Tuesday 30 April 2013

Mater Tenebrarum (Keith Emerson, 1980)

This is a short track taken from the original soundtrack Keith wrote for "Inferno", a movie by Dario Argento, the famous Italian director, the same of "Profondo Rosso" and "Suspiria". Being an O.S.T., this music should be considered as a companion to the scenes it depicts, but I think this song is a little and underrated jewel. Its recipe is not new: put together a rock rythm section and a classical ensemble and stir the mixture till you have a stretchy dough.

Just a little worrying this cover, isnt'it...?

The problem is that such a recipe often gives tasteless dishes. This is not the case with "Mater Tenebrarum" and this for three many reasons - plus one - IMHO: a)  the rythm is pressing and effective; b) the classical ensemble is'nt an orchestra (most usual choice in the late '70s) but a choir performing a strange and eerie chant; c) the keyboards are strong and measured, the perfect glue welding the rythm section and the choir.  The "plus" is also very important: under the frightening and lavish surface of the song there's a pinch of irony, a winning ingredient, believe me.

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