Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Christopher Lennertz
" The Medal Of Honor Legacy Continues. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
After the departure of Michael Giacchino and half of the production crew, the MOH-series had to continue somewhat differently, both musically and visually. The games picked up the value of true war after a period of time, so did the music. Of course, Michael Giacchino left a big impression on the series and his scores stand among the best game music ever composed. Composer Christopher Lennertz is no slouch either and his music promises much as well, if just somewhat differently.
First of all promos are available of Lennertz' music and secondly (and this is the biggest flaw of the Rising Sun soundtrack), the presentation of the material is rather weak. With Giacchino's scores you got a solid presentation. Michael would state his theme or rhythm early on and for the next three to four minutes the man would toy and build upon that rhythm, only to explode with the version or climax at the very end. He could develop what he wrote and alternate it during those couple of minutes. Christopher Lennertz is left with a few tracks that run above the 3 minute marker, whereas most of the time he has to battle with the 1 minute and 30 second mark without any development possible whatsoever.
If you have 31 tracks for a 61 minute score you know that half of the tracks won't deliver the big "pada boom" feel. Most of the music here sounds cool and great but it can't deliver the feeling nor the finished development that is necessary to really elevate it to the Giacchino standards. Alas Medal of Honor: Rising Sun or the first of Lennertz is a good example of a test case promo tour, but that's exactly what it feels like too in the presentation.
Tracks like "PT Attack" with its Giacchino rhythm, "Deep in Guadal Canal" stating the action theme, "Saving Pearl Harbor" capturing a nifty brass presentation or "A Prisoner's Eulogy" with its elegiac choir feel great but they just can't make the material explode.
Don't think however that the material sounds unfinished. It thrives and sounds great, the instrumentation rolls from a solo violin to a packed orchestral punch to exotic percussion. Some of them stand out in their presentation. The noble main theme feels wonderful in its heroic setting. The theme sounds amazing when a choral attitude elevates it in "Main Titles". Further along, the truly wonderful choral hymn in "Requiem for the California" sounds just spectacular during the game's attack on Pearl Harbour while the exciting "March on the Temple" takes a stamp out of the Indiana Jones music in the creative process.
Further good moments to remember are "Nazi Disguise / Shima's Speech" with the Giacchino Nazi motif, the drums and fanfare in "Tank March", the fun little violin rhythmic piece "Courtyard Strike" and "Take Off / Finale" with its wonderful action/choral rise of pure heroic material. In between all that material the action theme and war fanfares are ever present to state their dominance. Yet as pointed out before, Lennertz can't build upon them so easily like Michael Giacchino could.
Nice to know however is how the score actually sings off, with the Giacchino Medal of Honor main theme in "Hymn to Brother's Lost".
That the score holds many moments where a native flute, exotic percussion or dominant violin lead the battle is evident because we are on Eastern turf. That Christopher Lennertz still keeps the score positively charged with the American "gun ho" orchestral music is all what keeps the score striving for the next punch. In the game the music makes sense and feels just perfect in unison with the visuals. However in the game it was also clear it wasn't breaking the Giacchino mark of superiority because the material isn't just that good. Despite all that, Lennertz has a knack for understanding the MOH needs, that in the end, Medal of Honor: Rising Sun has a lot to offer. If only it wasn't sounding like a promo test case of material. Because if he had the time to develop his material in the Michael Giacchino way, who knows where it would have ended then?
Tracklisting
1. Main Titles (3.15) Excellent track
2. Taiko Brigade (1.18)
3. PT Attack (1.08)
4. Deep in Guadal Canal (1.44)
5. Stalking the Caves (2.40)
6. We're Hit! (1.11)
7. Engine Trouble (2.02)
8. Requiem for the California (1.37) Excellent track
9. Saving Pearl Harbor (2.05)
10. Singapore Docks (2.04)
11. Passing the Nevada (1.07)
12. Burma (3.05)
13. Elephant Battle (1.12)
14. March on the Temple (2.10) Excellent track
15. A Prisoner's Eulogy (2.05) Excellent track
16. Nazi Disguise / Shima's Speech (2.04)
17. Natives Are Restless (1.50)
18. Carrier Deck (1.15)
19. Tanaka's Death / The Hanger (3.36)
20. Tank March (1.23)
21. Philippines / Zero Attack (1.45)
22. Courtyard Strike (1.11)
23. Yamashita's Gold (2.53)
24. Incoming! / Aftermath (1.37)
25. Jungle Swarm (3.49)
26. They Got Donnie (1.03)
27. Shell Shock (2.20)
28. The Sewers (1.30)
29. Shima Escapes (0.54)
30. Take Off / Finale (1.50) Excellent track
31. Hymn to Brothers Lost (2.57)
Total Length: 61.01
First of all promos are available of Lennertz' music and secondly (and this is the biggest flaw of the Rising Sun soundtrack), the presentation of the material is rather weak. With Giacchino's scores you got a solid presentation. Michael would state his theme or rhythm early on and for the next three to four minutes the man would toy and build upon that rhythm, only to explode with the version or climax at the very end. He could develop what he wrote and alternate it during those couple of minutes. Christopher Lennertz is left with a few tracks that run above the 3 minute marker, whereas most of the time he has to battle with the 1 minute and 30 second mark without any development possible whatsoever.
If you have 31 tracks for a 61 minute score you know that half of the tracks won't deliver the big "pada boom" feel. Most of the music here sounds cool and great but it can't deliver the feeling nor the finished development that is necessary to really elevate it to the Giacchino standards. Alas Medal of Honor: Rising Sun or the first of Lennertz is a good example of a test case promo tour, but that's exactly what it feels like too in the presentation.
Tracks like "PT Attack" with its Giacchino rhythm, "Deep in Guadal Canal" stating the action theme, "Saving Pearl Harbor" capturing a nifty brass presentation or "A Prisoner's Eulogy" with its elegiac choir feel great but they just can't make the material explode.
Don't think however that the material sounds unfinished. It thrives and sounds great, the instrumentation rolls from a solo violin to a packed orchestral punch to exotic percussion. Some of them stand out in their presentation. The noble main theme feels wonderful in its heroic setting. The theme sounds amazing when a choral attitude elevates it in "Main Titles". Further along, the truly wonderful choral hymn in "Requiem for the California" sounds just spectacular during the game's attack on Pearl Harbour while the exciting "March on the Temple" takes a stamp out of the Indiana Jones music in the creative process.
Further good moments to remember are "Nazi Disguise / Shima's Speech" with the Giacchino Nazi motif, the drums and fanfare in "Tank March", the fun little violin rhythmic piece "Courtyard Strike" and "Take Off / Finale" with its wonderful action/choral rise of pure heroic material. In between all that material the action theme and war fanfares are ever present to state their dominance. Yet as pointed out before, Lennertz can't build upon them so easily like Michael Giacchino could.
Nice to know however is how the score actually sings off, with the Giacchino Medal of Honor main theme in "Hymn to Brother's Lost".
That the score holds many moments where a native flute, exotic percussion or dominant violin lead the battle is evident because we are on Eastern turf. That Christopher Lennertz still keeps the score positively charged with the American "gun ho" orchestral music is all what keeps the score striving for the next punch. In the game the music makes sense and feels just perfect in unison with the visuals. However in the game it was also clear it wasn't breaking the Giacchino mark of superiority because the material isn't just that good. Despite all that, Lennertz has a knack for understanding the MOH needs, that in the end, Medal of Honor: Rising Sun has a lot to offer. If only it wasn't sounding like a promo test case of material. Because if he had the time to develop his material in the Michael Giacchino way, who knows where it would have ended then?
Tracklisting
1. Main Titles (3.15) Excellent track
2. Taiko Brigade (1.18)
3. PT Attack (1.08)
4. Deep in Guadal Canal (1.44)
5. Stalking the Caves (2.40)
6. We're Hit! (1.11)
7. Engine Trouble (2.02)
8. Requiem for the California (1.37) Excellent track
9. Saving Pearl Harbor (2.05)
10. Singapore Docks (2.04)
11. Passing the Nevada (1.07)
12. Burma (3.05)
13. Elephant Battle (1.12)
14. March on the Temple (2.10) Excellent track
15. A Prisoner's Eulogy (2.05) Excellent track
16. Nazi Disguise / Shima's Speech (2.04)
17. Natives Are Restless (1.50)
18. Carrier Deck (1.15)
19. Tanaka's Death / The Hanger (3.36)
20. Tank March (1.23)
21. Philippines / Zero Attack (1.45)
22. Courtyard Strike (1.11)
23. Yamashita's Gold (2.53)
24. Incoming! / Aftermath (1.37)
25. Jungle Swarm (3.49)
26. They Got Donnie (1.03)
27. Shell Shock (2.20)
28. The Sewers (1.30)
29. Shima Escapes (0.54)
30. Take Off / Finale (1.50) Excellent track
31. Hymn to Brothers Lost (2.57)
Total Length: 61.01