Gates of Delirium

Last updated
Gates of Delirium
Midnight Syndicate Gates of Delirium album cover, alternate 2006.jpg
Studio album by
Midnight Syndicate
ReleasedMarch 3, 2001
Genre Gothic, Dark Ambient, Neoclassical Dark Wave, Darkwave, Ambient
Length56:29
Label Entity Productions
Producer Edward Douglas
Gavin Goszka
Midnight Syndicate chronology
Realm of Shadows
(2000)		Gates of Delirium
(2001)		 Vampyre
(2002)
Alternate cover
Asylumcd.jpg
Original cover (2001-2006)

Gates of Delirium is the fourth studio album by Midnight Syndicate, released March 3, 2001, by Entity Productions. [1] The album is set in the fictitious haunted Haverghast Asylum and features the blend of horror-inspired symphonic music and sound design the band had become known for. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Background and release

Gates of Delirium was written, produced, and mixed by Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka. [1] In a 2001 interview, Gavin Goszka said that musically, the album encompassed their most intense and involving material to date and, production-wise, was by far their most intricate. [5] Edward Douglas said that he felt they were "truly able to realize their cinema of the mind" concept on Gate of Delirium with the mix of sound effects and music. [6] The album artwork and photography was designed by Mark Rakocy, the same artist who handled the design and artwork for the Midnight Syndicate debut. [7]

The album was released through Entity Productions and self-distributed nationally through chains like Spencer Gifts, Hot Topic, Border Books, Best Buy, as well as in amusement parks, costume shops, and Halloween-merchandise retailers. [8] [9] To mark the release of the album, the group decorated the Tyr nightclub in Lakewood, Ohio to look like a mental institution and had a cast of actors who pretended to be its mad patients. [4]

Reception and post-release

During the 2001 Halloween weekend, six of the band's mp3 singles, including two from Gates of Delirium, were in the Top 20 for all of MP3.com. [10] Daniel Hind of Outburn Magazine called the album impressive with a more developed concept although less eerie than previous releases. [3] Rue Morgue Magazine gave it a 5 out of 5, calling it "choice audio theater" [11] and Haunted Attraction Magazine called it a "masterpiece," praising the versatility of its potential uses in the haunted attraction industry. [12] Jeff Niesel of Cleveland Scene Magazine praised the album's effectiveness and production values adding though that it still suffered from the fact that was "best suited as background music." [4]

Gates of Delirium was among the first Midnight Syndicate albums to receive a review from a table top game/role-playing game publication when, in 2001, Games Unplugged Magazine praised Gates and the band's previous two releases as having the "right balance of power and transparency," adding that they could "serve just about any horror adventure very well." [13] In 2007, Midnight Syndicate teamed up with Goodman Games to produce Cage of Delirium, a Dungeon Crawl Classics role-playing game adventure based on Gates of Delirium which came packaged with the CD. Cage of Delirium was nominated for Best Adventure in the 2007 ENnie Awards. [14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Arrival"Edward Douglas / Gavin Goszka1:51
2."Welcome"Edward Douglas2:25
3."Haverghast Asylum"Edward Douglas3:34
4."Halls of Insurrection"Gavin Goszka2:41
5."Cage of Solitude"Gavin Goszka2:36
6."Residents Past"Gavin Goszka4:07
7."Adelaide"Edward Douglas1:09
8."Phantom Sentinels"Edward Douglas2:35
9."Gates of Delirium"Gavin Goszka3:36
10."Non Compos Mentis"Gavin Goszka0:56
11."Procession of the Damned"Gavin Goszka3:12
12."Infestation"Edward Douglas0:58
13."Room 47"Edward Douglas2:54
14."Dark Discovery"Gavin Goszka3:53
15."Morbid Fascination"Edward Douglas2:36
16."Dead of Night"Edward Douglas1:41
17."Alternative Therapy"Edward Douglas3:04
18."Crimson Door"Edward Douglas / Gavin Goszka1:08
19."Unrest in the East Wing"Edward Douglas2:47
20."Ebony Shroud"Gavin Goszka4:09
21."Sleep Tight" (contains an unlisted track starting at 3:08)Edward Douglas2:22

Personnel

Production

Release History

Related Research Articles

Midnight Syndicate Gothic Horror Halloween music composers

Midnight Syndicate is an American musical group that has been working primarily in the genre of gothic music since 1997 and is based in Chardon, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

<i>Rue Morgue</i> (magazine) Magazine

Rue Morgue is a multinational magazine devoted to coverage of horror fiction. Its content comprises news, reviews, commentary, interviews, and event coverage. Its journalistic span encompasses films, books, comic books, video games, and other media in the horror genre. Rue Morgue was founded in 1997 by Rodrigo Gudiño, and is headquartered in Toronto, with regional offices in various countries throughout North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The magazine has expanded over time to encompass a radio station, book publishing company, and horror convention. The magazine's namesake is Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841).

Jeremy Caniglia is an American figurative painter and illustrator, primarily in fantasy and horror genres. He has done book and magazine illustration, conceptual artwork, book and album covers, and comic books, and his work is in several important public collections including the Joslyn Art Museum and Iowa State University. His art has also been shown at the Society of Illustrators' Museum of Illustration.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> (album) 2003 soundtrack album by Midnight Syndicate

Dungeons & Dragons is a studio album by the American musical group Midnight Syndicate, released August 12, 2003, by Entity Productions. The album is designed as a soundtrack to the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and was produced by Midnight Syndicate at the request of Wizards of the Coast, the company that owns the rights to the Dungeons & Dragons franchise. Midnight Syndicate was approached by game designers at a gaming convention where they had set up stall, and they agreed to produce the album.

<i>The 13th Hour</i> 2005 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

(for the 1927 silent film starring Lionel Barrymore see → The Thirteenth Hour )

<i>Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994–1999)</i> 2006 compilation album by Midnight Syndicate

Out of the Darkness is a retrospective album by Midnight Syndicate, released July 4, 2006, by Entity Productions. The album features re-recorded and re-mastered tracks from the band's early years (1994-1999). The 24 tracks on the album include 4 previously unreleased songs.

<i>Vampyre</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt is the fifth studio album by Midnight Syndicate, released August 13, 2002 by Entity Productions. Centering on themes surrounding vampire lore, gothic literature, and classic horror films, the album featured the band's "symphonic horror" blend of dark, synth-created orchestral music and soundscape. The album features cover art by fantasy artist, Keith Parkinson.

<i>Realm of Shadows</i> 2000 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

Realm of Shadows is the third studio album by American band Midnight Syndicate, released March 6, 2000 by Entity Productions. Musically keeping with the band's blend of dark instrumental music and horror-influenced soundscape, the theme of the album centers around a cursed and abandoned village.

<i>The Rage: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack</i> 2008 soundtrack album by Midnight Syndicate

The Rage: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was both the ninth album and first movie soundtrack by the band Midnight Syndicate, released February 26, 2008. The album features the score to the 2007 horror film, The Rage, composed by Edward Douglas.

<i>The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates</i> 2008 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates is the tenth album of the band Midnight Syndicate, released in 2008. The album consists of original music in band's orchestral, gothic, horror soundtrack-style inspired by the themes in the horror film, The Dead Matter.

Maris the Great American musician

Maris the Great is a promotional performance artist based in Denver, Colorado, and "undead" frontman for the punk rock band, Maris the Great and the Faggots of Death. He promotes bands through interviews on his website, MarisTheGreat.com. The interviews end with the fictional murder of the featured band and graphic photos of their demise. Notable bands he has interviewed include Kittie, Comeback Kid, and Throwdown. Maris refers to himself as "Headbanger and Zombie Fag Extraordinaire," for his musical preferences and outspoken homosexuality. He is known for his refusal to break character or appear without makeup in public.

<i>Halloween Music Collection</i> 2010 compilation album by Midnight Syndicate

Halloween Music Collection is a best of album by the gothic, horror instrumental band, Midnight Syndicate, released on July 30, 2010. Featuring a selection of tracks made popular through the music's exposure in the Halloween, haunted attraction, horror music, and role-playing game industries.

<i>The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack</i> 2010 soundtrack album by Midnight Syndicate

The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was both the twelfth album, and second movie soundtrack by the band, Midnight Syndicate, released July 30, 2010. The album features the original score to the supernatural horror film, The Dead Matter (2010), composed by Edward Douglas, as well as other gothic rock and heavy metal songs from the film. The album also contained several remixes of previously released Midnight Syndicate material including one performed by related act, Destini Beard.

<i>The Dark Masquerade</i> 2010 remix album by Midnight Syndicate with Destini Beard

The Dark Masquerade is a collaborative remix EP by vocalist, Destini Beard and Midnight Syndicate. The EP blends Destini's original lyrics and vocals with previously released songs from Midnight Syndicate's albums. A previously unreleased gothic rock remix of Troubled Times was used in the title track, Dark Masquerade.

Kristen Lawrence American musician

Kristen Elise Lawrence,, is an American organist, composer, and vocalist who writes, produces, records, and performs her music based on Halloween history. She coined the term "Halloween Carols" to describe her music compositions that celebrate the autumnal season.

<i>Carnival Arcane</i> 2011 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

Carnival Arcane is the 14th album by dark ambient band Midnight Syndicate, released in 2011. Featuring the blend of dark, orchestral, instrumental music and horror-inspired soundscape the band had become known for, the "dark carnival" theme of the album centers on a fictional, early-20th century traveling circus called The Lancaster Rigby Carnival.

<i>Monsters of Legend</i> 2013 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

Monsters of Legend is the sixteenth studio album by the gothic horror instrumental band, Midnight Syndicate. Advertised as a tribute to the Golden Age of Horror, the packaging featured images from Universal Classic Monster films Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf of London, and Dracula. The album featured the blend of dark orchestral music, sound effects, and audio storytelling that the band had become known for.

<i>Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan</i> (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2013 soundtrack album by Midnight Syndicate

Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan is both the seventeenth album and third movie soundtrack by the gothic horror instrumental band, Midnight Syndicate. The album features Edward Douglas' score to the 2013 horror film, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan and the song, The Ballad of Paul Bunyan, performed by Hick'ry Hawkins.

<i>A Time Forgotten</i> 2012 studio album by Destini Beard with Midnight Syndicate

A Time Forgotten is the second collaborative remix album by vocalist Destini Beard and Midnight Syndicate, the first being the 2010 EP, The Dark Masquerade. The album blends Destini's original lyrics and vocals with previously released songs from Midnight Syndicate's albums. The theme of A Time Forgotten centers around a once-thriving Victorian-era hotel that has suffered a fire and is now haunted by its past residents. The album also included an original song written and performed by Destini entitled, My Last Goodbye, and an electro dance remix of Farewell Forever from The Dark Masquerade EP by Pat Berdysz of Encoder.

<i>Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering</i> 2015 studio album by Midnight Syndicate

Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering is the eighteenth album by the by the gothic horror instrumental band, Midnight Syndicate. The album features a mix of re-imagined Christmas carols and original compositions in a style similar to the band's other gothic,paranormal, and Halloween-themed releases. Midnight Syndicate founder and composer, Edward Douglas, said it's one of his favorite albums they've ever created.

References

  1. 1 2 "Midnight Syndicate - Gates of Delirium (2001, CD) on Discogs"
  2. ↑ Gregorious Chant, "Midnight Syndicate: The Most Frightening Places are Within You", Rue Morgue Magazine (Toronto, ON), July, 2001, Pg.24
  3. 1 2 Daniel Hinds, "Music Review: Gates of Delirium", Outburn Magazine (Thousand Oaks, CA), Issue 15, Pg.70
  4. 1 2 3 Jeff Neisel, "Music Playback: Gates of Delirium", Cleveland Scene (Cleveland, OH), March 8, 2001, Pg.43
  5. ↑ Lee Powell, "Interview with Gavin Goszka of Midnight Syndicate", Judas Kiss (Gloucester, UK), Issue 7, Pg.20-22
  6. ↑ Adrian Bromley, "Midnight Syndicate: Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", Unrestrained! (Mississauga, ON), Issue 16, Pg.52
  7. ↑ "Midnight Syndicate - Midnight Syndicate (1997, CD) on Discogs"
  8. ↑ Jim O'Rear, "Gates of Delirium", Underground Entertainment (Mt. Juliet, TN), Issue 14, Pg.18
  9. ↑ "Best Techno/Goth/Industrial Act Midnight Syndicate", Cleveland Free Times (Cleveland, OH), March 7, 2001, Pg.19
  10. ↑ Midnight Syndicate News
  11. ↑ Gregorious Chant, "Audio Drone: Gates of Delirium", Rue Morgue Magazine (Toronto, ON), May 2001, Pg.57
  12. ↑ DJ D.K., "Underground DJ - Gates of Delirium", Haunted Attraction Magazine (Charlotte, NC), Issue 26, Pg.27
  13. ↑ Lester Smith, "Born of the Night, Gates of Delirium, and Realm of Shadows", Games Unplugged (Lake Geneva, WI), Issue #13, November 2001, Pg.38
  14. ↑ Goodman Games listing for Cage of Delirium
  15. ↑ Discogs for Gates of Delirium Alt Cover
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.