Dark music collection

Origin: Chardon, Ohio USA

Years active: 1997 – present

Labels: Entity Productions (1997 - present), Monolith Graphics (1998)

Members: Gavin Goszka and Edward Douglas



Former members: Scott Angus, Mark Rakocy, Dennis Carleton, Jamie Barbour, Ray Portler, Christopher Robichaud (1997). Joseph Vargo (1998-2000).

Associated acts: Nox Arcana

Website: http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/

Discography
1997: Midnight Syndicate
1998: Born of the Night
2000: Realm of Shadows
2001: Gates of Delirium
2002: Vampyre
2003: Dungeons & Dragons
2005: The 13th Hour
2006: Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994–1999)
2008: The Rage: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2008: The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates

For the past thirteen years, dark music pioneers Midnight Syndicate have been creating Halloween music and gothic, horror, fantasy soundtracks for the imagination. Formed by composer/director Edward Douglas in 1995, their music has become staples of the Halloween, gothic music, haunted attraction, and role-playing game industries. With a catalog of CDs that blend dark, orchestral horror and fantasy movie score-style music with sound effects, the band consisting of Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka has had its soundtracks to imaginary films featured in everything from Hugh Hefner's infamous Halloween parties, Barbara Walters specials and Monday Night Football to X-Box games, tracks by the Academy-Award winning rap act, Three Six Mafia, and Twiztid as well as concerts by dark music pioneers The Misfits and King Diamond. The music has also been featured on countless television shows and documentaries relating to horror films and the supernatural.

Often referred to as the first Halloween band or Haunted House band, Midnight Syndicate is the industry standard for the world's top haunted attractions and amusement parks. From Siberia and Hong Kong to Europe and the United States, whether it's a store, neighborhood
celebration, or even a themed-cruise, Midnight Syndicate's music has become synonymous with the celebration of the Halloween season. In September of 2009, AOL released a list of the Top 10 Best Halloween Music CDs of all time as ranked by AOL/CBS Radio listeners. Three of the ten CDs were Midnight Syndicate discs (#8, #4, and #3) ranking only behind Danny Elfman's Nightmare Before Christmas and John Carpenter's classic Halloween soundtrack.

From 1997 through 2005, Midnight Syndicate built their following through the release of Midnight Syndicate, Born of the Night, Realm of Shadows, Gates of Delirium, Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt, and The 13th Hour.
In 2003, Midnight Syndicate made an impact in the gaming industry when it teamed up with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to produce the first official soundtrack to the classic role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. Midnight Syndicate's 2005 release, The 13th Hour, was the first music CD to ever receive the industry's top two awards: The Origins Award and the ENnie Award for Best Gaming Accessory.

2007 saw the band take on three new projects as they composed music for Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights XVIII, scored Robert Kurtzman's drive-in thriller, The Rage, and began work on their biggest production to date, The Dead Matter movie.

An updated remake of a film that Edward Douglas produced and directed in 1995 for $2000, The Dead Matter is a supernatural thriller co-produced by Midnight Syndicate Films, Robert Kurtzman (Producer of From Dusk Till Dawn, co-founder of KNB FX), and Gary Jones (Xena, Boogeyman 3). The movie stars Andrew Divoff (Lost, CSI: Miami, Wishmaster), Jason Carter (Babylon 5, Angel), FX-legend Tom Savini (Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead), and legendary horror hosts Dick COUNT GORE DE VOL Dyszel and BIG CHUCK Schodowski. The movie tells the story of a girl named Gretchen, whose desire to reconnect with her dead brother draws her into the supernatural world of vampirism and the living dead. Drenched in the dark and shadowy music of Midnight Syndicate and inspired by EC Comics, Creepshow, and Hammer Films, this mix of classic horror and modern twists promises to deliver for fans of the genre.

In 2008, the band released it's tenth studio album, The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates. One of their most critically acclaimed releases to date and inspired by the themes from the upcoming movie, the disc draws listeners into the supernaturally-charged world of The Dead Matter, taking them on a musical journey into a realm of forbidden relics, druids, vampires, and the living dead

In January of 2010, Midnight Syndicate began a year-long celebration to commemorate the 13th Anniversary of the release of its Midnight Syndicate debut CD. A reboot of their website, the July 30th release of The Dead Matter movie and soundtrack, a 13th Anniversary Halloween Music compilation CD, fan appreciation contests, and special convention appearances, are just some of the major announcements the band will be making in the coming months.