Anima Morte - Face The Sea Of Darkness [Dead Beat Media - 2007]‘Face the Sea of Darkness’ is this Swedish four piece’s debut album. And with it the band lovingly recreate the vibe, spirit and sonic character of the likes of Goblin, Fabio Frizzi and Riz Ortolani, and the late 70’s and early 1980’s soundtracks they composed for various classic Italian gore movies. The eleven tracks on offer here really feel like they could be from a lost and forgotten Lucio Fulci or Dario Argento film soundtrack as everything sounds so right, authentic and beautiful retro here. First off you have the prominent whirling, swirling to pitter pattering analogue synth and the dramatic gothic piano flourishers both by Fredrik Klingwall. The clean, melodic, but at times quite heavy guitar textures of both Daniel Cannerfelt & Stefan Granberg. The slightly funky, jazzed and wondering bass guitar of Stefan Granberg who also often adds another layer of analogue synth to the mix. Then lastly, but hardly leastly we have the often quite complex and shifting percussive and drum textures of Teddy Möller. The production is both throbbing and meaty when it needs to be and stripped and cold on other occasions. To top it off the band summon up some great memorable, atmosphere, dramatic grooves and lite prog moves. The tracks go from: vibrate, dramatic yet slightly chilling synth textures that are weaved with clean picked guitars and wondering bass lines that build to more chugging guitar crescendos and solos. Through to hurt, creepy and dramatic piano playing boiled over by analogue synth textures and jerked on by almost dubby basslines. Onto slowed & doomy church organ grooves, high with heavy cymbal use and whooshing synth textures and beyond. This really is a wonderfully produced album that recreates perfectly the vibe, mood and sonic character of the classic ultra violent and at times surreal Italian horror moives of the late 70's and early 80's -so if like me you can’t get enough of retro toned 80’s soundtrack music this is a must have item. Roger Batty
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