ROTF Score Preview
woohoo! Amazon put out a preview of the Revenge of the Fallen score, with 20 second samples of each track. Find it here but be warned that the track titles might be spoiler-ish
Sweet Primus... I think Steve Jablonsky, Hans Zimmer and co have outdone themselves. A few seconds into the first track and I was already in tears. The thing is BEAUTIFUL and I WANT IT LIKE LAST MONTH. We'd better fragging be getting it here along with the usual soundtrack.
Anyways, my thoughts/speculations/breakdown on each track, based on what I felt/gathered from those all-too-short 20 clips...
1. Prime - I really think this one carries on from the first Movie Score's "Optimus", almost like a continuation. Cos I listened to "Optimus" and then "Prime" (lolz) and they do feel like they're part of the same track. This version is stronger though.. grander and a little more powerful than "Optimus" which felt lighter and more... innocent?
2. Einstein's Wrong - curious title, I think it might be Sam in college? I dont know, not going to read too much into a title. The strings and the male chanting suggest something... sinister. Something to do with the Cons maybe, seeing as how they used that awesome choral chant in the Decepticon's theme in Movie 1.
3. Nest (with New Divide) - Ooh, one of my early favorites. Some folks mentioned there were undertones of the "Scorponok" battle theme from the first movie, when Lennox and Co fight him. I -think- I hear them, or it could be me wanting to hear it. It's not obvious, but certainly has the feel of it. And I love how they incorporated New Divide in. It feels like an alliance track.
4. The Shard - Reminds me of "The Kraken" from Dead Man's Chest for a moment. Certainly high energy and suspenseful. Hard to tell what's going on from those few seconds though. A battle? Fight maybe?
5. The Fallen - I like the slight Egyptian feel of this in the undertones, and the off-kilter melody. It's a very creepy, mechanical track, and you can feel the age in it. Like something old starting to stir.
6. Infinite White - Another favorite here. I LOVE the deep solo female chant. It reminds me of the Troy soundtrack, only not as annoying and wailing. I especially love the fact that she's chanting the "Optimus Prime" track and perhaps the "Autobots" theme. Add to that Middle Eastern mystique, and yes, brought tears because there is some sort of somber yet wonderous feeling to it. I see the Pyramids here. This is going to be a frequently played track on my iPod.
7. Heed Our Warning - Whose warning I wonder. Another of those cryptic titles (for now), but the heavy chanting and drums hints at Decepticons again.
8. The Fallen's Arrival - Hmmm... Counter-"Arrival to Earth"? Some TFW folks mentioned it's a little like Unicron's theme from the 86 Movie. It's similar in that it's just as menacing and powerful, if not more. And I like the contrast with "Arrival to Earth" - that was hopeful, this is despair.
9. Tomb of the Primes - I'm thinking it's something to do with the past and the Fallen's history, and the other original Transformers. The "Optimus Prime" theme is there in it's grandeur, along with something else that sounds older somehow, historical.
10. Forest Battle - The fanboys seem to like this one. It's your typical epic fight score with the drums and the fast-paced strings, like Aslan's army vs the White Witch in Lion, Witch, Wardrobe; or the Black Pearl vs the Kraken in Dead Man's Chest. I think I need to hear more of it to decide.
11. Precious Cargo - Gods, there are so many ways I can interpret this based on the music, that I dont think I even want to voice anything out here incase I'm way off-base. The drums and light rhythm, and the heavy choral work make it sound... like something not good just happened. Like the Night Raid in Prince Caspian where it ends in disaster. And that "Prime" theme playing there makes me wonder...
12. Matrix of Leadership - Wow... just what is going on here now? Variation on the "Prime" and "Autobots" theme, and the trumpets somehow bring out a hopeful melody that all's not lost yet.
13. I Claim Your Sun - Hmm... they're using those same sound effects from the Mission City battle of the first movie, so this is probably where it all comes to a head. Again, it's part of a longer piece of music so can't pick out anything definitive apart from those Movie 1 Mission City sound effects.
14. I Rise, You Fall - More cryptic-ness. The "Prime" theme and the female vocalist from "Infinite White" is back as well. It's like an aftermath piece. Definitely somber thanks to the vocalist, but the Prime theme overlaying it has a bit of hope to it. It does contrast from the ending of the first Movie/score though. Not as grand or heroic.
Phew! And I'll know in exactly a week whether I'm right or not about all this.