Hey folks, Harry here with a look at the 2 CD Set for THE MATRIX RELOADED. From Old Europe comes a set of Hardeyes that closed their ever teary gaze to listen to the world, the soundtrack beneath the noise of our lives... hehehe, if ya want to believe the mumbo jumbo of the Wachowski's that is. I'd like more Soundtrack reviews coming in if you folks want to give em a go, this is a very nice one...
Hi Harry,
since this is my first time here (you know the drill) call me Hardeyes.
First of all, sorry if there is any wrong spelling and stuff like this: I am a journalist, but not an English native-speaker, so there might be some errors.
Just got the soundtrack for Matrix: Reloaded: It´s a double cd, as usual “Music from and inspired by the motion picture”. (I´m just wondering a little, that a guy from Austria is one of the first guys to get it, or rather say contribute it here, but I guess the movie-world is getting smaller every day…just attended a press-screening of X2 and it´s a nice feeling, that Europeans don´t have to wait for months anymore to see a cool movie)
CD 1.
That´s most likely the “inspired”-part. Hard to say which titles (if any) are included in the movie, but I guess that some of the (Nu) Metal-stuff will fit into the fighting scenes, chase stuff and so. The other half of CD 1 is classical electronic/techno stuff, which is - I guess - more popular over here than in the States.
The "interactive" bonus material is rather disapointing, just some previews from the movie, The Final Flight of the Osiris and The Animatrix, plus a documentary on the making of the "Enter The Matrix" video game. Nice, but nothing special.
1. Linkin Park “Session”:
A rather unusual “song” for linkin park, no vocals, no scratching, no happy-metal.
Sounds a little like someone has been listening to the Nine Inch Nails a lot lately, “Session” is some sort of electronic/industrial intro with piano-parts, reminds me quite a lot of the instrumental titles by Trent Reznor. Nothing special though.
2. Marilyn Manson “This Is The New Shit”:
In contrary to the song-title, this isn´t really new shit for Mr. Manson. (Why isn´t there any stuff by NIN anyway? Manson is the bastard-son of Trent Reznor, so the godfather of industrial should be on this soundtrack).
Anyway. As mentioned this is nothing new, but everyone who likes Manson should like this as well.
It starts with industrial drums and electronic sounds, rather slow, (Manson whispering) and leads toward the chorus, where the heavy guitars start to kick ass. (Manson screaming).
Personally I don´t like Manson that much, but I have to say that the song is ok.
3. Rob Zombie “Reload”
(Musically) No new shit again. For a couple of years Rob Zombie is doing the same sound all over again. The times, when White Zombie were kind of ground-breaking are over. “Reload” is an up-tempo mixture of guitars and electronics, Rob Zombie is screaming as usual.
Rather boring, Manson has at least a good chorus.
4. Rob Dougan “Furious angels”
This is most likely gonna be in the film and it rather fits on the second cd, which is the score one.
I have no idea how this landed on the first disc, probably the producers ran out of space on Disc 2.
It´s a mid-tempo track, that somehow makes me think of end-titles and especially the “Blade Runner” ones. A nice beat with strings leading the way. After the “M: Reloaded”-hellride (which is most likely expecting us in the cinemas) this sounds like the track, when you just lean back for a couple of minutes to watch the end-titles and just have to think a little about what you just saw. Calming down, but also knowing there is much more to come.)
5. Deftones “Lucky you”
Very, very slow one. Drums, some sci-fi-sounds and quite slow whispering vocals. Nothing for the charts here, but everyone who knows the deftones, won´t expect a hit-single anyway. “Lucky you” is like a depressing dream, but not without hope. No guitars at all BTW, but still pretty cool.
6. Team Sleep “The passportal”
Nice ambient, with quite a lot New Age à la Vangelis, but nothing special.
Can´t really say very much about this, cause it sounds like an interlude, you wouldn´t recognize as a song of its own.
7. P.O.D. “Sleeping away”
Don´t like ´em, never have, never will.
Nu Metal for little girls. Too perfect, too smooth, too boring. Guess every blockbuster needs a song for the charts, so you get some free promo by MTV.
All the kids, that grew up a bit and stopped listening to N*Sync now listen to POD.
Good that the (real) matrix we call our reality has a “skip”-button on the cd-players.
8. Ãœnloco “Bruises”
I don´t wanna sound to negative, but I have heard stuff like Ãœnloco already a gazillion times before (never actually heard of this band before).
Melodic slow part with screaming in the chorus. Boring.
9. Rage Against The Machine “Calm Like A bomb”
Old one from their “Battle of Los Angeles”-album. I don´t think that you have to describe the style of RATM. Anyone interested in modern music/rock should have at least one Rage-Album at home.
10. Oakenfold “Dread Rock”
Up-tempo mixture between goa and ambient music. This is stuff usually featured in videogames like wipEout, where you race with ships, which go something like 1000 mph and you almost feel your skin being pulled back by gravity. Fits good into the matrix.
11. Fluke “Zion”
The title of this track sounds pretty important in the ears of Matrix-fans.
The music is pretty similar to the Oakenfold-track. Fast one with pulsing rhythm, just the stuff you can enjoy in many European dance-music-clubs.
12. Dave Matthews Band “When The World Ends” (Oakenfold Remix)
I can´t really remember the original version, but this a really good one.
Imagine sitting in a room full of candles, the Four Horseman taking a ride outside and you just wait for it all to end. Yep, this is the soundtrack for the end of the world. It has electronic and piano sounds plus pretty intense vocals. Best cd-1-song by far.
CD 2.
Ok, now for the good part. CD Number 2 is the score. I find it rather hard describing scores when I haven´t seen the movie, but i´m sure Harry will do this as soon as he has an O.S.T. of his own, so in the meantime you´ll have to live with this.
1. Don Davis “Main Title”
Orchestral intro with rather hectic strings, interrupted only by some dramatic drum-bangs.
Can´t say very much about it, it´s rather a teaser.
2. Don Davis “Trinity Dream”
Starting slow with horns, joined by (again hectic) strings. Something very dramatic seems to happen here. It´s getting faster towards the end. This is like “Main Title” continued.
3. Juno Reactor feat. Gocoo “Teahouse”
Now we´re talking! Tribal drums and a didgeridoo performed by a Japanese band called“Gocoo”.
I had the chance to see a live-gig by this band/performers at the beginning of this year in Graz/Austria. Gocoo includes something like 20 japanese women drumming their fucking souls out of their body/mind (one or two men are also included). They´re furious on stage, really going insane, jumping, banging on their traditional japanese drums.
It´s like techno without electronics, kinda “The Future Sound of London, unplugged. “Teahouse” I too short for these great performers, but still a really cool song.
4. Rob Dougan “Chateau”
Image: Neo flying away from the castle (see trailer), I guess. Techno mixed with orchestral parts.
Up-tempo half of the time with strings, the other half of the title contains basic techno-beats.
5. Juno Reactor/Don Davis “Mona Lisa Overdrive”
William Gibson mentioned at last. My favourite track of the album.
Starts pretty slow with a dramatic groove. After a while the song changes completely and gets fast as hell. The ultra-fast beat sort of reminds of the Blade-“Blood Bath”-track. (Sure there are no vampires in Matrix: Reloaded?) Pure techno-adrenaline with some strings and horns. The strings turn into a “swarm of bees” later, but the heavy beat dominates here definitely.
Towards the end there is even a short “Carmina burana”-like part sung by a choir.
6. Juno Reactor vs. Don Davis “Burly Brawl”
There is definitely some fighting going on here, I can almost see Neo kicking some ass here. Similar to “Mona Lisa Overdrive”, again with a little singing.
Something very important is happening here for sure.
7. Don Davis " `Matrix Reloaded´ Suite"
Back to orchestral-only, no electronic music included here. Longest track on the cd, is a lot calmer than the titles before. Most of it is rather slow/quiet, some faster/loud parts break the silence from time to time, but my overall feeling is rather, that this is the time to chill out a bit.
So, that´s it.
Cheers from good "old" Europe,
Hardeyes
