream genres. Their music is commonly used to provide atmosphere in both ] ]s and the gaming industry.


==Formation== ==Formation==
]/] Edward Douglas founded Midnight Syndicate in 1996. In 1997, their self-titled debut was released. A majority of music on the album was written, arranged, and performed by Edward Douglas. Contributors included Scott Angus, Mark Rakocy, Dennis Carleton, Jamie Barbour, Ray Portler, the rap act Dark Side, and Christopher Robichaud. Douglas coined the term “cine-fusion” to describe the album. Cine-fusion is described in the album’s liner notes as ]/] Edward Douglas founded Midnight Syndicate in 1996. In 1997, their self-titled debut was released. A majority of music on the album was written, arranged, and performed by Edward Douglas. Contributors included Scott Angus, Mark Rakocy, Dennis Carleton, Jamie Barbour, Ray Portler, the rap act Dark Side, and Christopher Robichaud. Douglas coined the term “cine-fusion” to describe the album. Cine-fusion is described in the album’s liner notes as
:"a blending of ] and ]... a compilation of soundtracks to movies that do not exist. The goal of the music is to stimulate the imaginations of listeners so that they are able to transport themselves to worlds or movies of their own creation." :"a blending of ] and ]... a compilation of soundtracks to movies that do not exist. The goal of the music is to stimulate the imaginations of listeners so that they are able to transport themselves to worlds or movies of their own creation."
The album contained an eclectic blend of musical styles which included everything from dark instrumental music similar to their later releases to ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Movie-style sound effects were featured in most of the tracks. A multimedia show was produced to support the album. The album contained an eclectic blend of musical styles which included everything from dark instrumental music (three tracks which appeared on later releases)<ref>Songs from the 1997 debut ''Midnight Syndicate'' that reappear on later albums: "Theme to the Dead Matter" (from the 1996 film of the same name) remixed and retitled "Vampire's Kiss," "Enchanted Nursery" remixed and retitled "Haunted Nursery" and "Dark Folk" remixed and retitled "Shadows" each appear on the album ''Born of the Night'' (1998) as well as the album ''Out of the Darkness'' (2006). The latter also contains one sound effect track from a 1994 short film, ''Journey Into Dementia'' by Edward Douglas.</ref> to ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Movie-style sound effects were employed and a multimedia show was produced to support the album.

]In October of 1997 Douglas teamed up with gothic fantasy artist and publisher Joseph Vargo,<ref> Cleveland's WERE 1300</ref> who filled the roles of ], ], lyricist, vocalist, and cover art designer for the new line up and sharpened its focus on an exclusively darker sound.<ref>Larry Aylward, "Music To Chill By", '']'' (Cleveland, OH), October 22, 1998.</ref> Composer Gavin Goszka joined in early 1998, and the trio released ''Born of the Night'' later that same year. It was Midnight Syndicate's first critically acclaimed gothic/horror soundtrack and provided a successful formula for the rest of their albums.<ref>: "It was the “Born of the Night” album that really established Midnight Syndicate’s trademark sound."''—Edward Douglas''</ref> ''Realm of Shadows'' followed suit in 2000, and both albums were featured as "official soundtracks" for Universal Studios' ], and used in several other major theme parks during Halloween, such as ], ]<ref>Jeff Niesel, "Soundbites", '']'' (Cleveland, OH), October 14, 1999.</ref> and ] Fright Nights event. The heavy metal band ] featured tracks from ''Born of the Night'' as opening music for their 2000 US tour. After ''Realm of Shadows'', the band announced a line up change once again; Joseph Vargo turned his attentions to his other publishing projects, while Douglas and Goszka continued to write music as Midnight Syndicate.<ref>Peter Iorillo, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", at ''Dark Realms Magazine'' (Cleveland, OH), Issue 1, January 2001, Pg. 20-23.]</ref>

⚫ In 2001, Midnight Syndicate released a third gothic horror soundtrack entitled ''Gates of Delirium''. This time Douglas and Goszka teamed up with two members who worked on the first ''Midnight Syndicate'' cd, Mark Rakocy (graphic design) and Christopher Robichaud (vocals). This particular album was successful on ], where it held six spots in their Top 20 positions during Halloween that year. In 2002, Midnight Syndicate called on artist ] to design the packaging for their fourth gothic soundtrack ''Vampyre''. In 2003, the band released the first official soundtrack to the classic roleplaying game '']''. Some of the tracks were later used in computer games '']'' and '']''.

]In 2005, they released their seventh CD, ''The 13th Hour.'' It featured vocal effects by Lily Lane of the horror-rock band, Lazy Lane, and another cover by ]. In 2006 ''The 13th Hour'' won the Origins Award for Best Gaming Accessory presented by the Academy of Adventure Game Art & Design, marking the first time a music cd won the award.


⚫ ''Out of the Darkness - Retrospective: 1994-1999'' was released in 2006 and featured re-recorded versions of tracks from ''Midnight Syndicate'', ''Born of the Night'', and ''Realm of Shadows'', along with some of Edward Douglas’ early horror film scores. Fantasy artist ] designed the cover for this release, as well as a new cover for ''Gates of Delirium''.
]In 1998, Douglas teamed up with gothic fantasy artist and publisher Joseph Vargo, who also filled the roles of ], ], lyricist, vocalist, and cover art designer for the new line up. Composer Gavin Goszka also joined the group. Together, Douglas and Goszka would write almost all of the music on the Midnight Syndicate discs to come. That same year they released the band's first critically acclaimed gothic horror soundtrack, ''Born of the Night,'' followed in 2000 by ''Realm of Shadows.'' Both albums (as well as the future Midnight Syndicate releases) were featured as "official soundtracks" for Universal Studios' ] as well as being played in many other haunted attractions and major theme parks during Halloween, such as ] and ] Fright Nights. In addition, the heavy metal band ] featured tracks from ''Born of the Night'' as opening music for their 2001 US tour. Midnight Syndicate and Joseph Vargo parted ways after ''Realm of Shadows''.


Over the course of time Midnight Syndicate has become popular with the Halloween and haunted attraction industries. In addition to having the music playing in many major theme parks during Halloween, it also appeared in mainstream television programs like '']' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2002'', '']'' and '']'', and was used in horror films such as '''' and ''''.
⚫ In 2001, Midnight Syndicate’s third gothic horror soundtrack entitled ''Gates of Delirium'' was released. For this disc, Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka teamed up with two members who worked on the first Midnight Syndicate CD, Mark Rakocy (graphic design) and Christopher Robichaud (vocals). This particular album was a huge success on ], where it held six spots in their Top 20 positions during Halloween that year. In 2002, Midnight Syndicate called on artist ] to design the packaging for their fourth gothic soundtrack CD, ''Vampyre''.


==Future projects==
]In 2003, the band released the first officially licensed soundtrack to the classic roleplaying game '']''. Some of their tracks were later featured in computer games '']'' and '']''. In 2005, Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka released their seventh CD, ''The 13th Hour.'' It featured vocal effects by Lily Lane of the horror-rock band, Lazy Lane, and another cover by ].
Midnight Syndicate has teamed up with Snap Kick Productions to score the upcoming horror film, '']''. Additionally they recently signed on to score ]’s film, '']''. In 2006, Edward Douglas will begin pre-production on the horror suspense film he will be directing, ''The Dead Matter''. Previously filmed in 1996 with a very small budget, ''The Dead Matter'' was co-written (with Tony Demci), directed, and scored by Edward Douglas. Demci and Douglas have rewritten the script for the new film.


==Discography==
⚫ ''Out of the Darkness - Retrospective: 1994-1999'' was released in 2006 and featured re-recorded versions of tracks from ''Midnight Syndicate'', ''Born of the Night'', and ''Realm of Shadows'', along with some of Edward Douglas’ early horror film scores. Fantasy artist ] designed the cover for this release, as well as a new cover for ''Gates of Delirium''.
Midnight Syndicate Discography:
* 1997: ''Midnight Syndicate''
* 1998: ''Born of the Night''
* 2000: ''Realm of Shadows''
* 2001: ''Gates of Delirium''
* 2002: ''Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt''
* 2003: ''Dungeons & Dragons''
* 2005: ''The 13th Hour''
* 2006: ''Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994-1999)''


==References==
In 1999, Edward Douglas began building an independent distribution network for Midnight Syndicate’s CDs. Today, his company Entity Productions, Inc. and its partners distribute Midnight Syndicate CDs to retailers worldwide.
<references/>
*
* Jason Bracelin, "Scream Kings", at '']'' (Cleveland, OH), May 25, 2005, Sec. Features, Pg. 10-13.
* Heather Adler, "Haunted Memories", '']'' (Toronto, ON), October 2005, Pg. 131
*
*
* Leonard Pickel, "Midnight Syndicate - Setting the Mood for an Industry", at ''Haunted Attraction Magazine'' (Charlotte, NC), June 2006, Pg. 24-28, 38-41.
* John Horton, "Scary music writers accomplish ghouls", '']'' (Cleveland, OH), October 17, 2006, Sec. Main, Pg. A1.


==External Links==
As stated in Haunted Attraction Magazine (see link below), the success of these CDs over the course of time has made Midnight Syndicate the standard for the ] and ] industries. The music has appeared in mainstream television programs like '']' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2002'', '']'' and '']''.
*
*
*
*
* (a website created by Midnight Syndicate for fans and haunt lisitngs)
*


]
Midnight Syndicate has also had an impact in the hobby gaming industry. In 2006, Midnight Syndicate's ''The 13th Hour'' won the Origins Award for Best Gaming Accessory presented by the Academy of Adventure Game Art & Design. This marked the first time a roleplaying soundtrack or music CD won the award.
]


==Future projects== ==Future projects==

Revision as of 08:22, 12 November 2006

Midnight Syndicate

Midnight Syndicate is a Cleveland-based musical group that has been working mainly in the genre of gothic horror music since 1998. A 1997 self-titled release covered multiple mainstream genres. Their music is commonly used to provide atmosphere in both Halloween haunted houses and the gaming industry.

Midnight Syndicate

Midnight Syndicate is a Cleveland-based musical group that has been working mainly in the genre of gothic horror music since 1998. A 1997 self-titled release covered multiple mainstream genres. Their music is commonly used to provide atmosphere in both Halloween haunted houses and the gaming industry.

Formation

Composer/filmmaker Edward Douglas founded Midnight Syndicate in 1996. In 1997, their self-titled debut was released. A majority of music on the album was written, arranged, and performed by Edward Douglas. Contributors included Scott Angus, Mark Rakocy, Dennis Carleton, Jamie Barbour, Ray Portler, the rap act Dark Side, and Christopher Robichaud. Douglas coined the term “cine-fusion” to describe the album. Cine-fusion is described in the album’s liner notes as

"a blending of movie soundtrack music and pop music... a compilation of soundtracks to movies that do not exist. The goal of the music is to stimulate the imaginations of listeners so that they are able to transport themselves to worlds or movies of their own creation."

The album contained an eclectic blend of musical styles which included everything from dark instrumental music (three tracks which appeared on later releases) to techno, horrorbilly, rap, new age, swing, humor-pop, and space. Movie-style sound effects were employed and a multimedia show was produced to support the album.

File:Realm of shadows cd cover.jpg
Realm of Shadows album cover.

In October of 1997 Douglas teamed up with gothic fantasy artist and publisher Joseph Vargo, who filled the roles of executive producer, creative director, lyricist, vocalist, and cover art designer for the new line up and sharpened its focus on an exclusively darker sound. Composer Gavin Goszka joined in early 1998, and the trio released Born of the Night later that same year. It was Midnight Syndicate's first critically acclaimed gothic/horror soundtrack and provided a successful formula for the rest of their albums. Realm of Shadows followed suit in 2000, and both albums were featured as "official soundtracks" for Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights, and used in several other major theme parks during Halloween, such as Busch Gardens, Cedar Point and Thorpe Park's Fright Nights event. The heavy metal band King Diamond featured tracks from Born of the Night as opening music for their 2000 US tour. After Realm of Shadows, the band announced a line up change once again; Joseph Vargo turned his attentions to his other publishing projects, while Douglas and Goszka continued to write music as Midnight Syndicate.

In 2001, Midnight Syndicate released a third gothic horror soundtrack entitled Gates of Delirium. This time Douglas and Goszka teamed up with two members who worked on the first Midnight Syndicate cd, Mark Rakocy (graphic design) and Christopher Robichaud (vocals). This particular album was successful on MP3.com, where it held six spots in their Top 20 positions during Halloween that year. In 2002, Midnight Syndicate called on artist Keith Parkinson to design the packaging for their fourth gothic soundtrack Vampyre. In 2003, the band released the first official soundtrack to the classic roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. Some of the tracks were later used in computer games Shadowbane and Baldur's Gate II.

File:13th hour cd cover.jpg
The 13th Hour album cover.

In 2005, they released their seventh CD, The 13th Hour. It featured vocal effects by Lily Lane of the horror-rock band, Lazy Lane, and another cover by Keith Parkinson. In 2006 The 13th Hour won the Origins Award for Best Gaming Accessory presented by the Academy of Adventure Game Art & Design, marking the first time a music cd won the award.

Out of the Darkness - Retrospective: 1994-1999 was released in 2006 and featured re-recorded versions of tracks from Midnight Syndicate, Born of the Night, and Realm of Shadows, along with some of Edward Douglas’ early horror film scores. Fantasy artist Rob Alexander designed the cover for this release, as well as a new cover for Gates of Delirium.

Over the course of time Midnight Syndicate has become popular with the Halloween and haunted attraction industries. In addition to having the music playing in many major theme parks during Halloween, it also appeared in mainstream television programs like Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2002, The Ellen Degeneres Show and Monday Night Football, and was used in horror films such as Demons at the Door and Dead and Rotting.

Future projects

Midnight Syndicate has teamed up with Snap Kick Productions to score the upcoming horror film, Sin-Jin Smyth. Additionally they recently signed on to score Robert Kurtzman’s film, The Rage. In 2006, Edward Douglas will begin pre-production on the horror suspense film he will be directing, The Dead Matter. Previously filmed in 1996 with a very small budget, The Dead Matter was co-written (with Tony Demci), directed, and scored by Edward Douglas. Demci and Douglas have rewritten the script for the new film.

Discography

Midnight Syndicate Discography:

  • 1997: Midnight Syndicate
  • 1998: Born of the Night
  • 2000: Realm of Shadows
  • 2001: Gates of Delirium
  • 2002: Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt
  • 2003: Dungeons & Dragons
  • 2005: The 13th Hour
  • 2006: Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994-1999)

References

  1. Songs from the 1997 debut Midnight Syndicate that reappear on later albums: "Theme to the Dead Matter" (from the 1996 film of the same name) remixed and retitled "Vampire's Kiss," "Enchanted Nursery" remixed and retitled "Haunted Nursery" and "Dark Folk" remixed and retitled "Shadows" each appear on the album Born of the Night (1998) as well as the album Out of the Darkness (2006). The latter also contains one sound effect track from a 1994 short film, Journey Into Dementia by Edward Douglas.
  2. 1998 Radio Interview with Douglas, Vargo and Goszka Cleveland's WERE 1300
  3. Larry Aylward, "Music To Chill By", The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), October 22, 1998.
  4. Interview at Krepuskulum: "It was the “Born of the Night” album that really established Midnight Syndicate’s trademark sound."—Edward Douglas
  5. Jeff Niesel, "Soundbites", Scene Magazine (Cleveland, OH), October 14, 1999.
  6. Peter Iorillo, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", Interview at Dark Realms Magazine (Cleveland, OH), Issue 1, January 2001, Pg. 20-23.]

External Links

Future projects

Midnight Syndicate has teamed up with Snap Kick Productions to score the upcoming horror film, Sin-Jin Smyth. Additionally they recently signed on to score Robert Kurtzman’s film, The Rage. In 2006, Edward Douglas will begin pre-production on the horror suspense film he will be directing, The Dead Matter. Previously filmed in 1996 with a very small budget, The Dead Matter was co-written (with Tony Demci), directed, and scored by Edward Douglas. Demci and Douglas have rewritten the script for the new film.

Discography

Midnight Syndicate Discography:

  • 1997: Midnight Syndicate
  • 1998: Born of the Night
  • 2000: Realm of Shadows
  • 2001: Gates of Delirium
  • 2002: Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt
  • 2003: Dungeons & Dragons
  • 2005: The 13th Hour
  • 2006: Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994-1999)

Print References

  • John Horton, "Scary music writers accomplish ghouls", The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), October 17, 2006, Sec. Main, Pg. A1.
  • Leonard Pickel, "Midnight Syndicate - Setting the Mood for an Industry", Haunted Attraction Magazine (Charlotte, NC), June 2006, Pg. 24-28, 38-41
  • Heather Adler, "Haunted Memories", Rue Morgue Magazine (Toronto, ON), October 2005, Pg. 131
  • Jason Bracelin, "Scream Kings", Scene Magazine (Cleveland, OH), May 25, 2005, Sec. Features, Pg. 10-13.
  • Peter Iorillo, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", Dark Realms Magazine (Cleveland, OH), Issue 1, January 2001, Pg. 20-23.
  • Julie E. Washington, "Haunting Tunes Are Goth Band's Specialty", The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), October 30, 2000, Sec. arts, Pg. 1E.

External Links

Interviews

Categories: