MORTE MACABRE

Morte Macabre is a delightful one-time get-together of Anekdoten and Landberk, resulting in something entirely new that is completely different from what both bands usually create. Only their melancholic essence is maintained, that sombre mood of gloomy Swedish winter days and long dark cold nights.

Listening to this music you can almost see sombre phantoms rising from the freezing lakes, to come and hunt the petrified souls that hole up round the fireplace, waiting for doom to happen. Right you get it. The soundtrack to B-movies.

The music takes a very subtle approach: no scary sound effects or big gestures but loads of mellotron and Stefan Dimle's unsurpassed guitar subtleties. Understated as usual, the Swedes work themselves through 8 entirely instrumental pieces from several soundtracks of spooky movies. Only 2 tracks are self-penned, Threats of Stark Reality and the 18 minute title track that closes the album.

Only the Opening Theme seems a bit out of place at first but actually it's a well positioned and provides a welcome lighter touch in the middle of the album and prepares us for the swirling masterpiece at the end. The result is an astounding album that has found a unique balance between solemn and romantic moods and that ranks among my favourite instrumental works.

PS. Word is out they're working on a new album!

This album is almost full of mellotron (if you would expect the experimental Threats Of Stark Reality). Not one? but four mellotron! What else can I say?

Most of these songs are cover from soundtracks of scary movies, and believe me: while you will listen to this one, there are little doubts. Scaaaaaaary is the word my friends.

Actually, this album could have been more achieved if several of the songs wouldn't have this experimental, improvised side. Some tracks are a mix of sublime and cold beauty with weird and almost unbearable passages (Sequenza Ritmica Etema).

Fortunately, there are also some tracks as Lullaby which denotes a huge melancholy (reinforced by the pure and magnificent voice from Yessica Lindvist). It reaches the climax of tranquillity and superb beauty. This is frankly a jewel of melody: a highlight. The original one was written for Rosemary's Baby, the very good movie from Polanski.

Most of this album is a pure and wonderful travel into a great tron world. Just sit and shut while listening to Opening Theme. If you don't have gooseflesh, it just mean that you are made out of stone.

The centre piece of this album should have been the epic and closing number Symphonic Holocaust. An eighteen minutes languish track which has its ups and downs. Vaguely heavy for a while, it holds more guitar than usual. It is quite a lengthy impro though. I'm not totally charmed with these repetitive sounds; it could have been halved IMHO. The finale is truly gorgeous though.

Still, this is a very good album which is of course to be recommended to all mellotron fans as well as the ones who are deeply in love with the fantastic Nordic scene from the nineties. Four stars.

Perfect Halloween music, whip it into the Cd player while taking the little impish monsters scavanging pitilessly for assorted unhealthy candies, spooking the entire neighbourhood in the process (this way they will remember your batmobile!). When the uninitiated first listen to prog, the most common comment is Well, gheez, it's like soundtrack to an unseen movie kind of music . Very perceptive, fella!There just might be room for a ritual conversion! Between Tangerine Dream, Goblin, Floyd, Vangelis, Trevor Rabin, Can, Wakeman and countless others, there is most definitely a cinematic coloratura to our favourite genre, especially when there is a strong symphonic inspiration. Furthermore, when featuring arguably the paragon instrument that most defines the glory years of Prog, the reverential Mellotron (you may rise!), the result can only be stupendous. Our nordic swedish friends from Anekdoten and Landberk have slapped together this seemingly one-shot tribute to the B-movie soundtracks first espoused by Goblin and produced for Dario Argento's catalogue of cultish european horror movies (Suspiria being the most noted). Monster bassist Stefan Dimle and ultra-original prog cult guitarist Reine Fiske from Landberk have joined forces with Niklas Berg and Peter Nordin of Anekdoten to release this aptly named Symphonic Holocaust ! This is a cyclonic display of the 'tron's mystical power, howling with wagnerian passion, led by a devastating bass line, doomsday drumming and effect laden guitars by both Fiske and Berg. As correctly observed and stated by my fellow PA colleagues, this isn't really all that creepy (a la Zombie) nor melodramatic ( ala Alice Cooper) but rather quite somber, melancholic and sad. Those traits happen to illicit some deep feelings within my musical soul and I just love it when the arrangements get hot and heavy. No point in a track by track breakdown, this is a prog soundtrack of the highest caliber which could easily accompany many ghoulish events besides Halloween, like riding through a storm or driving through an alpine mountain pass at night (which I both did with this album). This would be a fine companion disc to Magma's brilliantly hellish Kohntarkosz. 4.5 mellotrons

Oh ! Hell yeah ! One of the best album from the 90's. Forget the neo-prog and listen to this album ! Totally dark, totally unforgettable ! Each track are really great and the top of the album is personnally the last one : Symphonic Holocaust. Near 18 minutes of pure progressive rock ! Full mellotron ! What can we ask for more ? Nothing ! Grab it right now !

"Symphonic Holocaust" has been a brilliant compilation of dark progressive music by musicians of the bands Anekdoten and Landberk joining exclusively for this single project. Originally it should have become a tribute to Italian band Goblin who released a couple of horror movie soundtracks during the 70's. There's still one composition of them included here, that is "Quiet Drops" from the film "Beyond The Darkness". Only two of the tracks are compositions by the musicians of the project Morte Macabre, the short "Threats of Stark Reality" which serves as an introduction for the following track and the 17+ min title suite which is certainly the highlight of this disk which can be considered a very pleasant and nicely done hommage to horror film music. I couldn't claim to be a dedicated fan of this particular genre and with the possible exception of Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" which is represented here by the dreamy and atmospheric song "Lullaby" I actually don't recall having watched any of the others being rather B-series ones. But I like quite a lot to listen to the music done by the main bands of these musicians without being a fanatic fan of neither of them and I love melancholic and somber music. Not to forget mentioning the beloved Mellotron which is the perfectly fitting instrument for this kind of music and therefore the dominating one here and even played by each of the four musicians (not simultanously of course). Although it's the main instrument used there aren't exclusively keyboards but rather quite fine electric guitar as well. Apart from two exceptions, the not very progressive but nice "Lullaby" and the short "Opening Theme" which is the least interesting one the overall atmosphere is very melancholic and somber but not really creepy with lots of minor keys. The long title suite is really a masterpiece what cannot be told about the whole album in my opinion. This is also the place where we can find the most obvious Crimson influence, therefore similarity with Anekdoten and there are as well some sections where the sound becomes heavier wheras most of the music on this disk is in a rather slow, quiet and sluggish pace. Though fitting probably not everyone's preferred taste I would they this record can be considered an excellent addition to any Prog collection and it's certainly a must-have one for any fan of dark progressive.

The Halloween Record.

Since it's around that time, I figured what a time to review this album. It's one of the darkest and dismal sounding albums one is likely to own. Although, it's not exactly evil sounding. The backgrounds to many of these songs is what drives the gloomy mood. Quiet Drops is one of the few that's a tad calmer, and even it has it's moments towards the end. As has been said, this album is full of mellotron and more mellotron. All of this really builds towards the last track, the title track, an extremely dark and moody song, capitalizing and the momentum of the background effects to set the piece up. At around 3 minutes in the sounds cresendo into a full band effort, and then we are pulled back, and then in again.

Definitely there are hypnotic like effects here, with the consistency of the ryhthms and drift like nature, one can be lulled into a false sense of security. That's part of the creepy effect, along with the distinct tone of the guitar which has been chosen very well. Towards the end the track really picks up, with significantly more drums and wilder instrumentation. A superb track, but one that takes much effort to really comprehend and wrap yourself around it. The other tracks are average at best, and lacking in some areas. However, this is a unique record that is really one of a kind.

4.5 stars.ANEKDOTEN is one of my all-time favourite bands,and listening to this record is almost like listening to an ANEKDOTEN album without the vocals.ANEKDOTEN's lead guitarist and drummer are here(Nicklas Barker and Peter Nordins).While LANDBERK's lead guitarist and bass player round out the band(Reine Fiske and Stefan Dimle).They all play mellotron on this album! Interesting that the band member i'm least familiar with Stefan Dimle is the one who chose the songs they covered on here,as well as arranging the music.Of the six songs they covered five are from horror movies and one is from a porn movie. "Apoteosi Del Mistero" is from the film "City Of The Living Dead".This is one of my favourite three songs on here.Waves of mellotron right off the top as a full sound comes in before a minute.I should note a second mellotron comes in when the full sound arrives.Amazing.This contrast continues.Check out the guitar and drumming 3 minutes in as the mellotron storm continues.Nice. "Threats Of Stark reality" was written by the band and is an intro for the following song.This one is dark,creepy and experimental.No melody. "Sequenza Ritmica E Tema" is from the film "The Beyond".Drums,guitar and bass hit us hard on this one as mellotron rolls in.It settles then kicks in again as contrast continues. "Lullaby" is from the film "Rosemary's Baby".A mysterious bass line is joined by drums.This is a haunting soundscape to say the least.Female vocal melodies come in,but it's still a laid back sound.Mellotron and keys join in as well. "Quiet Drops" is from the film "Beyond The darkness" and was done originally by GOBLIN.This is another top three for me.Gentle guitar is joined by a second guitar that sounds like rain drops falling.Mellotron and drums come in as sound gets fuller. "Opening Theme" is my least favourite.It's from the film "Cannibal Holocaust".Fortunately it's the shortest as well.It's still good with lots of mellotron anyway. "The Photosession" is from the film "Golden Girls",no not the tv program.Waves can be heard rolling in as a guitar line joins in.Drums follow in this mellow track.Waves end the song. "Symphonic Holocaust" is the almost 18 minute title track.This is my other top three tune.Pulsating mellotron sounds as gentle guitar comes in at 1 1/2 minutes.It's almost like post-rock at this point.Bass comes in and is really prominant.An outburst of sound after 3 minutes and later 4 minutes in.It really explodes at 4 1/2 minutes.Check out the bass before 7 1/2 minutes! The guitar starts to make some noise 11 minutes in as the bass continues to impress.It's building as mellotron waves and deep bass continue.Fantastic song. I'd love for these guys to get together and make a full album of their own material.This is so close to 5 stars for me but "Opening Theme" and the following track "The Photosession" are 10 minutes of music i'm just not too fond of.Great album regardless.

The complex symphonic music from time to time reminding Anekdoten and Anglagard. Especially it would be desirable to note header Apoteosi del Mistero and final Symphonic Holocaust. In the end the level симфонизма is so high, that there was a similarity with Yes and King Crimson. The album is heavy enough in listening. Has put 4 stars.

Like many of the previous reviewers,I had high expectations from this Anekdoten&Landberk venture.I must admit I was little confused after first listening,but after few additional tries I come to love this record.During the seventies I was pretty big fan of horror movies and very fond of eerie music from Dario Argento and John Carpenter films.This album is almost a perfect soundtrack to the genre,most of these songs are from Italian horror movies,only title track is band composed.Music is so filled with mellotrons, it's almost unbearable.Also,as always,Reine Fiske's minimalistic guitar gives special coloration to the overall eerie atmosphere,making this record one of the better collaborations in prog circles.If you are mellotron freak like me,this is a must.Four stars!

A progrock joint venture from Anekdoten - and Landberk members, what a thrilling combination, .... it could have been... Altough some tracks sound very compelling feauring moving Melllotron waves, most of this album doesn't appeal to me: too fragmentic and too dark, after a few listenings sessions I remain only delighted about the first track "Apotheosi del Mistero"(great Mellotron in the vein of the early King Crimsom) and some parts of the long titletrack "Symphonic holocaust". Eventually I sold it to a proghead who was 'on cloud number nine' with this CD, also because it's very difficult to purchase it nowadays. But I'm not a collector, I only keep albums that I use to play for the whole running time.

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