BUIO OMEGA (OST)

I have an honest and strong respect for Goblin, maybe the only band that I know which built their career making soundtracks...

"Buio Omega" is not at the level of "Profondo Rosso" or "Tenebre" but has the classic Goblin style: dark and shorts athmospheres, tension, some great proggy guitar sections, emphasys on percussions and a constant and frightening keyboard background. This soundtrack were made to the self titled Joe D'Amato film of 1979. The story of this B movie is about a doctor who loose his wife but he try to keep her "alive" embalming her body using flesh, skin and organs of the people he murder during the movie.... nice, isn't?

Back to the music. The album works good without the music. Even when sometimes sounds like Keith Emerson jusic for "Nighthawks" the truth is that "Buio Omega" is a creepy trip through dark athmospheres, solid and catchy compositions and slow moment of wavy terror. As I said, not as the level of other Goblin soundtracks or albums and maybe is just a 3* release, but the song "Quiet Drops" is such a masterpice of prog music: quiet but frightening, with a catchy guitar melody that hypnotizes you... Really, one of the best Goblin compositions.

Just for that, "Buio Omega" deserves 4*...

With Buio Omega Goblin proove once again that they are masters of groovy, soulful and utterly dark progressive rock. Recorded at the end of the 70's, this is the soundtrack of Joe d'Amato shocking horror B movie which is all about necrophily and sadistic perversion. For an exploitation film Buio Omega is above the average containing some good claustrophobic sequences but I think that the music helps a lot to create a moody-intoxicated ambience. The self title track is a catchy and efficient composition for repetitive electronic arpeggiatos, sustained by a dynamic-pulsating groove and blackened epic melodies. The second part of the song features langurous-melodic piano lines taking back the usual theme with a kitchy-tense-romantic feel. The other tracks alternate old fashioned fusion-electronic jazzy stuffs with some astonishing creepy-foggy organic sequences and minimal captivated little piano notes. This is all time Goblin musical signature despite that is not at the level of furious, freaked out songs written for "Deep Red" or "Suspiria". Not my favourite but still refined and cinematically evocative.

My first ever exposure to this band. I have a reasonable large collection of their albums though and will run through them during the next twenty years or so. Ambitions, ambitions......

Goblin does soundtracks. According to the cover on this album, I guess it is a horror movie. After a short search, that has been confirmed. An Italian gentleman murdering young virgins for the joy of it. That's does not sounds like Sound Of Music # 2.

The music here is not in the Sound Of Music vein either. It is dark, brooding and dramatic. Just like an Italian gentleman slaying young virgins for the joy of it. Music wise, and the Italian everyday documentary movie put aside, the music here reminds me a lot about Clearlight. It is dynamic, moody and pretty jazzy at times. It is driven by tangents and bass.

The music is surprisingly good. It takes time to sink in though and is not an immediate hit in my household. But it slowly sinks in. The musicians does a very good job. But it is hard to judge a soundtrack without watching the movie. I have no intention of watching this documentary/horror movie though. But on it's own, this is a good album. Although very bland, I have to say. It is neither prog, jazz or any known creature. But I am not complaining that much.

3 stars