Siguiendo y terminando el festival de Anekdoten marcha este trabajo paralelo. ¿Conocen a este bebé del Diablo? nació cuando se unieron Anekdoten y Landberk para homenajear a filmes de terror, y claro, no lo van a hacer con temas de Los Pericos, lo van a hacer con este brutal disco que no tiene nada que ver con el black metal sino con el más puro rock sinfónico escandinavo, bien denso, oscuro, lleno de atmósferas opresivas, mellotrones, climas siniestros y esa belleza aterradora. Y así con mucho Anekdoten y mucho del mejor rock progresivo escandinavo, para que vuelvan a disfrutar o para que comiencen a hacerlo ahora mismo. Y esto no termina aquí...
Artista: Morte Macabre
Artista: Morte Macabre
Álbum: Symphonic Holocaust
Año: 1998
Género: Rock sinfónico / Soundtrack
Duración: 57:17
Nacionalidad: Suecia
Año: 1998
Género: Rock sinfónico / Soundtrack
Duración: 57:17
Nacionalidad: Suecia
No, esto no es disco de Black Metal, es que seguimos con el festival de Anekdoten! El tema es así, un día se unieron gente de Anekdoten con gente de Landberk (dos grupos del movimiento crimsoniano escandinavo) y después de un pedo atómico nació esta banda sonora de películas de terror de clase "B", "Rosemary´s baby", "City of the living dead" o "Cannibal holocaust" son interpretados o versionados magistralmente por estos músicos, y habria que indicar que todos tocan el Mellotron, con lo que se pueden hacer una idea de la atmósfera reinante en todo el album.
Pero mejor lean este comentario que es más completo y mejor de lo que humildemente puedo hacer yo:Morte Macabre: Terrock ProgresivoTilo Nurmi
Así como el DVD reemplazó al VHS y éste a su vez reemplazó al Betamax, hacia el final de la década del 70, el Mellotron fue reemplazado por los sintetizadores y los samplers. Aunque sería más preciso decir "desplazado" en lugar de "reemplazado", ya que ese sonido anclado en los años 60 y 70, si bien ha perdido popularidad, aún es requerido por bandas como Radiohead, Opeth, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Anekdoten y Landberk, entre otras.
El Mellotron es un armatoste muy parecido al piano en su estructura externa y se le considera un precursor del sampler, además de ser uno de los primeros teclados eléctricos. Creado en Estados Unidos en la década del 50 bajo el nombre de Chamberlin, en la década siguiente la empresa Mellotronics lo fabricó en una serie limitada bajo el nombre comercial de Mellotron, que proviene de "Melody Electronics". El instrumento se hizo popular principalmente en bandas de Rock Progresivo como The Moody Blues, Genesis y King Crimson.
"Symphonic Holocaust" es un álbum de Rock Progresivo que surge a partir de la unión de dos reconocidas bandas de la escena progresiva sueca: Anekdoten y Landberk, que unidos por la pasión hacia el Mellotron y el Cine dieron vida a un proyecto único en su naturaleza, Morte Macabre, que en el año 98 publicó el álbum de versiones de clásicos del Cine de Terror, más dos composiciones propias, que en su conjunto dieron por título "Holocausto Sinfónico". Un Rock Progresivo que alcanza cumbres sonoras más propias del Post Rock y un aura sombría, oscura y maldita más propia de la música Gótica. Experiencia similar, pero asociada a otro género, nos presentaría Mike Patton con su proyecto Fantômas cuatro años después del "Symphonic Holocaust", con el lanzamiento de su segunda placa titulada "The Director's Cut".
Morte Macabre sólo editó "Symphonic Holocaust", aunque con el paso de los años se ha especulado sobre la posible aparición de un segundo trabajo del que nada concreto se sabe todavía. Lo cierto, es que "Symphonic Holocaust" es una obra grandiosa que perdura en el tiempo, de una calidad interpretativa excepcional, creadora de atmósferas atormentadas, melancólicas, sublimes y delirantes, que nos transporta desde la melancolía más profunda de "Apoteosi del Misterio" al miedo más escalofriante de la hermosa "Lullaby".
Tanto Anekdoten como Landberk destacan en sus propias carreras por el tono sombrío de sus composiciones, además de la ya mencionada utilización del Mellotron. En Morte Macabre se unen la experiencia de dos bandas hermanas materializadas en Nicklas Berg y Peter Nordins (por parte de Anekdoten) y, Stefan Dimle y Reine Fiske (por parte de Landberk), quienes inscriben su proyecto de mega banda, junto a nombres emblemáticos de otros súper grupos como Mad Season, Temple of The Dog, Cream y One Day as a Lion, entre otros.
El tracklist de "Symponic Holocaust" está compuesto por "Apoteosi del Misterio", original de la banda sonora de "The City of the Living Dead" de Lucio Fulci y que en la interpretación de Morte Macabre adquiere ribetes épicos, superando incluso a la versión original. "Threats of Stark Reality" propia de Morte Macabre. "Sequenza Ritmica e Tema" de la película "The Beyond", también de Lucio Fulci. La inolvidable e imperecedera "Lullaby" de la película "Rosemary's Baby" de Roman Polanski. "Quiet Drops" de la banda sonora de "Beyond the Darkness" del Director Joe D'Amato. "Opening Theme" de la polémica "Cannibal Holocaust" de Ruggero Deodato. "The Photosession" de la desconocida película erótica "Golden Girls". Y finalmente, la canción que le da nombre al disco, "Symphonic Holocaust", que es además el tema más extenso del álbum, propio de Morte Macabre, que con sus casi 18 minutos de duración es una delicia como pocas, sutil y delirante, que conmueve y asusta al mismo tiempo con su suave intensidad y largos pasajes de improvisación, una epopeya musical que dentro del álbum está muy en sintonía con el resto de las composiciones y que ya se la quisiera adjudicar cualquier banda Post Rock actual.
El Terrock Progresivo de Morte Macabre es propicio para esas noches oscuras de invierno y tormenta, cierto que es una imagen cliché, pero los monstruos necesitan de lugares comunes para poder manifestarse. El escalofrío y el miedo son un hecho seguro... la emoción y el sobrecogimiento están garantizados. Como para volver a reencontrarse con esos clásicos del terror italiano, largas maratones de terror y música de cementerios.
Y bueno, no hay mucho más que agregar de mi parte, salvo que es un disco que no se pueden perder por ningún motivo, salvo que les de mucho miedo... pero en ese caso no se te ocurra mirar Telenoche!
Van más comentarios:
Nicklas Berg y Peter Nordins de Anekdoten, y Stefan Dimle y Reine Fiske de Landberk decidieron formar Morte Macabre, un proyecto paralelo, donde homenajearian a las bandas sonoras de peliculas de terror que a buen seguro supusieron una importante influencia tanto en Landberk como en Anekdoten.Ferran Lizana
La musica de este disco es la mas oscura y tetrica creada por la escena escandinava de los 90, tal como se espera al estar compuesta de bandas sonoras de peliculas de terror, y contiene grandes dosis de mellotron, instrumento que tocan aqui los cuatro miembros del grupo, y que crea ese ambiente frio y siniestro que requieren este tipo de discos. Efectivamente, el estilo de este disco es una perfecta fusion entre Landberk y Anekdoten, pero poniendo mas enfasis en la faceta oscura y tenebrosa de ambos.
Me imagino que Morte Macabre es un proyecto de un solo disco, aunque quien sabe, por que lo cierto es que el material propio, compuesto por la banda, que son tan solo dos temas, la corta Threats of Stark Reality, y la impresionante suite de 18 minutos Symphonic Holocaust, es realmente brillante, y bien podria animar al grupo a hacer un segundo album lleno de material propio.
Dentro de las versiones de bandas sonoras tenemos Apoteosi del Misterio de la pelicula City of the Living Dead donde los mellotrones dominan totalmente; al igual que en Sequenza Ritmica e Tema de la pelicula The Beyond donde se notan las personalidades de Landberk y Anekdoten; Lullaby de la pelicula de Roman Polansky Rosemary's Baby (la semilla del diablo), un precioso tema muy siniestro con voz femenina estilo Jacula-Antonius Rex; Quiet Drops del film Beyond the Darkness, un tema de los italianos Goblin, el grupo progresivo por excelencia que se dedica a las bandas sonoras de terror, va progresando lentamente y es uno de los mejores temas del album; Opening Theme es un tema mas melancolico y melodico, con los omnipresentes mellotrones; y The Photosession de la pelicula Golden Girls, mas oscura y ambiental.
Del material propio, Threats of Stark Reality sirve de introduccion a Sequenza Ritmica e Tema, y la suite Symphonic Holocaust es lo mas destacable del album, una brutal marathon sinfonica y lugubre, con los mellotrones a plena potencia y las tipicas guitarras afiladas de Landberk, por cortesia del gran Reine Fiske.
Si formamos una banda con miembros de Anekoten y Landberk, tan solo puede dar como resultado un disco esencial, que es lo que es este Symphonic Holocaust.
Para finalizar el día del paro nacional con un toque fúnebre, les dejamos un disco que desde el inicio te irá conduciendo lentamente a la culminación del trabajo con unos últimos minutos de alto voltaje de furia e intensidad emotiva.
Algunos otros comentarios por si hace falta, aunque no creo...
Symphonic Holocaust is an excellent album made up of incredibly doomy dark progressive rock, yet one that took me a very long while to really get into. Morte Macabre is sort of a concept band, made up from members of Landberk and Anekdoten, two of the more prominent bands from the recent wave of Scandinavian prog. Here, the band covers themes from a number of 70s horror soundtracks, such as City of the Living Dead, Zombie and, most recognizably, the haunting closing theme from the classic Rosemary's Baby. These are mixed in with a couple of originals, including the 18-minute title track. Musically, this is immensely atmospheric and haunting music, with gobs of mellotron and a rumbling heavy undercurrent that reminds both Anekdoten and, of course, Starless-era King Crimson. Another influence is clearly Goblin, and the band even does a rendition of their "Quiet Drops" from the Italian flick Beyond the Darkness.Greg Northrup
The album is pretty much all instrumental, based around rumbling bass riffs and layers of mellotron. Reine Fiske's guitar work is exquisite, stabbing through the air in haunting fashion. Minimal, darkly colored passages are lit with faint snatches of melody, and build into and then back away from moments of sheer torrential fury. This must be played very loud for full effect. The opener "Apoteosi del Mistero" is incredible, being an exquisitely composed piece of towering 'tron melodies. Another ear-catching highlight is the aforementioned "Lullaby", which features an eerie female vocal chant that definitely provides a contrast from the general din. "Quiet Drops" is the Goblin cover, and is highlighted by Fiske's extraordinary playing, building up from simple guitar strands into a monstrous piece. The highlight of the album however, is the closing epic. This song apparently had parts improvised in studio, and definitely gives off that kind of vibe at points. The song builds *very* slowly around repetitive, hypnotic themes, but by the end is a hurricane of fiery bass lines, thundering drums and of course, godly amounts of mellotron. This song most recalls prime King Crimson, and listening to it as I'm writing reminds me exactly how much it kicks ass. Incredible. Overall, Symphonic Holocaust is an extremely solid buy for those into dark and moody instrumental music, especially when so generously inspired by the almighty King Crimson. The album may take a little while to sink in, but is definitely intense and rewarding upon frequent listening. An good example of what's currently right with progressive music.
This album is really special to me because of many reasons. Let me tell you the story why. When I was doing the Swedish military service 1987-88, there was a guy at the same regiment that I learned to know. The guy was Stefan Dimle and he would have a lot of influence on my future life. By that time he had a band called KAJUKU and I taped some songs from him. One of the songs was "Älvkungen" that I really liked. He also used to have tapes with him that I borrowed. He introduced me to band such as HÖST, CAPTAIN BEYOND, WEED, TOAD, SVANFRIDUR, MAYBLITZ, YELLOW, GARYBALDI and others. Before that I had only listened to the big progressive rock groups such as MARILLION, KING CRIMSON and GENESIS. Now a whole new world was open for me, and I became a real progressive fan. That was he's musical influence on me. Once in a while he also brought horror movies to the regiment and we used to watch them when we were off duty. It was movies such as "The Beyond", "The House By The Cemetery", "City Of The Living Dead", "Cannibal Holocaust" and "Zombie". Most notably was the Italian director Lucio Fulci. The movies and the soundtracks that often were played by the Italian band GOBLIN astounded me. That was he's movie influence on me. Stefan Dimle later started he's own record store and label Mellotronen, and became the bass player in one of the best Swedish progressive bands through time, LANDBERK. On this album the best of both worlds is brought together. This is a musical collaboration with four of Sweden's best musicians in the progressive field. Two members of ANEKDOTEN (Nicklas Berg & Peter Nordins) and two members of LANDBERK (Stefan Dimle & Reine Fiske), playing those legendary horror movie soundtracks. The CD includes 8 tracks. The edition is 1000 ex. The first 500 copies are packed in a beautiful special paper sleeve. The music is all-instrumental and contains music from "City Of The Living Dead"; "The Beyond"; "Rosemary's Baby"; "Beyond The Darkness"; "Cannibal Holocaust"; "Golden Girls" and two new songs: "Threats Of Stark Reality" and "Symphonic Holocaust", they are written by the four members of MORTE MACABRE. Another great thing about this album is that each member plays the Mellotron. I really love the Mellotron, and here you got plenty of it. If you like the Mellotron, you have to love this album. But there's also some other interesting instruments here: Fender Rhodes, Theremin, Sampler, Guitar, Bass, Moog, Violin, Drums & Percussion. The guitar player Reine Fiske is a man that has a great influence on the music wherever his participating. When I played this album to a friend of mine, he, without knowing what band it was, asked: "Is it the guitar player of LANDBERK?" There are not many guitar players that I know that has such an original way of playing. In Sweden we got Roine Stolt and Reine Fiske. The aforementioned Italian band GOBLIN writes the best track. It's called "Quiet Drops" and was written for the movie "Beyond the Darkness". Here you can hear Reine Fiske at his best. Another very beautiful song is "Opening Theme" from "Cannibal Holocaust". A Mellotron drenched piece that makes your soul bleed. I also like "Sequenza Ritmica Etema" from my favourite horror movie "The Beyond". This is definitely, without competition, the best album put out in 1998. It's also one of the best albums from the 90's. This is a true masterpiece in the progressive genre. If you like dark progressive rock like GOBLIN, MUSEO ROSENBACH, LANDBERK, CATHEDRAL and Italian horror movies, this is really something for you. Recommended!Greger Rönnqvist
The vinyl version (2-LP in blood-red vinyl) will be released in March 1999, and it's gonna have 1 bonus track: "Irrealta di Suoni aka Suoni Dissonanti", from "City Of The Living Dead".
Half Anekdoten , half Landberk, 100 percent mellotron melancholy: Need I say more? Indulge , you shall not regret it , especially for the last epic 15+ min Symphonic Holocaust. Apparently these numbers on here were for horror movies but most of those movies never got released.Sean Trane
You know your gonna love a band when all members are credited with playing the Mellotron ! MORTE MACABRE is actually a concoction of band members from progressive bands LANDBERK & ANEKDOTEN who pay tribute to the horror movie soundtracks. Close your eyes and just try to imagine this aggressive musical quartet interpreting and improvising on haunting musical scores from old horror movies and you are getting the picture (no pun intended!). Songs are quite atmospheric and dark yet warm sounding. Without a question overall "Symphonic Holocaust" is a slower-paced "mood piece" (with only a couple aggressive breakouts) which is a wonderful for those evenings when you just want to be kind of quiet and relax in that couch of yours. WARNING: you might get scared listening to this album if you are alone in the house.James Unger
Highlights of the all-instrumental CD, whose title may be slightly misleading (the emphasis is on "symphonic" much more than "holocaust"), include the driving, hypnotic "Sequenza Ritmica Eterna" (from The Beyond), in which the Mellotron- driven "eternal rhythmic sequence" of the title occasionally subsides just enough to allow some subtle guitar to emerge, only to come back for a crashing reprise and a surprisingly mellow ending; the fragile "Quiet Drops", gradually gaining intensity as Peter NORDIS' drumming builds; and the brief "Opening Theme" from Cannibal Holocaust, a sweet Mellotron duet which provides a welcome counterpoint to the generally very dark atmosphere of the CD and is worth the price of admission alone. The CD ends with the 18-minute title track, the only MORTE MACABRE-penned composition: while possibly overstaying its welcome for the casual, impatient listener, it is likely to exhibit almost hypnotic potential for others. Even upon repeated listening, I found my mind drifting -- not dozing out of boredom, but drawn to some underworldly region by the music.Albert Knot
This isn't everyday music, and isn't likely to sell in large numbers outside the Prog community. It is uncompromising, thoroughly full-on, and needs to be listened to at volume -- preferably at night. The CD title and its subject matter -- pieces from horror and soft-porn movies -- may deter some listeners, but that's their loss: the MORTE MACABRE members must be congratulated for exhuming (if you'll pardon the pun) some of the more obscure music of the 1970's, and for giving it a 90's face. Perhaps that's their greatest triumph, in fact: with the possible exception of "The Photosession", none of the songs presented here sound in any way dated. With the last studio albums from ANEKDOTEN (Gravity, 2004) and LANDBERK (Indian Summer, 1996) somewhat less exciting than some of their earlier work, I'm even looking forward to any follow-up MORTE MACABRE CD's more than to new releases from the original bands. "Symphonic Holocaust" is easily one of the best CD releases of 1998.
I consider this project very ambitious, well achieved, well played, very profound and dark by prognosis due the similitudes contained in both bands perspectives. Nonetheless, it's quite disappointing that LANDBERK couldn't hold on to the projects of their own right after "Indian Summer" and complicated the release of a MORTE MACABRE's second album. ANEKDOTEN kept on producing and composing such marvelous recordings after "Nucleus" and "Symphonic Holocaust", touring and performing until present days when they gave us "Gravity" (not my favorite ANEKDOTEN album, "From within" had much of a heart).
"Symphonic Holocaust" is a challenging album for all those prog rockers out there, its extremely edgy, moody, punchy and has got mostly all to be considered as a masterpiece. Nowadays its quite impossible to get because it's been out of stock over the record stores, but if you are really committed to listen to it, there are way too many prog sites you can log on to to get this album, like it did. I assure you won't regret fetching it yet listening to it.
I heard this album being played at the record shop, and I got instantly interested about it. As I'm a fan of the classic mellotron sound, and I like the both bands from which members formed this project (ANEKDOTEN and LANDBERK), so this is album was truly a record I couldn't afford to miss. Though the main focus of the album is on the cover versions of old B-movies ("Quiet Drops" from a Dario Argento film being the best), the most enjoyable track is still their collective jam "Symphonic Holocaust", which has some very fine emotional moments on it. This collaboration project also gave much influences to ANEKDOTEN's musical style, I think one can hear that by comparing sing their "Nucleus" and "From Within" albums. I had my copy as a double vinyl with a nice gatefold sleeves, and there's also a one bonus track included, which isn't on the CD version. An essential release in my humble opinion.Eetu Pellonpää
ANEKDOTEN are 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.John Davie
"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. 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" is just too annoying. Great album regardless.
"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.Dieter Fischer
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.Thomas Szirmay
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?Daniel ZowieZiggy
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.
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.Karl Bonnek
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!
A dying tree cuts an album with a winter-breezeDavid Guldbamsen
Boo! Oh, I didn´t mean to frighten you... I´ve always enjoyed horror movies, and part of the pleasure for me, as well as being one of the biggest components of fear, - is the background music. Can you imagine The Carpenters recording the score for any John Carpenter movie? (That would probably be frightening though, but in a bizarre way not really fitting Carpenter´s imagery. Not everyone can turn something as sugary sweet, like two small school girls in a hallway, into something that will haunt you forever, like Kubrick was capable of.)
This album is a tribute to old school horror flicks and the music they contained. It´s a dark and somber venture this one, and even though you haven´t had the pleasure of listening to the record in a long while, it somehow stays with you - like some sort of ninja-chlamydia that´s impossible to get rid of. Evil sadness carved in ice.
Symphonic Holocaust is the result of Reine Fisker(guitars, Mellotron, violin, Fender Rhodes) and Stefan Dimle(bass, Mellotron, Moog) from Landberk, Peter Berg(Mellotron, Fender Rhodes, Theremin, sampler, guitar, bass) and Niclas Nordins(drums, percussion, Mellotron) off Anekdoten. Both bands here hail from Sweden, and the cold and unforgiving weather - the snowstorms, the howling wolfs together with the fading voices of old and terrifying Nordic myths carried on the wind - all are deeply integrated in the music. A natural tattoo, you´ll have to use your ears to see, if you will.
All the guys play the mellotron as you´d probably noticed, and I think it is the reason behind this record´s originality. A quite disturbing, but somehow very beautiful fingerprint. The mellotrons have a ghost-like feel to them. Hovering stagnant and ghastly above the music like a white phantom of fear. It gives the music another dimension, and takes you to a land of muddy and swampy bogs, where everything is hazy and all objects are but a shadow of themselves - nebulous contours. This is in fact the best way of describing the actual music contained within this album, as this facet seeps into all the other instruments. Even the drums have an extremely dry sound, which makes you think of either withered away tree branches cracking away to the beat, or like stepping on small twigs in a place you prefer not be heard.
There is a reason this album is called Symphonic Holocaust. It is through and through symphonic - soaked in giant musical castles towering in front of you like Bela Lugosi on stilts. Although things get rather heavy at times, with some fabulous bass work from Stefan Dimle, who has a wonderful way of adding tonal darkness to an already tomb-like recording, -the all powering symphonic nature of these pieces just seems impossible to overshadow.
Guesting on Lullaby, which is a track originally heard in Roman Polanski´s Rosemary´s Baby, is Yessica Lindkvist with some la-la-la-lahs. Her voice evokes the aforementioned kiddies from the Kubrick film, coloring the track in an eeriness as well as a melancholy that would make trees cry. All the pieces here are interpreted renditions of old horror movie music, except for the intro(which I´m not particularly fond of) and the last piece. (If you´re interested in finding out, where each track is lifted/inspired from, I urge you to read some of the other reviews, as this particular matter has been explained several times before.)
Reine Fisker is one of my current faves on the guitar, and if you´ve come across his work before - either in Landberk or Dungen, where he plays like a blend of Gilmour and Hendrix - you´ll pick up another side to his playing here, that most of all resembles long howling ticklings of the strings. It makes me think of the northern winds coming in from the black seas surrounding us here in Scandinavia. It´s yearning, sorrowful and beautiful like crimson blood on a blue glacier.
This album is recommended for Alaskan people, spirits of winds and folks around here who enjoy the bands these musicians stem from - and furthermore find great pleasure in the icy shafts of the mellotron once put on record by the great lord Fripp.
Morte Macabre was a one-off collaboration between members of Anekdoten and Landberk, and it sounds precisely how you'd expect such a project to sound: dark as heck, with heaps of influence from classic 1970s prog bands of the past.W. Arthur
Indeed, the album - aside from the extended jam of a title track - is intended to pay tribute to a particular subset of 1970s prog: those musicians, the most famous of which being Goblin, who turned their hand to producing soundtracks for horror movies (and the occasional porno). Morte Macabre do not steer towards the more obvious picks, though - there's nothing from Goblin's Profondo Rosso or Suspiria, arguably the most famous works in this sub-subgenre of symphonic prog; rather, the band resurrect some of the more obscure works in this vein, ensuring that the tribute brings to light compositions which might otherwise have been forgotten.
Overall, the album is an impressive work of spooky symphonic prog, awash with Mellotron (all four band members get to play with the Mellotron at one point or another!) and equally soaked in atmosphere.
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 !J.F. Paradis
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.Sergey Brykin
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.Lou Trkulja
Formed by two members of LANDBERK and two members of ANEKDOTEN, MORTE MACABRE wanted from a principle to write music for terror films. Profits in this sense are the tapes "Rosamary's Baby", "City of the Living Dead" and "Beyond the Darkness". In their compositions, the sound that dominates is obtained by melotrón, instrument that the four touch and for that reason, saturates atmosphere atmospheres that we recognize for example, behind ELP. Nevertheless it is not his only characteristic. "Symphonic Holocaust" initiates unsettling, like most representative of individualistic KING CRIMSON but under an essence MORTE MACABRE, caused by the tradition that imposes LANDBERK/ANEKDOTEN. In this tradition, they surprise certain aspects within the sonorous exhibition.Jhonny Mc'Gregor
The song Apoteosi Del Mistero and the title track are very good. All the pieces are actually good but those two are the best. Also, Apoteosi Del Mistero ought to be liked by people normally not listening to prog. The song would do nicely in any movie. The title track is a lengthy piece that in my view contains all that a good song should contain; slow parts, repeteteive parts, some rather quick pieces of music and frantic, bass and drum driven outbursts. Very Good. Buy the record.pevino
En mi opinión todos los temas son magníficos, la música navega entre atmósferas oscuras, densas, lentas, agridulces, tristes y cargadas de abundante sonidos de mellotron y aplastantes sintetizadores, también de violines tetricos. Pueden escuchar algo en los videos que hay abajo. Y así termina por nuestro show a puro Anekdoten.
Altamente aconsejable para estados de animo pasados de rosca; Seguro que este disco dejara al mas optimista en un estado de depresion total.
Otro disco super recomendado. Apaguen las luces y déjense llevar.
Lista de Temas:
1. Apoteosi del Mistero
2. Threats of Stark Reality
3. Sequenza Ritmica e Tema
4. Lullaby
5. Quiet Drops
6. Opening Theme
7. The Photosession
8. Symphonic Holocaust
1. Apoteosi del Mistero
2. Threats of Stark Reality
3. Sequenza Ritmica e Tema
4. Lullaby
5. Quiet Drops
6. Opening Theme
7. The Photosession
8. Symphonic Holocaust
Alineación:
- Nicklas Berg (ANEKDOTEN) / Mellotron, Fender Rhodes, Theremin, sampler, guitar, bass
- Stefan Dimle (LANDBERK) / bass, Mellotron, Moog
- Reine Fiske (LANDBERK) / guitars, Mellotron, violin, Fender Rhodes
- Peter Nordins (ANEKDOTEN) / drums, percussion, Mellotron
Guests:
Yessica Lindkvist / voice
Janne Hansson / waves
Una crónica impecable, como siempre. Y muy buena música. Gracias!!
ReplyDeleteGracias Hugo!
Delete