Roller＜限定盤/Clear Purple Vinyl＞

オカルト/ホラー映画の第一人者Dario Argento監督作品サントラ制作スタジオユニットから発展した名イタリアン・ロックバンドの一つ、伊Cinevoxから発表された'76年作がクリアー・パープル・ヴィニール仕様の限定アナログ盤にて'23年再発!

新たにMaurizio Guarini(key)を迎えたツイン・キーボード編成で制作/発表、ホラー映画用の作品だった前作での制作に際して生み出された手法を生かしつつもさらに発展・進化させ、SE等を随所に散りばめ映像的手法を構築しつつ、当時のジャズ/クロスオーヴァーにも通じるテクニカルなサウンド/楽曲に仕上がったスタイリッシュな代表作の1つです!

Goblin followed up the impressive Italian success of Profondo Rosso with one of the few non-soundtrack items in their catalog. Despite this fact, Roller finds the group's trademark mixture of prog rock complexity and horror movie atmospherics very much intact: The title track builds from staccato piano passages into an epic riff powered by electric guitar and cathedral-style organ, while "Goblin" is an epic of prog fireworks that works in an array of complex solos from each of the group's members. The album also introduces a surprisingly gentle side to the group's sound through "Aquaman" and "Il Risveglio Del Serpente," two cuts that exchange the electric guitars and synthesizer excursions that dominate much of the album for quiet, delicate interplay between acoustic guitar and electric piano. However, the most surprising cut on the album is "Snip Snap," which temporarily puts aside the rest of the album's overt prog rock style to create a funky excursion that starts with an infectious clavinet riff and builds into a spacey slice of funk drenched in synthesizer effect. The end result is a strong album that consolidates the jazzy prog rock theatrics that made Profondo Rosso so impressive while also working in unexpected elements that flesh their sound out in new and interesting ways. In short, Roller is a necessity for Goblin fans and is an album that's also likely to appeal to fans of European prog rock. ~ Donald A. Guarisco