Mutant Chronicles
Richard Wells
" orchestral surprise from start to finish "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The Mutant Chronicles universe was first a Pen and Paper role-playing game, published by Swedish game studio Target Games. There were also several boardgames, comic books, until finally it went theatrical. Offering the interesting subject to a director wasn't the problem, but getting them to accept it was. Stephen Norrington (Blade & LXG), John Carpenter (Halloween & The Thing) and Roger Christian (Battlefield Earth) all declined. It was the creator of Lighthouse (Simon Winter) instead that eventually directed it, and he gave the opportunity to composer Richard Wells to make something of it.
Richard Wells isn't that well known amongst fans, but he wrote nonetheless the music for the UK version of Ong Bak, as well as the music of the cult horror film Evil Aliens. In the end, nobody expected a thing of movie and score. And while the movie turned out to become a decent and enjoyable movie, the score became one of those surprising feasts for a film music fan. Unknowing composer and a so called crappy looking movie? It doesn't promise a lot and yet you receive a wonderful, orchestral surprise from start to finish.
It actually opens with the most promising track of all, but not the track that opens the film. Featured in the middle of the film instead, "Take Off" is a building heroic cue using a militaristic drum rhythm and choir to show the heroic take off of the 20 soldiers that must get the job done. It is amazing how it builds from something light to a nice send off of the main heroic theme. Very very promising.
It is above all promising to discover there's still fine orchestral music coming from the young composers of tomorrow. The choral elegy with lovely violin in "The Night Before" is beautiful. But it is also promising to know that you can still make something atonal and yet keep it interesting, and "Mutant Attack" is darn cool when it explodes in the middle with a rocking propulsive moment.
The rise of the heroic theme in "Give me Twenty Men", the sorrowful piano work in "Mitch and Adelaide", a variation on the heroic theme in "The City Burns", the emotional "McGuire" and the ethnic raw "The Lost City" are but part of the examples that even the so called underscore cues are worthy of attention. In fact, when listening to Mutant Chronicles I'm surprised to discover how easily it is to appreciate the music, while the music itself is rich of ideas and execution.
Take for example "How Much do you Weigh". It has bells, ethnic material and yet it fits when guitar and noble material underscores a very honourable scene. Richard Wells' music continues to support and elevate the scenery, whilst making sure you continue to accept and appreciate its interesting music.
The amazing string and brass opening in "Bonecrusher" is followed by ballsy orchestral action music, while the elegy returns at just the right time in "The Killing Fields". The militaristic march in "Steiner Rescued", the ethnic / choral "Monastery", the creepy and atonal attacking "Lift Shaft", the moody "Tunnel of Bones" and the amazing elegiac "Leap of Faith" are followed by a great suite called "Mutant Chronicles End Titles" (despite it being a mere copy/paste job), rounding out one of the most amazing produced albums I've come across in a long time.
Normally I'm a "follow the order of the film" kind of guy, and yet when done right it is important to also admit you can be wrong. Is it due to the diversity from strong track to subtle track, or the basic quality of Richard Wells' material, Mutant Chronicles is definitely one of the stronger albums of the year. Nothing we haven't heard before, but at least it has powerful music, aggressive music and emotional, lyrical material, all in one so called dumb ass movie. Perhaps it is this kind of music that also elevates a dumb ass movie to something decent. And perhaps it is this kind of music that still keeps me on alert, that from time to time, fine orchestral surprises are waiting just around the corner.
Tracklisting
1. Take Off (4.07) Excellent track
2. The Night Before (1.38)
3. Mutant Attack (4.32)
4. The Corporate Council (1.40)
5. Give me Twenty Men (2.27)
6. Mitch and Adelaide (2.33)
7. The Sewer (3.13)
8. The City Burns (1.01)
9. The Killing Fields (3.01) Excellent track
10. McGuire (1.02)
11. The Lost City (1.46)
12. How Much do you Weigh (1.40)
13. Bonecrusher (4.37) Excellent track
14. Steiner Rescued (2.01)
15. Monastery (2.26)
16. Lift Shaft (3.38)
17. Tunnel of Bones (3.54)
18. Leap of Faith (2.39) Excellent track
19. Mutant Chronicles End Titles (7.37) Excellent track
Total Length: 55.37
Richard Wells isn't that well known amongst fans, but he wrote nonetheless the music for the UK version of Ong Bak, as well as the music of the cult horror film Evil Aliens. In the end, nobody expected a thing of movie and score. And while the movie turned out to become a decent and enjoyable movie, the score became one of those surprising feasts for a film music fan. Unknowing composer and a so called crappy looking movie? It doesn't promise a lot and yet you receive a wonderful, orchestral surprise from start to finish.
It actually opens with the most promising track of all, but not the track that opens the film. Featured in the middle of the film instead, "Take Off" is a building heroic cue using a militaristic drum rhythm and choir to show the heroic take off of the 20 soldiers that must get the job done. It is amazing how it builds from something light to a nice send off of the main heroic theme. Very very promising.
It is above all promising to discover there's still fine orchestral music coming from the young composers of tomorrow. The choral elegy with lovely violin in "The Night Before" is beautiful. But it is also promising to know that you can still make something atonal and yet keep it interesting, and "Mutant Attack" is darn cool when it explodes in the middle with a rocking propulsive moment.
The rise of the heroic theme in "Give me Twenty Men", the sorrowful piano work in "Mitch and Adelaide", a variation on the heroic theme in "The City Burns", the emotional "McGuire" and the ethnic raw "The Lost City" are but part of the examples that even the so called underscore cues are worthy of attention. In fact, when listening to Mutant Chronicles I'm surprised to discover how easily it is to appreciate the music, while the music itself is rich of ideas and execution.
Take for example "How Much do you Weigh". It has bells, ethnic material and yet it fits when guitar and noble material underscores a very honourable scene. Richard Wells' music continues to support and elevate the scenery, whilst making sure you continue to accept and appreciate its interesting music.
The amazing string and brass opening in "Bonecrusher" is followed by ballsy orchestral action music, while the elegy returns at just the right time in "The Killing Fields". The militaristic march in "Steiner Rescued", the ethnic / choral "Monastery", the creepy and atonal attacking "Lift Shaft", the moody "Tunnel of Bones" and the amazing elegiac "Leap of Faith" are followed by a great suite called "Mutant Chronicles End Titles" (despite it being a mere copy/paste job), rounding out one of the most amazing produced albums I've come across in a long time.
Normally I'm a "follow the order of the film" kind of guy, and yet when done right it is important to also admit you can be wrong. Is it due to the diversity from strong track to subtle track, or the basic quality of Richard Wells' material, Mutant Chronicles is definitely one of the stronger albums of the year. Nothing we haven't heard before, but at least it has powerful music, aggressive music and emotional, lyrical material, all in one so called dumb ass movie. Perhaps it is this kind of music that also elevates a dumb ass movie to something decent. And perhaps it is this kind of music that still keeps me on alert, that from time to time, fine orchestral surprises are waiting just around the corner.
Tracklisting
1. Take Off (4.07) Excellent track
2. The Night Before (1.38)
3. Mutant Attack (4.32)
4. The Corporate Council (1.40)
5. Give me Twenty Men (2.27)
6. Mitch and Adelaide (2.33)
7. The Sewer (3.13)
8. The City Burns (1.01)
9. The Killing Fields (3.01) Excellent track
10. McGuire (1.02)
11. The Lost City (1.46)
12. How Much do you Weigh (1.40)
13. Bonecrusher (4.37) Excellent track
14. Steiner Rescued (2.01)
15. Monastery (2.26)
16. Lift Shaft (3.38)
17. Tunnel of Bones (3.54)
18. Leap of Faith (2.39) Excellent track
19. Mutant Chronicles End Titles (7.37) Excellent track
Total Length: 55.37