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〕 (approximate) | Label = Entity Productions Darkcell | Producer = Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka | Reviews = | Last album = ''Vampyre'' (2002) | This album = ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (2003) | Next album = ''The 13th Hour'' (2005) }} ''Dungeons & Dragons'' is a studio album by Midnight Syndicate, released August 12, 2003 by Entity Productions. The album is designed as a soundtrack to the role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and was produced by Midnight Syndicate at the request of Wizards of the Coast, the company which owns the rights to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. Midnight Syndicate were approached by game designers at a gaming convention where they had set up stall, and they agreed to produce the album. After an initial meeting with Wizards of the Coast, the two members of Midnight Syndicate—Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka—were left to write and produce the album themselves. They went their separate ways and produced tracks independently of one another, but came back together to arrange the album and master the tracks. The album was a change in style for Midnight Syndicate, because most of it had a fantasy feel, whereas their earlier works had been almost entirely horror-based. Artwork within the album booklet came from ''Dungeons & Dragons'' sourcebooks, including works from prominent game designers such as Skip Williams. The album was well received by Wizards of the Coast, with positive reviews from music critics and the gaming community. It is reputedly the only official ''Dungeons & Dragons'' soundtrack. ==Conception and production== According to Bob Ignizio of Utter Trash, an ezine featuring "music, movies and more",〔(【引用サイトリンク】title= Welcome )〕 Midnight Syndicate's older albums had already been used as background music to role-playing sessions for many years. Wizards of the Coast described the band's music as "the perfect accompaniment to role-playing game sessions". Support for Midnight Syndicate's music as a role-playing aid grew so much that the band decided to set up stalls at gaming conventions. At their first convention, Midnight Syndicate was approached by Wizards of the Coast, which subsequently asked if they would be interested in recording an official soundtrack, to which they agreed.〔 Before the band started writing or recording music they sat down with the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' designers who informed them of several elements that were essential on the album.〔 According to Ed Stark, special project manager of Wizards of the Coast, this consisted of "a chase scene and a fight scene and things like that". This was new to the band who had never written music to fit someone else's ideas before.〔 Stark said, however, that "...they really got that. We were very impressed, because we're in sort of a niche industry, and we're not always used to people getting exactly what we need right away".〔 After this, the band was mostly left to deal with the music themselves.〔 The designers were already familiar with Midnight Syndicate's music and knew what to expect from the album.〔 As inspiration for earlier albums had sometimes come from ''Dungeons & Dragons'' gaming sessions, Douglas said that writing the album came very naturally.〔 After the initial meeting with game designers, the album was written in the same way Midnight Syndicate conventionally write. First, Douglas and Goszka agreed on the setting they were trying to create with the album and then filled in details about the setting. Once this was done, they worked on music separately, in their own different studios.〔 They remained in contact throughout the writing process to ensure that their work was cohesive and appropriate for the album.〔 Once writing was complete, they worked together on arranging, mastering and mixing the tracks.〔 Douglas said that, for him, instrument choice came naturally and that "sounds and sometimes even melodies fall in line themselves".〔 The band had a wide number of instruments at their disposal, as all the music is produced on synthesizers. To ensure Douglas stayed true to creating the musical landscape he intended, his studio was covered with ''Dungeons & Dragons'' artwork and module covers throughout recording.〔 Joseph Vargo, executive producer on Midnight Syndicate's albums ''Born of the Night'' and ''Realm of Shadows'', as well as the author of LegionoftheNight.com, says that he was the one who initiated the first contact between Wizards of the Coast and the band. Vargo claims that, in 1999, he sent a copy of ''Born of the Night'' to ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game designer Jason Carl, at the time employed by TSR, who described the album as "terrific gaming music". Vargo also says that he sent a copy of ''Realm of Shadows'' to Carl a year later, and this communication helped forge the link between the band and ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game designers.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Dungeons & Dragons (album)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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