THE GOBLIN COLLECTION 1975-1989

By: Steve Biodrowski
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2000

The first Goblin Collection attempts to assemble the tracks in chronological order, but since this attempt is so misleading (due to the difference in dates bewteen the original release and the Italian release), I've correct the years from what was listed on the liner notes. All of the tracks are grouped together according to the film and/or album on which they first appeared.

FROM PROFONDO ROSSO (1975)

1. Profondo Rosso (3:45): A great introduction to Goblin's music this title track from Deep Red features a sequencer-type effect without an actual sequencer: guitarist Morante laid down the repetitive acoustic guitar riff, which was then made into a tape loop and played back while the other members added their own instrumentals, including a booming church organ. In the film, this cut is used to suggest the demented state of mind of the killer while the camera tracks in macro close-up across twisted dolls and switchblades. Simonetti's tinkling keyboards inspired the Halloween theme composed by John Carpenter, who was a great admirer of this Argento film. Consumer Alert: The liner notes erroneously omit the name of Massimo Morante from the composer credits, listing only Simonetti, Pignatelli, and the group's original drummer Walter Martino (who left shortly before the film was released).

2. Death Dies (original film version, 2:40): The music that accompanies the murders in the film, this track is substantially different from the one that appeared on the original soundtrack album. A sort of free-form, jazz-rock improvisational piece, with an emphasis on rhythms and accent, this version is shorter, slightly slower, and less ornate. Bongos are heard clearly in the mix, and the piece more or less dribbles off at the end, as opposed to the definite conclusion of the album version. The inconclusive ending makes a nice segue into the next track.

3. Profondo Rosso MI5 (previously unreleased track, 0:38): A brief musical climax, another jazz-rock type jam not heard in the film. Like all the unreleased tracks on this album, it receives not distinct title of its own but is simply identified with the film title followed by a mysterious and apparently random numerical designation.

4. Profondo Rosso M31 (previously unreleased track, 1:00): Another non-melodic piece, with Morante's guitar crashing out some chords and then laying down a few simply motifs on top of a snappy bass-and-drum riff. Neither this nor the previous unreleased track are much on their own, but taken together with the film version of 'Death Dies,' they form a nice little musical unit.


FROM WAMPYR (1979)

5. Wampyr (finale, previously unreleased, 1:38): Although completed a year previously, George Romero's film Martin did not receive release in Italy until after Dawn of the Dead, at which time it received a new soundtrack from Goblin. Most of the music was taken from their album Roller except for this one original track, which features a throbbing guitar-and-bass riff backing a 16th-note sequencer riff and some ominous synth chords.

FROM CHI? (Theme from the original 1976 TV show)

6. Chi? Part 1 (3:15): Maurizio Guarini adds extra keyboards on this moody track, which starts off slow and ominous, then builds into a more dramatic sound, almost suggesting a detective show theme rather than a horror ambience. With no guitars, the keyboards carry the melody and harmonies quite nicely on their own.

7. Chi? Part 2 (3:20): Presumably the B-side of a single release, this is essentially the same music as Part 1, given a different arrangement. Simonetti's church organ provides a sound much more suggestive of horror, and Morante's guitar joins in for the melody midway through. This is a good track, hard to find outside of Italy, that fans will appreciate having for the first time.

FROM PATRICK (1979)

8. Patrick M32 bis (previously unreleased, 2:57): No, I don't know what 'bis' meansthis is not the title music but another unreleased track given an indecipherable number instead of a specific name. In any case, Patrick was an Australian film originally scored by Brian May (the soundtrack composer of Road Warrior, not the guitarist from Queen), which received a new Goblin score for Italian release. This was done during the period after Morante and Simonetti left the band. Strangely, the rhythm section of Pignatelli and Marigold don't take the opportunity to step out front and strut their stuff; instead the music here consists of ambient synthesizer textures, quite effectively ominous but not as engaging as Goblin's best work.

9. Patrick M1 (previously unreleased, 0:55): Even more ambient than the previous effect, this sounds like carefully filtered and modulated white noise used to give an echoing wind-type tonality that pulses with a fairly distinct rhythm.

10. Patrick M 34/M34Bis (previously unreleased, 0:44): Another swelling synthesizer track that relies on harmony rather than melody, this one suggest a bright dawn awakening after a long dark night, making it a pretty decent conclusion to this set of tracks, which are actually some of the less interesting on the album.

FROM SUSPIRIA (1977)

11. Suspiria (main title, 5:58): One of Goblin's greatest tracks, recorded at the height of their abilities, this opens with a 14-note melody line doubled on vocals and synthesizer, with a buzuki strumming the accompaniment. Halfway through, it switches to a rock-and-roll arrangement with guitar, bass and drums pounding out the rhythm while Simonetti's synthesizer slices through the texture, playing a speeded up version of the melody. Then song segues back to the slower, moodier approach to bring the piece to a conclusion. Great, great stuffscary, effective, and it rocks!

FROM LA VIA DELLA DROGA (1977)

12. La Via Della Droga M1 IV (previously unreleased, 2:04): A somewhat uncharacteristic cut from the soundtrack of a crime movie (the titles translates as 'Street of Drugs'), this features a simple descending rock-and-roll riff on the bass and drums, with accents from the keyboards; meanwhile, Morante jams away on top with his guitar. There was never enough of guitar on the Goblin tracks for my tasteit helped separate them from their imitators, who could only churn out simply synthesizer riffsso this track is a favorite.

13. La Via Della Droga M2 (previously unreleased, 2:00): A return to the synthesizer-based sound, this features another of Simonetti's entrancing riffs, with layers of other keyboards lending a background-chorus type of sound.

14. La Via Della Droga gnatelli's base lays down the opening riff on

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