Axe Giant

The Axe Giant the Wrath of Paul Bunyan: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is unleashed!!

Feel the earth shake and your heart pound as you come face to face with an angry American legend! This epic original score features thunderous orchestral themes blended with early American instrumentation. The soundtrack is now available at the Midnight Syndicate Store! While you are there you can also purchase the DVD and other NEW MERCHANDISE!

www.midnightsyndicate.com

"From a simple flourish of strings to behemoth bass horns on the rampage, the score is everything I hoped it would be and more. The perfect marriage of sight and sound, Ed's music carries our film into that cool, cool realm of which filmmakers only dream." - Gary Jones (Director, Producer of Axe Giant)

[Hallowzing here... I was also intrigued to read this at the bottom of Midnight Syndicate's press release...]


More Big Midnight Syndicate News Coming

Stay tuned for a major Midnight Syndicate announcement, coming this October!


Hmmmmmm....

Monsters of Legend

Monsters of Legend has arrived!

This “tribute to the golden age of horror” is inspired by horror films from the silent era, Universal Studios’ horror classics, Hammer Films, and other European horror films of the 60s and 70s. It features sweeping symphonic horror instrumental music and sound effects in the signature style the band helped pioneer. "We want to make you feel like you are a character in one of those classic horror films - that you've entered a world where any one of those iconic Universal monsters could be right around the corner," said composer Edward Douglas. The CD artwork features original images from classic Universal Studios horror movies including Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf of London, and Dracula.

The CD and a COLLECTOR'S EDITION 12" VINYL VERSION are available at the link below. The album is also available through iTunes, Amazon.com, and will be available in select Halloween retailers beginning in August!

http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/

Signed Copy

The big day is finally here! Get your signed copy today!

http://www.edbeardjr.com/store/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/91/products_id/608

Vocalist Destini Beard releases A Time Forgotten CD featuring music of Midnight Syndicate

August 7, 2012 (Cleveland, OH) – Vocalist Destini Beard has released A TIME FORGOTTEN, her first full-length album and followup to 2010’s successful THE DARK MASQUERADE EP. As with her previous release, the album showcases Destini’s lyrics and haunting, alluring vocal performances and arrangements blended with music from gothic horror music pioneers Midnight Syndicate.

The theme of the album surrounds a once-thriving Victorian hotel which suffers a tragic fire and is now haunted by it’s past residents as well as a malevolent spirit that holds dominion over all of them. The story goes on to tell of a young woman who is called from the spirit world to the hotel to reunite with her departed true love only to discover the dark secrets that lie behind the rooms’ walls.
"Sonically, we wanted the CD to be reminiscent of a short musical, with multiple layers of harmonies and counter melodies on each song,” said Destini. “The recording process took much longer than THE DARK MASQUERADE but I feel the end product was worth every bit of it. I was especially pleased with how the musical variety works hand in hand with the lyrics to pull you further along on the adventure."

The final special offering on this album, is the debut presentation of an original piece composed and performed by Destini Beard entitled MY LAST GOODBYE. The album also features an eight panel fold out, with all of the lyrics for the listener to read along with and fully immerse themselves into the storyline. The cover art has been created by fantasy illustrator Ed Beard Jr, and captures the essence of the lead character and the mysterious Victorian hotel.

The CD is available now on Midnight Syndicate and Destini Beard’s websites, Amazon.com, and CDBaby. It will be available digitally on iTunes and Amazon MP3 on September 11, 2012.

Album Art

From Destini Beard's Facebook page:

"Here's the announcement!!! Here is the album cover by my dad artist Ed Beard Jr for my new album "A Time Forgotten"!! The album will be available August 7th through my website www.destinibeard.com. Also ordering through the website gets you a signed Cd!!!"

Such an amazing album cover - Ed Beard, jr. really is a legend - his talent with an airbrush equals that of his daughter's amazing voice. For those of us who are old enough to have grown up with actual vinyl albums, and endlessly studied and appreciated them back in the day, Mr. Beard most definitely represents a time forgotten! Well done sir!

Can't wait to hear the cd, Destini!

Time Forgotten

A short note from Destini Beard with regard to her upcoming collaborative album with Midnight Syndicate. Can't wait for this one to finally be released - I absolutely adored THE DARK MASQUERADE!

The tracks and files have been sent for the new album "A Time Forgotten" and will be released in a few weeks! Twelve tracks with the awesome music of Midnight Syndicate along with a really cool dance mix by Pat Berdyz and a track composed and written by me it's going to be awesome I can't wait for you all to hear it! And thank you to my dad Ed Beard Jr for an amazing album cover! The cd will be available on my website can't wait for you guys to hear it! Thank you all so much for your support with my music!

The cd will be available on my website www.destinibeard.com

Haunt Panel

This is very cool and worth checking out if you're a home haunter like me or just dig those houses on Halloween night that go 'all out.' The latest episode of the Big Scary Show features a panel interview with Midnight Syndicate's Edward Douglas and fellow haunt music composers Virgil Franklin and Jerry "Haunt Rocker" Vayne. They talk about how they got their start in the biz, haunt music as art form, and various experiences over the years. (Panel interview starts at 34 minutes.)

http://www.bigscaryshow.com/

DESTINI BEARD INTERVIEW!

Production and Post-Production for Destini Beard's 'A Time Forgotten,' the full-length followup CD to 'The Dark Masquerade' is complete. According to our friends at Midnight Syndicate, the new disc promises an immersive blend of Destini's haunting vocals and classic Midnight Syndicate tracks that together form an entirely new listening experience.

After the 2010 mini collaboration between malevolent music maestros Midnight Syndicate and the positively enchanting Destini Beard, I had high hopes that a full length pairing of these great talents would result in a full length release. Well, looks like I’m getting my wish, as Destini Beard, Gavin Goszka, and Edward Douglas have recently announced ‘A Time Forgotten,’ tentatively scheduled for release at the end of this month. To celebrate the occasion, we sat down with Destini to talk about the recording process of ‘A Time Forgotten,’ fan conventions and life on the road, and what it’s like being Destini Beard.

HALLOWZING: Hi Destini! Thanks for taking the time to chat – it’s such a privilege to talk with you again. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?

DESTINI BEARD: "Hello! Thank you so much for interviewing me. It’s an honor and I am so excited to be talking to you again! I think the best thing that has happened today is realizing that soon I will be releasing my full length album! Every day I get more and more excited for the release!"

HZ: After the success of ‘The Dark Masquerade,’ did you instantly know a full length collaboration with Midnight Syndicate would happen, or was this something that evolved over time?

DB: "The initial response for ‘The Dark Masquerade’ was more than I could have ever imagined! It was amazing to hear how people enjoyed it and started to ask about a follow up! We talked back in January of 2011 and both Ed and Gavin were very happy with the response to the first Cd and agreed to sign up for a full length album, so from that point I immediately started creating a storyline and writing lyrics."

HZ: Tell us about the recording process for ‘A Time Forgotten.’ How was it different from ‘The Dark Masquerade?’

DB: "The recording process definitely took more time for ‘A Time Forgotten’. The idea for this Cd is to be reminiscent to a short musical. Each song has at least three layers of harmony and counter melodies, so it’s almost like each song has its own adventure that goes along with the overall storyline. The vocal arrangements are much more involved than ‘The Dark Masquerade’, and with ‘A Time Forgotten’, you get a range of everything from opera to new age and it even touches upon a soundtrack movie type feeling."

HZ: What’s it like collaborating with Ed Douglas and Gavin Goszka? Do you work with them directly, or is your teaming more long distance – sharing your files digitally?

DB: "It’s such a wonderful experience being able to work with Ed and Gavin! It’s so neat putting a new twist on their music. I enjoy being able to take their original idea and combine it with my own lyrics to give the song a whole new meaning! We do work over email and phone. Basically I’ll go into my local recording studio, Green Valley Recording, and then I’ll send the tracks to Ed and Gavin for the final mastering and mixing."

HZ: Will we be hearing familiar compositions from Midnight Syndicate’s past on the new album? Did you have a say in what tracks were selected?

DB: "Yes, all the songs on this album are from their classic albums like: ‘13th Hour’ ‘Vampyre’ and ‘Gates of Delirium’. I chose all the songs, which took a long time to decide because I love all of them!"

HZ: You have an incredibly dedicated fan-base. Tell us a little about life on the convention circuit – and what it’s like meeting your fans face to face.

DB: "It’s such a blessing to have obtained such an amazing fan base! I am extremely fortunate to be working with my dad in the convention circuit, as well as the renaissance faire circuit. I have been able to meet and make new fans at every show! My dad will always play my music in his booth and will tell everyone that comes in to check out my work, which I am so fortunate for. Life on the convention and faire circuit is absolutely fantastic I get to go to different places and meet new people every year. I had a lot of people this past year approach me saying how much they loved the Cd and can’t wait for the next one, and it’s the best feeling in the world. I’m able to connect with fans on a personal level, so I make friendships and get such wonderful support for my career!"

HZ: Will fans be able to see you perform live this year?

DB: "I will be performing songs from the new album at ‘Con on the Cob’ in Hudson Ohio this October. They can find out more about the convention at: www.cononthecob.com. I will also be looking into different performance venues as I travel, which I will update on my website www.destinibeard.com."

HZ: Thanks for taking the time to chat, Destini – you have an amazing gift that deserves sharing. It’s always a pleasure to help share your magic.

DB: "Thank you again so much for taking the time to interview me again! Its great knowing there are people out there that are so excited to support and promote artists and musicians! Thank you so much again for supporting my music!"


To all home haunters and lovers of Halloween - I encourage you to check out Destini's work, and that of Midnight Syndicate! To learn more about 'A Time Forgotten' and stay up to date on its release, visit: www.midnightsyndicate.com

Corril Slayer

Do you remember those awesome classic, side-scrolling, shoot-em-up arcade games of the 90s? Love Castlevania? Game designer, Eric Ruth has made a career of developing games made in that same fun, retro style. His latest, Corril Slayer follows the adventures of a dual magnum-toting, “I see dead people” hero Sam Asherton as he battles legions of the dead to the sounds of Midnight Syndicate!

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Eric Ruth Presents CORRIL SLAYER, an Original PC Horror Game

March 6, 2012, Baltimore, MD -- Pure Bang Games is excited to announce the release of Corril Slayer, a downloadable PC game created by demake expert and Team Fortress Arcade creator Eric Ruth. Corril Slayer is a 2D platformer video game inspired by classic retro action games such as Mega Man and Castlevania.

A botched lobotomy leaves Sam Asherton with the ability to see ghosts and he soon realizes that not all of the ghosts are friendly. Armed with dual Magnums, players take control of Sam as he adventures through creepy landscapes, battles the undead, and hunts down the Internet's most infamous monsters.

Set in a mysterious and haunting world crafted by expert pixel artist and game designer, Eric Ruth, Corril Slayer's moody and creepy scenes turn even darker and more eerie with an imaginative soundtrack from the renowned horror music outfit, Midnight Syndicate. Players can switch between the real world and the ghost world to uncover power-ups and clues to defeat bosses such as the mysterious Slender Man, a creature who stalks children. Corril Slayer takes players back to the 8-bit golden age of fun and excitement.

Corril Slayer is currently available for download for $2.99 at http://www.corrilslayer.com

A Time Forgotten

An update from our friends at Midnight Syndicate:

"Production and Post-Production for Destini Beard's A Time Forgotten, the full-length followup CD to Dark Masquerade is complete. The new disc promises an immersive blend of Destini's haunting vocals and classic Midnight Syndicate tracks that together form an entirely new listening experience. A late June release date is anticipated. More details coming soon."

Really looking forward to this one. Can't wait to hear what Midnight Syndicate and the incredibly talented Ms. Beard have come up with for this full-length release! If you haven't heard their first collaboration, I urge you to check it out here:

http://www.midnightsyndicate.com

MS App

Application uploaded!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/midnight-syndicate/id480528906?mt=8

Now Playing

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

Now Playing

Last week I picked up a copy of Midnight Syndicate's 2000 release: GATES OF DELIRIUM and it's been on steady rotation ever since. An early counterpart, a prelude if you will, to their masterpiece album THE 13TH HOUR, 'Gates of Delirium' gives us our first glimpse at the creepy Haverghast Asylum, where a slew of inmates (both past and present) awaited me. It's difficult to talk about 'Gates' and not compare it to '13th Hour' since they are meant to be enjoyed together, so I will just say that 'Gates' is an earlier release so any drawbacks it may have in its audio quality (although I would guess it has been remastered since its initial release) are easily overlooked if they're there at all - I'll be the first to admit that my untrained ears are easily satisfied. It is perhaps not quite as imaginative or ambitious as '13th Hour,' but still, there simply are not any tracks that aren't compelling - Gavin Gozska and Edward Douglas have proven, even at this early date, that they were (and are) masters at composing catchy Gothic hooks that stick with you.

'Gates of Delirium' easily stands on its own as a classic early release from Midnight Syndicate and for fans of the band, it's extremely interesting to hear the genesis of some familiar melodies that we've come to know and love from 'The 13th Hour.' Full of terrific orchestration and truly pulse-pounding themes, from the opening sounds of the carriage arriving to the sounds of the loonies in the final hidden track, 'Gates' has the expected asylum atmosphere but takes the time to go the extra mile and make what should be cliche into something more due to the top-notch use of sound effects. Running at 54 minutes, I found 'Gates of Delirium' to be a great addition to my Gothic haunting soundtracks, and a sinister companion piece to Midnight Syndicate's epic release - 'The 13th Hour' (plus, for those who picked up up their compilation album 'Halloween Music,' you will find a few sample tracks to whet your appetite). Priced at a reasonable $12.99 (and that includes shipping and handling!) this is a great one to pick up if you're looking for some new music this haunting season! Highly recommended.

You can pick up your copy of 'Gates of Delirium' (or 'The 13th Hour' if you haven't already!) from the official Midnight Syndicate website: www.midnightsyndicate.com

Now Playing

CARNIVAL ARCANE REVIEW BY DRIVE-IN OF THE DEAD

Last Saturday I opened my mailbox only to find a strange package waiting for me inside. Eagerly tearing open the oversized envelope, I was surprised to find a review copy of Midnight Syndicate's latest effort, the dark carnival themed: CARNIVAL ARCANE.

Just to be clear - I'm not your typical music reviewer who can listen to an album once and immediately comment upon it. I wanted to give this album the proper attention it deserved and not rush right into an overly enthusiastic review simply because I'm a fan of the band. Well, after listening to the album at every opportunity for the past three days, I'm happy to report that Gavin Goszka and Edward Douglas have done it again. This is a terrific 'soundtrack to an imaginary film' that is loaded with realistic turn-of-the-century sound effects and seriously sinister atmosphere.

To be honest, when I first heard that Midnight Syndicate was going to do a themed album centered around a traveling circus, I had my doubts. I figured it was one thing to conceive a concept album around a haunted house like they did with THE 13TH HOUR, but how would the 'creepiness factor' translate to a circus? Wouldn't that subject matter be too narrow? Wouldn't they be catering to those haunts and a fraction of their fan-base that have (or are planning to have) Evil Circus type haunts? Once again my doubts proved to be unjustified. After all - this IS Midnight Syndicate we're talking about. Who else could take a theme like a circus and completely turn it on its head?

What we have here with CARNIVAL ARCANE is a richly layered album that, yes, has a distinctly circus-like theme; but also is so much more than that. While many of the tracks can only be interpreted one way (such as the terrific second track 'Midway' featuring some great vocal work by MS alumni, Jason Carter (my 4-year-old son listened to that track, heard the clown that rides by, and said: "That's the creepy-clown, right Daddy?"), or the track 'Carousel Ride' for example) others songs on the album vary between a mirthful but macabre sound to strangely magical - reminiscent of the music found in the Harry Potter movies. In fact, the only track I didn't like was #23, 'Sea of Laughter' which went on a little too long for my tastes, and indeed, there is perhaps more dialogue on this album than on any other by Midnight Syndicate - but it works. Yet woven in between these numbers are those classic sounding Midnight Syndicate tracks that we've come to know and love (like the bombastic 'Welcome To The Carnival' and 'Pulling The Strings') much of which will make for superb background music for any home haunt or Halloween party, no matter the theme.

When the final 'Epilogue' had run its course (and the hidden 26th track had played out as the twisted troupe rode off into that weird gloom just before sunrise), I found that Midnight Syndicate's CARNIVAL ARCANE had exceeded my expectations and proven that even a concept album based around a narrow subject like a demented circus can provide sufficiently creepy atmosphere and real shivers. I have no doubt that there will be a huge number of Evil Circus haunts popping up this year all across the nation come October! Another solid effort from those maestros of the macabre in Ohio, this album is definitely worth owning if you're a fan of the band, a lover of insane clowns, evil carnivals, or simply want to bolt the door, lock the windows, and stay up late.

Hey - did that clown just wink at me?


Buy it here: www.midnightsyndicate.com