The reviews are in..."Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering" is a hit!

Response to Midnight Syndicate's Yuletide monsterpiece, Christmas A Ghostly Gathering from both fans and the media has been amazing.  Many people are calling it one of Midnight Syndicate's greatest albums ever!  See what the media is saying below or listen for yourself via our Christmas A Ghostly Gathering Playlist on YouTube, where you can preview ten tracks from the album set to some of the imagery that inspired the music.  The album can be purchased here, or on Amazon, iTunes, and CDBaby!

Dread Central – “The masters of All Hallow’s Eve have found another holiday to conquer... Midnight Syndicate have become iconic.  You can count on every release to represent a specific sound that they have mastered, and that’s what we have here... a haunted Christmas wonderland...  If you enjoy Christmas as well as the spookier side of life, this will be an excellent addition to your collection.”

Mortis Media – “A Christmas miracle... It is the ability to weave the fine line between the light and dark sides of the holidays musically, that makes ‘Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering’ one of the best albums, holiday or not, that this author has heard in recent memory.”    

Rue Morgue Magazine – Featured Album of the Month (December, 2015) – “...holiday music redone with Midnight Syndicate’s unique stamp reflecting beauty, fantasy, and the supernatural.  Imagine Danny Elfman and Pyotr Tchaikovsky scoring a Tim Burton version of ‘Christmas Carol’ and you’re not far off.  Ideal for horror fans wishing to add a touch of crimson and black as they gather ‘round the tree this year.”

Games Gazette (UK) – “This CD has transformed Christmas from the light and lyrical frolic it has become to the exciting holiday it was when we were kids.   Instantly recognisable classic tunes played in a manner only Midnight Syndicate can offer and some classics in the making.  The best sounds you will hear this Yule.”

Dead With Dave – “The same Midnight Syndicate that set the standard for the entire Halloween music genre are doing Christmas. I'll admit, I had my doubts... until I listened to it..... I will say without a doubt in my mind that this is officially my new favorite Christmas album. I absolutely love it!

Horror Talk - "The beauty of Midnight Syndicate's work is they're not making it obnoxiously or stereotypically bleak... they are subtle with their darkness. Midnight Syndicate constantly amazes me on one-upping their prior release, and damn if they haven't done it again here. If you are a horror fan, there is no excuse not to have 'Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering' on your shelf."

America’s Most Haunted – “An instant classic. Lovers of Christmas music in general will appreciate their exquisitely produced, alternately lovely, stirring, haunting, and festive holiday reveries.  Midnight Syndicate has made the season their own.”

Gross Movie Reviews – “They have taken soundtracks to a whole new level with every new release and ‘Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering' is no different.  It not only gets the heart pumping for the Halloween season but makes even the darkest, soulless individual excited for the Christmas season.  Beautiful, perfect, mesmerizing... 4 out of 4!”

Mr. Frights – “The perfect companion to any horrorfile’s holiday... Easily my new favorite Christmas album...  fans old and new shouldn’t be without this essential collection of music.  4 out of 4!”

City Blood – “Midnight Syndicate’s take on classic Christmas carols is like nothing I’ve heard before... beautiful yet haunting.”

Black Gate – ‘Midnight Syndicate Does It Again’ – “And once again, the boys deliver – in a wonderfully different and unexpected way – A Christmas album.  Charmingly haunting... I honestly love every track.”

  

Designing The Fear – “Ed and Gavin have brought the chills once again!  From the moment this CD arrived it has been on constant play.  There is no doubt that this will be our soundtrack from now till Christmas.”

The Inscriber Magazine – “This album is a must have ...The music is at times somber and morose, hauntingly beautiful, and even devilishly playful, but it is at all times very entertaining. “

Cryptic Corridor –  “True re-imaginings of the Christmas songs you've heard so many times before.... For a moment I forgot that I was listening to a Midnight Syndicate record and got swept up in the majestic awe captured here.... This album defies the conventions of the Christmas albums that flood the airwaves. Bursting with creativity and imagination... a perfect alternative for anyone looking for a truly unique listening experience this holiday season.”

Horror Addicts –  “Midnight Syndicate have wrought their monsterpiece.”

Ramblings From The Black Lagoon – “What sets this apart from other "dark" Christmas offerings, is that Goszka and Douglas don't try to add a Halloween flavor to Yuletide tunes at all, but instead plumb the rich history of the 19th century Christmas Ghost Story genre. This is a Christmas album, through and through, not a Halloween disc in a Santa suit. There is a purely enchanting, joyous and (dare I say it) merry element that invokes a feeling of mystery, while still warming the soul. It's the musical equivalent of looking out the window onto a cold winter's night, while curled up next to a fireplace.”

Knightmist –  “Christmas A Ghostly Gathering isn’t your normal offering for this time of year...it can be enjoyed at any time due to the way the group worked their musical magic.”

Justine’s Halloween – “I wondered how they would strike that balance of Christmas themes and spooky music.  It can be tricky to do a spooky take on Christmas... This album struck the perfect balance for me! The music is beautiful and strikes an eerie chord while remaining respectful to the Christmas classics.”

  

Indie Chick – “Guaranteed to warm even the coldest blood of your favorite dark soul or Goth this holiday season.  Amazing holiday tracks!”

Two Crows Paranormal – “The album is a perfect mix of original material from the band, blended with their own take on such classics.   The entire album is spectacular.”

Tiffany Apan – “The soundtrack as a whole ranges from dark and sinister to absolutely beautiful and symphonic while painting a picture of a vast wintry landscape with the moon high above and a medieval castle in the distance.  (Midnight Syndicate) continues to not disappoint.”

Black Veil Gothic (UK) – “If you want Christmas music with a dark feel and the cheese removed then this is for you!”

"Monsters of Legend" receives more high praise. Critics calling it a landmark release.

 

Monsters of Legend is earning high praise from both fans and critics alike.  Many are calling it the band's best, most impressive work to date.  The fiends at Dread Central lead off this second group of reviews.  Click on the links to see what reviewers are hearing and saying about the new album.   Subscribe to Midnight Syndicate's YouTube Channel to receive updates on more preview tracks in the coming weeks!

Dread Central - “This is what Midnight Syndicate does best: dark, goth instrumental orchestrations that fit a general theme and provide an excellent mental backdrop to all things horror. As evidenced by their recent forays into film scores, their compositions have thickened dramatically since the ‘Born of the Night ‘ days, giving ‘Monsters of Legend‘ an epic feel that fits the monsters.

‘Monsters of Legend’ represents the pinnacle of this kind of music. They pretty much invented it and refuse to give up the crown to any newcomers. Much like these titans of cinema, Midnight Syndicate are proving to be timeless and unshakable, continuing to provide amazing music for all of our nightmares.”

Rue Morgue (Canada) - “Extremely cinematic in scope and feel, ‘Monsters of Legend’ is an album tailored for grown-up monster kids. It will appeal to horror fans of every shade.”

Dr. Zombie's Horror Blog - “To say that the duo of Gavin Goszka and Edward Douglas have outdone themselves is an understatement of negligent proportions. ‘Monsters of Legend’ is a masterpiece and the single best album of their dozen plus to date. The level of musical sophistication on ‘Monsters of Legends’ is far and above anything Midnight Syndicate have done previously. It is simultaneously evocative and chilling.”

Black Veil Gothic (UK) – “I’ve listened to a lot of filmscore music and this has to be the best album for any horror film since Silva Screen produced their Hammer/Vampire compilations in the early 90′s. Midnight Syndicate’s scariest symphonic monsterpiece yet!” 

Ramblings from the Black Lagoon - “Syndicate's best album since ‘The 13th Hour’...and that's saying something since I thought their previous offering, 2012's ‘Carnival Arcane,‘ was a damned masterpiece! When compared against the two original albums, which this album references, you cannot help but be struck by how much this duo has evolved not only as composers, but as musicians.”

Games Gazette (UK) - “...majestical masterpieces that one can envisage being heard in concert at the Royal Albery Hall or the Festival Hall (Southbank) performed by a Philharmonic Orchestra of renown... a powerful CD with a definitive theme.”

Louisville Halloween - "richer and more symphonic than anything they’ve released before, represents these two artists at the absolute peak of their talent. Perhaps the theme of classic monster cinema has connected with Douglas and Goszka’s best childhood Halloween memories and inspired their best work to date." 

Black Gate – “Midnight Syndicate has really outdone themselves this time.”

Forgotten Flix - “a dark and beautiful journey through the Theater of the Mind from the biggest, and best, name in the Halloween music genre....It will leave you longing for the movies and cinematic horrors it celebrates.”

Shawn "Knightmist" Micallef Blog & Reviews – “it’s the perfect soundtrack for the mind. The creatures of old will certainly come to life in your imagination as you enjoy this great album.”

Midnight Spookhouse - “5 out of 5 - a beautiful set of truly thought-provoking melodies but it runs far deeper and darker than that. You will literally feel the intentions of each track of the disc.”

Haunt Review Crew - “a legendary piece of music!”

Plus, check out a new interview with Edward Douglas by Count Gore DeVol on Creature Feature.