Sotto il segno dello scorpione

Quartet Records and Gruppo Sugar present the world-premiere release of Vittorio Gelmetti's experimental score for the cult movie Sotto il segno dello scorpione (also known as Under the Sign of Scorpio).

Scoring for Sotto il segno dello scorpione posed a special challenge for Vittorio Gelmetti as he had to create music for a fictional prehistoric society—that is, he had to write music for a period that required a historical perspective yet had no known musical culture. Instead of looking back to the past of banging rocks and sticks together, Gelmetti looked forward to the future, where innovative electronic solutions, atonal symphonic elements and the haunting vocals of the Nora Orlandi choir could easily comingle. The gradual breakdown of communication between the two clans is underscored with a whimsical twist on contemporary concert music, whose raw energy is harvested to pile upon the conflict-heavy interactions of the cavemen.

While three mono tracks of the score were previously released on a contemporary EP, this is the first-ever complete release of this engaging, experimental score in full stereo, mastered by Claudio Fuiano from first-generation master tapes vaulted at Gruppo Sugar. Eight-page, full-color booklet includes liner notes by Gergely Hubai, discussing the film, the composer and the score.