Demon Records releases Vault of Horror: The Italian Connection Volume 2 on 2 x 180g black vinyl, with CD version, and 12 x 12 art print of the cover by Graham Humpreys. It also contains sleeve notes by Alan Jones. This follows the success of Volume 1. There are twenty tracks; five on each side of the records. Composers include Spaghetti Western supremo Ennio Morricone, Fabio Frizzi, Claudio Simonetti, and our very own Bill Wyman...

The full track listing is:

‘Savana’ from Savana Violenta, by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis.
‘Make Love on the Wing’ from Zombie Holocaust, by Nico Fidenco.
‘Ecologia Del Delitto (Titoli)’ from Bay of Blood, by Stelvio Cipriani.
‘Il Paese Del Sesso Selvaggio’ from Man From Deep River, by Sergio Patucchi.
‘You Are Not the Same’ from Contraband, by Fabio Frizzi.
‘Valley’ from Phenomena, by Bill Wyman.
‘Conquest’ from Conquest, by Claudio Simonetti.
‘Baby Sequenza 1’ from Manhattan Baby, by Fabio Frizzi.
‘La Luce’ from The Antichrist, by Ennio Morricone.
‘Sudden Death’ from Aenigma, by Carlo Maria Cordio.
‘La Lucertola’ from Lizard in a Woman’s Skin/Una Lucertola Con La Pelle Di Donna, by Ennio Morricone.
‘Seq 7’ from Satanik, by Roberto Pregadio.
‘John Dalton Street’ from The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue , by Guiliano Sorgini.
‘Arizona Mountain’ from Thunder, by Francesco De Masi.
‘Shining Shadow’ from The Last Hunter/L’Ultimo Cacciatore, by Franco Micalizzi.
‘Opera Theme’ from Opera, by Bill Wyman & Terry Taylor.
‘Verso L’Alba’ from City of the Living Dead/Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi, by Fabio Frizzi.
‘Cannibal Ferox’ from Canibal Ferox, by Roberto Donati.
‘Seq 1’ from A Cat in the Brain/Un Gatto Nel Cervello, by Fabio Frizzi.
‘Seq 1’ from Lady Frankenstein, by Alessandro Alessandroni.

In my review of Volume 1 I noted my surprise at the sheer variety of music on offer. Rather than orchestral film score music, there were songs ranging from Progressive Rock, through brass and Motown, to Jazz. This one is a little different. Aside from two or three outright songs (including ‘You Are Not the Same’, and ‘Shining Shadow’), the rest sound like soundtracks this time – only not horror. The only typical horror music here is ‘Seq 1’ from Lady Frankenstein. The others are an eclectic mix. ‘Savana’ sounds like the backing to a Jim Reeves song, or could pass as an early Pink Floyd soundscape. It has a dreamlike quality.

There are a few examples of typical 1970s soundtrack music; the kind of thing which seemed to permeate American cop and gangster TV shows and soaps. However, there are some stand out moments. ‘Baby Sequenza 1’ has an electronic monks sequence, with church-like dramatic keys. ‘Sudden Death’ has strings and angelic voices compete with a dark and rumbling keyboard. ‘John Dalton Street’ has bass and brass accompanied by great drum beats. Very enjoyable. As is ‘Arizona Mountain’ which is a funky band piece with harmonica as the lead instrument. The melody turns orchestral half way through.

I’m sorry to say that this time I didn’t receive the full retail double album, only the mp3 files – so can’t really comment on the packaging and artwork, only the music.

5

Ty Power