The Dead Matter: Original Motion

Picture Soundtrack - manuscript

This manuscript written by Eric Lang

The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was both the twelfth album, and second
movie soundtrack by the band, Midnight Syndicate, released July 30, 2010. The album features
the original score to the supernatural horror film, The Dead Matter, composed by Edward
Douglas, as well as other gothic rock and heavy metal songs from the film. The album also
contained several remixes of previously released Midnight Syndicate material including one
performed by related act, Destini Beard.
Background and information
In 1996 Midnight Syndicate composer, Edward Douglas, directed and scored a micro-budget
version of The Dead Matter, shot on S-VHS for under two-thousand US dollars. After its release,
he turned his attention to the formation and development of Midnight Syndicate. According to
an article in Fangoria, the success of Midnight Syndicate's "soundtracks for imaginary films"
caught the attention of horror filmmakers which led to film scoring opportunities. In 2008, the
band scored and released the soundtrack to Robert Kurtzman's Rage. That collaboration with
Kurtzman led to the creation of The Dead Matter movie and subsequent release of The Dead
Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
The soundtrack album featured Edward Douglas' original score to the film, the darkwave song,
Lost, by Gavin Goszka, two gothic rock tracks by Lazy Lane, and a heavy metal track by Hipnostic,
all of which appeared in the film. Additionally, the soundtrack included a song inspired by the
movie entitled The Dead Matter by the heavy metal band, Eternal Legacy and three remixes of
previously released Midnight Syndicate songs. One of the remixes, Noctem Aeternus, was taken
from the Destini Beard and Midnight Syndicate remix EP, The Dark Masquerade
Release
The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released and self-distributed through
Entity Productions, one of the largest distributors of Halloween music CDs at the time. The
Deluxe Edition DVD was sold at the registers of Hot Topic stores throughout the US in
coordination with an online cross-promotional campaign Entity Productions ran with the
counter-culture-related clothing and music chain for The Dead Matter film. A zombie-themed
music video for the Gavin Goszka's Lost was produced by 529 Films and released along with a
music video for Eternal Legacy's track, The Dead Matter, which featured footage from the film.
Both music videos were included on the DVD as extras. Gregory Burkart of Fearnet said Douglas'
score departed in some ways from the Midnight Syndicate's usual output, "having moved
behind the action," but added there were "still some superb atmospheric touches, often
reminiscent of John Carpenter's memorable scores."
Track listing
Personnel
Edward Douglas – composer
Gavin Goszka – writer, performer on Lost
Lazy Lane - writer, performer on The Graveyard, The Girl Upstairs
Jerry Vayne - guitars and remix on Shadows
Eternal Legacy - writer, performer on The Dead Matter
Destini Beard - lyrics, vocals on Noctem Aeternus
Pat Berdysz - remix, performer on Graveyard
Hipnostic - writer, performer on Ritual
Production
Producer – Edward Douglas
Mastering - Gavin Goszka
Sound Effects Design - Patrick Giraudi at Virtual Mix
Assistant Music Supervisor - Colleen Douglas
Technical Advisor - Jeff Kasunic
Photography - Darell Day
Cover art - Mike Digrazia
Design - Brainstorm Studios
References