Customer Reviews

Realm of Shadows

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

2000's "Realm of Shadows" is an eerie soundscape set in a desolate village beyond the coast of Raven's Hollow. It was said that centuries ago, all of the occupants suddenly vanished during a thunderstorm, and that a curse (indicated by a murder of squawking black birds) condemned the missing inhabitants to forever stay in the crumbling dwellings. With this synopsis in mind, composers Gavin Goszka and Edward Douglas composed an original score for a movie yet to be made, one where the listener's mind is free to decide the action. Dominated by droning cellos, moaning choirs, trolling trumpets, and fragile piano keys, "Realm of Shadows" emits sepulchral melodies that crawl through the muddy earth and dive in the crashing waves.
It would be extremely difficult for me to describe the album's tracks in symphonic detail. Instead, I will mention the various scenes that Midnight Syndicate conjures in my head. The bellowing "Into the Abyss" travels on a hero's vessel, floating to an unknown destination. "Noctem Aeternus" sinks into a pit of lonliness, creeping out to a vast and empty space. "Tempest" sets the background for a near-fatal storm that tosses the ship back and forth, assailing the unnamed explorer with heaving gusts of wind and spraying rain. "Eye of the Storm," with its own twitching violin, parts the clouds asunder, exposing a full moon. "Sanctuary" lands the main character (and all listeners), onto the shores of Raven's Hollow. As a pipe organ plays a despondant melody, the island's abandoned ruins rise over the town square like menacing mountains. During "Realm of Shadows," where both the organ and violin strings quaver, angry spirits slowly emerge from the town's slimy ditches and vaults. Then, "Beyond the Gates," clues are found in relation to the island's mystery; the track's steady waltz is highlighted by twirling piano keys. The harp on "Spectral Mist" twinkles as an enchanted fog billows out of the ground. "Soliloquy" can be described as a blissful ballet, one that incorporates self-reflection with the past memories of loved ones. The muffled grunts of "Twilight" first appear to echo from the bowels of the earth, only to glance up into the stars' craters. "Black Wood" is a heartstopping chase through the woods; this particular tune includes a bass violin that can crush dry leaves under its feet. The bass rhythm on "Legions of the Dead" methodically claws both the trunks of trees and the flesh of its prey.
I can say in the end that "Realm of Shadows" is a sinister cinematic trip through one's imagination. I recommend you purchase this album as well as "Gates of Delirium."

I, for one, am not big on any type of background music (or, in their case, cinematic) but Midnight Syndicate is a proud exception for they certainly know how to create good atmospheric Goth music that's gloomy and foreboding. The dark moods (tortured wind blowing, distant bells ringing, mournful singing full of sorrow, ect.), eerie dialogue and haunting orchestrations (the dirge of an organ playing especially gives me the chills) are a perfect companion to a spine-tingling horror novel, a spooky video game or a ghostly house on Halloween. Just don't play this around kids as it might give you, I mean them, nightmares.

I found this CD to be the perfect companion for reading and writing horror fiction and poetry. It can call forth the shadows in a decidedly effective and inspiring way, and serves exceptionally well in evoking a sombre atmosphere of foreboding and dread. While on the whole the disc tends more toward subtlety, there are several intense moments that maintain an air of suspense and keep the listener ever wary...Well done, gentlemen!

Simply the best "eerie" classical music around! I love it because it's so different. No lyrics or vocals, just good plain instruments. It sets a mood and each song has a different mood. If you like classical music and horror novels or movies, you'll like this!

Enter the realm where shadows lurk and nightmares reign. Beware of long passed souls unsettling before your eyes as you listen to the dark and eerie tale of Raven's Hallow.

A must have for those who want a chill with a little story in the mix.

Realm of Shadows is a solid offering by Midnight Syndicate, in that it is everything a haunting CD should be: eerie sound effects integrated into piano sounds that set a dark tone. I can't help of think of the Halloween I soundtrack when I hear EYE OF THE STORM; it's a classic "danger approaching" song that triggers ones imagination. This CD manages to capture the mood, feel, and suspense that is classic haunting. The titles of the songs are attractive, and make me want to listen to them. This CD doesn't disappoint, because once again, Midnight Syndicate makes good use of piano sounds. Listen to Realm of Shadows, and feel the chill!! 9.5/10

Realm of Shadows is one of Midnight Syndicate's best albums, no doubt about it. I know a good gothic or Halloween album when I hear one. A good album maintains a consistent mood and mysterious atmosphere and captures the listener's attention at the very beginning and holds the listener's attention throughout. It also has tracks that connect well with each other, thus reducing the likelihood that the listener will skip to the next track. I experience this when I listen to Realm of Shadows. The content of this album is not "choppy" and fragmented with sudden silence and sudden bursts. Instead, the music kind of flows and connects well together from track to track, which is perfect for this album's theme.

This album is definitely one of the spookiest and atmospheric albums from the band. It begins with Joseph Vargo's spooky narration on the opening track, Prophecy. This album has a rather thin and simple theme - an abandoned seaside village in ruins where spirits don't rest easily. But sometimes thin and simple themes work extremely well, and this album is a good example. The wind and rain effects, along with bells tolling in the distance, really help to paint the scene in my mind of an abandoned village by the sea in ruins. There is a certain spookiness/eerieness to this album, a feeling of emptiness in the village with winds blowing and bells tolling at night, with not a soul around. This album features heavy use of strings, which contributes to the darkness of the music, along with synthesizers, pipe organ, piano, bells, and choirs. Just about all the songs have a really sinister sound to them, provided by heavy use of stringed instruments such as violins and cellos.

My top three favorite tracks are Realm Of Shadows, Spectral Mist, and Witching Hour, followed by (in order) Sanctuary, Twilight, Eye Of The Storm, The Summoning, Raven's Hollow, Beyond The Gates, Noctem Aeternus, Black Woods, The Night Beckons, and Legions Of The Dead. These are my top thirteen tracks.

The whole album is awesome. Not one bad track. Go to Midnight Syndicate's website to order this album while supplies last, because it is out of print. Or, buy Out Of The Darkness (2006), which are re-recordings of some songs from the self-titled debut album (1997), Born Of The Night (1998) and Realm Of Shadows (2000). These re-recordings differ slightly from the originals, and some of them sound better than the originals. However, if you want the original Realm Of Shadows album in its entirety, buy it from Midnight Syndicate's website while supplies last.

Realm Of Shadows is my second favorite Midnight Syndicate album behind only The 13th Hour. I highly recommend Realm Of Shadows for your enjoyment.

This is by far one of my favorite albums from the group. I would highly recommend this album as one to have someone listen to start any sort of interest with the group.

You know, little did I know as I walked by this particular booth at a convention what I was listening to was going to affect me in the profound way that it did. A CD called Vampyre was playing and I stopped dead in my tracks and listened. It was simply beautiful. I asked the man at the booth if he had anything that might be appropriate for a graveyard? He recommended this CD. I also bought what was playing and didn't think twice about it. *This*, REalm of Shadows, was the first official CD that I listened to by this band known as Midnight Syndicate. I was completely transfixed by the music. I never sat down until several tracks later. I was officially crying my heart out by the second track saying "oh my God..this is so beautiful.." over and over.
That night, I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to keep listening to my new CDs as many times possible. I had never heard anything like this in my life. Before exhaustion took over I told myself I must not let the man selling these wonderful CDs get away without selling me the other two he had available! All I knew was, that I was slapped by so much inspiration that it literally hurt. Something long lost and dead inside me was reborn the night before. I saw so many images that needed to be created as a result of listening to this music. Midnight Syndicate became my instant muse. Soundtrack for the Imagination Indeed!
This review has little to say about particular tracks, but rather the over all emotion of experiencing this band's music for the first time in my own home. The peace I felt(despite the dark nature of the music). The mental images of my own yard haunt that hit me randomly in an almost *Field of Dreams* way so entangled that I had to built it to put the pieces together. Not to mention the images that came to me to simply put to canvas. I hadn't had ANY thing like this in my life that moved me to be more creative in my own life. I am thankful for this band and I will forever be dedicated to it. Thank you Ed and Gavin....

Midnight Syndicate has created another great gothic cd. The atmosphere that the music creates is absolutely haunting. This is a perfect cd for those interested in having a dark and ghostly atmosphere.