I just received the latest CD from Midnight Syndicate and it’s great. The title is Monsters of Legend, and it represents something of a homage to the classic Universal Studios and Hammer Films monsters from the past. One of the tracks, “It Lives!,” can be previewed from their YouTube page.

This album will have great appeal to various groups of people, from those who enjoy Halloween, to classic monsters from the silent screen and Universal and Hammer, to horrific music lovers. For Halloween fans Monsters of Legend provides a listening experience that helps create a special ambiance associated with the holiday and the season. For classic horror film fans this album includes echoes of scores found in a number of films that bring back fond memories of late night frights in black on white. For those who enjoy horrific music, Monsters of Legend provides a welcome addition to the fan’s musical library that will compliment scores and symphonies of fright. Overall, this album hits the right notes, and in this reviewer’s estimation, is one of the best Midnight Syndicate has produced.

The press release with the album provides further background:

July 19, 2013 (Cleveland, OH) – Symphonic gothic horror musicians MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE have just released their sixteenth studio album, MONSTERS OF LEGEND. 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.

“Those classic horror films are at the core of what we do in Midnight Syndicate, so to do an entire disc based on them was a lot fun,” added Douglas. “Musically it required us to use more traditional orchestral instruments, and use them in more ways than we have in the past. The result is a fuller orchestral sound with a heavy classical music influence. There are plenty of nods to James Bernard, Bernard Herrmann, and other early film composers.” Although the band promises the new disc will deliver the dark atmosphere haunted house designers, roleplaying gamers, and Halloween music enthusiasts expect from them, they feel they’ve crafted a disc that transcends their favorite time of the year. “Like CARNIVAL ARCANE, we feel we’ve taken things up a notch both musically and with the sound design on this release,” said GAVIN GOSZKA. “There’s a lot there to listen to and lose yourself in.”

In addition to over 50 minutes of new music, the band went back into its archives and recreated several tracks from its early releases Born of the Night and Realm of Shadows, bringing the total runtime of the disc to over 65 minutes. “Both the new album and those older ones are set in and around the mysterious hamlet of Arcacia. We felt it would be a great opportunity to breathe new life into a few of our lesser known tracks from those discs to help tell this story. For additional atmosphere the band called on voiceover artist Dick Terhune. “Dick’s known throughout the haunted house industry as the “Voice from Hell,” needless to say he was the perfect match for this disc,” added Goskza.

The CD is available now through the band’s website, as well as iTunes and Amazon.com. It will also be available in select Halloween retailers beginning in August. A collector’s edition 12″ vinyl version is also available on the band’s site.