NOSFERATU

Out of the many big experimental groups I have heard of, there have only really been three that have done a sort of soundtrack for the 1920s film Nosferatu, though for John Zorn it was more of a soundtrack to a Polish play adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, however the music does fit quite well with that old film.

If I were to rank the three big "Nosferatu" albums, this one would probably be in the middle for me. A lot of John Zorn's works are good, especially considering his massive discography, and Nosferatu is no exception. The combination of classical and jazz do quite a good job at showing a very moody atmosphere. The more ambient pieces too are very interesting to me since they feel like they heighten the more fearful factor that comes with the medium of vampires, which is pretty good.

It helps quite a bit that this record feels quite unique from the other stuff Zorn has made too. A lot of John's records are unique, don't get me wrong, but this album certainly has an atmosphere that it can call its own. The only album I feel might come close to this is Kristallnacht, and while that record's themes and atmospherics are very poignant, I think Nosferatu's darkness is quite different from Kristallnacht's.

Though while it is unique, it is also not quite as interesting as some other works of his. To me, it is a good record, but there is nothing that really stands out about it. Hearing it, one can definitely feel that it is more background music than another big John Zorn effort like The Crucible or Interzone. The only track that sort of stands out, aside from the avant-garde metal tracks, is The Stalking, mostly because the chill vibes I get while listening to it does add something good to the experience.

Speaking of which, the few instances of avant-garde metal is just weird to me. They feel really out of place on this album for me. They're good listens, sure, but they kinda distract from most of the tracks on here, and they don't really add much in terms of atmosphere for me.

A solid record to be sure. I say this is one of those cases where I suggest not listening to this until after you heard more stuff from John Zorn's catalog, but if you have the time maybe check it out in the background. It may not be Faust Wakes Nosferatu good, but what John Zorn does here isn't too shabby, all things considered.

Best tracks: The Stalking, Stalker Dub

Worst tracks: Desolate Landscape, Hypnosis, Nosferatu