LP: New Goblin: Tour 2013 EP (2013)
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Rating: Very Good
Label: Death Waltz / Released: October, 2013
Tracks & Album Length: 4 tracks / (19:32)
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Special Notes: Limited 12″ EP presswed on transluscent red vinyl / Available at concert venues and via Death Waltz Recording Co.
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Composer: Goblin (as New Goblin)
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Review:
Although comprised of just four tracks, this 45rpm 12” EP offers a tantalizing sampler of what may lie ahead when Goblin / New Goblin release a full studio LP featuring more material from their first ever North American tour in 2013. (It hasn’t yet been announced, but it seems inevitable. If not a studio recording, then perhaps a live album, as was done for the band’s Rome and Tokyo dates in 2011.)
Why they never made it to the North American side of the pond over the past 30+ years may not be such a mystery, given the band’s make-up changed several times since its debut in 1975 as Goblin. (Prior names, with different band members included Cherry Five and Oliver.) The band also became increasingly busy, scoring movies for directors like Dario Argento, plus branching off to engage in personal projects and collaborations.
What is clear is the long wait, while difficult for fans, was worth it. Founding trio Maurizio Guarini (keyboards), Massimo Morante (guitar), and Claudio Simonetti (keyboards) clearly demonstrated during the 2013 tour and on this EP that they still have the chops to play their complex amalgam of rock, jazz, and a little classical.
In the current incarnation of New Goblin, the elder musicians are joined by two members from Simonetti’s Daemonia band, who played a mix of Goblin and Simonetti standards. Bassist Bruno Previtali and drummer Titta Tani stay very close to the original arrangements, solos, and performance nuances of the original recordings, but add their own delightful touches.
Sleeved in striking cover art by Graham Humphreys, Death Waltz Records have packed four decent length theme renditions from Deep Red (4:00), the non-film album Roller (4:19), Suspiria (6:51) and Tenebre (4:22), and both the studio and album mastering are flawless, bringing out the best sonics with resonant bass and enveloping organ solos. The translucent red vinyl stock is very clean, with virtually no surface noise.
The most interesting theme upgrade includes a gradual easing of panned synth voices (oddly reminiscent of Queen) in Suspiria’s finale. A slightly edgier sound in Tenebre may just stem from individual performances, especially Tani’s metal-styled drumming which replaces the synth machine used in the original recording. Previtali’s bass licks are near-perfect to the original recording, but he goes for slightly lower notes during Simonetti’s organ fugue. The cue also contains slight screaming voices after the opening bars, after which Simonetti’s processed vocals carry the theme’s catchy harmonic phrase.
The four tracks demonstrate how close everyone stuck to the original themes, but hopefully there are other tracks from the recording session which feature longer material and extended solos. If Death Waltz does indeed release a special vinyl edition at some point, it shouldn’t be super-limited; it would be a shame for fans to miss out on a great opportunity to hear such solid musicianship.
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© 2013 Mark R. Hasan
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