El Bandit Moor - Demo (2008)

Welcome. El Bandit Moor is a black/doom band from Spain who only produced two demos a year apart. Not much else is known about it except that it's a one-man band and the influence for it's name is Karl von Moor from F. Shiller's "The Robbers" ("Die rauber").

I'm looking at his 2008 nameless demo. The three songs on it average from 6 to 7 minutes long each. The black metal influence is obvious with the guitar work, vocals, and drums. Personally, I don't see the doom in this. It's very good ambient black metal though. Vocals come in and tear at you at the right intervals and the guitar work is versatile ranging from rhythmic work to distorted noise. Bass' presence isn't overwhelming if felt at all. As with bands like this, their main purpose is to evoke darker emotions within us. What I get from this demo is so much pain and sorrow with a bit of muffled anger. Perhaps that's why the man behind this project added “doom” into the genre field in the first place. If so, then he deserves quite a bit of credit for more than successfully making that intent carry through the music. I would have to say that the song that accomplishes this the most for me is “L'enemic Interior.” It's grotesquely beautiful but very very painful to listen to which makes it all the more alluring in my eyes. Vocals at 2:55 to 3:06 make my heart ache. Whatever pain this person tapped into must have been pretty fresh and/or deep. My advice is to not listen to that song if you're going through some hard times unless you're the type that becomes detached. At which point, this demo takes the place of a sympathetic ear.

Part of me really really wishes that the lyrics were known to the online world. They would add another layer to emotions that music is trying to express. Regardless, enjoy this release from a fairly unknown project that almost slipped past my gaze.

Year of Release: 2008
Genre: Doom/Black Metal.
Format: WAV
Bitrate: Unknown

Track List:
1. Creenca
2. L'enemic Interior
3. El Bandit Moor

Download: El Bandit Moor - 2008 Demo
Download Size: 159.36 mb

Thamud - Remnants of Time (2010 - 320Kbps)

Music can be as much an outlet for self-expression as it can be a tool to communicate with others. There is a pervasive theme with black metal bands, no matter the country, that accomplishes neither of the aforementioned goals. Most are too obsessed with the public persona of Satanism and the need to seem as evil as possible. It is rare to find bands that use the genre as a means of true personal expression. Luckily, I stumbled upon a band from the United Arab Emirates that does just that. Thamud, ironically a one-man band named after an ancient race of people in Arabia, is a project created purely as a means of self-expression. It was the manifestation of a man's desire to reach out to anyone that would listen.

The official genre label for Thamud is ambient black metal and the music stays along that path with the exception of the last track on the demo, Lost Within Mists Of Time. The last track borders on a classical composition, but stays in-tune with the general feel of the entire demo. It's hard to put into words, but what I sense from this project is eerie melancholy. “Lost Within Mists OF Time” is the star of this demo, it bleeds emotion in the rawest sense and transports me to a snow laden Lincoln Park (Jersey City, NJ – look it up, it's a dismal place on it's best day) sitting on a bench overlooking the polluted man-made lake. I used to go there to escape the chaos of family life and just reflected on things. That time of my life is what this track brings back to me. It is very rare when a song that I have no history with brings nostalgia of that kind.

The secondary focus of this project is the fourth track, Al Hajaj Ibn Yousif Al Thaqafey. What makes this so addictive, because that's what it is, is the absolutely amazing sound sample used to break up the song. It's a speech from an ancient religious figure, Al Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf, that was featured in an Arabic TV show. The man's exudes strength and confidence which combine to give way to a certain charisma that translates well in his voice. The speech is the backbone of this song and it's a little unfortunate for non-Arabic speakers that the language barrier exists. Though what he is saying really isn't of much importance as much as the authority that he gives off, the words do add an extra punch to the song. A rough translation of the last bit of the speech before the music cuts in:

I have two swords, the sword of mercy and the sword of torture and judgment. For the sword of mercy, it has fallen from me along the path so I left it. And the sword of torture and judgment, for this is it.. -sound of a sword being unsheathed can be heard-

Musically, the song has a groove to it that is refreshing despite the general absence of bass guitar in the entire demo.

The demo is sparse vocally with growls making an appearance in tracks 2 and 3 only. They add a more aggressive element beyond the music itself which gives a hard edge to the aforementioned theme of melancholy of each song.

This review was a little personal so it took some time to write, but I hope I was able to translate it into words well enough for you, the readers.

Year of Release: 2010
Genre: Ambient Black Metal.
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 320 kbps

Track List:
1. Remnants Of Time
2. From The Womb of Peace
3. Yadheeq Al Sadir
4. Al Hajaj Ibn Yousif Al Thaquafey
5. Lost Within Mists of Time

Download: Thamud Remnants of Time
Download Size: 31.23 mb

Joel Vandroogenbroeck - Biomechanoïd (Colorsound - CS01 - 1980 - 192kbps)

When I saw the Biomechanoïd cover art by H.R. Giger, I was disturbed and intrigued enough to seek out this bizarre album, the first release by the German label Colorsound Library. It is composed by Joel Vandroogenbroeck of the experimental/krautrock act Brainticket.

Biomechanoïd is an avant-garde album of electronic sound effects and soundscapes, with snippets of piano and other instruments. The album opens with "Dark Plasma" which effectively brings to mind bubbling, boiling liquids, with a series of strange metallic drones in the background. The two album highlights for me are "Sign from Space" and "Lost Planet". "Sign from Space" is a mind-bending little trip through some dark territory. Odd vibrations and electronic calls are interrupted by screeching signals from another world. It feels like you are getting closer and closer to some secret, but then it vanishes. It’s pretty cool. “Lost Planet” is an amazing sci-fi synthesizer freak-out that makes me picture ascending from outer space to the surface of some terrifying but beautiful world. I also enjoyed the album closer “Galaxy Recall”, a two minute hypnotism. I'm curious to know what other library albums by Vandroogenbroeck sound like. Let the search commence.

Year of Release: 1980
Label:Colorsound
Catalog #: CS01
Genres: Electronic, Library Music, Avant-garde, Ambient, Noise
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 192kbps

Track list:
A1 Dark Plasma 4:30
A2 Elements 4:55
A3 Sign From Space 4:30
A4 Strange Lady 3:00
A5 Plastic Gnome 2:05
B1 Voices 1:46
B2 Metallic Agony 5:40
B3 Lost Planet 5:30
B4 Asteroids 2:20
B5 Interstellar Insects 2:28
B6 Galaxy Recall 2:07

Download: Joel Vandroogenbroeck - Biomechanoïd (CS01 - 1980)
Download Size: 60MB

VA - Espace Et Actualité (Musique Pour L'Image - MPI 505) (1967 - 320kbps)

When January rolled around I had originally planned to offer up an eclection selection of library music, however, once I started going through my collection I couldn't resist continuing my dark and twisted library music series. As a visitor recently pointed out, the majority of people who collect and share library music often focus on the releases containing funky breaks, which have been sampled by DJs to create hip-hop beats since the genre first emerged. I wanted to focus on the dark corners of the library music world, and concentrate on a few masterpieces which are all too often passed over for the more upbeat library LPs featuring funky beats and cheerful moog synthesizers. Don't get me wrong, I love those type of library music LPs just as much as the next person, and they helped to introduce me to the amazing world of library music. However, as far as library music goes, those beat-heavy LPs make up the more mainstream side of production music, and I'm all about exploring the more obscure and unsung albums. For those interested, I fully intend to share some of my favorite upbeat library LPs once I finish with my series of dark & twisted library music. After that I plan to share a few releases from each of my favorite library labels.

"Espace Et Actualité" (MP 505) was released on the French label, Musique Pour L'Image" in 1967. The A side contains music from three different artists, while side B consists of music from Patrice Sciortino. Claude Vasori, Robert Hermel and François Bayle comprise the composers featured on side A. Of these three composers Claude Vasori is the only one I'm really familiar with. He released the majority of his music on the Musique Pour L'Image label. I have a few of these releases, including Energie - MPI 541 (1972), Musique Pop Pour Images En Mouvement - MPI 529 (1971), and Action, Charme, Espace - MPI 502 (1967) if anyone would be interested in seeing them posted in the future. The music on this side consists of mysterious and mildly ominous spaced-out ambient tunes. While the music isn't bad, it is overshadowed by the selection of music presented by Patrice Sciortino on the B side, which is much more engaging and unique.

Side B alone makes this library LP worth downloading in my opinion. French composer Patrice Sciortino is responsible for all of the tracks on the B-Side. Sciortino studied at Pierre Schaeffer's GRM (Groupe de Recherche Musicale), along with the aforementioned Claude Vasori. He went on to compose music for theatre and production libraries in the 1960s. Sciortino is often remembered among library music collectors for releasing several amazing percussion themed LPs, including Percupulsions (Neuilly - MC 8002) and Percussion Power (Mondiophone - 46.503). The majority of his work was released on the Neuilly label, and sublabels Crea Sound and Mondiophone.

Espace Et Actualité contains some of the earliest library music that Scioritini composed. It is a bit more constrained than some of his wilder efforts in subsequent years. Sciortino's avant-garde approach to library music, with an emphasis on percussion, brings to mind Camille Sauvage (aka Eric Framond), particularly Fantasmagories, albeit much more reserved in nature. Sciortino manages to strike a wonderful balance with his music. The music manages to be rather sparse, yet engaging at the same time. The inclusion of bells and harps gives the music a delicate sound, while powerful and discordant piano melodies bring some harshness to the compositions. The music is primarily dark in nature, yet light undertones emerge through the darkness, if only for brief moments.

I wouldn't say this release is as strong as some of the previously dark and twisted library LPs I have shared, as it is a bit more reserved in nature than my previous selections. However, this is a solid album in its own right, particulary the music found on the B-Side by Patrice Sciortino. Those of you who enjoyed the previous selections in my dark and twisted library series should find this one quite enjoyable as well.

Year of Release: 1967
Label: Musique Pour L'Image
Catalog #: MPI 505
Genres: Library Music, Ambient, Avant-Garde, Experimental
Bitrate: 320kbps

Track List:
A1. Claude Vasori - De´part Fuse´e
A2. Robert Hermel - Industrie Spatiale
A3. François Bayle - Titan
A4. Claude Vasori - Espace Chromatique
A5. François Bayle - Andromede
A6. Robert Hermel - Apesanteur
B1. Patrice Sciortino - Alchimie Rythmique
B2. Patrice Sciortino - Ville Sanse Vie
B3. Patrice Sciortino - Abimes Souterrains
B4. Patrice Sciortino - Danger Sous Roche
B5. Patrice Sciortino - Approache Dramatique
B6. Patrice Sciortino - Hostilite´
B7. Patrice Sciortino - Tumulte

Download: VA - Espace Et Actualité (Musique Pour L'Image - MPI 505)
Download Size: 68MB

Delia Derbyshire & Brian Hodgson - The Legend of Hell House (Unreleased Score) (1973 - 320kbps)

Most of you who have followed this blog for some time now are familiar with my fondness for Delia Derbyshire's work. I have managed to collect the majority of her solo albums, as well as projects she contributed to, namely for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. However, there has been one album that has eluded my grasp until now, due to the fact that it was never officially released. The album in question is the score for 1973 horror film, "The Legend of Hell House", which she composed along with fellow BBC Radiophonic Workshop member Brian Hodgson in Hodgson's Electrophon studio in London. I had hoped that it would appear somewhere on the internet for years before finally discovering this on the old Isbum's Place blog, which is now no longer active. The score was ripped from DVD by a fellow who goes by the name of "The Master Cylinder", who happened to run one of the many sub-blogs on Isbum's Place. The Master Cylinder is a well known figure among rare soundtrack/score enthusiasts, having ripped and released soundtracks and scores for hundreds of movies that were never officially released. This particular release was numbered MC 208.

Original 1973 Movie Poster

I wish I could find out more information about the ripping job MC performed on this release. I couldn't find a DVD version of this film containing 5.1 surround sound. One common way to rip the audio from a DVD is simply to isolate the 5.1 surround sound and rip it to mp3 format. If a disc doesn't include 5.1 surround sound it makes the whole process a bit trickier, and heavy editing is usually required to remove dialogue and other sound found in the movie. Perhaps The Master Cylinder himself will grace us with his presence and be able to elaborate a bit on this particular release, but I'm not sure if he is still around.

Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to watch this film, so I can't say for sure how complete this score actually is. Judging from the length of the album, I find it very unlikely that this is a 5.1 surround sound rip. The album clocks in at just over 10 minutes in total length, which leads me to believe that there was more music which had to be edited out due to the fact that it contained dialogue and various other sounds from the movie. There are also a few places where the audio seems to jump just a bit, although it isn't noticeable enough to be a distraction.

Given the facts mentioned above, I debated as to whether or not I should share this here, but in the end I decided to go ahead for the following reason: To the best of my knowledge, this is the only version in any form of the score for The Legend of Hell House in existence, making it the only way many people will have the opportunity to listen to music from one of Delia Derbyshire's final projects. There are also a few people who frequent this blog that are big fans of Delia's work, and will be excited to see this regardless of how complete it is. Musically speaking, this may turn out to be one of the weaker selections of the Halloween Countdown for some, however I can't emphasize the significance of this collection of music enough.

As for the music, it is very different from the majority of Delia's work, which tends to be more rich and bold in nature. This is a bit more subdued, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it is boring. Brian Hodgson is best known for creating sound effects for the sci-fi television series, Doctor Who, and is responsible for the strange sound effects that can be heard. The majority of the tracks on this release feature a haunting minimalistic ambient-like atmosphere, with minor amounts of percussion and brass. My favorite thing about the music is that it combines sounds that seem both organic and mechanical in nature. Hodgson's strange sound effects can be heard throughout each cue, the majority of which sound like spirits calling out from the beyond and letting out tortorous moans, although what sounds like muffled sexual moans can be also heard in some places. There is a very small amount of dialogue found on track 5, though it fades out almost as quickly as it appears.

I'm not going to go into detail about the plot of the movie, as plenty of information can be found online. You can find the wikipedia article for the film here, and the IMDB page here. Unfortunately there is neither a tracklist or album cover for this release. The "album cover" is simply a cropped-out section of the original movie poster I created so that I could have a folder image for my harddrive, and there isn't a track listing to include since this isn't an official release. If any of you can provide any further details surround this release please take the time to leave a comment.

Year of Release: 1973
Label: NA / Bootleg Release
Genres: Soundtrack/Score, Horror
Bitrate: 320kbps

Download: Delia Derbyshire & Brian Hodgson - The Legend of Hell House
Download Size: 24MB