Terry's Reviews
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Music Reviews: |
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Fear Dot Com – Music by Nicholas Pike
Varese Sarabande – 2002 |
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| Incredibly ambient from the beginning
("Opening"), composer Nicholas Pike slowly creeps up on you ("Alistair Logs
On"), like a spider crawling ever so gently over your skin ("Cold Bath").
But make no mistake, the spider bites it’s just a matter of when
("Turnbull’s Car Ride"). FEAR DOT COM throbs with an air of dread. The solo female voice coming in and out of "Punks On Video" is downright eerie. The organ in "Distressed Furniture" adds a classic ghosts and goblins sound. The understated aspects of this score are what make it memorable. The soft, almost moaning voices in "His Wife’s View." The odd deep repeating sound in "Alistair Gets Cozy" and "Alistair Gets Cozier" reminded me something coming from a boat or lighthouse. The high-pitched clanging sound in "Denise Logs On" will give you the willies. The slow rhythm in "Denise Gets Bugged", which is one of themes of FEAR DOT COM, is creepy. The floating voices in "Terry Scans Files" will make you uneasy. Nicholas Pike makes the website FEAR DOT COM come to life in "Mike Enters Site." His use of instrumentation makes it sound like it’s a living-breathing thing. He gives "Terry Logs On" a feminine touch with his use of piano and violin. Pike gives "Terry Visits Mom" warmth and tenderness using the same voices that frighten in a different manner. The Plague adds a light rock tune "Badlands" done in a sound comparable to instrumental surf rock from the 60s. Nicholas Pike balances FEARDOTCOM with choir, orchestra, keyboards and drums; each takes turns sharing the lead. The CD clocks in over 1 hour and 13 minutes. Most of this isn’t designed to have you singing the themes. While listening to this or watching the movie, Pike wants you to tremble in your seat and to reach a state of fear. He succeeds. |
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