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Rating: With Goblin, Prog Rock finally embraces cinema... to be precise, Thriller/Horror cinema. They were discovered by that genius Dario Argento, who proposed they write together with Giorgio Gaslini the soundtrack for one of his best films: "Profondo Rosso."
Upon the release of the film and the eponymous soundtrack, success for Goblin was assured, and from then on, the group formed a partnership with the director. Two more albums followed, "Roller" (which inexplicably went unnoticed) and the second soundtrack for Dario Argento: "Suspiria." Now, there’s another genius who needs Goblin’s compositional flair. This genius goes by the name of George A. Romero, better known as the "father of the living dead." If George was filming in America (and most likely didn’t even know Simonetti & Co. personally), how did he contact the group? Well, here comes the Italian genius again, who knows the American genius well, and Goblin then went on to compose the soundtrack for "Zombi (Dawn Of The Dead)." There are two versions of the soundtrack in question: the original containing only 10 tracks from '78, and the extended one with 17 tracks from '98, released for the twentieth anniversary of the film and obviously the same soundtrack.
It’s the latter I am reviewing. When talking about a soundtrack, one often ends up inevitably describing the scene illustrated by the rhythms and background notes. Clearly, this album can't be fully appreciated unless one has seen the film. Once you've pressed play or laid the needle on the edge of the vinyl, you'll immediately be engulfed by the slow pulsing percussion of Marangolo and the psychedelic synthesizers of Simonetti. Now that the sound has become completely claustrophobic, the determined bass rhythm sets in, giving you the impression of breathing and finding an escape, but soon it reveals itself as a worthy guide in a delightful and stunning inferno of notes. Gradually, the sound fades, and thus the main theme of the film ends. "Zombi" (this is the title of the next track), can be considered to serve as a second musical theme for the film (it's no coincidence that it bears the movie's name, while the previous track is the translation of the film's original title: "Dawn of the Dead"), and its constant tempo changes add a special touch to the scenes it represents.
Memorable is the scene where the protagonists, to make their way and reach the opposite side of the supermarket (for those who don't know, the film is almost entirely set in a supermarket), try to knock out the zombies who barely manage to approach them. "Safari", the third track, is almost completely alien to the rest of the album due to its African rhythms, which, almost 7 years later, Simonetti alone would use as a reference for the soundtrack of "Demoni." The fourth track "Cake in Face", describes one of the most ironic and entertaining moments in the film. In fact, as the title of the track suggests, it serves as the background to the moment when the invaders on motorcycles (who want to take over the entire supermarket, even killing the protagonists who were the first to take refuge there) start throwing cakes at the "poor" zombies. The arrangement of this short but entertaining piece is similar to the Honky Tonk style. Whereas for "At the Edge of Madness", it’s a whole other journey. From the irony of the Honky Tonk style piano, you are abruptly taken to the electronic noises of the synthesizer and the spasms (strictly in the background...) of the living dead.... a brief, but engaging and chilling segment!
Now it’s time to talk about what I consider the best track of the entire soundtrack: "Zaratozom". Quite a strange title, don’t you think? Riff and electric guitar are the main ingredients of this magnificent and majestic piece, which initially might seem "drawn out" compared to the rest of the soundtrack, but still maintains an emotional charge second only to the pieces of Black Sabbath or Iron Maiden. No need to beat around the bush; you've figured it out by now... it’s a hard rock piece... that accompanies two crucial moments of the film: the end credits and the supermarket invasion (not coincidentally the invaders ride majestic motorcycles and are dressed in leather jackets, typical of heavy!). Truly a piece divinely arranged and played, 5/5! Moving on with another gem: "The Hunt", a composition built on a modest synthesizer background, illustrating our protagonists engaged in resupplying from one end of the supermarket to the other. Enhancing this pleasantly relaxed segment of the film is the linear and precise rhythm of Marangolo on drums.
"Shooting Range" is another delightful track. From its country/western flavor, surprisingly much slower than the genre’s standards, it illustrates what I think is a very fitting scene, where soldiers and "common" people enjoy shooting zombies, all spiced with dialogues like: "Did I hit it?... I did it!!!". The main instrument that gives the final touch to this carefree composition is the violin. "Oblivion", the ninth and penultimate track, is a very calm piece supported by a sublime and delicate piano phrasing, with a musical structure that veers towards Jazz. "Awakening", the last piece, is a very short but haunting piano loop. The rest of the twentieth-anniversary edition leaves us with alternative takes of some previous tracks, with the sole exception of the last track: which "tortures" us with 2 minutes and 10 seconds of the zombies' gut-wrenching screams.
All I have left to say is: "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth!!!"
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