Introduction
Kambei
The Village
A Quest For Knights
The Seventh Samurai
Preparing The Village
They Came Over The Hill
The Final Confrontation
Victorious

Peter Savelkoul returns to the Divine Comedy Records label with a CD release after a four year absence since the ‘Only Stones Remain’. In that time he’s released the mighty "Wilhelm Gustloff" and "Aurore de Gloire" CDs and many vinyl / CDR only releases, and, also had the time to set up the Vrihaspati Recordings label. ‘Seven Samurai’ is a different take for the music of that great film by one of Japan’s most formidable directors…Akira Kurosawa….and for many film buffs the pinnacle of this great mans career. Everyone will know this film because Hollywood put out the bastardised reworked version known as "The Magnificent Seven". Damn them all to hell. Retouching the untouchable being a Hollywood bad trait still being carried on today. Enough said.

"Seven Samurai" is split into nine tracks over which the story is retold of how the righteous and noble few conquered adversity by laying down their lives fighting for the poor and weak villagers perpetually terrorised by the evil overlord. Harking back to his more classical leanings Peter builds up these stirring pieces with a sombre violent darkness that prevailed throughout the original black and white film. The first track ‘Introduction’ sets the whole tone for the recording with Japanese cymbals clashing together over taut and seductive electronics. Then Peter really hits his stride with the follow on tracks throwing out the incredible musical panoramas that he’s so renowned for which closely follows the actions and events of the film in precise detail. These eight pieces, so epic in structure and scope, are so full of emotion that it’s hard not to be joyously moved by them. As drums are hammered vigorously the sweeping orchestrations come full flow to stir the soul. In re-imagining this score Peter has forgone the overuse of samples from the film, which in his hands would have also worked, and kept the music tight and taunt allowing the haunting refrains to be fully heard. By mixing / integrating the cultural and musical influences of two completely different countries the end result is a fantastical recording which just cries out to be heard even by those without any knowledge of the film on which this is based.

When Graeme Revell disbanded SPK he became a famous film score musician. "Seven Samurai" shows that if ever Peter wanted to go down that route then he is more than capable of achieving this as "Seven Samurai" showcases. Without doubt this is another essential ACOH recording and one which will only add to Peter’s already high standing as a musician of outstanding talent and vision.

Coming housed in a gorgeous pack limited to only 1000 copies or a 500 copies only LP on the Vrihaspati label you need to be quick off the mark to get yourself a copy.

ANM