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If there is an
extremely difficult to compose kind of score, that is the music for suspense
/ horror movies. Because when you're dealing with such a score, it's not
enough that the music involves you, but it must completely insert you in the
mood of the film. Jerry Goldsmith was a master at this type of writing, and
The Omen trilogy and
Poltergeist are his most prominent examples.
Besides, The Omen music is crucial for
that movie, providing the required devilish tone necessary to differentiate
it from an ordinary thriller.
Michael Wandmacher comes out well in that
subject, having composed scores for movies like My Bloody Valentine
3D and The Punisher - War Zone.
Here Wandmacher has really struggled to give the public a more elaborated
and meticulous score, summoning fear and at the same time equipped with
harmony and melodies.
The
soundtrack album features 26 carefully crafted tracks that deliver great
moments of tension to the plot's development. "Whirlpool" is an explosion of
chords that echoes in the midst of the horror that is expected from the film.
"Piranha", the second track, it's smart enough to bring us, through
electronic instruments mixed with the orchestra, a sense of tension but not
the fear itself. "The Cave" is another cue that stands out, not only for its
nuances (where the woodwinds shine), followed by the great "Pack Attack",
which is quite classic for the genre, paying homage to the works of James
Bernard and Krzysztof Komeda.
"The Bucket"
also deserves attention for its increasing tempo and melody that suggest
tragedy and fear. Unquestionably "Marina Attack Part 1" and "Marina Attack
Part 2" are highlights too, for effectively blending the classical and the
modern and for to nicely insert on the same context the orchestra and the
electronic elements (something already characteristic of Wandmacher).
Other
highlights are "Prey," "Army of Teeth," "Blood Red Sand" and the epic "Tightrope",
this one mixing gentle voice with screeching violins at the background. "Breathe"
is the great score counterpoint, since it is a gentle piano piece whose
beauty and nostalgia overlap the atmosphere of fear that permeates the bulk
of the score. Now the "End Titles", coming after a so well crafted cue as "Breathe,"
lacks for a better care, being only a succession of guitar, drums and
electronic elements - a bit lazy and slurred effort.
But overall
this is a well-written score, which I believe is a positive mark for the
composer's career. If not a masterpiece, surely it is a promising work for
Wandmacher. |
