Dark ambience. Terrifying sounds. Spine-tingling melodies. This is Horrific Universe!

Horrific Universe: 12 Months of Horror features dark ambience, terrifying sounds, and spine-tingling melodies inspired by countless sources of horror media. Horrific Universe: 12 Months of Horror is part of the Horrific Universe catalog (dark ambience / horror music) of Bailey Records Composition and Sound Design. Additional Horrific Universe catalog releases include Deterioration Furthers, Songs From and Inspired by The Charnel Gospel (Bailey Records, May 4, 2004). The first 12 tracks on the album are new while #13-20 are remastered songs from the long out-of-print album, Deterioration Furthers. The final track on the CD is a new twist on the familiar Bailey Records Fanfare.

1. Strange Aeons takes its name from the popular works of H.P. Lovecraft and is inspired in part by the miniatures game of the same name, Strange Aeons. The fine people at Uncle Mike’s Worldwide have fully endorsed this song for use with their game.
2. Jadu Tona (Black Magic) takes its name from the 1977 Bollywood film, Jadu Tona. This song features panning atmospheric synth beds under organic percussion and winds. A lot of reverb was used on several parts to give it an airey / eerie feel. In the movie, the innocent cherubic Baby Pinky turns into a vile, vomit-spewing monster possessed by black magic; this is the imagery we had in mind while composing this horrific tune.
3. Scarecrows vs. Werewolves is partly inspired by fantastic werewolf-related movies of recent past including the Underworld saga and the Wolfman remake starring Anthony Hopkins. The title for the song is the name of a scenario idea within Kaiju Kaos – The Miniatures Game by Bryan “Stratos” Borgman.

Scarecrows vs. Werewolves features a dark and ambient intro and outro that is fairly suitable for looping during long scenes while breaking into full-on metal guitars, bass, and drums for the core of the song. Within the composition, the atmospheric parts indicate when and where the scarecrows are predominant in the mix while the crunchy guitars and rhythmic drums signal the werewolves in action. Of course, metal guitar music lovers and/or games masters can enjoy this song and use it for whatever imagery is created within their own minds’ eye.
4. My Hack to Your Slash [A Slasher’s Love Song] is an enigmatic, piano-driven theme was inspired by the classic Slasher horror/thriller films of the late 70s, 80s and early 90s. The idea behind the song and the title is also inspired by the modern comic book HACK/SLASH. The title pokes fun at the sub-genre the song has been written for, but there is nothing superficial about it; a Slasher falling in love with another Slasher, or better yet, a protagonist. Now that’s horror in the making...
5. Living in a Zombie Land is an ambient tune was originally composed for Warlands – The Soundtrack (Bailey Records, 2009) but due to space limitations on the physical CD it was never finished until now! Stratos handed the demo over to the capable hands of TW Cory who rearranged parts and added a new bass line. Living in a Zombie Land is a great tune for games like Rezolution, Kaiju Kaos, Warlands, or any other setting where undead/zombies are present.
6. The Hunter’s Prowl is a fast-paced drum, bass, and guitar-driven song is designed to be a heart-racing theme for any Hunter on a narrow escape, spine-chilling chase, or edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckle encounter.
7. The Last Show on Earth – “When we were conceptualizing this project, I asked several people what types of things terrified them, or more specifically what genres within ‘horror’ did they find frightening. One of the top answers was: clowns and/or funhouses, carnivals, creepy circuses, etc. This got me thinking… why not release a horrific carousel-gone-wrong song? After many months of writing and re-writing, The Last Show on Earth was fully conceived. In a way it reminds me of something you might hear in the original Scooby-Doo cartoons (the good ones from the early 70s); but maybe a bit darker. I hope everyone takes the time to give this song a listen.” – Stratos
8. It’s Alive! features vocal samples and diabolical laughter by Stratos’ friend Beetoons (J.D. Larabee). The song also features some electricity zaps, heartbeat, and other sound effects to further accentuate the mad scientist theme that inspired this song. Beyond the samples, It’s Alive! is a blend of modern electronic beats, synths, organic percussion, and atmospheric pads.
9. No One Can Hear You Scream is a dark and ambient tune inspired by many science fiction franchises featuring scary creatures lying in the shadows including those with acid-blooded aliens or predator game hunters, mutant cannibal reavers or “space zombies.”
10. Charnel Burial Procession features a variety of percussion and drums in addition to ambient noises to set the tone for an archaic funeral. Charnel Burial Procession is a sure sign that all things must come to an end, including life, and this song helps march death in. In 2003, TW Cory & Stratos were commissioned to compose original music based on a script of an independent horror film called The Charnel Gospel. The two released the soundtrack of ambient, percussive music on CD and it quickly sold out. The ghoulish, Cthulhu-inspired cultist music of Deterioration Furthers has inspired this new song, Charnel Burial Procession.
11. Horrors of Oith features a variety of sounds established on the previous Low Life-inspired songs with a new blend of percussion, electric guitars, and keyboards. The intent of this song is to further set the tone and feel of the perverse world of Mutha Oith while also be generic enough for games masters to enjoy and use with whatever imagery is stirred up in their own minds’ eye. What do you call a shattered world inhabited by the descendants of cockroaches, worms, snack cakes, and stranded aliens? A world where the arcane secrets of hocus pokery, dementalism, smellcasting, and holy rolling are commonplace? A world where you can battle hideous beasts and then enjoy a light lunch at the Primordial Soup Kitchen? Low Life is the answer you seek as you explore Mutha Oith and all its splendor and gory.
12. Samhain is a blend of ambient horror sounds and traditional Celtic instrumentation. Inspiration for this horror tune song came from two distinct origins; history and pop culture.
Historically, Samhain marked the end of the harvest; the end of the “lighter half” of the year and beginning of the “darker half.” It was traditionally celebrated over the course of several days and possibly marked the beginning of the Celtic new year. It has some elements of a Festival of the Dead. The Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thinner on Samhain because some animals and plants were dying. This event (Autumn) led to the belief that the dead were allowed to reach back through the veil that separated them from the living. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. People and their livestock would often walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual and the bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.
The Gaelic custom of wearing costumes and masks was an attempt to copy the spirits or placate them. In Scotland the dead were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white. Samhnag – turnips which were hollowed-out and carved with faces to make lanterns – were also used to ward off harmful spirits.
The Gaelic festival became associated with the Christian All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, and has hugely influenced the secular customs now connected with Halloween.
In pop culture, Samhain is the name of a character who assists Cassie Hack and Vlad fight the Black Lamp Society in the comic book Hack/Slash, issues #19 & 20 of the Devil’s Due Publishing on-going series. The character of Samhain also appears in the Hack/Slash Annual 2010: Murder Messiah (Image Comics).
13. Deterioration Furthers by Stratos & TW Cory. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
14. The Creeping Fear by Stratos & TW Cory. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. The title of this song refers to one of the many titles allegedly used during the filming of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones which was filing at the time this song was being composed. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
15. Lonesome October Nights by Stratos. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
16. Hilltop Incantations by Stratos & TW Cory. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. Scenes of the campfire and young people calling upon the spirit realm were prevalent throughout the script of the movie. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
17. Dance of Darkness by Stratos. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
18. Cthulhu’s Rising by TW Cory. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. Cthulhu and his ghouls were the main antagonists throughout the film. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
19. Ghoul Frenzy by Stratos & TW Cory. This song was inspired by the shooting script of an independent horror film by Ted Mowery called The Charnel Gospel and was released on an accompanying soundtrack that is now out of print. This song was remastered by Stratos for its inclusion on this album.
20. Deterioration Furthers [demo mix] by Stratos. This is how the song sounded before TW Cory added layers of instrumentation, etc. Included here because space allowed on the CD.
21. Bailey Records Fanfare [Horrific Mix] closes out the album with a blend of sounds and style found throughout the entire album from crunchy guitars to eerie church bells all mashed-up with the original Fanfare. In 2006, with the release of both the Slade Chronicles: Riftwalker – Official Mix-Tape and Amazing Universe – The Superheroic Music EP, T.W. Cory and Stratos composed the “Bailey Records Fanfare.” The purpose of the Fanfare is to tie all soundtracks together under a common “umbrella,” just as movie studios like Fox and Universal do with their opening fanfares. This is the eleventh CD that the “Bailey Records Fanfare” has appeared on, and as with the previous incarnations it includes an album-specific tag ending.