Soundtrack Review: Creepshow

Creepshow
Released by La-La Land Records
First in 2003 & then again in 2014 in an expanded edition
Original release has 14 tracks with a Total Running Time of 1:06:49 min.
Expanded release has 48 tracks with a Total Running Time of 75 min.
Composed and Performed by John Harrison

2003 Release

2014 Expanded Release

George Romero and Stephen King made this movie as a homage to the old EC Comics of the ’50s, such as Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror. Listening to Harrison’s score for this movie is just like reading through the comics yourself. The eerie sounds both in and around the music is incredible, making this one of my favorite scores of all time. Granted, the film itself in one of my favorites, so the music just adds to that.

Soundtrack Review: I Kill Giants

I Kill Giants
Released by Varèse Sarabande, 2018
17 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 53 min.
Music by Laurent Perez del Mar

While this might be a little off the usual horror path that we’re on, I am a sucker for soundtracks, and this is a movie about giants, so it kind of fits, right? I had never even heard of the title before getting this to review, but I did make the mistake of watching the trailer before listening to the score, because then I knew I couldn’t get a fresh take on it. But I have to say from what I seen in the trailer, the music that Laurent Perez del Mar created is just beautiful. Right from the first track, Barbara, we get that magical feel of this unique little girl. This firs track is quiet and somber, but almost gives off a sense of wonder.

Soundtrack Review: A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place
Released by Milan Records, 2018
16 Tracks with a Total Running time of 48 min.
Music by Marco Beltrami

The thing that struck me right away was that for a movie with “quiet” in the title, this score does not follow that thought. Even in the opening track, It Hears You, it starts with low pounding that starts to increase in volume, to jumping to a much higher range, making its presence known. I had sort of expected a much lower tone and feel to this movie since I was guessing (haven’t not seen the movie yet) that there wasn’t a lot of noise in the movie, so the music would be more quiet and subdue. That is not the case.

Soundtrack Review: The Strangers: Prey At Night

The Strangers: Prey at Night
Released by Varèse Sarabande, 2018
23 Tracks with a Total Running time of 73 min.
Original Music By Adrian Johnston

In case you’re weren’t aware of it, but I tend to listen to a lot of soundtracks. Anytime I’m working on this site,  or doing any writing, I have a movie score playing. One of my favorites of all time is John Carpenter’s The Fog. Why am I bringing this up? Because as I was listening to this score for The Strangers: Prey at Night, the opening sure sounds a LOT like The Fog. Now I’ve been told by those that have seen it that it purposely has an ’80s feel to it, so maybe that’s why the ‘homage’. But geez…that is one hell of a homage. This piece is reprised later in the score on the track On the Run.

Soundtrack Review: Primal Rage

Primal Rage
Released by CD Baby, 2018
38 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 62 min.
Original Music Score by Ceiri Torjussen

In the first few minutes of the opening track, it will give you a perfect example of what to expect from the rest of his hour long score. And that is simply atmosphere. This doesn’t have any melodies, songs, or anything like that. But what it does to make up for that is giving us raw audible emotions. Just in this first track, we start off with a low rumbling that gets a little louder as we go, as if something dark or evil is off in the distance, but moving towards us. But by the end of that track we switch to a simple but beautiful bit of piano. No tune or anything but just a few notes that really change the effect.

Soundtrack Review: The Worthy

The Worthy
Released by void recordings, 2018
16 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 43 min.
Music by Joseph Bishara

This one is a very different kind of score. It doesn’t have the usual instrument sounds that you can pick out right away. Not sure if it is some strings or maybe just a keyboard using some electronic devices. But no matter what Bishara is using, he is still able to create some nice atmosphere here. He brings a sense of dread, not overpowering, but more a little subdued.

Soundtrack Review: The Ritual

The Ritual
Released by Lakeshore Records, 2018
18 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 40 min.
Music Composed by Ben Lovett

When you come down to the basics, there are two kinds of original score soundtracks. One with a collection of musical pieces, orchestrated in a way to create feelings. And then the ones that don’t have melody, or even music really, but just sounds. Not as simple as that, but sounds that also create feelings, usually ones that work their way under your skin, building tension and even terror. That is exactly what Lovett has done with this score.