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DAEMONIA

Crossover Prog • Italy


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Daemonia biography
The history of DAEMONIA is intrinsically linked to another Italian band, namely GOBLIN, who have written an impressive score of successful soundtracks for horror flick screenwriter Dario Argento back in the mid-70's. Their style was a richly textured blend of electronic and acoustic elements. One of their original members, keyboard player Claudio Simonetti, has lately gathered three young musicians and a number of guests in order to rearrange some of the tunes popularized by GOBLIN, as well as some by composer Ennio Morricone of 'spaghetti western' fame. This is what DAEMONIA's studio album is all about.

With a symphonic orchestra approach, their album "Dario Argento Tribute" (2000) features many classic soundtracks of this famous Italian screenwriter. The re-arranged keyboards and textures, the interplay between the 'daemonic' guitars and the heavy drumming, the snazzy bass attacks, the phantasmagoric choirs and the flawless production result in a wonderfully fresh version of classic film music. The band also released two live albums that basically cover the same material plus some new studio tracks, among which you'll find film scores from 'Halloween' and 'The Exorcist' (Mike OLDFIELD's 'Tubular Bells').

If the idea of hearing some famous film scores played by modern art rockers ever tickled your fancy, do lend an ear to these guys.

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

DAEMONIA Videos (YouTube and more)


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DAEMONIA discography


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DAEMONIA top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.56 | 15 ratings
Dario Argento Tribute
2000
4.02 | 9 ratings
Dawn of the Dead / Zombi
2013

DAEMONIA Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.68 | 7 ratings
Live ... or Dead
2001
4.50 | 2 ratings
Live in Tokyo
2003

DAEMONIA Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

4.80 | 5 ratings
Dario Argento Tribute Live in Los Angeles
2006

DAEMONIA Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

DAEMONIA Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

DAEMONIA Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Live ... or Dead by DAEMONIA album cover Live, 2001
3.68 | 7 ratings

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Live ... or Dead
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by von bathel

4 stars The problem with reviewing albums is mixing the taste with the technical part. But of course personal taste also indicates a focus on certain specific areas. In the case of Daemonia, when I heard it, I loved it. A great dark progressive feel, Goblin's offspring, could only be good. The atmosphere is dark, metaphysical, full of synthesizers and keyboards atmospheres, allied to the weight of the guitar and drums. A great combination bordering on symphonic Doom and Black Metal, with guest appearances by the singer of Cradle of Filth. Nothing to worship a certain style. Music is music, good rock is good rock. Progressive, dark, trash, metal, heavy, blues, kraut, etc... are denominations. ears. It pleases the soul, it pleases the intellect and the spirit. Daemonia mixes moods from Mike Oldfield to Opera, electronics with kraut, dark metal with minimalism. It's an excellent sound for anyone with an open ear to the avant-garde and professional music of talented musicians. Claudio Simonetti is great and that's it. Also those who enjoy horror movie tracks like Dario Argento and Stephen King, supernatural atmospheres, is highly recommended. Every record and show I've heard is excellent. FANTASTIC!! Welcome to the Nightmare!!
 Dawn of the Dead / Zombi by DAEMONIA album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.02 | 9 ratings

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Dawn of the Dead / Zombi
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer

4 stars This band is the creation of Claudio Simonetti, composer and keyboardist of Goblin, who are best-known for their contributions to the soundtracks of the films directed by Dario Argento. I was fortunate enough a few weeks ago to see Goblin play in front of a showing of the classic 'Suspiria', and it was just awesome! Here he has got together some younger musicians to assist him in revisiting some Goblin numbers, and giving them a fresh sound. Originally released in 2006, it now contains three bonus numbers, one of which is for me the absolute highlight of the whole piece. There is no need to know the original songs here, as Claudio has treated them afresh and these are new arrangements which capture the bombast and gothic darkness that make Goblin such a powerful live act.

Some of the songs sound as if they have been lifted straight from a horror set, while others are somehow even more dramatic with a menace and presence that is quite incredible. "At The Safari" contains some incredible percussion that threatens and drives, while others can be lighter in manner yet always with a brooding atmosphere which is Italian prog at its' very best. Although it does have to be said that the honky tonk of "Torte In Faccia" does seem somewhat at odds with the rest of the album.

Towards the end of the Seventies I was intrigued by Sky's version of Bach's "Toccatta and Fugue", which even made the charts in the UK. But that is a mere lightweight compared with Daemonia's "Toccata e Fuga" which takes the song to a far more dramatic and powerful level. It sounds a little quick to me, but the overall effect is stunning with the melodramatic keyboards combining perfectly with the chugging metallic monster that is the rest of the group. This album is definitely well worth investigating. www.blackwidow.it

 Dawn of the Dead / Zombi by DAEMONIA album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.02 | 9 ratings

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Dawn of the Dead / Zombi
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Now horror music fans and in particular the works of Goblin know what to consider for their next purchase! `Dawn of the Dead/Zombi' is a re-release from Goblin companion band Deamonia of the bonus disc originally available on their DVD/CD set `Dario Argento Tribute: Live In Los Angeles' from 2006. With the popularity of TV shows such as `The Walking Dead' and the continued mass appeal of the horror movie genre, in particular an interest in the defining movies of the 70's and 80's, there has never been a better time for Daemonia to reappear. With this album, they acknowledge the status that the original soundtrack `Zombi/Dawn of the Dead' has, as too it's movie counterpart, amongst both veteran horror fans and younger generations discovering them for the first time, so it makes sense that they latch on to that interest. Here the band reinterpret those many classic Goblin `Zombi' pieces in a way that will appeal to both original fans and younger newcomers.

While many of the pieces remain true in spirit to their original versions, there's frequently an added plodding heaviness that metal fans will enjoy. Even some of the biggest Goblin fans would have to admit that some of their 70's pieces have not aged particularly well, so this album gives them a modern makeover that will possibly even appeal to younger listeners. Having said that, it's an album of two halves - the first five or so pieces (as well as the bonus tracks) are aggressive and heavy, while the remainder is lighter, more affectionate and 70's influenced, with jazz, prog and classical elements.

Gothic synth choirs over chugging riffs, heartbeat-like drums and sprawling David Gilmour inspired heavy guitar work get the album off to an intense start on `L'Alba Dei Morti Viventi'. `Zombi' is given a frantic makeover, now sped up for added tension and violent drama, with riff-heavy guitars and pounding drumwork crashing all over intimidating synth choirs. There's some cool extravagant percussion that recalls some of those more forgotten Goblin soundtracks in the 70's and 80's, with a dazzling extended electric piano solo from Claudio over a kick-drum attack! Very addictive stuff. The punishing coldly programmed beats and impossibly heavy electronic drums on `At The Safari' are relentless and bring an unbearable tension. `Zaratozom' sounds like an instrumental outtake from Iron Maiden, all chugging riffs, galloping bass and soaring guitar soloing, while the stop/start build, tricky time-changes and swirling Moog runs of `La Caccia' could almost be Yes reborn as a heavier band!

Strangely, the second half of the album seems to have a complete change of heart! `Tirassegno' is a lovely romantic upbeat piano and electric guitar number. `Oblio', the absolute highlight of the album, slows things down for a somber and thoughtful piano piece, sounding almost like one of those modern King Crimson `ProjeKt' pieces, with lovely fretless bass, haunting Mellotron and ethereal guitar soloing. It's followed by a minute-long solo piano interlude `Risveglio' that's quietly sad and reflective, and `Zombi Sexy' is a floating laid-back romantic piece with glistening synths and humming Hammond organ. `Supermarket' wraps the album on a sprightly foot-tapping jazz- rocker, plenty of cool guitar solos, loose drumming and infectious grooves all around. It sadly ends very abruptly just as the band could really start jamming and take off.

To top off the CD release, there's three bonus tracks, including a harder remake of Goblin's `Roller' with added synth choir vocals and some supremely heavier riffs and up-tempo pounding drums in the middle! Seeing as `Roller' is one of my all-time favourite albums, I'm very happy to hear this version not let down the original! A bombastic church organ and supremely heavy riff run-through of Bach's `Toccata E Fuga' and sinister chilly stalking `Il Cartaio' stomping piano rocker wrap up the disc. Oddly, these three bonus tracks would have been more suited to the heavy sections of the main album! If they were slotted in after `La Caccia' the album would have flowed better, as good as the lighter later sections truly are.

Unfortunately for me there's still those kitschy piano dittys like `Torte In Faccia' that I never enjoyed the first time around on the vintage albums, and they sure don't please me now. It's nice to know the band have a sense of humour, but by all means, if you must, put them on as bonus tracks at the end of the album, as they really stand out too much from up the brooding tension the band builds so well.

Although not completely confronting and darkly immersive as projects like Morte Macabre, this album is perfect for fans of the more melodic horror themed bands such as Anima Morte and even fellow Italian horror project L'Ombra Della Sera. Undemanding, not especially challenging, but sumptuous to listen to, perfectly played and very addictive. On some of those later tracks, you can really hear the band's energy and infectious sense of fun. That makes this release easy enough to put on as an undemanding background listen, but even better when turned up loud for those heavier pieces!

Four stars.

 Dario Argento Tribute by DAEMONIA album cover Studio Album, 2000
3.56 | 15 ratings

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Dario Argento Tribute
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

3 stars The project Daemonia started in 1999, when keyboardist and composer Claudio Simonetti, former leader of Goblin, gathered around him some talented musicians as Federico Amorosi (bass), Nicola Di Staso (guitars) and Titta Tani (drums) to record on a new studio album and perform live the best known tracks taken from Dario Argento's films. According to the band, they re-arranged the original tracks by Goblin, Keith Emerson and Ennio Morricone with great care, trying not to get too far away from the original atmosphere, by combining the "old" progressive rock sound with new harmonies and the latest tendencies and adding a full orchestra as a "final touch". The result is definitively good and listening one after another to these tracks taken from the OST of film like "Zombie / Dawn Of The Dead", "Inferno", "Opera", "Suspiria", "Phenomena", "La sindrome di Stendhal", "Tenebre", "Profondo rosso" or "The Phantom Of the Opera" should be an authentic pleasure for every fan of Goblin: you can find here dark atmospheres and tension, church like organ waves and gloomy sounds, symphonic arrangements and operatic melodies intertwined with "metallic" rhythms and fiery guitar solos... Nonetheless there is nothing really new and, since this music is indelibly linked to the images of Dario Argento's films, I suggest to watch Dario Argento's DVD before...
 Live ... or Dead by DAEMONIA album cover Live, 2001
3.68 | 7 ratings

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Live ... or Dead
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by robbob

3 stars Well I feel a nostalgia for Goblin when I listen to it and nevertheless this production is nor as good as Goblin ones, sounds pretty well.

It sounds like a studio record, very good sound and interpretations. Goblin's new versions are good. This is a perfect mix between Goblin, Mastermind and new E.L.P. Quite a good work.

Cover can confuse you (metal band or metal album?) but fortunately is only the cover.

I evaluate this 3,5 stars.

 Dario Argento Tribute by DAEMONIA album cover Studio Album, 2000
3.56 | 15 ratings

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Dario Argento Tribute
Daemonia Crossover Prog

Review by braindamage

4 stars First review of the album.Album released in 2000 "Dario Argento Tributo". Debut work with new unit "DAEMONIA" of Claudio Simonetti(GOBLIN). Work that recorded sound track of movie director Dario Argento's masterpiece again. It includes album in not only the work of GOBLIN but also Keith Emerson and the number of Enrio Morricone. The tune that is because of a modern sound is frightening and is terrific. There is a lot of remake that ruins the image of an original tune recently.But this group is drawing out a new charm. "Suspiria" is exactly a masterpiece. There is a work that exchanges orchestral music and the chorus, too. I recommends it for the fan of classical rock.
Thanks to ProgLucky for the artist addition.

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