SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DREAM DIVISION AND THE LIBRARY OF THE OCCULT ELECTRONIC ORCHESTRA – UNA ROSA NEL GIARDINO D’INVERNO: IL RITORNO (A ROSE IN THE GARDEN OF WINTER: THE RETURN)

DREAM DIVISION AND THE LIBRARY OF THE OCCULT ELECTRONIC ORCHESTRA
UNA ROSA NEL GIARDINO D’INVERNO: IL RITORNO (A ROSE IN THE GARDEN OF WINTER: THE RETURN)
LIBRARY OF THE OCCULT RECORDS

When I was a child, I loved horror films, still do, and I would buy all those Movie Monster magazines. This allowed me to mail away for horror albums, featuring movie music and the voices of Bela Lugosi, Vincent Price, and Boris Karloff. Then in the 1970s, rock ‘n’ roll caught on to the horror genre and this has evolved over time to Dream Division and the Library of the Occult Electronic Orchestra. Una Rosa nel Giardino d’Inverno: Il Ritorno (A Rose in the Garden of Winter: The Return) is a sequel of sorts to 2024’s Una Rosa nel Giardino d’Inverno: Il Ritorno (A Rose in the Garden of Winter). It is more of a reimagining of the 2024 release, featuring new remixes and variations of the original album.

This album, and the original, are tributes to Giallo cinema, a genre of Italian slasher and psychological horror films that date back to the 1960s. However, on this album, Giallo Cinema meets alternative rock, jazzy soulful rock, and even an Indian Raga. It is all here on this unique and entrancing album. On “Thorns (Project Gemini Version)”, guitars and sitars duel, and the end result is a cinematic song that brings the listener into this mysterious world. The sitar pops up again on the backward tape based “Magico (The Ivan The Tolerable Version)” with great effect. “Thorns (Project Gemini Version)” segues nicely into the soundtrack sounding “Black Rose (Sean Wolcott Version), complete with the “la-la-la-las” throughout. It is perfect.

The album stays away from cliché horror film music, much like Nash The Slash did. There are no theremins or creaking doors, but rather great orchestrations and arrangements with excellent playing. “Black Rose (The Hologram People Version)” harkens back to a mid-1970s crime thriller, complete with a little fuzz guitar. Again, it all works and comes together to create a great sound.

The album is predominantly instrumental with a few exceptions, “Midnight Visions (Burning Tapes Version)” features snippets from a séance. And the two trailers feature narration. By the end of the album, things become a bit more dance oriented and have a distinct 1980s feel. “October Moon (Antoni Maiovvi Version)” and “Blood Banquet (Dressel Amorosi Version)” brings dance music to the ghoulish party and features nice use of synthesizers and are fitting for the album.

Una Rosa nel Giardino d’Inverno: Il Ritorno (A Rose in the Garden of Winter: The Return) is an unusual and yet very entertaining album. Dream Division and the Library of the Occult Electronic Orchestra is really Tom Mcdowell. It is a soundtrack for several non-existing films and captures eras and the time quite well. It does not overstay its welcome and it is certainly a different sounding album. The album stands out for all the right reasons, and it does make me want to explore more from this artist. This would be perfect for setting the mood for any Halloween party, so keep it in mind.

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