Remember my recent blog post about Midnight Syndicate's new album Monsters of Legend? Well, the CD just arrived in the mail! The men of Midnight Syndicate were cool enough to send me a copy to review. How lucky am I? I couldn't wait to pop this into my CD player the minute I saw the package. First of all, I have to say how well done the cover art is. Both the front and back. The CD itself has a very vibrant Frankenstein and cool fonts on it too.
So, first I listened to the album all the way through. I wanted to soak in all the songs as a collection or series of events. Much like Midnight Syndicate's Carnival Arcane album, this one sets a mood in part through atmospheric sound effects. If you listen closely, you really can visualize the different settings and story lines. The album is open to interpretation, and I think those with a creative mind will be able picture more with every time they listen to it.
As I wrote in my previous blog post, this album was inspired by the classic Universal and Hammer movies. The songs aren't titled in a way where they directly point to one movie. Well, there is a little hinting with "Building the Monster" and "It Lives!" but otherwise I think it's up to the listener to connect the dots. The back of the CD states:
A foreboding castle perched upon the cliffs looms over the mysterious village of Arcacia where monsters of legend roam its hillsides. Will you dare to venture forth?
So there is a loose story line involving those classic Horror movie characters. For those of us who are familiar with Universal and Hammer movies, it's a fun exercise to listen for the clues as to which movie influenced each song. I think I figured out most of the movie influences. That's not to say that I interpreted the movies and sounds in the same way as the musicians did! Maybe I'm hearing something different in the songs than was intended.
As I wrote before, I first listened to the full 65 minutes of the album to sense it as a whole. Then I listened for the little details a second time around. I'm going to go through the songs and give you a brief or not so brief idea of what I heard. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has listened to this album to see if you agree with my interpretations.
1. Return to Arcacia: The album starts off with subtle sound effects, the clanking of chains, a wolf howling in the distance, a faint heart beating. This is followed by foreboding orchestral music. This introduction felt like the calling of the creatures to gather at Arcacia castle.
2. Into the Valley of Shadows: After all the movie monsters have gathered in the castle and surrounding woods, you get the feeling you are riding through the dark woods in a stagecoach towards the castle. This image is very Hammer. So many of those movies had these awesome fog filled settings with a carriage on its way to a dreary location. You hear the sounds of the forest, crickets chirping, an owl hooting, and then the hooves of the horses carrying you along. There's that Wolfman howling again! The cymbals crashing at the end give this an old time cinema feeling.
3. A Watchful Gathering: Now that you've traveled through the dark haunted woods in your Victorian stagecoach, you stop at a clearing. It's dark and fog swirls around the coach. Crows are cawing all around you. You can't see much because it's a dark night, but you have the distinct feeling that you're being watched. Something is approaching the carriage from all sides.
4. Inn of the Weeping Sparrow: The carriage moves along to the Inn. You know the classic Inn the protagonist always visits on his way to the haunted/vampire filled/mad scientist occupied castle. The Inn with peasants drinking beer who suddenly warn him against going where he simply must go! There's a harpsichord playing and then an organ. This song has a very haunted feeling. There's the hint of wind blowing through chimes and what I interpreted as the singing of ghost children. This could also be seen as a Woman in Black interpretation, because of the haunted, isolated, ghost child feeling. Maybe the townsfolk are warning someone away from Eel Marsh House?
5. Unwanted Visitor: Well, I see this one of two ways. Either the protagonist who just left the Inn is on their way to the castle where they are an unwanted visitor or it's about Dracula as an unwanted visitor. You know that classic line about how a vampire can only come in a place where he's been invited. A door creaks open and light footsteps can be heard. A bell rings. There are some dark mumbling voices that you can't quite make out, similar to those in the Carnival Arcane album. You can tell the mumbling voices are attached to something scary, though. By the end of this song someone or something has been let in.
6. Requiem: Another door opens and the organ music begins to play. I very much feel like we're in Dracula's castle at this point. We're in an old, abandoned chapel in the castle that most people do not know exists. The church bells are ringing and there is the sound of monks chanting. At first I'm not sure if these are positive spiritual people hoping to fight Dracula or something darker. There is another dark voice I can't quite make out. It sounds like he's speaking in Latin. I managed to make out "infinito" in the man's chanting. So infinite... Is this a dark rite where Dracula is becoming something that will be around for an infinite amount of time? Or is this a priest who banishing him for infinity? This is a mysterious one. There is a huge crash at the end of the song. A Requiem or Requiem Mass is known as a Mass for the dead, so take that for what you will.
7. Witching Hour: This is a pretty orchestral song with sort of a dink-dink-dink in the background that reminds me of the kind of music Michael Myers would be stalking along to. There is a definite stalking in the night feeling to this track.
8. Unexpected Cargo: There is no doubt in my mind what this one is about. From the title and sound effects, I know Dracula has traveled in the bowels of a ship in his coffin. He is the unexpected cargo. The ship rocks back and forth as the waves crash. Chains clank and the faint howl of a wolf sounds at the end.
9. Black Woods: This is definitely a song for The Wolfman or a werewolf. This is the sound of a creature stalking through the darkness seeking out its prey. There are some great howling moments in this song, followed by the sounds of something cracking twigs in the woods and rustling through plant life. You can almost feel him breathing down the back of your neck.
10. Twilight: I'm going to assume this has absolutely nothing to do with the recent series of Twilight movies. I'm sure the title more refers to the sun setting as men are about to turn into wolves and Dracula is about to emerge from his coffin. This could also be inspired by The Woman in Black because it is a very haunted song. There is the singing of what sounds like ghost children. Twilight was the about the time things got ugly at Eel Marsh House.
11. Carriage Ride: The sound of horse hooves coming to a stop. Suddenly they're moving and quickly. This is classic Hammer for me. I can picture the introduction to many a Hammer movie. Peter Cushing is probably in this carriage, rushing to Dracula's castle. I really like the horse and carriage sound effects in this one. They make me feel like I'm listening to an old time Horror radio drama. Every once in a while, the crack of a whip can be heard. The scary end to this makes you feel like Peter Cushing has just arrived at Dracula's castle.
12. Stone Guardians: The title makes me think of gargoyles, maybe the types of gargoyles that can be seen on Dracula's castle. I definitely think that's where we are, from the sounds of bats and vampiric organ.
13. Ancient Portal: There is the sound of rattling chains and the opening of what sounds like a heavy entrance to what is indeed an ancient portal. The Mummy's tomb perhaps? Also, there's the plodding sound of something slowly moving. I can imagine The Mummy dragging his feet out of the tomb to this music. Then there is the sound of ancient chanting, perhaps the voices of those who built this tomb?
14. Dark Tower: This song is probably creating a setting for the next one. Like the Frankenstein monster is going to be created in this tower.
15. Building the Monster: You can hear Dr. Frankenstein clanking at chains and equipment while building his creature. Later there are the bubbling noises you'd imagine in a mad scientist's lab. There is what sounds like an electrical charge building up at the end. Then there is the definite sound of electricity flowing. My favorite tracks on this album have the subtle sound effects and multiple layers of sound.
16. Lord of the Realm: The intro to this one reminded me of The Twilight Zone. It's a mysterious, haunted song. This is the only one I wasn't able to connect to a Horror character or movie, so if you know the movie connection please let me know!
17. Forgotten Alcoves: This brief track starts with more great sound effects. I think I'm hearing chains being dragged. Something just woke up and decided to escape the forgotten alcoves of an old mansion.
18. A Terror Unleashed: The terror being unleashed could be any number of the movie monsters, but it's probably something that was chained up. There is some subtle heart beating interspersed.
19. Cloistered Cemetery: This song has a haunted sound. It's like the spirits of long ago monks are chanting through the cemetery. There are some nice, magical sounding instrumental parts after the chanting. This is the most relaxing track for me.
20. It Lives!: You can guess who this is about. This song has a very classic movie feel for me. Then there are some kind of high pitched metallic strings. The song ends with the electric sound that gives the creature life.
21. Beyond the Veil of Time: Is the title referring to vampires and their endless existence? Or is it referring to how these classic movie monsters endure through time?
The album didn't end up having any of those swinging 70s Johnny Alucard type songs. Much as I like the old cheesy stuff, it wouldn't have fit with the rest of the songs. Midnight Syndicate kept their collection classy.
Monsters of Legend is a fitting tribute to the classic movie monsters. It fits with all the images you have in your head of Dracula emerging from the mist, The Wolfman stalking the woods, and Frankenstein coming to life. Like other Midnight Syndicate albums, this would work well as the background music in a haunt. In my case, the trick-or-treaters will be hearing these songs as they approach my door, as will the guests at the annual Witches' Gathering!
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| The album's cover art |
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| The back of the album and song list |
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| Pretty cool, hey? I love when the CD itself is well designed. |
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| The men of Midnight Syndicate looking dapper and deadly |
As I wrote in my previous blog post, this album was inspired by the classic Universal and Hammer movies. The songs aren't titled in a way where they directly point to one movie. Well, there is a little hinting with "Building the Monster" and "It Lives!" but otherwise I think it's up to the listener to connect the dots. The back of the CD states:
A foreboding castle perched upon the cliffs looms over the mysterious village of Arcacia where monsters of legend roam its hillsides. Will you dare to venture forth?
So there is a loose story line involving those classic Horror movie characters. For those of us who are familiar with Universal and Hammer movies, it's a fun exercise to listen for the clues as to which movie influenced each song. I think I figured out most of the movie influences. That's not to say that I interpreted the movies and sounds in the same way as the musicians did! Maybe I'm hearing something different in the songs than was intended.
As I wrote before, I first listened to the full 65 minutes of the album to sense it as a whole. Then I listened for the little details a second time around. I'm going to go through the songs and give you a brief or not so brief idea of what I heard. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has listened to this album to see if you agree with my interpretations.
1. Return to Arcacia: The album starts off with subtle sound effects, the clanking of chains, a wolf howling in the distance, a faint heart beating. This is followed by foreboding orchestral music. This introduction felt like the calling of the creatures to gather at Arcacia castle.
2. Into the Valley of Shadows: After all the movie monsters have gathered in the castle and surrounding woods, you get the feeling you are riding through the dark woods in a stagecoach towards the castle. This image is very Hammer. So many of those movies had these awesome fog filled settings with a carriage on its way to a dreary location. You hear the sounds of the forest, crickets chirping, an owl hooting, and then the hooves of the horses carrying you along. There's that Wolfman howling again! The cymbals crashing at the end give this an old time cinema feeling.
3. A Watchful Gathering: Now that you've traveled through the dark haunted woods in your Victorian stagecoach, you stop at a clearing. It's dark and fog swirls around the coach. Crows are cawing all around you. You can't see much because it's a dark night, but you have the distinct feeling that you're being watched. Something is approaching the carriage from all sides.
4. Inn of the Weeping Sparrow: The carriage moves along to the Inn. You know the classic Inn the protagonist always visits on his way to the haunted/vampire filled/mad scientist occupied castle. The Inn with peasants drinking beer who suddenly warn him against going where he simply must go! There's a harpsichord playing and then an organ. This song has a very haunted feeling. There's the hint of wind blowing through chimes and what I interpreted as the singing of ghost children. This could also be seen as a Woman in Black interpretation, because of the haunted, isolated, ghost child feeling. Maybe the townsfolk are warning someone away from Eel Marsh House?
5. Unwanted Visitor: Well, I see this one of two ways. Either the protagonist who just left the Inn is on their way to the castle where they are an unwanted visitor or it's about Dracula as an unwanted visitor. You know that classic line about how a vampire can only come in a place where he's been invited. A door creaks open and light footsteps can be heard. A bell rings. There are some dark mumbling voices that you can't quite make out, similar to those in the Carnival Arcane album. You can tell the mumbling voices are attached to something scary, though. By the end of this song someone or something has been let in.
6. Requiem: Another door opens and the organ music begins to play. I very much feel like we're in Dracula's castle at this point. We're in an old, abandoned chapel in the castle that most people do not know exists. The church bells are ringing and there is the sound of monks chanting. At first I'm not sure if these are positive spiritual people hoping to fight Dracula or something darker. There is another dark voice I can't quite make out. It sounds like he's speaking in Latin. I managed to make out "infinito" in the man's chanting. So infinite... Is this a dark rite where Dracula is becoming something that will be around for an infinite amount of time? Or is this a priest who banishing him for infinity? This is a mysterious one. There is a huge crash at the end of the song. A Requiem or Requiem Mass is known as a Mass for the dead, so take that for what you will.
7. Witching Hour: This is a pretty orchestral song with sort of a dink-dink-dink in the background that reminds me of the kind of music Michael Myers would be stalking along to. There is a definite stalking in the night feeling to this track.
8. Unexpected Cargo: There is no doubt in my mind what this one is about. From the title and sound effects, I know Dracula has traveled in the bowels of a ship in his coffin. He is the unexpected cargo. The ship rocks back and forth as the waves crash. Chains clank and the faint howl of a wolf sounds at the end.
9. Black Woods: This is definitely a song for The Wolfman or a werewolf. This is the sound of a creature stalking through the darkness seeking out its prey. There are some great howling moments in this song, followed by the sounds of something cracking twigs in the woods and rustling through plant life. You can almost feel him breathing down the back of your neck.
10. Twilight: I'm going to assume this has absolutely nothing to do with the recent series of Twilight movies. I'm sure the title more refers to the sun setting as men are about to turn into wolves and Dracula is about to emerge from his coffin. This could also be inspired by The Woman in Black because it is a very haunted song. There is the singing of what sounds like ghost children. Twilight was the about the time things got ugly at Eel Marsh House.
11. Carriage Ride: The sound of horse hooves coming to a stop. Suddenly they're moving and quickly. This is classic Hammer for me. I can picture the introduction to many a Hammer movie. Peter Cushing is probably in this carriage, rushing to Dracula's castle. I really like the horse and carriage sound effects in this one. They make me feel like I'm listening to an old time Horror radio drama. Every once in a while, the crack of a whip can be heard. The scary end to this makes you feel like Peter Cushing has just arrived at Dracula's castle.
12. Stone Guardians: The title makes me think of gargoyles, maybe the types of gargoyles that can be seen on Dracula's castle. I definitely think that's where we are, from the sounds of bats and vampiric organ.
13. Ancient Portal: There is the sound of rattling chains and the opening of what sounds like a heavy entrance to what is indeed an ancient portal. The Mummy's tomb perhaps? Also, there's the plodding sound of something slowly moving. I can imagine The Mummy dragging his feet out of the tomb to this music. Then there is the sound of ancient chanting, perhaps the voices of those who built this tomb?
14. Dark Tower: This song is probably creating a setting for the next one. Like the Frankenstein monster is going to be created in this tower.
15. Building the Monster: You can hear Dr. Frankenstein clanking at chains and equipment while building his creature. Later there are the bubbling noises you'd imagine in a mad scientist's lab. There is what sounds like an electrical charge building up at the end. Then there is the definite sound of electricity flowing. My favorite tracks on this album have the subtle sound effects and multiple layers of sound.
16. Lord of the Realm: The intro to this one reminded me of The Twilight Zone. It's a mysterious, haunted song. This is the only one I wasn't able to connect to a Horror character or movie, so if you know the movie connection please let me know!
17. Forgotten Alcoves: This brief track starts with more great sound effects. I think I'm hearing chains being dragged. Something just woke up and decided to escape the forgotten alcoves of an old mansion.
18. A Terror Unleashed: The terror being unleashed could be any number of the movie monsters, but it's probably something that was chained up. There is some subtle heart beating interspersed.
19. Cloistered Cemetery: This song has a haunted sound. It's like the spirits of long ago monks are chanting through the cemetery. There are some nice, magical sounding instrumental parts after the chanting. This is the most relaxing track for me.
20. It Lives!: You can guess who this is about. This song has a very classic movie feel for me. Then there are some kind of high pitched metallic strings. The song ends with the electric sound that gives the creature life.
21. Beyond the Veil of Time: Is the title referring to vampires and their endless existence? Or is it referring to how these classic movie monsters endure through time?
The album didn't end up having any of those swinging 70s Johnny Alucard type songs. Much as I like the old cheesy stuff, it wouldn't have fit with the rest of the songs. Midnight Syndicate kept their collection classy.
Monsters of Legend is a fitting tribute to the classic movie monsters. It fits with all the images you have in your head of Dracula emerging from the mist, The Wolfman stalking the woods, and Frankenstein coming to life. Like other Midnight Syndicate albums, this would work well as the background music in a haunt. In my case, the trick-or-treaters will be hearing these songs as they approach my door, as will the guests at the annual Witches' Gathering!
