ZOMBI [AKA: DAWN OF THE DEAD] (OST)

One thing that really surprised me the first time I heard this soundtrack was the fact that I almost didn't recognize any of the compositions. Being a huge fan of the movie which I own on DVD in both its original version and the Dario Argento's European Cut I just couldn't figure out how this music was overlooked by me! The explanation to that was actually very simple. Soundtracks are delicate and atmospheric pieces of music that when done just right don't overshadow the context of the movie. Just think of all the great John Williams and Ennio Morricone soundtracks that may at first seem familiar due to the title theme of the movie but the rest of the tunes might seem unfamiliar and still they are there in your subconscious memory!

This is exactly the case with Dawn Of The Dead which in my opinion makes it a superior in comparison to both Profondo Rosso/Deep Red and Suspiria! The first two tracks are theme pieces from the movie and what a great combination it is. L'Alba Dei Morti Viventi is a chilling atmospheric piece that has a great keyboard melody played over it while Zombi takes things up a notch by transforming that chilling feeling into pure horror! These two pieces are in my opinion alone worth the price of admission!

The rest of the compositions consist for the most part of atmospheric pieces that actually work surprisingly well on their own! There is of course a minor exception in the form of Torte In Faccia that sounded annoying when Emerson Lake & Palmer did it on The Sheriff and Benny The Bouncer but here it's even more out of place than ever.

This is a soundtrack that I have no problem of recommending to everyone since the music does a great job of distinguishing itself from the movie. Hence it's an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.

***** star songs: Zombi (4:24)

**** star songs: L'Alba Dei Morti Viventi (6:04) Safari (2:11) Al Morgini Della Follia (1:32) Zaratozom (3:36) La Caccia (3:38) Tirassegno (2:51) Oblio (5:13) Risveglio (1:04)

*** star songs: Torte In Faccia (1:57)