Twenty years after their last UK gigs, Goblin remain true cult propositions: an Italian prog-rock band who were 1970s horror director Dario Argento's ensemble of choice for the soundtracks of his arty, lurid, faintly psychedelic films (Profondo Rosso, Suspiria et al), and sold millions of records in the process. A headline slot at the avant-garde rock festival, Supersonic, and the howls of delight that accompany the opening bars of each piece go to show that, yes, plenty of people really have been waiting to get some surrealist European horror-prog back in their lives.

In parts, it does seem worth the wait. The compositional skill and complexity in the Suspiria main theme, shifting from eerie, Philip Glass-like twinkles to pounding, polyrhythmic rock, is a thrill, and projecting scenes from the movies – bloodied hands, zombie hordes, devilish dolls – can only help heighten the melodrama. Tenebre also sounds fantastic, and surprisingly contemporary in its insistent, electronic stridency – young disco-rock bands such as Zombie-Zombie can be heard lifting ideas unashamedly from this stuff. Now and then, the newly updated keyboard sounds can seem a little inauthentic, but guitarist Massimo Morante and bass player Fabio Pignatelli capture the old spirit beautifully, playing as fast and fiercely as you could ask for.

There are moments to wince: the spectre of pub blues rears its head once or twice; the sight of Morante (replete with perm, headband, paunch and shirt open to the waist) gurning at the sky during big solos breaks the atmospheric spell a little; the extended drum solo and the "introducing the band" interlude could also be questioned. That said, this blood-soaked, supernatural music could hardly fail to be a bit camp. At their best, Goblin are lovable monsters.