Knell, The Bloody Avenger (Sangue Di Sbirro 50th Anniversary Edition) (2x12")

Description

Some film scores simply accompany a movie; others capture the spirit of an entire era of Italian cinema. Sangue di sbirro—composed by Alessandro Alessandroni for the 1976 poliziottesco directed by Alfonso Brescia (under his usual moniker, Al Bradley)—belongs firmly in the second category. Marking fifty years since the film’s theatrical release, and a decade since Four Flies first issued it on LP, this seminal soundtrack finally returns in an expanded double-vinyl edition, lovingly remastered from the original master tapes. Known internationally as Knell, The Bloody Avenger, Sangue di sbirro is one of the most surprising soundtracks written by Alessandroni—a key figure in Italian film and library music whose vast catalogue continues to yield fresh, uncharted territory. Here, the challenge was to channel the aesthetic of American Blaxploitation, taking inspiration from the unmistakable, landmark sound of Isaac Hayes’s Shaft. Alessandroni embraced that raw energy, filtering it through a distinctly Italian sensibility to fashion a score where jazz-funk, deep soul, heavy black grooves, and disco sit seamlessly alongside the tense, night-time atmosphere of classic poliziotteschi. The result is a gritty, magnetic urban soundscape built on pulsing basslines, wah-wah and electric guitars, hypnotic piano hooks, biting brass, and unexpected melodic flourishes. At its heart lies that cinematic, effortlessly catchy jewel of a theme, "Tema di Susie", presented here in four distinct arrangements—one previously unreleased. It remains the ultimate expression of Alessandroni’s lyrical, melancholic side, offering a striking counterpoint to the nervous energy of the action cues and the darker, suspenseful mood pieces scattered throughout the score. According to soundtrack lore, the entire score was cut in a single day—15th November 1976—at Rome’s legendary Ortophonic studios, under the supervision of sound engineer Sergio Marcotulli. Though a whirlwind session, it brought together some of the finest players in Italian music: a young, unleashed Enrico Pieranunzi on piano, Silvano Chimenti on electric guitar, and Dino Piana—one of Italian jazz’s heavyweights and a long-time member of the RAI Orchestra—on valve trombone. Joining them on harmonica was Franco De Gemini, Alessandroni’s close friend and frequent collaborator, best known for his iconic appearances across Ennio Morricone’s filmography. This new reissue restores the score to its complete form for the very first time, boasting an incredible 14 unreleased tracks, including alternate takes recorded during the original sessions that never made the final film edit. Furthermore, the tracklist has been thoughtfully re-sequenced to reflect the chronological order of the scenes on screen, maintaining narrative flow without ever sacrificing the fluidity of a standalone listening experience. Released as a deluxe gatefold double LP, the album comes in a standard black vinyl edition as well as a limited collector’s transparent red vinyl edition, hand-numbered to just 300 copies. A digipak CD edition is also available. Fifty years on from its creation, Sangue di sbirro reclaims its rightful place: both a lasting testament to an unrepeatable golden age of Italian genre cinema and a potent brew of Italian funk, suspense, and melodic genius, whereby Alessandroni reimagined the language of American crime music through a deeply personal, undeniably Italian lens.