Edward Douglas, Goblin's Guarini, and Mark Korven ("The Witch") together for horror film scoring panel at Rue Morgue's Dark Carnival Expo.

Edward Douglas will be at Rue Morgue's first Rue Morgue Dark Carnival Expo in Hamilton, Ontario July 9-10. In addition to a guest list that includes Guillermo Del Toro and George Romero, Edward will be joining Goblin's Maurizio Guarini, and The Witch composer Mark Korven in a panel on the process behind creating a horror film score, favorite soundtracks, what makes and effective horror score, and trends in film scoring today. For more on the Dark Carnival Expo, check out this video on YouTube.

Midnight Syndicate to create Zombies!!!-themed soundtrack album

Almost 13 years after releasing the first official roleplaying soundtrack to Dungeons & Dragons® game, Midnight Syndicate has teamed up with premier horror game designer Twilight Creations to produce a soundtrack album for the zombie apocalypse-themed Zombies!!! board game. The dark instrumental album, which will feature new and previously recorded material blended with movie-style sound design, is designed to heighten the game play experience. The musical theme will center around the Zombies!!! board game and its 15 expansion sets that pay homage to classic zombie films, especially those of directors George Romero and Sam Raimi.

“I’m a big fan of Zombies!!!,” said Edward Douglas. “With the game celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2016, it seemed like the perfect time to undertake this project. We’re working closely with the Twilight team to create something that really enhances their players’ gaming experience. I think album will also resonate with our fans in the Halloween and haunted house industries."

“Musically, it will be interesting to work in a modern setting,” added Gavin Goszka. “Most of our albums have been set in the Victorian and early 20th century, so this will definitely be something different and exciting for us and our fans.”

“Words cannot express how excited I am to have Midnight Syndicate doing a soundtrack for Zombies!!!,” said Twilight Creations co-founder Kerry Breitenstein. “For many of our players, Midnight Syndicate’s music has already been the unofficial soundtrack to their gaming sessions over the years. To have them working with us to create something specifically for our universe is incredible.”

The soundtrack is tentatively scheduled for release in September in coordination with the release of the Zombies!!! Ultimate Collector Set and Zombies!!! Ultimate Upgrade Kit. To be among the first to hear preview tracks, be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Midnight Syndicate on YouTube!

Midnight Syndicate interview featured in latest issue of Gothic Beauty Magazine

The latest issue of Gothic Beauty Magazine (#48) features a brand new interview with Midnight Syndicate. Print and digital versions are available at the Gothic Beauty Shop. Gothic Beauty has been steadfastly reporting on gothic culture and music since 2000. Great magazine!

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!”

We'd like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving! If you're looking to unwind with some haunting holiday music this weekend, we've created a playlist of preview tracks from Christmas A Ghostly Gathering on the Midnight Syndicate YouTube Channel.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Remember... THIS year our favorite season doesn't have to end on November 1st! Pick up our ‪haunting‬ new Yuletide-inspired Christmas A Ghostly Gathering album and keep the ghoul times rolling! Just be sure to leave the fire in your hearth burning for any unexpected guests... We're posting more preview tracks from our dark Christmas music‬ album this week - including some of our favorites! In the meantime, have a happy and safe ‎Halloween‬ weekend!! To listen to preview tracks now visit our YouTube Channel.  To be the first to receive notice when new preview tracks are uploaded, subscribe to the Midnight Syndicate YouTube Channel.

Midnight Syndicate on SiriusXM's Scream Radio

We're very happy to once again be featured on SiriusXM's Scream Radio Halloween Music Channel.  If you have SiriusXM, you can listen in on Channel 18 from now through October 31st.  It's a wonderful mix of everything from Midnight Syndicate, Danny Elfman, and other horror music composer movie soundtrack composers to songs from AC/DC, Monster Mash-era Halloween classics, and short ghost stories.

Midnight Syndicate included in Rue Morgue's "50 Essential Horror Albums" list

Midnight Syndicate's Out of the Darkness album was included in Rue Morgue's list of 50 Essential Horror Albums - Discs That Created, Evolved, or Defined Genre Music Over the Decades. "To be included in the same category as Black Sabbath, King Diamond, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, John Carpenter and so many other horror music artists that inspired us is very special," said Edward Douglas. 

"Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering" available on iTunes and Amazon MP3. New preview track, "Night of the Krampus" released.

Midnight Syndicate's new haunted Yuletide-inspired dark instrumental album Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering is now available digitally on iTunes, CDBaby, and Amazon MP3.   A new preview track entitled, Night of the Krampus has been released on Midnight Syndicate's YouTube Channel.

Response to the new album has been amazing. If you'd like to hear what some fans and press are already calling a Midnight Syndicate masterwork, check out all four preview tracks including: Up On The Housetop, Coventry Carol, and Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy on the Midnight Syndicate YouTube Channel.

New preview track, "Coventry Carol" posted

Check out Midnight Syndicate's haunting twist on the 16th century English Christmas classic Coventry Carol. Taken from their new album Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering (available now on CD and digitally on October 1st), this track shows another side of this diverse haunted Yuletide-inspired musical journey.  For more videos and preview tracks, be sure to subscribe to the Midnight Syndicate YouTube Channel.

New Midnight Syndicate album, "Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering" now available on CD. Preview track posted.

Midnight Syndicate's new album, Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering is now available on CD (Midnight Syndicate Store / Amazon).  Orders placed through the Midnight Syndicate Store will receive a set of three limited-edition Midnight Syndicate holiday postcards (while supplies last). The album will be available digitally on October 1st.  You can listen to the first preview track, Up On The Housetop, here now with more coming soon.

The new album features the band’s unique twist on classic holiday carols blended with new and original material. “Our goal was to treat each song in a way that would merge familiarity with originality,” said Gavin Goszka. “There are definitely recognizable elements, but plenty of additional original material as well. It also incorporates the widest instrument palette we've used to date and represents what we consider to be the most varied collection of songs we've ever released. There are serenely beautiful moments here alongside more intense, darker tracks, and the end result is a thoroughly compelling and involving listening experience.” “With so many Christmas-themed albums out there, we wanted to make this collection uniquely our own,” added Edward Douglas. “I think we were able to do that.”

Pre-order Midnight Syndicate's new "Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering" album!

Pre-order Midnight Syndicate's upcoming album, Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering from the Midnight Syndicate Store now and receive a set of three (3) limited-edition Midnight Syndicate holiday postcards.  Orders will be shipped on or before September 4th.   Fans attending DragonCon can be among the first to purchase the album at the Midnight Syndicate booth (Floor 2 Dealer - Mart, Booth #13A) where copies will be available for sale.  Currently, the official release date for the CD version of the album is Wednesday, September 10th. The digital release date will be announced later.

Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering is a deliciously dark, sometimes hauntingly beautiful instrumental holiday album that puts a decidedly Midnight Syndicate twist on classic carols while blending them with new, original material.

Interview with Ed and Gavin on Big Scary Show

Catch an interview with both Gavin and Ed on the most recent episode (#81) of the Big Scary Show. During the Roundtable of Terror segment (beginning at 42:00 minutes in), the band talks about the upcoming album as well as Midnight Syndicate Live! Visit: http://www.bigscaryshow.com/ to listen!

Midnight Syndicate announces new album and plans for 2015 and beyond

Midnight Syndicate has announced that their eighteenth album will have a Christmas and Winter Solstice theme. “I think there's a rule that after a band's been around for ‘x’ years they are required to produce a Christmas album. So, that's how we got here,” joked Edward Douglas. “In all seriousness though, a Yuletide-themed Midnight Syndicate album is something our fans have been asking us for since we began; this album will not disappoint them.”

“I will say that this album has been particularly challenging because we're taking songs that are SO familiar and that have been treated in so many different ways throughout the years and trying to make them uniquely our own,” added Gavin Goszka. “We don't want to make yet another Christmas album - we really want it to stand on its own as something truly original. We hope that it will evoke the spirit of the Yuletide season while also reflecting our ongoing musical style and vision.” 

Content-wise, the album will be a mix of new material and twists on classics. “I'd describe most of the covers on the album as being reinvented, rather than simply adapted,” said Goszka. “I've found myself approaching this material with a very wide palette and a limited sense of allegiance to convention. That being said, it still has to make sense in some way and stay grounded in the familiar. I think we're stretching our creative wings more than ever here, but there's still a consistency and overall purpose to it.” “The original songs have been a lot of fun to work on,” added Douglas. “I think the fans are in for a lot of pleasant surprises.”

Fans will not have to wait until Christmas for this present. Midnight Syndicate will be exhibiting at DragonCon in Atlanta this year on Labor Day weekend (September 4-7) and plans to have the CD available at the show.

In October of 2014, Midnight Syndicate Live! debuted at Cedar Point’s HalloWeekends event. From the audience response to the critical reception to record-breaking attendance numbers, the show was an overwhelming success. Although the band will be using 2015 to focus on the new album, plans for a return of Midnight Syndicate Live! in 2016 are already underway. “The success of the inaugural run of Midnight Syndicate Live! has ensured that live Midnight Syndicate shows will be a permanent part of our plans going forward,” said Douglas.

Midnight Syndicate to make appearances at TransWorld's Halloween and Attractions Show and Monsterpalooza

We hope everyone's year is off to a great start!  As Midnight Syndicate gears up for what will be another very exciting 2015, we have two upcoming appearances we'd like to announce.   Midnight Syndicate's Edward Douglas will be at the TransWorld Halloween and Attractions Show in St. Louis March 19-22 in Booth #1222.  In addition to Midnight Syndicate CDs, t-shirts, hoodies, and other great merch, we will also be displaying masks, high-quality prop weapons, and other products from our friends at Screamline Studios.

On March 27-29, Edward will return to the west coast to be on hand for Monsterpalooza in Burbank. In addition to having Midnight Syndicate supplying musical atmosphere for the Museum section of the show, Eliot Brodsky has once again brought together an incredible group of guests which include George Romero and Linda Blair among many others!   

For more information on TransWorld's Halloween and Attractions Show, click here.  For more information on Monsterpalooza, click here.

New Midnight Syndicate merch in stock for the holidays!

Stop by the Midnight Syndicate Store today for your holiday shopping needs. We have all of our most popular t-shirt designs in stock and ready to ship along with a ton of new merchandise including hooded sweatshirts, hats, Midnight Syndicate Live! t-shirts, tumblers, mugs, and shot glasses! Plus you can pick up CDs and DVDs at a great price. As always, all our prices INCLUDE FREE SHIPPING!

That's a wrap on Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends 2014!

Wow. What can we say except for a huge THANK YOU! We are so happy to be able to report that Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends 2014 was an amazing success. We want to start out by thanking the incredible folks at Cedar Point for providing the perfect venue and supportive team. To our show's cast and crew, you were amazing - the heartbeat that helped make the run such a success. To the incredible tandem of Screamline Studios and Evilusions, thank you for designing a set that folks couldn't stop talking about! Huge thanks to the absolutely incredible David "House" Greathouse who's encouragement and energy were so instrumental in helping make Midnight Syndicate Live! a reality from the very beginning. Also a huge thank you to our film cast and crew including Mark Rakocy, our friends at Robert Kurtzman's Creature Corps, and 529 Films whose incredible efforts took the film segments of the show to the next level. To the fans (both new and old) who came out to see the show, thank you for coming out and for all of your positive feedback and support!! It was great meeting so many of you in person! And finally... to the thousands of awesome fans across the globe that weren't able to make it out this time, thank YOU for continuing to support Midnight Syndicate. We can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we WILL be performing more shows in the years to come and we plan on coming to YOU! Photo by Invertalon Photography.  Read the reviews of the show here.

Happy Halloween from Midnight Syndicate!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to the best fans in the world from Midnight Syndicate and the cast and crew of Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows (at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends‬ tonight and Saturday).

New Dance Remix of "Alchemist's Chamber"

Looking for some danceable Midnight Syndicate Halloween music‬ for your‬ Halloween parties? Check out this BRAND NEW REMIX of Alchemist's Chamber from Waning Moon. Available on iTunes now!!

Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows thrilling audiences at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends

Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows has been thrilling audiences at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends since they opened Friday, September 12th.   The multimedia Halloween music horror music concert is being called "top-notch and ambitious," "brilliant and artistically creative," and "a must see" by audiences and press alike (see Reviews).  "We couldn't be happier with how the show came together," said Edward Douglas.  "We have an incredible cast and crew, the set and films look great, HalloWeekends and the Ghoultime Theatre are a perfect venue, and the response has been absolutely amazing."  In addition to enjoying their first live performances together, both Edward and Gavin Goszka are holding meet-and-greets with guests after every show at the Midnight Syndicate merch tent outside the theater.  "One of the highlights for both of us has been being able to meet and talk with everyone after the shows," added Gavin.  "It's been great getting feedback from both long-time fans as well as new audiences." Midnight Syndicate Live! Legacy of Shadows runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from now through November 1st.   For showtimes, click here. For more information on Cedar Point's Halloweekends, click here.  Midnight Syndicate Live! was produced in coordination with Robert Kurtzman's Creature Corps, Screamline Studios, and 529 Films.  Photos by Stephen Franczek - Invertalon Photography