Cinema Retro Darren Allison
It was great to hear the latest offering from Sospetto. Whilst Sospetto are extremely modern in their execution, it is clear that they are heavily influenced by the Giallo soundtrack traditions of the 60s and 70s. Every so often, ripples of Fabio Frizzi and (arguably more often), the work of Euro-horror specialists Goblin, seem to transcend from their music. Of course, for fans of Giallo in particular, this isn’t a bad thing – and probably the reason why ‘Non bussare alla porta del diavolo’ (Cine 07) will surely prove successful. As with their previous album ‘Segni Misteriosi, Con Il Sangue Dipinto Sul Muro’ the music is Oppressive, ethereal and sometimes heavy. However, despite their obvious influences, Sospetto have a unique talent of sounding both fresh and unique. With this latest release, the German duo of Christian Rzechak and Hobo Jeans have raised the bar to some degree, smoothing out some rough edges and producing a much more polished album in the process. Tracks such as ‘Sulla Strada Verso Il Nulla’ and ‘Viena Da Me’ are a pure delight, enhanced by the laid back, lounge-like wordless vocals of Christine Marks – they are simply crying out for a film to accommodate! On the flip side tracks such as ‘Citta Che Esplode’ are sharp and funky, percussion driven pieces that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Richard Roundtree Shaft film from the 70s. Diversity seems key to this album, and there’s almost 35 minutes to enjoy spread over its 14 tracks. The packaging for Sospetto’s 180g LP comes in a super gatefold sleeve with a design to fit seamlessly alongside the Giallo soundtracks of the day. The LP is also available as a special set containing the 180g Vinyl, a CD version of the album and a bonus DVD (PAL encoded only) containing a 23 minute film by the group in 1.85:1 (16:9 enhanced). A classy album, and arguably the groups finest album to date.
Dusty Groove
Tremendous work from Sospetto – a current group, but one who are steeped in the best traditions of 70s Italian horror films – especially the work of Goblin and some of their keyboard-heavy contemporaries! The grooves here are wonderful – with a vivid vintage feel that makes everything sound like it was lifted from some eerie b-grade film from years back – done with instrumentation that’s very heavy on keyboards, plus other bits of weird sounds, odd tones, and even the occasional voice or violin part too. Titles include “Muta”, “Non Bussare Alla Porta Del Diavolo”, “Cariglione Di Stefania”, “Fiera Delle Anime Morte”, “Addio Strega”, and “Citta Che Esplode”. Also includes a bonus DVD – a short film made by the group! (Please note that the DVD is PAL coded.)
Marcus Stiglegger, Deadline Nov. 2013
Extrem komplex gehalten ist der 14-teilige Track-Zyklus „Non bussare alla porta del diavolo“ von Sospetto – einer Band, die den Mythos Giallo und Italo Gothic von Grund auf neu erfindet. Mit Sounds, die man von Goblin, Morricone und Nicolai her kennt, konstruiert man hier eine soundtrackartige Klangwelt, die nie antiquiert klingt. Treibend, unheimlich, bedrohlich, melodisch und mitunter vom ProgRock infiziert. Als besonderen Bonus hat man eine DVD mit einem professionell produzierten Kurzfilm beigelegt, der in primärfarbig ausgeleuchteten HD-Bildern eine überzeugende Hommage an Argentos und Bavas Italo-Gothic-Epen bietet. Für Argento-Fans ist Sospetto ein wahres Fest!
Aaron von Lupton, Rue Morgue, Canada
Austria´s Cineploit continues to put out high-quality vinyl releases of obscure music influenced by 70´s Italian Cinema with “Non bussare alla porta del Diavolo”, the second album from Germany´s Sospetto. This faux soundtrack claims to be the musical accompaniment to a narrative detailing the struggle between two witches – one evil, one good – and even comes with a short film on DVD that uses eight of the album´s tracks. Non Bussare… begins with a decidedly Frizzi giallo theme but quickly departs to all sorts of 70´s touchstones, from moody ambient sounds to funky beats and jazz straight out of a living room orgy. The album could be stronger had more emphasis been placed on the creep factor, but the diversity of moods and themes lends it a certain movie soundtrack authenticity. As always, Cineploit´s presentation is excellent, with glossy artwork on a gatefold sleeve and the disc pressed on 180g vinyl.