The Devil's Tomb
Bill Brown
" a take-able score and a bit of a bore "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The Devil's Tomb is a 2009 horror film, directed by Jason Connery. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Ray Winstone and Ron Perlman. An elite group of soldiers lead by Mack (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), are sent by a CIA agent named Elissa (Valerie Cruz) to rescue a scientist (Ron Perlman), who is working on an archeological dig site, in the Middle Eastern desert. However, they discover that the scientist is hiding a terrible 2000–year-old secret in the site. The composer who had to get the job done was Bill Brown.
Most of you will know (or not know) Bill Brown, but the Californian has surely been busy in his career so far. Mostly scoring for video games (of which some will ring a bell: Command & Conquer: Generals, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, Wolfenstein, Lineage II, ...), the man has composed too less for actual cinematic projects. One of the exceptions on that list is now The Devil's Tomb. Released by MovieScore Media, it holds the voice of Bill Brown as heard in most of his video game scores. Moody in most occasions, exciting in parts.
It is fair to say "The Devil's Tomb Overture" gives you a clear example of what to expect. The suspenseful opening surely is exciting, but it also has the moody strings that will dominate most of the tracks on the score. "Sandstorm" on the other hand is not, and carries an unexpected rocking attitude that works well in a sort of way.
However tracks like "The Message" and "Afterbirth" carry a religious choral message that works well in depicting the danger the characters are facing. Other tracks go deeper into the moody, unknowing department, tracks like "Keep Moving", "Make up Your Mind" and "Do you Believe?". These aren't really that interesting, but effective enough to show you what's going on.
And then there are the horror / action moments of the disc. "Elevator" surely opens brassy enough, "Hallucinations" and "Rumblings" go for dark atonal hits (which surely sound thrilling enough) while "Return of the Father" takes the middle road (unleashing suspense and horror as one). "God's Plan" builds on the uneasy suspense while "Incantation / Escape" delivers us the liturgical and rhythmic action send off. The nice strings in "Resolution" do deliver a resolving little finish.
I think it is fair to say that The Devil's Tomb only interests me when Brown goes either liturgical or atonal (either way the louder portions of the score). All the other remaining score sounds subdued, eerie and moody, and one can only cope with so much at a specific moment. So in that regard The Devil's Tomb is okay and not okay, decent and weaker, a take-able score and a bit of a bore. I heard much better from Brown, but he surely worked on something much better as well. So I can honestly say, perhaps this didn't deserve something more.
Tracklisting
1. The Devil's Tomb Overture (4.26)
2. Sandstorm (4.40)
3. The Message (2.53)
4. Elite Unit my Ass (2.20)
5. Elevator (1.51)
6. Keep Moving (1.49)
7. Sgt. Harrison (0.58)
8. What is That? (2.42)
9. Look Out! (1.47)
10. Make up Your Mind (1.33)
11. Afterbirth (2.32)
12. The Temple (3.20)
13. Hallucinations (3.00)
14. Kiss and Kill (3.32)
15. Do you Believe? (3.44)
16. Rumblings (1.31)
17. Return of the Father (3.12)
18. God's Plan (5.01)
19. Incantation / Escape (3.41)
20. Resolution (1.17)
Total Length: 55.56
Most of you will know (or not know) Bill Brown, but the Californian has surely been busy in his career so far. Mostly scoring for video games (of which some will ring a bell: Command & Conquer: Generals, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, Wolfenstein, Lineage II, ...), the man has composed too less for actual cinematic projects. One of the exceptions on that list is now The Devil's Tomb. Released by MovieScore Media, it holds the voice of Bill Brown as heard in most of his video game scores. Moody in most occasions, exciting in parts.
It is fair to say "The Devil's Tomb Overture" gives you a clear example of what to expect. The suspenseful opening surely is exciting, but it also has the moody strings that will dominate most of the tracks on the score. "Sandstorm" on the other hand is not, and carries an unexpected rocking attitude that works well in a sort of way.
However tracks like "The Message" and "Afterbirth" carry a religious choral message that works well in depicting the danger the characters are facing. Other tracks go deeper into the moody, unknowing department, tracks like "Keep Moving", "Make up Your Mind" and "Do you Believe?". These aren't really that interesting, but effective enough to show you what's going on.
And then there are the horror / action moments of the disc. "Elevator" surely opens brassy enough, "Hallucinations" and "Rumblings" go for dark atonal hits (which surely sound thrilling enough) while "Return of the Father" takes the middle road (unleashing suspense and horror as one). "God's Plan" builds on the uneasy suspense while "Incantation / Escape" delivers us the liturgical and rhythmic action send off. The nice strings in "Resolution" do deliver a resolving little finish.
I think it is fair to say that The Devil's Tomb only interests me when Brown goes either liturgical or atonal (either way the louder portions of the score). All the other remaining score sounds subdued, eerie and moody, and one can only cope with so much at a specific moment. So in that regard The Devil's Tomb is okay and not okay, decent and weaker, a take-able score and a bit of a bore. I heard much better from Brown, but he surely worked on something much better as well. So I can honestly say, perhaps this didn't deserve something more.
Tracklisting
1. The Devil's Tomb Overture (4.26)
2. Sandstorm (4.40)
3. The Message (2.53)
4. Elite Unit my Ass (2.20)
5. Elevator (1.51)
6. Keep Moving (1.49)
7. Sgt. Harrison (0.58)
8. What is That? (2.42)
9. Look Out! (1.47)
10. Make up Your Mind (1.33)
11. Afterbirth (2.32)
12. The Temple (3.20)
13. Hallucinations (3.00)
14. Kiss and Kill (3.32)
15. Do you Believe? (3.44)
16. Rumblings (1.31)
17. Return of the Father (3.12)
18. God's Plan (5.01)
19. Incantation / Escape (3.41)
20. Resolution (1.17)
Total Length: 55.56