Post Description

Composed as a soundtrack, Music from Macbeth represents an other mysterious, "weird" exploration in progressive "ethnic trance". A first distinction with "Alchemy" & their self title is the accentuation put on dissonant sounds and medieval harmonies and instrumentation. The album is also less rhythmical and more difficult to approach despite that is a soundtrack. "Overture" is a dark reminiscence of what we've ever heard on their previous efforts with the addition of guitars. The combination of oboe and the violin is always as evident as before. "The beach" is an atonal atmospheric track dominated by a violin's single sustained note, some concrete noises of "birds" and guitar effects. "Lady Macbeth" is a rather bucolic composition made of plaintive oboe parts and acoustic guitar then come dissonant violin lines. "Macbeth's return" is a folkish medieval writing for dancing violin and oboe parts accompanied by a constant percussion's pulse. "Banquet" is an other folkish composition sustained by long, linear, monotonous and atonal oboe, violin lines. "Dagger and death" catches the essence of embryonic electronic rock experimentations with lot of guitar effects and violin glissandos & "drones". "At the well" is an other dissonant song with minimal jazzy guitar parts. "Fleance" features some female vocals built on a very pastoral, dancing acoustic instrumental. "Bear Baiting" also put the accent on medieval, celtic, acoustic and dancing structure. A beautiful album but less evanescent than the hypnotic and eastern minimalist "alchemy" or "third ear band". This album needs several listenings to be fully appreciated.

Info: Progarchives
Poster: NZB-MAGIC

Studio Album, released in 1972

Songs / Tracks Listing 
1. Overture 
2. Beach 
3. Lady Macbeth
4. Inverness: Macbeth's Return / The Preparation Fanfare / Duncan's Arrival 
5. Banquet 
6. Dagger and Death 
7. At the Well / The Princes' Escape / Coronation / Come Sealing Night 
8. Court Dance 
9. Fleance 
10. Grooms' Dance 
11. Bear Baiting 
12. Ambush / Banquo's Ghost 
13. Going to Bed / Blind Man's Buff / Requiescant / Sere and Yellow Leaf 
14. Cauldron 
15. Prophesies 
16. Wicca Way

Line-up / Musicians 
- Glenn Sweeney / drums & percussion
- Paul Minns / oboe 
- Simon House (ex-HIGH TIDE) / violin & VCS3 
- Paul Buckmaste / violoncello & bass) 
- Denim Bridges / guitars 

Releases information 
Soundtrack to Polanski's film of Macbeth 
Toshiba -EMI (remastered reissue