Search - Midnight Syndicate :: Gates of Delirium

Classical soundtrack stylings

S. Gustafson | New Albany, IN USA | 04/13/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Classical music was murdered by academics in the 20th century. But when it died, it became necessary to re-invent it.

This is a nice, largely instrumental collection arranged around the theme of a stint in a Hammer horror madhouse. Messrs. Douglas and Goszka compose some nice themes in an atmospheric style that sounds, at times, like a movie soundtrack composer's take on Chopin, Mussorgsky, or a sinister Debussy. Some of the melodies are nice enough to make you wish that, instead of giving you twenty one tracks of pop song length, they had lingered on the best of them to develop and combine them.

This record would be great to play in the background during a roleplaying session."

Journey into to the Halls of Madness

Miles Denton | Chicago, IL | 10/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the Midnight Syndicate discs I own, this is one of my favorites. There's a lot of musical variety and some really creepy soundscape moments. The setting for this masterpiece is a haunted turn-of-the-century asylum. As is with all the Midnight Syndicate discs, the atmosphere is created through a blending of orchestral, instrumental, movie-soundtrack type music and occasional sound effects.Although predominantly very dark and tenebrous, there are some tracks that have more of a reflective, haunting feel to them. Tracks like the title track, "Unrest in the East Wing," "Halls of Insurrection," "Welcome," and my favorite, "Alternative Therapy" are the up-tempo, sometimes frantic, on-the-edge tracks that most would associate with an operating house of madness. However, pieces like "Haverghast Asylum," "Residents Past" (also a favorite), "Ebony Shroud," and "Cage of Solitude" are slower, sometimes sinister, more haunting pieces that hint at the supernatural element of the establishment and show a different angle of the residents.As opposed to "Born of the Night," "Vampyre," and "Realm of Shadows" where the setting and consequently the sound effects are more ghostly and otherworldly, the sound elements on this disc are more present/real-worldly. For example, you will hear actual inmates yelling, or talking, at several point on the disc in addition to an occasional ghostly murmur, howl, etc. In the tradition of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Legend of Hell House," and the asylum in "Disturbing Behavior," these soundscape elements create some especially creepy moments (especially in headphones) - on tracks like "Sleep Tight," "Dead of Night," and the cool intro piece "Arrival."If the occasional (and it is only occasional) "human-element" to your horror discs doesn't bother you, this disc is perfect to set the mood for any dark and stormy night. A disc chock full of memorable melodies and some of my favorite Midnight Syndicate tracks to date. Excellent for Call of Cthulu roleplaying game sessions. Second only to "Born of the Night" in being the best Midnight Syndicate disc to blast out of your house during Halloween night. Close your eyes and enjoy the journey."

Absolutely Incredible Musical Tour Through A 19th Century As

Angela Ryer | 12/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this muscial masterpiece as I type this, I'm astounded to find that I have never placed my review of this Incredible CD on this page and I've owned it for years.



Allow me to correct that mistake right now.



Everyone...this is one FUN FUN FUN CD!



Just listening to this music now, there is so much more freedom and artistic openness to the arrangements from the previous two CDs.

Both Born of the Night and Realm of Shadows are Awesome CDs in thier own right and ANY Midnight Syndicate fan should have them in thier collection (if they can still obtain a copy seeing that both recordings have been discontinued) but there is an *oppression* present that I can't put my finger on.

I can't explain it.

But in THIS recording...Midnight Syndicate Band Mates Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka BUST LOOSE and become the Artists that they are destined to be. This musical tour relies VERY LITTLE on sound effects and those that are there are very well and appropriately placed. Never over done...never under done. Your imagination is ALLOWED to take over and see what it wants to see...and sometimes things that you don't, but your brain takes you there anyway! lol!

The music is lush, darkly alluring and carries you through the asylum of scared, misunderstood and mistreated patients at the mercy of the facility's sadistic Dr. Haverghast! *Don't worry! you don't hear anything *BAD* but like I said, this CD-so good- your brain just takes you there!

I have never tired of this recording. It's complete "Mind Candy" and carries you away to another time.

This is why Midnight Syndicate are the Masters of the Genre that they created... Gothic Halloween CDs for the Imagination and they just keep getting better and better with time.



Now....go buy this CD and let yourself be taken away....

down the hall, dragged, screaming for your life as the metal door slams shut behind you as your helpless screams die away in the distance....."