CD REVIEW - MediEvil: Resurrection +news from Top Dollar PR
MediEvil: Resurrection
Music by Bob & Barn
Sumthing Else Music SE-2023-2 (U.S.)
15 Tracks 57:23 mins
This is not only the soundtrack to the third in the popular MediEvil game series, but also features new arrangements of material from the previous entries, all performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic and Chorus, under the baton of Nic Raine.
Bob & Barn (alias Paul Arnold & Andrew Barnabas) first came to my attention with their score for 2003's Primal, released on CD by Silva Screen Records, and if that was a promising soundtrack, then this music fulfils that promise in spades.
The album commences with "Welcome to Gallowmere, " in which an a capella choral leads into the meandering, fairytale-like main theme. "The Spell" follows, initially with big and menacing choir, before turning mysterious. "Home of the Dead" moves along with a powerful choral, before the menacing action of "A Fiery Confrontation." The first of two darkly comical marches, which Danny Elfman would be proud of, features in "Comedy Corpses," leading to a splendid grand waltz for orchestra and choir in "Gallowmere Waltz." "Hall of Heroes" is one of the shorter tracks on the album, but is suitably noble, with awe-filled choir. Another waltz, this time of a darker nature features in "Village of Madness," whilst "Hilltop Mausoleum" presents a dark and powerful procession for orchestra, choir and organ. "Scurvy Docks" bounces along nicely, with quotes of "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?" "George the Pumpkin" is a busy mover that becomes more forceful when the choir enters. "Wheat Demons" features the second dark comic march, which leads into some powerful orchestral/choral action. This is followed by "Zarok's Lair," a splendidly menacing march for orchestra and choir, and then "A Hero Returns," which starts out as a low-key waltz, turns menacing with choir, then transforms into music of ethereal beauty, with an affecting violin solo, which then positively soars. The "End Titles" reprises the main theme and variations, which again soar impressively at times.
The accompanying booklet features colour stills from the recording sessions, together with notes by the composers, as well as MediEvil's producer and creator.
If you enjoy big orchestral/choral scores, this is one you will not want to miss. It is simply one of the best soundtrack albums I have heard in a long time and again demonstrates how game scores are becoming the equal, and in fact better in a good many cases, of many a film or TV score.
MEDIA RELEASE FROM TOP DOLLAR PR
AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER AND VOCALIST WINIFRED PHILLIPS
SCORES The Da Vinci CodeT VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK
Winifred Phillips' original music and lyrics immerse players in the official video game based on the upcoming film The Da Vinci CodeT.
New York - May 15th, 2006 - Winifred Phillips, a multiple award winning composer for video games, radio, television and film, has created the theatrical score for The Da Vinci CodeT video game, developed by The Collective for 2K Games. The video game is based on the highly-anticipated The Da Vinci Code film by OscarT winning director Ron Howard, which is based on Dan Brown's critically acclaimed, best-selling novel. The video game(s) are timed to coincide with the film's worldwide release date of May 19th.
Selected by the development team at Collective Studios for her imaginative and innovative approach to choral composition, Winifred was given extensive creative control to produce an original sound for the game inspired by Dan Brown's novel. Embracing the developer's ambition, Winifred wrote more than one hundred tracks of dramatic and ethereal music for The Da Vinci CodeT video game that combines classical and liturgical techniques with an aggressive contemporary edge and all the orchestral power of a modern-day thriller. Phillips is a classically trained vocalist as well as a composer, so for the score she personally sang all the voices of a full symphonic chorus including sopranos, altos, tenors and basses.
Cordy Rierson, producer of The Da Vinci CodeT game at Collective Studios, said, "When we heard Winifred's music, we knew she was the one to bring the video game alive with inspiring and innovative sound. Her music and vocals provided vision and helped shape what is going to be a true one of a kind gaming experience."
J.P. Walton, audio director for the video game at Collective Studios, added, "Winifred's score is the perfect accompaniment to the game. Her melodic themes and haunting choral arrangements provide a wonderful backdrop to The Da Vinci CodeT. Once you hear it you won't believe that she alone performed every part!"
As an accomplished game composer, Winifred's music has won the 2005 Interactive Achievement Award from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences for "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition," and four Game Audio Network Guild Awards in 2005, including the prestigious "Music of the Year" Award. Winifred is also the composer of award-winning musical scores for more than 100 music drama programs in the "Radio Tales" series, originally aired on National Public Radio and currently broadcast weekly to the more than six million subscribers of XM Satellite Radio. For this series, Winifred wrote music for such radio programs as "War of the Worlds," "Arabian Nights," "The Time Machine," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Gulliver's Travels," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Winifred has received four Gracie Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television. She is also a New York Festivals World Medallist, and has been honoUred by the NFCB Golden Reel Awards and the Audio Publishers Association Awards. For more information please visit www.winifredphillips.com.
Doubleday has completed its 104th printing of the Dan Brown novel, which will bring the total number of hardcover copies in print in North America to an unprecedented 12 million. It is the record-setting adult fiction hardcover bestseller, with 161 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, 55 of them at #1. In addition, 5 million paperback copies for North America were printed and released in the U.S. market March 28th. The novel currently has 57 million copies in print worldwide in all formats.
For more information about The Da Vinci CodeT video game please visit: http://www.2Kgames.com.
About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.
Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
About The Collective
Part of Foundation 9 Entertainment (www.F9E.com), the largest independent game developer in North America, The Collective is a leading developer of console video games, and known for groundbreaking third-person action adventure games. The Collective is based in Newport Beach, CA and can be found on the web at: www.collectivestudios.com.
The Collective, along with Backbone Entertainment, Pipeworks, ImaginEngine, and Digital Eclipse make up Foundation 9 Entertainment. The company's studios have developed more than 250 titles, including more than 50 in 2004 alone. Foundation 9 Entertainment employs more than 325 employees, and has offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Emeryville, Vancouver, Boston, Eugene, and Honolulu. For more information on Foundation 9 Entertainment, please visit: www.F9E.com.
MediEvil: Resurrection
Music by Bob & Barn
Sumthing Else Music SE-2023-2 (U.S.)
15 Tracks 57:23 mins
This is not only the soundtrack to the third in the popular MediEvil game series, but also features new arrangements of material from the previous entries, all performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic and Chorus, under the baton of Nic Raine.
Bob & Barn (alias Paul Arnold & Andrew Barnabas) first came to my attention with their score for 2003's Primal, released on CD by Silva Screen Records, and if that was a promising soundtrack, then this music fulfils that promise in spades.
The album commences with "Welcome to Gallowmere, " in which an a capella choral leads into the meandering, fairytale-like main theme. "The Spell" follows, initially with big and menacing choir, before turning mysterious. "Home of the Dead" moves along with a powerful choral, before the menacing action of "A Fiery Confrontation." The first of two darkly comical marches, which Danny Elfman would be proud of, features in "Comedy Corpses," leading to a splendid grand waltz for orchestra and choir in "Gallowmere Waltz." "Hall of Heroes" is one of the shorter tracks on the album, but is suitably noble, with awe-filled choir. Another waltz, this time of a darker nature features in "Village of Madness," whilst "Hilltop Mausoleum" presents a dark and powerful procession for orchestra, choir and organ. "Scurvy Docks" bounces along nicely, with quotes of "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?" "George the Pumpkin" is a busy mover that becomes more forceful when the choir enters. "Wheat Demons" features the second dark comic march, which leads into some powerful orchestral/choral action. This is followed by "Zarok's Lair," a splendidly menacing march for orchestra and choir, and then "A Hero Returns," which starts out as a low-key waltz, turns menacing with choir, then transforms into music of ethereal beauty, with an affecting violin solo, which then positively soars. The "End Titles" reprises the main theme and variations, which again soar impressively at times.
The accompanying booklet features colour stills from the recording sessions, together with notes by the composers, as well as MediEvil's producer and creator.
If you enjoy big orchestral/choral scores, this is one you will not want to miss. It is simply one of the best soundtrack albums I have heard in a long time and again demonstrates how game scores are becoming the equal, and in fact better in a good many cases, of many a film or TV score.
MEDIA RELEASE FROM TOP DOLLAR PR
AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER AND VOCALIST WINIFRED PHILLIPS
SCORES The Da Vinci CodeT VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK
Winifred Phillips' original music and lyrics immerse players in the official video game based on the upcoming film The Da Vinci CodeT.
New York - May 15th, 2006 - Winifred Phillips, a multiple award winning composer for video games, radio, television and film, has created the theatrical score for The Da Vinci CodeT video game, developed by The Collective for 2K Games. The video game is based on the highly-anticipated The Da Vinci Code film by OscarT winning director Ron Howard, which is based on Dan Brown's critically acclaimed, best-selling novel. The video game(s) are timed to coincide with the film's worldwide release date of May 19th.
Selected by the development team at Collective Studios for her imaginative and innovative approach to choral composition, Winifred was given extensive creative control to produce an original sound for the game inspired by Dan Brown's novel. Embracing the developer's ambition, Winifred wrote more than one hundred tracks of dramatic and ethereal music for The Da Vinci CodeT video game that combines classical and liturgical techniques with an aggressive contemporary edge and all the orchestral power of a modern-day thriller. Phillips is a classically trained vocalist as well as a composer, so for the score she personally sang all the voices of a full symphonic chorus including sopranos, altos, tenors and basses.
Cordy Rierson, producer of The Da Vinci CodeT game at Collective Studios, said, "When we heard Winifred's music, we knew she was the one to bring the video game alive with inspiring and innovative sound. Her music and vocals provided vision and helped shape what is going to be a true one of a kind gaming experience."
J.P. Walton, audio director for the video game at Collective Studios, added, "Winifred's score is the perfect accompaniment to the game. Her melodic themes and haunting choral arrangements provide a wonderful backdrop to The Da Vinci CodeT. Once you hear it you won't believe that she alone performed every part!"
As an accomplished game composer, Winifred's music has won the 2005 Interactive Achievement Award from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences for "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition," and four Game Audio Network Guild Awards in 2005, including the prestigious "Music of the Year" Award. Winifred is also the composer of award-winning musical scores for more than 100 music drama programs in the "Radio Tales" series, originally aired on National Public Radio and currently broadcast weekly to the more than six million subscribers of XM Satellite Radio. For this series, Winifred wrote music for such radio programs as "War of the Worlds," "Arabian Nights," "The Time Machine," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Gulliver's Travels," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Winifred has received four Gracie Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television. She is also a New York Festivals World Medallist, and has been honoUred by the NFCB Golden Reel Awards and the Audio Publishers Association Awards. For more information please visit www.winifredphillips.com.
Doubleday has completed its 104th printing of the Dan Brown novel, which will bring the total number of hardcover copies in print in North America to an unprecedented 12 million. It is the record-setting adult fiction hardcover bestseller, with 161 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, 55 of them at #1. In addition, 5 million paperback copies for North America were printed and released in the U.S. market March 28th. The novel currently has 57 million copies in print worldwide in all formats.
For more information about The Da Vinci CodeT video game please visit: http://www.2Kgames.com.
About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.
Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
About The Collective
Part of Foundation 9 Entertainment (www.F9E.com), the largest independent game developer in North America, The Collective is a leading developer of console video games, and known for groundbreaking third-person action adventure games. The Collective is based in Newport Beach, CA and can be found on the web at: www.collectivestudios.com.
The Collective, along with Backbone Entertainment, Pipeworks, ImaginEngine, and Digital Eclipse make up Foundation 9 Entertainment. The company's studios have developed more than 250 titles, including more than 50 in 2004 alone. Foundation 9 Entertainment employs more than 325 employees, and has offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Emeryville, Vancouver, Boston, Eugene, and Honolulu. For more information on Foundation 9 Entertainment, please visit: www.F9E.com.
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