Massimo Morante, co-founder and guitarist of Italian progressive rock band Goblin, has died aged 70, according to information published this week by BrooklynVegan and NME.

The musician’s death was confirmed by surviving band members in a statement, but Morante’s cause of death was not immediately reported.

Goblin, who first took on the band name in 1975 after composing and recording the film score for that year’s Italian thriller Deep Rosso, went on to make a name for themselves in the international soundtrack field. They recorded over 20 different film scores over the next 30 years, including the soundtrack for the 1978 Italian cut of zombieproducer Dario Argento’s version of George A. Romeroit is dawn of the dead.

On Thursday, June 23, the music world learned that Morante had died in a short Goblin message posted on social media in Italian and English.

“Goblin announces with a heavy heart and in utter disbelief the passing of founder and guitar master Massimo Morante”, the group relayed.

Morante, who remained in Goblin until his death, co-founded the band as Oliver in the early 70s. They later changed their name to Cherry Five at the insistence of a record company , releasing an album under this banner in 1975, the same year Deep Rosso the soundtrack emerged as Goblin.

Making the story of the act even more complex, the original Goblin has split into several simultaneous incarnations over the years, including versions without Morante. He hasn’t performed with Goblin Rebirth, which formed in 2010 and subsequently released two studio albums.