Haunted

Haunted

Haunted

Track Listings
 
1. Enemy Inside
2. Silent Violence
3. Lycanthropy
4. Still Alive
5. Beneath a Black Sky
6. Human Target
7. Remains of You
8. Suffering in Ecstasy
9. Tomorrow's Victim
10. Torn to the Bone
11. Haunted

Haunted,Six Feet Under,Metal Blade,Death Metal/Black Metal,Heavy Metal,Pop,Rock
Haunted
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Just buy it.
  • One of my favorites
  • Super Talent
  • An Amazing Journey
  • Her Drums, Her Beat....and I'm bloody well Amazed.
Haunted
Poe
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Hello
  2. Conjure One
  3. House of Leaves
  4. Extraordinary Ways
  5. Garbage

ASIN: B00004Y6J1
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

  1. Exploration B
  2. Haunted
  3. Control
  4. Terrible Thought
  5. Walk The Walk
  6. Terrified Heart
  7. Wild
  8. 5&1/2 Minute Hallway
  9. Not A Virgin
  10. Hey Pretty
  11. Dear Johnny
  12. Could Have Gone
  13. Lemon Meringue
  14. Spanish Doll
  15. House Of Leaves
  16. Amazed
  17. If You Were Here
  18. Hey Pretty (Drive By 2001 Mix)

Amazon.com

Give Poe credit for overcoming obstacles and delivering a second album as ambitious and loaded as Haunted. Extending over 15 wildly diverse tracks linked together by ambient interludes and spooky tape splices of old cassette recordings featuring the singer's late father, documentary filmmaker Tad Danielewski, the album shows the songstress moving effortlessly through ethereal folk-hop ("Haunted"), Shania Twain-style country rock ("Walk the Walk"), and flamenco-infused balladry ("Spanish Doll"). The only constant through the turbulence--emotional and otherwise--remains her desperately romantic voice and its desire to bid her father a proper farewell at every turn. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Just buy it........2007-06-29

Truly one of the most provacative and cranial of the 4000 albums that I have.

4 out of 5 stars One of my favorites.......2007-01-11

Diverse enough that you aren't fumbling for the Fast Forward button all the time, Haunted is a wonderful mix of Alternative/Pop/and something else I just can't put my finger on. It's a nice eclectic mix made after the death of her father. You really can feel the emotion in it, but it's not overrun with tributy songs of grief. In fact, the whole thing is a great 50/50 mix between this strange almost goth grieving thing and up tempo foot tapping good times.

5 out of 5 stars Super Talent.......2006-12-14

I fell in love with this album from the getgo. Poe has a great voice, great energy, and she just strikes me as a very deep person judging from her songs. This album is such a rollercoaster of emotion with wonderful vocals, great music and overall a great flow. I love albums that tell a story, not just are a collection of songs and this album is a great example of that.

I can't wait for a new release from Poe. I'd really love to meet her and hang out. She seems like a super cool chick.

5 out of 5 stars An Amazing Journey.......2006-11-13

"Haunted" is an amazing journey. I compare it to Pink Floyd's "The Wall" except it is told from the viewpoint of an American girl. Although it is deep with multiple layers, it is easily enjoyed. The title track, Wild, &Hey Pretty are stand outs, although there is not a bad song on the CD. I encourage the listener to relax and listen to "Haunted" from start to finish, and enjoy this masterpiece. I do not know of another female artist that has created a work of this magnitude. It is an autobiography, a memoir, a horror film and opera all at the same time.

The cover art includes the story of how "Haunted" came to be. Poe's father was a filmmaker and he recorded his voice on tapes. Poe uses these tapes to inspire her and it is his voice you hear throughout the work. In "Haunted" Poe plays out the conflicts of the family exposing many secrets that haunt her after the death of her father. It is interesting to compare the growth of Poe as an artist since her "Angry Johnny" days.

Once Poe weaves her way into your heart you will yearn for more of her. Try Conjure One for a small sample. The performance of Jane will remind you of Poe until there is new Poe available. Her voice is amazing, deep, seductive, and haunting. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars Her Drums, Her Beat....and I'm bloody well Amazed........2006-11-10

This album is so bloody brilliant I can actually forgive Poe for taking so bloody long to make it. Her self-titled debut CD (1996) was great, but it was most most definitely a freshman effort - the lyrics were inconsistent and the production often inadequate to support her obvious vocal gifts. Further, she was so "experimental" she occasionally came off as trying to ape somebody like Beck, who is often weird for the sake of it. On HAUNTED she's back with a capital P, and this time, you silly bints, it's personal.

Poe's time away from the studio must have produced an epiphany....i.e., she's a sodding goddess and a genius to boot, so why be modest about it? HAUNTED has everything POE had, but moreso, and it's in your face from the tally-ho. Never content to let her personal issues bottle up, she sprays them all over the listener like a shook up bottle of over-carbonated American beer. Issue # 1 is a hoard of tapes she discovered in the family attic, which were filled with the voice of her father, the by-then-deceased Professor Tad Danielewski. According to the liner notes, Poe took the tapes into the studio, and "began a dialogue with a ghost", the result of which was this album - a combination of Poe's music and her father's voice.

The first song, "Haunted" is my favorite, and that is saying something. Her voice on this track is just lovely, the production is six-star, and the lyrics are gorgeous. A taste: "I'm haunted, by the lies that I have loved, connections I have hated/Haunted by the lies that wove the web, inside my haunted head." Then: "Don't cry/There's always a way/Here in November in this House of Leaves we'll pray." (Case you didn't get the memo, Poe's sibling Mark Danielewski wrote a Nabakoffesque novel of exceeding genius called HOUSE OF LEAVES)

The second track starts us on Issue # 2, which is Poe's bloody tragic taste in men. "Control" is a none-too-subtle stab in the superior ascending vena cava. "Don't you mess with a little girl's dream," she warns we of the Y-chromosome persuasion. "'Cause she's liable to end up mean....Surprised you to find that I'm laughing/You thought you would find me in tears/You thought I'd be crawling the walls like a tiny mosquito and trembling in fear/Well you may be king for a minute/But I am a queen, understand?/And I got your palms and bishops and castles all inside the palm of my hand."

"Terrible Thought" also has a catchy bit of wordplay which makes light of her obvious penchant for brooding: "A terrible thought has moved into my mind/A giant rat that's nibbling on my pride/It's tearing away my patience and my wit/I must take proper measures to set a trap for it."

The album is for the most part thoughtful, but there are, of course, outpourings of vitriol like "I'm Not A Virgin Anymore" (Poe, love, this was never in doubt), and rockers like "Walk the Walk" which is a good example of how our girl rescues a banal concept (individuality) with some clever lyricism. She also shows trademark contempt for AOR radio by making many of the songs real epics, the sultry-cynical yet oddly romantic "Wild" for example, is nine minutes of wonderfully crafted beat-poetry ("Leaving the perfume of all you adore to die nameless on my floor") set to a half-subtle, half-rollicking beat.

Like POE, HAUNTED shifts its moods more than Chuckie Manson at a parole hearing. Sometimes Poe is cruel, sometimes she's kind, but she's always thinking, and she makes you think as well. "5 ½ Minute Hallway" is a lovely melancholy ("There's only so far you can go/When you live in a hallway that keeps growing/I think to myself, five more minutes and I'll be there/Inside your doorway"), "Hey Pretty" (which has two versions) is just pure wordsmithy set to a haunting, mysterious groove ("Well, it's 3 AM, I'm out here riding again, through the wicked-winding streets of my world/I make a wrong turn, break it, now I'm too far gone/I got a siren on my tail and that ain't the fine I'm lookin' for"). "Could've Gone Mad" is a cheery, humorous paen to a boy Poe actually likes (which unfortunately isn't yours truly.) The album winds down with "Amazed", which is as good as anything else in this box of jewels, and a kind of duet between Poe and her dad called "If You Were Here." Like all great albums, Poe has not written individual tracks, but rather woven threads which blend together into one big-arse tapestry, often using lyrics and refrains from one to make a point in the other, and just as often changing speeds in a song from fast to slow and back again, thus defying categorization. Except, of course, the categorization of, "This is just spectaculously damn good."

I've run out of accolades, so I'm going to knock off to the fridge and grab a black and tan. But in case I've been too subtle, I'm wild about this album, or as the girl says herself, "Wild because the chips are down/Wild because there isn't anybody else around/Wild when the waves start to break and God knows they're breaking in me now."

You and me both, love, you and me both.

The 13th Hour
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Eerie and dark music for the soul
  • Fantastic!
  • great music
  • very cool
  • Excellent Atmospheric c.d.
The 13th Hour
Midnight Syndicate
Manufacturer: Entity Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ElectronicaElectronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt
  2. Darklore Manor
  3. Gates of Delirium
  4. Necronomicon
  5. Out of the Darkness (Retrospective: 1994-1999)

ASIN: B0009S52ZG
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

  1. Mansion in the Mist
  2. Forgotten Path
  3. Time Outside of Time
  4. Fallen Grandeur
  5. Hands of Fate
  6. The Drawing Room
  7. Mausoleum d' Haverghast
  8. Family Secrets
  9. Last Breaths
  10. Vertigo
  11. The Watcher
  12. Cellar
  13. Cold Embrace
  14. Hand in Hand Again
  15. Harvest of Deceit
  16. Footsteps in the Dust
  17. Veiled Hunter
  18. Sinister Pact
  19. Grisly Reminder
  20. Deadly Intentions
  21. The Lost Room
  22. Living Walls
  23. Gruesome Discovery
  24. Return of the Ancient Ones
  25. The 13th Hour

Product Description

Over the past eight years, Midnight Syndicate has defined the gothic/horror soundscape genre and redefined the Halloween music industry. Their unique blend of dark orchestral movie-style instrumental music and carefully crafted sound effects make their "soundtracks for the imagination" truly interactive listening experiences, earning them a diverse worldwide following in the gothic music, Halloween, horror music, haunted attraction, and gaming industries.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Eerie and dark music for the soul.......2007-03-08

Midnight Syndicate's 13th HOUR is the perfect album to listen to while you write; its dark mood and somber atmosphere are inspiring to me when I write a horror tale. It also serves as great background music to your Halloween party or gothic evening among friends.

This was the first album I got from them and I want all the others too because I'm hooked now. They recently re-released their early works under the title OUT OF THE DARKNESS. Also, check out VAMPYRE and GATES OF DELIRIUM.

Whether you're the Goth type or a casual fan wanting some cool music to set the ambiance at a party, 13th HOUR is an awesome symphonic horror album.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic!.......2007-02-03

I write gothic horror stories and love to listen to music that "puts me into another world". I'm so glad that I found this CD. It has definately inspired some of my best writing.

5 out of 5 stars great music.......2007-01-11

used for a Halloween party, it was perfect really set the mood

5 out of 5 stars very cool.......2007-01-10

I'm a halloween fan from wayyy back and this is the best cd I've found for just the occasion.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Atmospheric c.d........2007-01-08

We had this playing in all the rooms of our house during our Halloween party last year, all the tracks going in different order in a continuous loop. This set quite a mood! Everyone commented on the music and how great it was. Just the right amount and use of sound effects. So many Halloween type c.d.'s go too far and become just corny and that wrecks the mood you're trying to create in the first place. After the party, when everyone left but for my cousins and us, we just had this playing in the library and had a ball scaring the wits out of each other with our own "personal" ghost stories. We're not into the whole goth culture thing, but we can appreciate what M.S. is doing. To listen to this at only Halloween is a mistake, you're short changing yourself. Put this on curled up with you're favorite suspense, thriller or horror book for an added dimension to the experience.
Darklore Manor
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • remaster
  • Nox Arcana keeps getting better
  • A Stunning Debut!
  • Nox Arcana: The project that truly represents Halloween and for people who simply love classical-oriented Gothic instrumentals
  • A well-woven dark tale
Darklore Manor
Nox Arcana
Manufacturer: Monolith Graphics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Sound EffectsSound Effects | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
HalloweenHalloween | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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  1. Necronomicon
  2. Transylvania
  3. Winter's Knight
  4. The 13th Hour
  5. Carnival Of Lost Souls

ASIN: B0006OHMRY
Release Date: 2004-03-20

Tracks:

  1. Legend
  2. Darklore Manor
  3. Threshold Of The Dead
  4. Trespassers
  5. Veil Of Darkness
  6. Sanctuary Of Shadows
  7. The Grande Hall
  8. Remnants
  9. Phantom Procession
  10. Belladonna
  11. Nursery Rhyme
  12. Music Box
  13. The Forgotten
  14. Nightmare
  15. No Rest For The Wicked
  16. Omen
  17. Seance
  18. Beyond Midnight
  19. Darkness Immortal
  20. Incantation
  21. Resurrected

Album Description

Enter Darklore Manor, where creatures of the night lurk in shadows and ghostly sounds echo through unhallowed halls. Nox Arcana invites you to embark on a musical journey throughout a legendary haunted mansion with a dark and sinister history. This gothic soundscape contains 21 tracks of haunting melodies, eerie voices, Latin chants, and foreboding orchestrations to create a perfect dark and moody atmosphere.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars remaster.......2007-05-25

the remastered version is were its at. it actualy sounds eerie.

5 out of 5 stars Nox Arcana keeps getting better.......2007-05-12


They are the best at what they do and this CD is just one more example. You cannot go wrong with any Nox Arcana CD

5 out of 5 stars A Stunning Debut!.......2007-04-17

Nox Arcana's debut CD Darklore Manor is a stunning, chilling instrumental concept album that could easily serve as the soundtrack for a classic haunted house film. Very few debut CDs have the amazing musicianship and technical virtuosity that Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski exhibit on this album. There are unforgettable, elegant piano-dominated melodies like "Veil of Darkness," as well as sinister organ pieces, moody harpsichord songs and elaborate, stirring orchestral set pieces that demonstrate an instinctive mastery of composition and melody. The entire gamut of Gothic music is presented here, and woven throughout the CD's 21 tracks are ghostly sound effects, chilling choirs and eerie narrations, all of which contribute to a mesmerizing musical tapestry. The CD's highlight may be "The Forgotten" - a beautiful, moving piano elegy that you will never forget. Many musicians strive their whole careers for an album this accomplished. The beautifully designed CD booklet by Joseph Vargo and Christine Filipak is another delight - this is an album that shows a rare attention to detail, from the packaging to the mixing. Highly recommended.

4 out of 5 stars Nox Arcana: The project that truly represents Halloween and for people who simply love classical-oriented Gothic instrumentals.......2007-04-09



I was told, by a mysterious voice in the night, that I should seek Nox Arcana and await further instructions. But it all began years ago with the discovery of the Midnight Syndicate. So, I did the obvious and entered "Midnight Syndicate" in my computer search engine, and the lone website introduced itself to me. All went dark and quiet, and the room got cold, and I could see my breath as I panted in fear, and I heard laughter amongst terrifying screams, but yet, I was alone. This was only my introduction to the Midnight Syndicate and soon to follow was the birth of something even better, the nightmareish apparitions of Nox Arcana. I was compelled to bring Nox Arcana into my world, and so I've been in the dark ever since. But, then again, it became a blissful absence from the norm. Although, Halloween is never really mentioned with any of the Nox Arcana CD's, it does seem that everyday is Halloween in my world, and for the past four years, I've always feared that I've sold my soul somehow. I believe that I sacrificed my soul the day I got out my credit card and asked the cyber spirits to bring my first Nox Arcana CD into my home. It was this CD: "Darklore Manor"

Something became different about me. My very presence wasn't acknowledged in any normal way anymore. Was I being ignored, or am I even in the room at all? Something just wasn't right. I've had days that I've stared into the mirror, but somehow, I wasn't there. When I speak to strangers in the street, I don't think that they even acknowledge me. I speak with just a small hiss of words, and people respond as if they've just been pushed by a cold wind. My loved ones speak of me, as if I've departed from this world, but yet, I am in the room. Only when I laugh, do people respond as if they've heard something. They cuddle together, in fear of their safety, and cry out my name, in a past tense, as if I am torturing them. This wasn't fun anymore. It wasn't fun, THEN, anyway.

I wander aimlessly, finally coming to terms with this apparition that I have become. My only consolation, deep into the night, is to take some of my Nox Arcana CD's and my mini-CD player, to the cemetery and lay against a tombstone, and watch the wind swirl up the leaves in a satanic dance before my eyes, while the music plays and eats away at my scruples of logic. I feel a cold embrace of many condemned angels who've cast off all their inhibitions and indulged in lustful passion upon my defenseless mortal flesh. I am consumed into their ritual with reckless abandon. Returning to reality is all nonsense now. My only fear, is that the batteries in my CD player will weaken and diminish this clash of passion of my psychological pleasure and terror.

I am so glad that Nox Arcana has entered my once typical, pop culture world. However, I feel now, that if I should ever die, I may not know the difference. I've been enjoying this nocturnal bliss for a couple of years now and there's no going back. I walk this world in a cold absence where I question if my presence is perceived at all.

If you'd like to share in this experience with me, start off with this CD of "Darklore Manor". Then get "Necronomicon", "Winter's Knight", "Transylvania", "Carnival of Lost Souls", and their latest (as of 2007) called "Blood of the Dragon".

This music is not heavy metal. It's not satanic music. It's just a mix of classically-influenced instrumentals with various snippets of dark poetry and ghastly effects. You'll hear tormented screams, deathly bell tolls, sinister laughter, grandfather clocks, howling winds, and other little clever effects with piano, organ, and harpsichord, supported by rich strings and a mellotron sound, that promote a uniquely beautiful, but yet, horrifying terror that may claim your soul. It's a small sacrifice for the sake of a dark happiness.

Alas, here's one more way that I have benefited from the music of Nox Arcana. By listening to these CD's through headphones at the cemetery, alone, late at night, in the cold dark, there is a terror that I've experienced that has actually helped me lose weight. To be so terrified that my heart pulsated so intensely that I feared my heart would just burst! That, and the accidental soiling of myself, helped me lose about three pounds. Who would have thought that terror could promote weight loss?

So, if it's dark and disturbing, it has a place in my heart.

4 out of 5 stars A well-woven dark tale.......2007-02-22

Though a bit more specific and talky than the Midnight Syndicate CDs (which was my first venture into this kind of atmospheric music), I found Nox Arcana's Darklore Manor to be quite creepy. It tells a story of an house under a curse, and the strange happenings therein. While it leaves less to the imagination than Midnight Syndicate's 13th Hour, it has plenty of frightening tracks for your next horror gaming session or Halloween party.
Dungeons & Dragons - Official Roleplaying Soundtrack
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Another Dungeon Master's opinion
  • The coolest Gaming and Riding
  • A GameMaster's Review
  • Midnight Syndicate Critique
  • Only a gamer can make a class act sound track.
Dungeons & Dragons - Official Roleplaying Soundtrack
Midnight Syndicate
Manufacturer: Entity Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ElectronicaElectronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
HolidayHoliday | Miscellaneous | Indie Music | Stores | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt
  2. The 13th Hour
  3. Gates of Delirium
  4. Necronomicon
  5. Darklore Manor

ASIN: B0000BZYIS
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

  1. Prelude
  2. Troubled Times
  3. Ride to Destiny
  4. The Fens of Sargath
  5. Descent into the Depths
  6. Stealth and Cunning
  7. Behind Door #1
  8. Skirmish
  9. Eternal Mystery
  10. Heroes Valor
  11. Relic Uncovered
  12. Deep Trouble
  13. Chant
  14. Craft of the Wizard
  15. Beasts of the Borderlands
  16. Secret Chamber
  17. Lair of the Great Wyrm
  18. Ancient Temple
  19. How Strange . . .
  20. Army of the Dead
  21. Final Confrontation
  22. Ruins of Bone Hill
  23. City of Sails

Album Description

MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE brings you the first-ever officially licensed soundtrack to the roleplaying classic that started it all.

Ancient underground temples, dark knights, mysterious labyrinths, sorcerors, forgotten tombs, enchanted forests, and creatures await you on this new release containing over an hour of orchestral music from the masters of gothic/horror soundscape. It's the ultimate musical accompaniment to the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game, and promises to take listeners on an epic adventure through the darkest corners of their imagination.

Working closely with the game designers at Wizards of the Coast, this CD is a simple yet dynamic way for gamers to take their adventuring sessions to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Another Dungeon Master's opinion.......2005-05-17

This disc really delivers! Not only is it great background for gaming sessions but the music definitely stands on it's own as cool listening/driving music. Dynamic pieces, a lot of instrumental variety, and just enough sound effects to enhance the mood.

As far as it's application to a game situation - I have to say this is the best fantasy RPG soundtrack I've ever heard (that seems to be the general consensus from the other DMs I've talked to on the convention circuit). The other soundtrack attempts before this one really pale in comparison in my opinion.

When I have the time, I like to go through all of my soundtracks and piece together a custom soundtracks for my games. This disc mixed with some Conan and any of the LOTR scores makes for a powerful combo.

More than often I don't have the time to devote to that. I'm pleased to say that in every session where I've JUST played this disc in the background, it's worked very well. A bit on the dark side but for a dungeon crawl I can think of no better music.

5 out of 5 stars The coolest Gaming and Riding.......2005-01-21

I went to Amazon looking for more afordable book than the ones I had just bougth at Hastings and suddenly, I met a CD by the name of Dungeons and Dragons. I was not a Midnight Syndicate fan before mind you, but after hearing this CD in converted and now I am looking forward to gettineg other CDs by them. The tracks in it are great 2/3 of them are not gloomy or rather mysterious. But this makes sence when you are "descending into the depths" or looking in a secret chamber. I love the"Prelude" because it sets the mood of a Fantasy like wolrd, the harp is really cool too. I loved "Craft of the Wizard" and the one also after that. It is like a march and then there is some catapults hurling stones. I also like the sword sound effects. They sound metally but hey most swords are thin (except Claymores):> But the Best song of them all would have to be "City of Sails" It is great, It sounds like Final Fantasy VIII a little but its great. The great thing about this music is that you can picture the action thats going on. I pictured myself riding a horse to victory. It is also great listening to it while in the car, especially in the morning because it wakes you up and puts you in a "triumphant" mood. Also I wrote some poetry while listening to "Ruins of Bone Hill" and when i read it aloud with the music it gave it a great effect.

So all in all This is One of the few great buys that i have loved right off the bat.
I hope you enjoy it as well.

3 out of 5 stars A GameMaster's Review.......2004-10-12

I agree in great part with the review by Ryan Marshall. I'll note that I have not listened to any other Midnight Syndicate works before this one, but I am making an effort to be objective.
My favorite tracks are the two `bonus' tracks, Ruins of Bone Hill and City of Sails.

The quality of this music (if you don't mind that it's synthesized and can appreciate this sort of thing) is a 4/5, which is a fairly high rating from me.

But as far as this music can be applied to roleplaying is a 2/5 at best...

Here's the problems:

1) The music all seems to have the dark/eerie flavor that seems to be the staple of Midnight Syndicate. This severely limits the themes, moods, and instrument sets that were used. The only exception is City of Sails. While this does not detract from the quality of the music itself, it would still be nice to have more variety in a collection that is supposedly `official roleplaying music'.

2) I rarely found that the intended setting for each track actually suited the music, but the sound effects that were included made it unusable for anything else.
For example, Beasts of the Borderland seemed to me to be a great track for an army on the march, until I started hearing strange `beast' noises that seemed out of place.

3) Speaking of out of place sound effects, I found that many of the sound effects were ambiguous, unfulfilling, or outright mood-spoiling.
For example, in both Skirmish and Final Confrontation, you hear the `clash of swords' at certain times. However, these `swords' sound like pieces of tin slapping against one another with minimal force rather than actual swords. Who uses tin swords? Besides, not all `skirmishes' in roleplaying actually involve swords...

Side Note: Many portions of the melodies were familiar and some outright recognizable as being nearly identical to some of those used in older console RPGs. Perhaps it was from such games that they drew their inspiration. It would have to be a very big coincidence otherwise.

If you are a roleplayer and/or enjoy background music and aren't penny pinching or if you are a Midnight Syndicate fan, then you will probably want to buy this anyway. But I would not recommend this collection to anyone else.

4 out of 5 stars Midnight Syndicate Critique.......2004-09-22

I would give this product a 4 1/2 if I could. I will be honest, Its not the most spectacular album in the world, but it does fit its purpose exactly. From the core of your game until its over...You will enjoy this product completely! Th attitude and ambience it creates for RPG gamers (particularly D&D) just what the Master ordered. It fits extremely well into any game, as well as car or relaxation music. Overall: great product!

5 out of 5 stars Only a gamer can make a class act sound track........2004-08-17

Midnight syndicate does it again with their sound track for the D&D game. The music is thoughful, playful, and powerful. Perfect for any campaign or a drive in the car.
Once again it is a great feeling seeing another home grown product from the Midnight Syndicate. After all they started as gamers and have not forgotten their roots.

See them in person at their booth every Dragon Con in Atlanta Georgia.

Best:

David

Haunted Heart
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Sublime and ridiculous
  • Eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww
  • Better than I thought it would be
  • Brava Renee
  • Art is always new.
Haunted Heart
Paul McCartney , Gustav Mahler , Joni Mitchell , Emile Paladilhe , Arthur Schwartz , James ("Jimmy") Van Heusen , Various Composers , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Jimmy Webb , Richard A. Whiting , Stevie Wonder , Guy Wood , Bill Frisell , Fred Hersch , and Renée Fleming
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Sacred Songs
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  3. Renée Fleming
  4. Handel
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ASIN: B0007Z9QUS
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

  1. Haunted Heart
  2. River
  3. When Did You Leave Heaven?
  4. You've Changed
  5. Answer Me
  6. My Cherie Amour
  7. In My Life
  8. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
  9. Wozzeck/The Midnight Sun
  10. Liebst du um Schit
  11. My One And Only Love/This Is Always
  12. Can do Amor
  13. Psych
  14. Hard Times Come Again No More

Amazon.com

While countless fans flock to see soprano Renee Fleming's performances of the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro because she's got the voice and the dramatic ability to handle such meaty roles, the versatile singer throws her fans a curveball on Haunted Heart, singing popular standards and ballads as well as a few altered classical pieces. In her liner notes, Fleming calls this album a "look back at the road not taken" -- she played a weekly gig in a jazz club while in school. Nonetheless, her feel for the material here is undeniable. Interestingly, she drops her voice a full octave from her usual tessitura, and the change reveals a robust gospel-oriented approach filled with dramatic breaths and moans. The lyrical Fred Hersch (piano) and the idiosyncratic Bill Frisell (guitar) provide support, and both are adventurous jazz players who create subtle and uniquely haunting backdrops. It adds up to an interesting cross-section of ideas well carried off by the generous talents of all involved. --Tad Hendrickson

\

Interview with Renee Fleming
Renee Fleming speaks about recent projects, including her memoir The Inner Voice and her recent Handel CD, in our interview.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Sublime and ridiculous.......2007-06-13

The sublime: much of the artistry of this recording is about sound, and the subtle blending/responding of voice with guitar sounds and / or piano sounds. It is in the sensitive musical interplay between the artists where this effort shines. Definitely not recommended for road trips!

The ridiculous: Fleming ended the majority of most phrases in most of the songs with a guttural of some sort which for me becomes irritating to the point of distraction. These punctuations are mostly quite awful: really tasteless, clumsy, and overused big time and I'm amazed at how this ever got released. Without these ersatz testifyin' noises this CD would be stunning.

So, if you have the ability and inclination to edit out this garbage from your perception as you listen I think you'll be glad you experienced these artists at work together. (Unfortunately I'm not up to it).

2 out of 5 stars Eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww.......2007-06-06

Ugh. Like a manufactured home vs. a stick-built house, Fleming's manufactured (aka "training and technique") blues voice compares unfavorably to other jazz/blues singers/lounge acts. Would not, COULD not, listen to this recording straight through--one big long, breathy, minor key train wreck in the making. Took the CD on a road trip and had to pull over and remove from queue--either that or drive into a wall.

3 out of 5 stars Better than I thought it would be.......2007-04-10

I have to admit, Haunted Heart was a lot better than I thought it would be,especially her recordings of "River", "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress, "My Cherie Amour" and "In my life".
I think this is the most artistically successful recording of Pop/Jazz by a classical singer. I enjoyed it even better than the Anna Sophie Von Otter'/ Elvis Costello CD.
The perspective I am coming from is that of a classical singer who started out as a pop singer/songwriter. I perform and teach cross-genre but love a world class instrument such as Flemming's
I wanted to get the perspective of a friend who used to sing jingles and is also a trained singer but is usually critical of any attempts that opera singers make at crossing -over.
My friend is very familiar with Flemming's voice, but did not recognise it in this context when I played the CD for her. Her reaction was very complimentary, although she did comment that the diction was a bit strange.
She then played it for her brother a well known jazz singer and arranger who had a somewhat negative reaction.He found the singing to be overly dark and round. He prefers a cleaner more 'spoken' approach to this style of singing. I understand this perspective and therefore personally prefer Ella to Sarah as well, but let's not get too picky. Obviously, Rene Flemming is of the Sarah Vaghan School of jazz singing, which is not too shabby.

I will continue to enjoy this CD and will wait for another opera diva to top this one. But, somehow I think the next really good CD of Pop/ jazz from an opera star will also come from Rene.

To those who have been unreasonably mean and negative towards her, I can only say you are not fit to polish her shoes!

5 out of 5 stars Brava Renee.......2007-04-09

This talented woman can sing anything. I really enjoyed this cd with the lights turned down and a glass of wine to relax after a very stressful day at work. Renee could definitely have another singing career outside of opera should she choose. Hearing her drop that gorgeous voice down one octave rivals the best chanteuses in the business - Cassandra Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Regina Belle, Sarah Vaughan, etc. This cd of different musical styles reminds me of Nina Simone and Cassandra Wilson, two great singers whom could interpret any song genre and make their versions special. I loved all the songs and the standouts here are "Haunted Heart", "River", "My One and Only Love", "My Cherie Amour", "Cancao do Amor", and Beatles "In My Life", and "Hard Times Come Again No More".
I hope Renee keeps recording whatever catches her fancy because I'll certainly always listen.

5 out of 5 stars Art is always new. .......2007-03-10

Renee Fleming is an artist bringing us something new, and beautiful. The poor will always be with us as manifest in those who resent other's movement from their established zones. Renee Fleming is a great female voice with accomplishments her detractors will never have, but in their dreams.

I welcome Renee's elan demonstrated with her recent recordings, Love sublime with Brad Mehldau, and Haunted Heart with Fred Hersch and Bill Frissell. Bravery, fun, and talent combined by artists and for people who are listening. Hearing long time favorites Mehldau, Hersch, and Frissell is all the more sublime.
Haunted
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Just buy it.
  • One of my favorites
  • Super Talent
  • An Amazing Journey
  • Her Drums, Her Beat....and I'm bloody well Amazed.
Haunted
Poe
Manufacturer: Sheridan Square
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Hello
  2. Conjure One
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ASIN: B00064LP22
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

  1. Exploration
  2. Haunted
  3. Control
  4. Terrible Thought
  5. Walk the Walk
  6. Terrified Heart
  7. Wild
  8. 5 1/2 Minute Hallway
  9. Not a Virgin
  10. Hey Pretty
  11. Dear Johnny
  12. Could've Gone Mad
  13. Lemon Meringue
  14. Spanish Doll
  15. House of Leaves
  16. Amazed
  17. If You Were Here
  18. Hey Pretty [Drive-By 2001 Mix]

Amazon.com

Give Poe credit for overcoming obstacles and delivering a second album as ambitious and loaded as Haunted. Extending over 15 wildly diverse tracks linked together by ambient interludes and spooky tape splices of old cassette recordings featuring the singer's late father, documentary filmmaker Tad Danielewski, the album shows the songstress moving effortlessly through ethereal folk-hop ("Haunted"), Shania Twain-style country rock ("Walk the Walk"), and flamenco-infused balladry ("Spanish Doll"). The only constant through the turbulence--emotional and otherwise--remains her desperately romantic voice and its desire to bid her father a proper farewell at every turn. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Just buy it........2007-06-29

Truly one of the most provacative and cranial of the 4000 albums that I have.

4 out of 5 stars One of my favorites.......2007-01-11

Diverse enough that you aren't fumbling for the Fast Forward button all the time, Haunted is a wonderful mix of Alternative/Pop/and something else I just can't put my finger on. It's a nice eclectic mix made after the death of her father. You really can feel the emotion in it, but it's not overrun with tributy songs of grief. In fact, the whole thing is a great 50/50 mix between this strange almost goth grieving thing and up tempo foot tapping good times.

5 out of 5 stars Super Talent.......2006-12-14

I fell in love with this album from the getgo. Poe has a great voice, great energy, and she just strikes me as a very deep person judging from her songs. This album is such a rollercoaster of emotion with wonderful vocals, great music and overall a great flow. I love albums that tell a story, not just are a collection of songs and this album is a great example of that.

I can't wait for a new release from Poe. I'd really love to meet her and hang out. She seems like a super cool chick.

5 out of 5 stars An Amazing Journey.......2006-11-13

"Haunted" is an amazing journey. I compare it to Pink Floyd's "The Wall" except it is told from the viewpoint of an American girl. Although it is deep with multiple layers, it is easily enjoyed. The title track, Wild, &Hey Pretty are stand outs, although there is not a bad song on the CD. I encourage the listener to relax and listen to "Haunted" from start to finish, and enjoy this masterpiece. I do not know of another female artist that has created a work of this magnitude. It is an autobiography, a memoir, a horror film and opera all at the same time.

The cover art includes the story of how "Haunted" came to be. Poe's father was a filmmaker and he recorded his voice on tapes. Poe uses these tapes to inspire her and it is his voice you hear throughout the work. In "Haunted" Poe plays out the conflicts of the family exposing many secrets that haunt her after the death of her father. It is interesting to compare the growth of Poe as an artist since her "Angry Johnny" days.

Once Poe weaves her way into your heart you will yearn for more of her. Try Conjure One for a small sample. The performance of Jane will remind you of Poe until there is new Poe available. Her voice is amazing, deep, seductive, and haunting. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars Her Drums, Her Beat....and I'm bloody well Amazed........2006-11-10

This album is so bloody brilliant I can actually forgive Poe for taking so bloody long to make it. Her self-titled debut CD (1996) was great, but it was most most definitely a freshman effort - the lyrics were inconsistent and the production often inadequate to support her obvious vocal gifts. Further, she was so "experimental" she occasionally came off as trying to ape somebody like Beck, who is often weird for the sake of it. On HAUNTED she's back with a capital P, and this time, you silly bints, it's personal.

Poe's time away from the studio must have produced an epiphany....i.e., she's a sodding goddess and a genius to boot, so why be modest about it? HAUNTED has everything POE had, but moreso, and it's in your face from the tally-ho. Never content to let her personal issues bottle up, she sprays them all over the listener like a shook up bottle of over-carbonated American beer. Issue # 1 is a hoard of tapes she discovered in the family attic, which were filled with the voice of her father, the by-then-deceased Professor Tad Danielewski. According to the liner notes, Poe took the tapes into the studio, and "began a dialogue with a ghost", the result of which was this album - a combination of Poe's music and her father's voice.

The first song, "Haunted" is my favorite, and that is saying something. Her voice on this track is just lovely, the production is six-star, and the lyrics are gorgeous. A taste: "I'm haunted, by the lies that I have loved, connections I have hated/Haunted by the lies that wove the web, inside my haunted head." Then: "Don't cry/There's always a way/Here in November in this House of Leaves we'll pray." (Case you didn't get the memo, Poe's sibling Mark Danielewski wrote a Nabakoffesque novel of exceeding genius called HOUSE OF LEAVES)

The second track starts us on Issue # 2, which is Poe's bloody tragic taste in men. "Control" is a none-too-subtle stab in the superior ascending vena cava. "Don't you mess with a little girl's dream," she warns we of the Y-chromosome persuasion. "'Cause she's liable to end up mean....Surprised you to find that I'm laughing/You thought you would find me in tears/You thought I'd be crawling the walls like a tiny mosquito and trembling in fear/Well you may be king for a minute/But I am a queen, understand?/And I got your palms and bishops and castles all inside the palm of my hand."

"Terrible Thought" also has a catchy bit of wordplay which makes light of her obvious penchant for brooding: "A terrible thought has moved into my mind/A giant rat that's nibbling on my pride/It's tearing away my patience and my wit/I must take proper measures to set a trap for it."

The album is for the most part thoughtful, but there are, of course, outpourings of vitriol like "I'm Not A Virgin Anymore" (Poe, love, this was never in doubt), and rockers like "Walk the Walk" which is a good example of how our girl rescues a banal concept (individuality) with some clever lyricism. She also shows trademark contempt for AOR radio by making many of the songs real epics, the sultry-cynical yet oddly romantic "Wild" for example, is nine minutes of wonderfully crafted beat-poetry ("Leaving the perfume of all you adore to die nameless on my floor") set to a half-subtle, half-rollicking beat.

Like POE, HAUNTED shifts its moods more than Chuckie Manson at a parole hearing. Sometimes Poe is cruel, sometimes she's kind, but she's always thinking, and she makes you think as well. "5 ½ Minute Hallway" is a lovely melancholy ("There's only so far you can go/When you live in a hallway that keeps growing/I think to myself, five more minutes and I'll be there/Inside your doorway"), "Hey Pretty" (which has two versions) is just pure wordsmithy set to a haunting, mysterious groove ("Well, it's 3 AM, I'm out here riding again, through the wicked-winding streets of my world/I make a wrong turn, break it, now I'm too far gone/I got a siren on my tail and that ain't the fine I'm lookin' for"). "Could've Gone Mad" is a cheery, humorous paen to a boy Poe actually likes (which unfortunately isn't yours truly.) The album winds down with "Amazed", which is as good as anything else in this box of jewels, and a kind of duet between Poe and her dad called "If You Were Here." Like all great albums, Poe has not written individual tracks, but rather woven threads which blend together into one big-arse tapestry, often using lyrics and refrains from one to make a point in the other, and just as often changing speeds in a song from fast to slow and back again, thus defying categorization. Except, of course, the categorization of, "This is just spectaculously damn good."

I've run out of accolades, so I'm going to knock off to the fridge and grab a black and tan. But in case I've been too subtle, I'm wild about this album, or as the girl says herself, "Wild because the chips are down/Wild because there isn't anybody else around/Wild when the waves start to break and God knows they're breaking in me now."

You and me both, love, you and me both.

Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Hauntingly beautiful
  • Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt
  • Gets better with age...
  • Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt
  • A Must Listen
Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt

Manufacturer: Entity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006HME3
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

  1. Awakening
  2. Graveyard
  3. Unhallowed Ground
  4. Crypt of the Forsaken
  5. Winged Fury
  6. Blackest Rose
  7. Ravages of Time
  8. Catacombs
  9. Unseen Eyes
  10. Undead Hunters
  11. Ancient Tomes
  12. Dusk
  13. Spectral Masquerade
  14. Vampyre

Album Description

Unleash your darkest nightmares as you enter the world of the Vampyre. Echoing from ancient crypts, these haunting symphonies call forth the horror, mystery, and passion of the night that awaits you...

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Hauntingly beautiful.......2007-05-12

This is well written darker music. It's hauntingly beautiful. We use it (and others) as background for D&D campaigns.

3 out of 5 stars Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt.......2007-01-19

Once again, it is okay, but not what I had intended to purchase. At least I'll have some more Halloween music!

5 out of 5 stars Gets better with age..........2007-01-10

The first time I heard this album, I wasn't blown away. It was good and all, but I liked it the least of all of the previous Midnight Syndicate albums. Not too long ago, I pulled it out again and listened to it again. It's funny how your opinion of something can change over time. This time, I WAS blown away. I thought to myself "How could I have only thought 'yeah, it's pretty good' back then?" This CD was amazing!

If you weren't overly impressed the first tme you heard this CD, throw it back in and give it another try. It might just sound a little different to your ears this time around.

5 out of 5 stars Vampyre : Symphonies from the Crypt.......2007-01-04

Wonderful music. Very mysterious and otherworldly. I listen to it all the time!

5 out of 5 stars A Must Listen.......2006-10-29

I just got done listening to this album. It's the first of its kind for me. I was completely blown away. Forget the fact that vampires don't exist (right?) and just fantasize that they do and give this album a listen. If this doesn't get you somewhere within your soul, I swear you're dead (no pun intended).
Gates of Delirium
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The best album (still currently for sale) from Midnight Syndicate (but it goes down hill from here)
  • Absolutely Incredible Musical Tour Through A 19th Century Asylum!!
  • Another Midnight Syndicate disc that is a must have
  • Footsteps, knocks & giggles
  • "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
Gates of Delirium
Midnight Syndicate
Manufacturer: Linfaldia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005B503
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

  1. Arrival
  2. Welcome
  3. Haverghast Asylum
  4. Halls of Insurrection
  5. Cage of Solitude
  6. Residents Past
  7. Adelaide
  8. Phantom Sentinels
  9. Gates of Delirium
  10. Non Compos Mentis
  11. Procession of the Damned
  12. Infestation
  13. Room 47
  14. Dark Discovery
  15. Morbid Fascination
  16. Dead of Night
  17. Alternative Therapy
  18. Crimson Door
  19. Unrest in the East Wing
  20. Ebony Shroud
  21. Sleep Tight

Album Description

They have taken you deep into the crypts of a forbidden castle and to the edge of the sea among the ruins of a cursed village . . . Now the masters of gothic/horror soundscape invite you to take a musical journey into the macabre world of Haverghast Asylum. Your horse and carriage awaits you . . .

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The best album (still currently for sale) from Midnight Syndicate (but it goes down hill from here).......2007-04-18

The dark magic faded fast after this album was released. Everything they did afterwards just seemed to become redundant. No newer album ever merited any improvements or aroused any special new nuances. Their newer material just started to sound like previously rejected filler material that they started to release afterwards as whole albums. So, I guess, nowadays, Midnight Syndicate is just sitting in limbo hoping to conjure up some new fresh ideas. And they are probably still just licking their wounds from last years backlash of discontinuing the availabilty of their best albums, and then releasing a shoddy re-recording of key tracks.



When I first started buying the CD's of Midnight Syndicate, I was pretty excited about having this dark moody classical outlet to add to my music library. Before the Midnight Syndicate, I only use to find small episodes of the kind of music that the Midnight Syndicate does.



There are other artists such as Cradle of Filth, Yello, Vangelis, Rick Wakeman, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, and Jean Michel Jarre and various types of horror soundtracks (John Carpenter, Giorgio Moroder, Goblin, etc.) that would give you one or two really cool dark classical instrumentals that just made you wish there were more. When Midnight Syndicate came out with "Born of the Night", that was the album that represented all that I was looking for in a complete sound concept that captured and embraced my more sinister side but in a subtle way. Just like when Hitler had Wagner, and Alex (A Clockwork Orange) had Beethoven, the Midnight Syndicate gave me that atmosphere that empowered my darkest moods and made me feel that there was a kind of music out there that understands me.



This album of "Gates of Delerium" is their fourth project and probably one of the easiest ones to buy. Their first three CD's are discontinued and out of print. It's unfortunate because "Born of the Night" and "Realm of Shadows" were their best two albums. I got them, Thank God, but new fans will never know their most creative years. After "Gates of Delerium" their appeal really began to drop because their music wasn't really growing or going anywhere new and adventurous. Some concepts have changed, but those changed concepts were just becoming stale and redundant. They started to record dull uninspiring stale non-embellished classical passages which all sounded alike all through their albums. Each album just started to get even more boring from one album to the next. Their last respectable project was "The 13th Hour". So if you get "Gates of Delerium" and "The 13th Hour", that is all you really need from the Midnight Syndicate. Their other albums (including their retrospective CD) are just so bland and uninteresting. But, of course, if you see them "used" somewhere selling for about the price of an empty CD jewel box, that may be worth it. If you see "Born of the Night" and "Realm of Shadows" used somewhere, definitely jump on them. And check out Nox Arcana too if you want to check out more music similar to "Gates of Delerium" (and especially the eerie sound of "Born of the Night" and "Realm of Shadows"). Midnigh Syndicate haven't released anything new since their "Out of the Darkness" CD. I guess they are still suffering from the repercussions of that major mistake. I sure hope they'll bounce back with something new soon.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely Incredible Musical Tour Through A 19th Century Asylum!!.......2006-12-11

Listening to this muscial masterpiece as I type this, I'm astounded to find that I have never placed my review of this Incredible CD on this page and I've owned it for years.

Allow me to correct that mistake right now.

Everyone...this is one FUN FUN FUN CD!

Just listening to this music now, there is so much more freedom and artistic openness to the arrangements from the previous two CDs.
Both Born of the Night and Realm of Shadows are Awesome CDs in thier own right and ANY Midnight Syndicate fan should have them in thier collection (if they can still obtain a copy seeing that both recordings have been discontinued) but there is an *oppression* present that I can't put my finger on.
I can't explain it.
But in THIS recording...Midnight Syndicate Band Mates Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka BUST LOOSE and become the Artists that they are destined to be. This musical tour relies VERY LITTLE on sound effects and those that are there are very well and appropriately placed. Never over done...never under done. Your imagination is ALLOWED to take over and see what it wants to see...and sometimes things that you don't, but your brain takes you there anyway! lol!
The music is lush, darkly alluring and carries you through the asylum of scared, misunderstood and mistreated patients at the mercy of the facility's sadistic Dr. Haverghast! *Don't worry! you don't hear anything *BAD* but like I said, this CD-so good- your brain just takes you there!
I have never tired of this recording. It's complete "Mind Candy" and carries you away to another time.
This is why Midnight Syndicate are the Masters of the Genre that they created... Gothic Halloween CDs for the Imagination and they just keep getting better and better with time.

Now....go buy this CD and let yourself be taken away....
down the hall, dragged, screaming for your life as the metal door slams shut behind you as your helpless screams die away in the distance.....

5 out of 5 stars Another Midnight Syndicate disc that is a must have.......2006-06-05

"Gates of Delirium" is the CD that set the stage for the band's CD "The 13th Hour." Even though I was introduced to "The 13th Hour" first, I really enjoy this CD & it really allows you to picture the haunted asylum. Great music mixed with the minimal sounds of crazed laughter and ghostly effects, it can quickly create goose bumps all over your body. I realized after listening to it over and over again, that this is the music being used at two haunted houses in my area last fall.

If you are looking for a mysterious, dark, haunting orchestral CD, this is a must have.

2 out of 5 stars Footsteps, knocks & giggles.......2006-04-24

If you want to listen to something really unsettling, try Brian Eno's "On Land". It's the creepiest thing I've ever heard - and it doesn't rely on footsteps, knocks and giggles like "Gates of Delirium" does. Sure, the music here (when it's not overblown) has its moments, but it's really just a cross between a horror movie soundtrack and a Hallowe'en special effects CD. The track "Haverghast Asylum" reminds me of an outtake from Alice Cooper's "Welcome to My Nightmare". That might have been the intention, of course, but it adds up to a CONSCIOUSLY spooky listen, not a SUBCONSCIOUSLY eerie listen like the aforementioned album by Eno.

If you're looking for background music to a game of Vampire: The Masquerade, I suppose "Gates of Delirium" will do the trick - but if you want to feel the goosebumps rise, put on a pair of headphones, turn out the lights, and listen to "On Land". Alone.

5 out of 5 stars "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.".......2005-11-30

Are you looking for that halloween music that can give you a fright?
Are you hungering for the music that gives chills and is right with the moon in the dead of night?
Are you tired of those $3.99 Halloween Cds you find at your local grocery store?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you've come to the right place. So, now, sit back, relax, and dim the lights as we take you on a journey through an abandoned insane asylum. Be warned that once you have arrived, you'll never be able to see the sun ever again. Every song from the first to the last sends chills down the spine of the unwary listener. As the Cd progresses we are treated to sounds of wailings as we hear imprisoned souls as they cry out in pain as they suffer the agony of their tormenters. "Room 47" is where you feel the pain of the soul that is confined to this blited place. Beware, once you have arrived, you never get out alive. Highly recommended.
Haunted House Horrors
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Best Haunted House CD I have been able to find
  • Scary and Often Disturbing!
Haunted House Horrors
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Turn Up the Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000JZ4O
Release Date: 1999-08-11

Tracks:

  1. The Beginning Of The End
  2. The Spell
  3. Chainsaw Massacre
  4. The Rising Dead
  5. Fires Of Hell
  6. Is Somebody There?
  7. I See You
  8. Graveyard Slaughter
  9. The Beast Lives
  10. I'm Going To Get You
  11. Bone Appetite
  12. The Reaper Returns
  13. Death Awaits

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Best Haunted House CD I have been able to find.......2005-10-18

Trees surround our house and each year we create a Haunted Gauntlet for the Trick or Treater's to go through. Naturally this requires Good sound effects. We have bought several CD's in the past that were mediocre to just plain hokey. We received this CD yesterday and played it today. WOW! Literally made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck in broad daylight! It is exactly what we wanted-no stories, no narrative, no announcement for each sound effect (YES, we had one that did that and it ruined the whole effect!). This CD is a seamless blend of frightening scenes played out in surround sound to make them even more realistic. Creepy. Scary. Unnerving. It's Perfect for Haunting your House.

5 out of 5 stars Scary and Often Disturbing!.......2000-10-18

This is an excellent blend of sounds and background for a truly terrifying haunted house. The individual tracks follow a theme, but they blend well together. Many of the segments can get almost disturbing! Some of the screams and cries for help will frighten the very young and make the elders a bit uncomfortable. But as far as a "serious" and non-comedic haunted house CD, this is the best I have found.
Harmonies For The Haunted
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Fantastic Album from an Underrated Band
  • stella-five-starrs!!
  • Nice follow-up album from a great live band.
  • Extremely Underrated Band-Excellent Album
  • 3.5 stars-- Great power pop, gets better with each listen!
Harmonies For The Haunted
stellastarr*
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Stellastarr*
  2. The Back Room
  3. She Wants Revenge
  4. You Could Have It So Much Better
  5. Plans

ASIN: B000AA7HK6
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

  1. Lost In Time
  2. Damn This Foolish Heart
  3. The Diver
  4. Sweet Troubled Soul
  5. Born In A Fleamarket
  6. On My Own
  7. When I Disappear
  8. Love And Longing
  9. Stay Entertained
  10. Island Lost At Sea

Amazon.com

Stellastarr*'s histrionic, over baked second album paints teenage daydreams with such technicolor saturation they're impossible to deny. Singer Shawn Christensen may be overly overwrought, but how are these for song titles worth scribbling in the margins of your schoolbook: "Damn This Foolish Heart," "Island Lost At Sea," "When I Disappear," and of course the single "Sweet Troubled Soul"? On the surface they sound a lot like Interpol (who Stellastarr* of course predates) mixed with latter day Echo and the Bunnymen, but these are sometimes-fabulous, moody Arena-emo (Aremo?) tunes that are pretty sophisticated, really. The slick sheen of big radio production and incongruous backing vocals are a bit much at times, but Shawn's Danzig-on-downers vocals really grow on you after a few listens and the drumming is fabulous and often perfectly un-rockist. -Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic Album from an Underrated Band.......2007-07-31

In a time when bands like Interpol and Editors get so much attention, you would think stellastarr* would be kings of the world. In my opinion, in the new genre' of new-wave-post-punk revival, it is stellastarr* that most completely NAILS IT!

"Harmonies for the Haunted" is chock-full of extremely listenable soaring New Wave anthems, and is quite simply brilliant. A short list of standout tracks would include "The Diver", "Lost In Time", and "Love and Longing."

So to all you kids out there with your crazy new-fangled Interpol and Editors records, you owe it to yourself to get into stellastarr* if you have not already done so!

5 out of 5 stars stella-five-starrs!!.......2007-02-08

What a great album this is!! Saw them in NYC and performing they're amazing. Just thinking like lot of people that have been written here, it's such a shame they're so underrated. My fav's tracks are: Damn this foolish heart, Sweet trouble soul, when I disappear (this song reminds me so much about NYC) and Island lost at sea. Buy this album and support them, they deserve to be listened and we deserve to hear good indie music!!

5 out of 5 stars Nice follow-up album from a great live band........2007-01-08

Ignore the reviews from those who think otherwise. And please stop basing your one and two star reviews based on the copy protection which has now been resolved due to class action. I had no problem scanning this into my computer and burning it to a CD, thus ending the DRM debate. Rate the artist, not the music company and their greed. Don't blame that on the band.

4 out of 5 stars Extremely Underrated Band-Excellent Album.......2006-11-22

Hard to believe that The Killers once OPENED for Stellastarr*. I was at that show. I find StellaStarr* to probably be the MOST underrated band of the last 3-4 years. The melodies, singing and vocals are DEAD ON! The guitar riffs are amazing. The drumming dancable. Live-they are tremendous. And really nice people too. This Album is as good if not better than the first. Sweet Troubled Soul should have been a major hit. One of the best songs I have heard in this decade. Give Lost in Time and Sweet Troubled Soul a definite listen---Stay Entertained and Stay are definite hook ladended crowd pleasers. I just dont understand how anyone can not like this band. What a tremendous album!

4 out of 5 stars 3.5 stars-- Great power pop, gets better with each listen!.......2006-03-29

Somehow this band slipped through the cracks between Interpol, the Killers (this CD is much better than those), and all the other various 80's-influenced acts out there, but this is a really solid CD that gets better with each listen. You can hear the influences (Echo and the Bunnymen, the Cure, etc.), but the sound is still original and fresh. "Love and Longing" is a great tune to start with and easily holds its own with all those great 80's anthems those who grew up then know and love. But the first song, "Lost in Time," will hook you right away. "Harmonies for the Haunted" is great all the way through, and based on this CD I am going to get their debute, "My Coco."

Music Info:

  1. Ice Ice Baby 2001 [CD-single] [Import]
  2. Icon
  3. III
  4. Infest [Explicit Lyrics]
  5. Infinity
  6. Innocents
  7. Kill Kill Kill
  8. Lights Out
  9. Live 1980 [Live]
  10. Live from the Sun: Best from the West [Live]

Music Info

music info

Recommended Music:

Tell Somebody [Import]

Yankele (Yiddish songs) [Import]

Violin Concertos 1

Rejoicing

Stuck on You [Import]

You Make Me Wanna Pt. 1 [CD-single] [Import]

When I Fall in Love

Zacharias Zarewutius: Magnificats & Motets

You're Beautiful Pt.1 [CD-single] [Import]

Walkin' with Mr. Lee

We Care

Yardbird Suite [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Vicente Fernandez y las Grandes Leyendas de la Musica

Slow Burn

Live! At the Royal Albert Hall