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The same time I picked up Midnight Syndicate's GATES OF DELIRIUM I also scored a copy of their 2002 release: VAMPYRE: SYMPHONIES FROM THE CRYPT. Both have been on steady rotation here at my house throughout the last month or so - with both finding equal playing time. It would be impossible to say which one I'm enjoying more, simply because both disks are so completely different. Where 'Gates' played out more like one of Midnight Syndicate's now-famous "soundtrack to an imaginary film," VAMPYRE boldly goes a different route by forgoing nearly all sound-effects (you may hear a rumble of thunder or a spade shoveling dirt - but the sounds are minimal).

What I like best about listening to Midnight Syndicate's VAMPYRE is the band's concentration at constructing true symphonies - and not just in title alone. As a lover of classical music, I appreciated the duo's effort of weaving beautiful melodies into Gothic structures. This is not an album about a vampire, it is an album for vampires and the people who love them. Featuring fourteen tracks that range from mysterious to sinister to downright evil, VAMPYRE: SYMPHONIES FROM THE CRYPT proves that the band does not have to rely on sound-effects alone to sell their unique brand of fear, and demonstrates that even at this early stage of their career they are not afraid to take risks by forgoing the effects and relying almost solely on their musical wits alone. Was it worth the risk? Absolutely! There is no doubt about it, composers Gavin Gozska and Edward Douglas have proven time and again that they are true musical artists that have an uncanny knack at bringing the Gothic to life...or death.

You can pick up your copy of VAMPYRE: SYMPHONIES FROM THE CRYPT (or GATES OF DELIRIUM if you haven't already!) from the official Midnight Syndicate website: www.midnightsyndicate.com