The Brimstone Club
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Brimstone Club
| type = Studio
| artist = Midnight Syndicate
| cover = The_Brimstone_Club_Midnight_Syndicate_CD_Cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 18, 2023
| recorded = 2023
| venue =
| studio = Apothecary Nine
The Dungeon
| genre = Gothic, classical crossover, dark ambient, neoclassical dark wave, darkwave
| length = 34:43
| label = Entity Productions
| producer = Edward Douglas
Gavin Goszka
| prev_title = Bloodlines
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
The Brimstone Club is the fifteenth studio album by Midnight Syndicate, released August 18, 2023. With a "shadowy theatre" theme inspired by the Parisian Cabaret de L'Enfer, the album blends orchestral music and sound effects to create a "soundtrack to an imaginary film" in a style similar to the band's other releases.Rick Davis, "The Brimstone Club", Dark Times (Vienna, OH), Vol.24 Issue 3, September 2023, Pg.3.[https://www.clevescene.com/music/clevelands-midnight-syndicate-releases-15th-studio-album-42570312 Cleveland's Midnight Syndicate Releases 15th Studio Album] Cleveland Scene, Jeff Niesel, August 18, 2023[https://rue-morgue.com/midnight-syndicate-new-studio-album-the-brimstone-club/ Midnight Syndicate New Studio Album The Brimstone Club] Rue Morgue Magazine, (Toronto, ON), William Wright, October 3, 2023
Background and album information
In an August 2023 interview with WKYC, composer Edward Douglas mentioned that the album was inspired by pictures and stories of the hell-themed Parisian Cabaret de L'Enfer which he described as the first themed restaurant and a forerunner to the modern day haunted attraction. He added that there was "just enough" information about the club to "get the imagination going" but it was what was not known about the club that really served as much of the further inspiration.[https://www.wkyc.com/article/entertainment/places/cedar-point/midnight-syndicate-cedar-point-halloweekends-live-show-brimstone-club-album-halloween-ed-douglas-gavin-goszka-2023-season/95-d86f202c-e149-42b2-b467-6738d234213b Midnight Syndicate reveals haunting plans for new live show at Cedar Point's HalloWeekends amid release of new 'Brimstone Club' album] WKYC, Ryan Haidet, August 18, 2023
Release
The Brimstone Club was released and distributed by Entity Productions, debuting at #2 on Billboard's Classical Crossover charts on September 2, 2023.[https://www.billboard.com/charts/classical-crossover-albums/2023-09-02/ Classical Crossover Chart, Sept 2 2023] Billboard Magazine, September 2, 2023 The album's packaging included a paper ticket to the imaginary club.Jeff Szpirglas, "The Brimstone Club", Rue Morgue Magazine (Toronto, ON), November 2023, Pg. 57. French artist, Pascal Casolari created the album artwork.
File:Midnight Syndicate performing at Cedar Point in 2023.jpg In support of the album, the band produced a show with the Ohio amusement park, Cedar Point called Echoes of the Brimstone Club. The show began its run at the park's HalloWeekends event on September 15, 2023.[https://coasternation.com/midnight-syndicate-releases-new-studio-album-and-new-show-at-cedar-point/ Midnight Syndicate Releases New Studio Album and New Show at Cedar Point] Coaster Nation, August 18, 2023 With set design inspired by the album's cover art, the show featured music from the album, various cirque-type specialty acts, and pyrotechnics.[https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2023/09/05/halloweekends-cedar-point-sandusky-amusement-park-halloween-haunted-house/70766512007/ 5 Things to Know about HalloWeekends] Akron Beacon Journal, Craig Webb, September 5, 2023[https://sanduskyregister.com/news/481794/its-time-to-check-out-midnight-syndicate/ It's Time to Check Out Midnight Syndicate] Sandusky Register, Justin Dietz, September 25, 2023
Reception
Sue Granquist of Black Gate Magazine called the album her favorite album from the band adding that the music made it easy imagine "Parisians at the small cabaret tables, some in bowler hats to hide their horns and others with dark glasses to mask their black, iris-less eyes."[https://www.blackgate.com/2023/08/24/goth-chick-news-this-is-your-invitation-to-the-brimstone-club/ This is Your Invitation to the Brimstone Club] Black Gate Magazine, Sue Granquist, August 24, 2023 Jeff Szpirglas of Rue Morgue Magazine mentioned that while "the sixteen tracks moved swiftly over the albums brief 33 minutes," there was fun to be had piecing together the environment through the cues and their titles adding that the album made good use of the band's talents given their aptitude for scoring theme park horror events.
Track listing
{{track listing
| title1 = The Brimstone Club
| writer1 = Edward Douglas
| length1 = 3:25
| title2 = Fellowship of the House
| writer2 = Gavin Goszka
| length2 = 2:23
| title3 = Saturnalia
| writer3 = Gavin Goszka
| length3 = 3:07
| title4 = Vodou
| writer4 = Edward Douglas
| length4 = 1:14
| title5 = Glamoury
| writer5 = Gavin Goszka
| length5 = 3:09
| title6 = Fortune's Folly
| writer6 = Gavin Goszka
| length6 = 2:40
| title7 = Amber & Oak
| writer7 = Gavin Goszka
| length7 = 2:18
| title8 = The Incomparable Mr. Jingles
| writer8 = Edward Douglas
| length8 = 1:29
| title9 = Behind the Curtain
| writer9 = Edward Douglas
| length9 = 2:29
| title10 = Ghost Light
| writer10 = Edward Douglas
| length10 = 1:39
| title11 = Green Room
| writer11 = Edward Douglas
| length11 = 2:05
| title12 = Lacricia
| writer12 = Edward Douglas
| length12 = 1:18
| title13 = Descending
| writer13 = Edward Douglas
| length13 = 2:38
| title14 = Ritual
| writer14 = Edward Douglas
| length14 = 1:09
| title15 = Underbelly
| writer15 = Gavin Goszka
| length15 = 2:04
| title16 = The Chosen
| writer16 = Edward Douglas
| length16 = 1:22
}}
Personnel
Production
- Producer – Edward Douglas, Gavin Goszka
- Mastering – Gavin Goszka
- Cover art – Pascal Casolari
- Graphic design – Brainstorm Design Group
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Midnight Syndicate}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brimstone Club, The}}
Category:Midnight Syndicate albums
Category:2020s instrumental albums
Category:Classical crossover albums
{{improve categories|date=December 2023}}