Gates of Delirium

While Midnight Syndicate has probably done better albums ("Born of the Night" and "Symphonies from the Crypt" come to mind), they haven't done one that's any creepier! By now it's hardly a secret that while there were asylums in Queen Victoria's day (usually for the wealthy) where the inmates were treated with at least some compassion, often Victorian asylums and sanitariums were simply "snakepits", warehouses where people dumped mentally ill friends and relatives (and sometimes inconvenient spouses and children who were sane but unable to defend themselves) so they'd be out of sight and out of mind. In such places, the inmates were often treated brutally, given unsanitary food and water and virtually no medical care, and at times chained up and left there to die to free up the space for someone else.It is this world that Midnight Syndicate has re-created, adding to their excellent Gothic music the screams, howls and meaningless babbling of the terminally mad. The result is good background music for either reading ghost stories or for the more Gothic varieties of role-playing (e.g., World of Darkness or Call of Cthulhu), as long as you don't think too much about the fact that places like Haverghast Asylum not only really existed, but were, until the early Twentieth Century, almost the norm for care of the incurably insane in some states and countries.

Classical music was murdered by academics in the 20th century. But when it died, it became necessary to re-invent it. This is a nice, largely instrumental collection arranged around the theme of a stint in a Hammer horror madhouse. Messrs. Douglas and Goszka compose some nice themes in an atmospheric style that sounds, at times, like a movie soundtrack composer's take on Chopin, Mussorgsky, or a sinister Debussy. Some of the melodies are nice enough to make you wish that, instead of giving you twenty one tracks of pop song length, they had lingered on the best of them to develop and combine them. This record would be great to play in the background during a roleplaying session.

I honestly have to say that when I purchased this cd i was looking forward to some dark halloween type music but instead I ended up getting much more than that, This particular artist is amazing. The music is soothingly dark and strangely seductive in a trance like way. I love how the piano commands and creates an eerie yet serene scenario where the listener becomes in tune with the dark side of this awesome music. I will definitely start my own collection of this and other artists who create the same type of dark and seductive moonlight sonatas.

Was looking for background music for a stage production when I came across this. After sampling, I ordered and was very happy with the quality and variety within the style.

Love these guys! I had gotten their 1990s compilation, Out of the Darkness, which I heard playing at a Halloween store a few years ago and loved. Just hoped that they had more good material in store, and I was well pleased with this one and the other one I got, "The 13th Hour." If you like Midnight Syndicate, or just need some spooky background music for your event, this CD will fit the bill.

I like that this is high class creepy music. It has an elegance to it. Its great for the autumn and Halloween season.

I ordered this cd for holloween night TV to go with my haunted house theme for trick or treaters i cant wait for holloween night btw i received this cd in the mail today im so happy i ordered it i also plan on collecting other syndicate cds

If you are into a little bit of the dark side, this CD is for you. Just discovered this twosome this year.

Music for more than just on Halloween night..... for those who like horror and the dark arts... even Gothic ,Fantastic music The kind of music for nightmare's.. dreaming of being put in a Mental Asylum once inside youwill never leave the same as you went in....That's if you ever leave alive...... ?The music is very well thought out and I hope to hear more like this in films... In the futureThis music will go down very well at a Halloween Dinner Party as back ground music But I findthat it lacks a few Blood Curdling Screams.... music is out standing real creepy with ,Brilliant sounds of foot steps.. keys & doors... plus in mates moaning.. weeping and groaningI do find this a lot better than some of the Halloween music CD's that are out their but this is myReview so each to their own choice of music.... ( Plus I think this is not for the under 14 teens... ? )This is horror music at it's best So Five Gold stars from me for entertainment music withHaunting sounds of symphonies and chilling sounds of sound effects to chill your blood and make yourhair stand on end so let's usher you through... HAVERGHAST ASYLUM where the residents ofBoth past and present are awaiting your arrival....Be very very frightened as these places have been about for a very long time and still with us todaysee photo's with my review....Music as approved by SATAN for lost souls...

Really like it