Russell RockwellIt might not be the first thing that comes to mind when experiencing Gregorio Franco’s punishing synthwave, but beneath the sci-fi nightmares and grotesque legends the composer and musician weaves into his albums exists a love for horror classics. That attachment touches even his darkest tracks with a spark of adventure that can’t be doused by his grim visions of the future.
On The Scourge, the pendulum guiding Franco’s production sways precariously between violent industrial bangers and spooky John Carpenter homages. Throughout the record, he ratchets up the tension before swinging violently back into the chaos, where his metal roots become dramatically apparent. Like the rest of Franco’s creations, The Scourge is a story. In this case it’s one about scientists opening a portal where an alternate version of Earth appears. As the planets orbit each other, a sense of threat and panic grows until each population declares war on the other, ending with the destruction of both worlds.
Some aspects of the record—especially tracks like “Venom,” where Franco builds on a circuitous synth riff—recall FPS games of the ‘90s. But for most of the album, Franco displays a creativity that pushes the limits of traditional synthwave, even working a sludgy trap beat into “Unmaker.” His main influences include not only Carpenter but also the work of Italian composers Goblin and Fabio Frizzi. This embrace of innovative auteurs explains much of his willingness to challenge conventional norms. The most dramatic example of this is a gorgeous symphonic opus (“Awakening”) featuring L.A. producer GlitBiter on vocals. The spacious track owes as much to gothic metal as it does to synthwave, but it still pulses with the same power underlying the rest of the record.
On album closer “The Prowler 2019,” Franco reworks a track from his 2017 LP The Dark Beyond, exhibiting how much his production techniques have evolved over the past few years. He sharpens the pervading noise and static into a more pointed attack while keeping true to the horror-scape of the original. Franco enjoys pulverizing the listener with blunt force beats, but despite the encroaching atmosphere of terror, a twisted sense of fun permeates the record as he plugs the listener into his dystopian machine. Still, to truly absorb everything The Scourge has to offer requires patience and a willingness to bite down on the jagged emotional hooks that drive the sci-fi tragedy. It’s this tension between chaotic abandon and meticulous purpose that makes the record both a worthwhile listen and a hell of a ride.
Gregorio Franco will perform on Sat., Nov. 9 at Echosynthetic Fest Part III: First Blood Part II at the Drunken Unicorn. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $15 per night or $20 for both nights. 18+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: gregoriofranco.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @gregoriofranco85
Instagram: @gregoriofrancomusic
SoundCloud: @gregoriofranco
Twitter: @gregorioxfranco