SUSPIRIA (OST)

The problem with movie soundtrack albums is that usually they are primarily written to create a mood for various parts of the film in question and while they may do a perfect job as their original intention don't always make for a particularly enjoyable listening experience in their own right. Such is often the case with Goblin's work for the Dario Argento movie Suspiria. Goblin, with a few exceptions, have pretty much made a career doing movie soundtracks and have created many excellent pieces of music. Like here on Suspiria though you sometimes have to sift through to find the good from the.....well I won't say bad as that's not the case, let's just say functionary for its intended purpose.

Suspiria from a purely listening points of view has three great pieces of music; the title track, Black Forest and Blind Concert. It's here where Goblin mainly functions as a full band fusing elements of prog with jazz and funk and creating some exciting musical tension. Most of the rest are in the main mood pieces and out of their context lack any real spark and in the case of Witch even annoying with its banshee style wailing. Like I said before, no doubt serving its purpose for the movie well, but not as a piece in its own right. Thus I'll always enjoy Goblin albums more such as Roller or Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark more than their soundtracks. Some excellent moments then but overall lacking greatness as a cohesive whole.