Lovecraft, H. P.: I Notturni Di Yuggoth

The good news about Cadabra Records is that they always put out the highest quality products. The bad news is that much of their material comes in limited editions and so they are not as widely available as, say, a digital recording of the latest top 40 singer. However, any of these albums are worth seeking out and this one is no exception. Just look at the killer cover art by Jeremy Hush; the image perfectly captures the menace and otherworldliness of a Lovecraftian creature whose presence enough can drive you mad. I’m not sure which of Lovecraft’s monsters this is (maybe it's some form of Nyarlathotep) but I won’t forget those glowing eyes anytime soon. White and empty, they look like pin pricks into another reality rather than actual eyes for seeing.

Once you get past the album art and listen to the actual recording, you will hear several spoken-word versions of key passages from Lovecraft’s sonnet cycle The Fungi from Yuggoth. As is frequently the case, Andrew Leman provides his considerable vocal talents in reading each of these poems. His voice balances the richness you expect from spoken word recordings; fortunately, it also conveys much of the horror, anxiety, and paranoia you’d expect from Lovecraft’s narrators.

As good as everything is here, one of the best things about the album is the original music by composer Fabio Frizzi. Frizzi is probably best known to horror enthusiasts for his collaborations with the great horror director, Lucio Fulci. Interested listeners can hear some of his work on scores for movies like Zombi 2, Kill Bill, The Beyond, The City of the Living Dead, and many others. Fans will definitely want to know that this album features the first recordings of Frizzi’s work for acoustic guitar and all of them are worth a listen. Even better, side B of this album features an instrumental version of every track so you can enjoy them without the spoken word track. You can’t go wrong with either side of this album, but there may be occasions when you’ll prefer the guitar. I have played classical guitar for a long time and I was enamored of the sound and style of each track. It would be especially cool to learn some of these pieces.

The record includes an essay by Frizzi about Lovecraft as well as an essay by S. T. Joshi, one of the most significant scholars in the field. This is definitely an album for Lovecraft enthusiasts and collectors. It should also have wide appeal to casual listeners who want to hear some moody and exciting new music from a legendary composer.

Track Listing:
1. The Book-Pursuit
2. Star Winds
3. A Memory
4. Night-Gaunts
5. Nyarlathotep
6. Azathoth
7. St. Toads
8. The Familiars
9. The Book-Pursuit [Instrumental]
10. Star Winds [Instrumental]
11. A Memory [Instrumental]
12. Night-Gaunts [Instrumental]
13. Nyarlathotep [Instrumental]
14. Azathoth [Instrumental]
15. St. Toads [Instrumental]
16. The Familiars [Instrumental]

Added: November 4th 2019
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Label Page
Hits: 1069
Language: english

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