| Out of the Darkness | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | July 4, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2006 | |||
| Genre | Gothic, dark ambient, neoclassical dark wave, darkwave | |||
| Length | 66:57 | |||
| Label | Entity Productions | |||
| Midnight Syndicate chronology | ||||
| ||||
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. [1] [2]
In a 2006 interview, composer, Edward Douglas referred to the album's material "what we consider our best horror-genre material from the early years." Composer, Gavin Goszka added:
We looked at this (album) as an opportunity to breathe new life into the material. We attempted to maintain as much of the sound and character of the original versions while still making minor changes to the arrangements and performances to bring them closer to what we originally envisioned. [3]
The majority of the songs are from the band's Midnight Syndicate , Born of the Night , and Realm of Shadows albums with additional tracks from Edward Douglas' early film scores and a previously unreleased track by Gavin entitled, Prisoner of Time. [4] The album artwork was created by fantasy artist, Rob Alexander.
The album was released through Entity Productions and self-distributed through Halloween retailers like Spencer Gifts, costume shops, and hobby shops. [5]
Side-Line Magazine described the album as remaining in the band's universe of "imaginary horror films"-style calling it a "fusion of orchestral arrangements and dark horror-like impressions." [2] Gothic Beauty noted the album featured fewer "scary" sound tricks than previous albums adding that although it was "made-for-Halloween theatrics" several tracks were too grandiose to be "horror camp." [1]
In 2013, the track Into The Abyss was featured as outro music following track 14, Saturday Night on the Misfits live album, Dead Alive! . [6] In 2015, Rue Morgue Magazine included Out of the Darkness in its list of 50 Essential Horror Albums - Discs That Created, Evolved, or Defined Genre Music Through the Decades citing the band's influence in the haunted attraction industry and "entrenchment" in the celebration of the Halloween season as reasons for its inclusion. [7]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Originally released on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Realm of Shadows" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:54 |
| 2. | "Darkness Descends" | Douglas | Born of the Night | 2:06 |
| 3. | "Born of the Night" | Douglas | Born of the Night | 3:07 |
| 4. | "Return of the Apparition" | Goszka | Previously unreleased | 1:06 |
| 5. | "Legions of the Night" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:45 |
| 6. | "Eye of the Storm" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:40 |
| 7. | "Solemn Reflections" | Goszka | Born of the Night | 2:51 |
| 8. | "Nightstalker" | Douglas | Born of the Night | 2:40 |
| 9. | "Noctem Aeternus" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:33 |
| 10. | "Haunted Nursery" | Douglas | Midnight Syndicate | 1:31 |
| 11. | "Sanctuary" | Goszka | Realm of Shadows | 2:33 |
| 12. | "Into the Abyss" | Goszka | Realm of Shadows | 4:50 |
| 13. | "The Night Beckons" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:25 |
| 14. | "Masque of Sorrow" | Goszka | Born of the Night | 2:05 |
| 15. | "Forbidden Crypts" | Douglas | Born of the Night | 2:13 |
| 16. | "Theme to The Dead Matter - Vampire's Kiss" | Douglas | Soundtrack to The Dead Matter (1996 - Entity Productions) | 2:17 |
| 17. | "Darkfolk - Shadows" | Douglas | Midnight Syndicate | 3:06 |
| 18. | "Soliloquy" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 3:04 |
| 19. | "Beyond the Gates" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 2:14 |
| 20. | "Eclipse" | Douglas | Realm of Shadows | 3:25 |
| 21. | "Scenes from The Dead Matter" | Douglas | Previously unreleased | 1:57 |
| 22. | "Prisoner of Time" | Goszka | Previously unreleased | 4:43 |
| 23. | "Theme to Journey Into Dementia" | Douglas | Previously unreleased | 2:36 |
| 24. | "Druids" | Angus, Douglas | Midnight Syndicate | 5:16 [8] |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)