Wednesday 29 January 2014

Jay Chattaway ‎– Maniac (1981)


Composer: Jay Chattaway

Tracklist
1. Maniac's Theme (Main Titles) 03:12
2. Apocalypse New York 02:07
3. On The Beach 00:28
4. Hookers Heartbeat 01:14
5. A Little Knife Music 00:53
6. Inner Voices 04:10
7. Maniac Strikes Back 01:12
8. BlastHim 02:20
9. BlastHer 01:01
10. Window Shopping 01:30
11. Subway Terror 03:27
12. Goodby Rita 01:00
13. Cemetery Chase 01:13
14. Cry For Mother 02:04
15. Mannequins' Revenge 04:09
16. Maniac's Theme (End Titles) 02:24

Jay Chattaway is an American composer of film and television scores.
Mainly known for his work as composer for several Star Trek television series 
and cult film scores such as Maniac, Vigilante, Maniac Cop and others.
Maniac is a 1980 American slasher film directed by William Lustig and written by Joe Spinell and C. A. Rosenberg.
Spinell also developed the story, and stars as the lead character.
With a minuscule budget, many scenes in the film were shot guerrilla style

Originally considered an exploitation film, Maniac later had success as a cult film. Notes from the LP: 
"Jay Chattaway's score operates in the same psychedelic neon nightmare sphere as Goblin and Tangerine Dream
At a time when most synth-based scores were strongly derived from John Carpenter's Halloween soundtrack,
Chattaway's Maniac creates its own set of resonances and echoes of Times Square.
Try listening to it at night in a dark room. Even without the visual accompaniment of the film, 
the bold synthesizer saw waves, ring-modulated "strings" and clashing tonal shifts 
call to mind the desperation of the streets and the lost ones who wander there. 
The score also works in tandem with Spinell's performance to sketch in shadings of characterization and motivation. 
When the nostalgic harmonies dissolve into dissonance, we can see that Spinell's soul is dissolving too. 
It helps us understand his inner monologue. 
Much more harmonically rich than Carpenter's minimalistic Halloween score, the music in Maniac also delineated 
a distinctive second path for composers of the '80s who created their score with limited means. 
Few of those composers, if any, matched either the subtlety or power that Chattaway achieves. 
It stands now as on of the touchstone works of the era."
The film was remade in 2012 by director Franck Khalfoun and produced by Alexandre Aja

starring Elijah Wood in the lead role.

Memory

Monday 27 January 2014

Mortuary Drape ‎– All The Witches Dance (1994)


Country: Italy

Tracklist
1. My Soul 06:22
2. Primordial 03:06
3. Astral Bewitchment 05:48
4. Funeral Chant 05:13
5. Larve 05:32
6. Tregenda (Dance in Shroud) 07:24
7. 13th Way 03:52
8. Intro (Chain) 01:26
9. Medium Mortem 04:12
10. Occult Abyss 06:56

It was 1986 when Mortuary Drape was founded by the aim of the central core of three people, 
one of which is still in the band (Wildness Perversion).
Music and trends that inspired the founders are from the 'black metal' style with an esoteric-necromantic influences 
both for the lyrics and for the stage design impact: they decided to baptize their style as 'black-occult metal'.
In 1987 they publish 'Necromancy', the first demo tape that got a great response in the underground scene.
During the period from 1988 to 1991 the line-up stabilized and their second demo called 'Doom Return' was released.
In 1991 they had the first contacts with labels (also foreigners) for a possible record deal.
The band made its debut with the first CD called 'Into The Drape' published by the Greek record label Decapitated Rec. immediately followed by their participation on the compilation 'Wine Of Satan
for the Spellbound (another Greek label) as the only Italian band on the LP.
In this period there was a sudden change in the band where the founder Wildness Perversion 
remained the only one with the double role of voice-drums. 
In 1994 was released the second record called 'All The Witches Dance' for the Unisound Rec.
Since then the band has released three albums and played in many metal festivals 
and in other important events in foreign countries and in Italy.

Memory

Sunday 19 January 2014

Der Eisenrost ‎– Armored Weapon - Live Documents '93-'94 (1995)


Country: Japan

Tracklist
1. AW-225 02:45
2. Isolation 02:20
3. Sort Of Foods 03:36
4. M. D / D - 6 03:03
5. White Way Of Delight 03:25
6. Preamous 05:27
7. Paradise 03:32
8. Megatron 04:35
9. Wirerd 07:17
10. Cootys Rat Semen 04:40
11. Tyrants 01:10

Der Eisenrost (literally 'The Iron Rust') formed back in April 1993 
and is one of the premier industrial "Metal Percussion-Heavy Rock/Punk" units in Tokyo, Japan. 
They are best known for producing the film soundtrack for Shinya Tsukamoto's "Tokyo Fist" in 1998.
Lead man and innovator Chu Ishikawa is notable for the futuristic, often industrial/experimental soundtracks 
for independent film creator Shinya Tsukamoto.
Films such as "Tetsuo: The Iron Man", "Bullet Ballet" and "Gemini" rank among the best known.
Many of the members are also involved in the band C.H.C. System.

Der Eisenrost held several concerts and participated in a handful of festivals in Japan.
Also a live video, made by the technical staff of Shinya Tsukamoto, was released in 1995 in video tape format 
as well a live DVD, The Law of Causality, in 2005.
Armored Weapon (Live Documents '93–'94) was released in 1995 from Japan Overseas label 
and consists of live and studio mixed tracks.

Memory