|
Terry's
Reviews Page
| ||
| Movies | Music | Books |
|
Music Reviews: | ||
|
|
Varese Sarabande – 2011 | |
|
The clanging percussion makes "Admission" tense. The deeper darker underbelly of this track is what I liked most about it. "Runaway" reminds me a little of the keyboard tonality of Carpenter's VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED score. Mark Kilian throws his scoring gears into action as big drums pound, while the strings scale the elevator of suspense in "Kidnapped." Kilian creates an aura of the mentally disturbed with the tender "Group Therapy." Something sounds off about the cue but it's still beautiful. Adrenaline fuels "Elevator Escape." All the little sounds; voices, drums percussion, screaming brass and strings are choreographed and mixed to dynamite conclusion. The quietness of "The Truth" is subtly powerful because it follows such a loud, busy track. The voice mixed way in the back of "Shower Time" is creepy yet it doesn't feel negative. But then as the strings downturn, the orchestra strikes fear into the cue. The heartbeat keyboard rhythm has a dark groove that is easy to like. "Burned Alive" is an inferno of voices that go up with the orchestra as Kilian sets everything ablaze. It's amazing how the voices (ever since Hans Zimmer's score for BACKDRAFT) represent fire. Very cool. We learn "Who Is Alice" through Kilian's composition, it is where he tells the story with his music. The wooden percussion hits add to the tale. The voice in "Alice Is Back" feels almost John Ottmanish. The dark underpinning in "Emotional Trauma" is really cool, especially with headphones on. I liked the compositional layered of "Ghost Story." Kilian doesn't reveal it all at once but gradually builds this track. The voice kind of skipping towards the end in a hushed tone is unnerving. The swiping motion of the orchestra in "Tormented" is wicked and spooky. The low clarinet is particularly effective. "Night Visitor" drifts into the audio realm like a phantom floating in the night. Then before you know it, it's on top of you attacking with deadly force. The percussion kicks at the beginning of "Hearing Things." Then everything goes eerily quiet. Strings and dreamy bells establish "New Home" with some warmth before the track turns dark and dank. The male background vocals in "Iris' Pictures" stand tall with robust authority which I'd compare to an audio representation of the legendary Golem. The whistling and combination with Toddy Walter's voice brings a playful creepiness to "End Credits." The acoustic guitar gives this final cue warmth. THE WARD is a ghost story that doesn't look or sound like a John Carpenter film. Part of this comes from Mark Kilian's expressive score that has wide ranging sound and composition not usually found in a Carpenter film. Yet his music definitely fits the movie and what happens on the screen. I no doubt recommend picking up the score for THE WARD and experience the audio journey it will take you on.
| ||
