CD REVIEW - Blood+


Blood+
Music by Mark Mancina
Aniplex SVWC 7345 (Japan)
15 Tracks 46:38 mins

If you have a liking for what we know as the "Media Ventures sound," you'll love Mark Mancina's score for this Japanese anime.
I know little about the project, with the album's accompanying booklet being mostly in Japanese, save for a note by the composer, which reveals how he came on board and the part Hans Zimmer, who also produced the music, had to play in it.
There's no doubt Mancina relished the project, coming up with a thoroughly enjoyable score, making this one of the most consistently entertaining discs I've listened to in a while.
Right from the get-go and the propulsive, then triumphant "Saya's Victory," there's music of great power and excitement, as one conflict follows another, but there are also lighter moments like the airy "Saya's Daily Life" and the beautiful music to be found in "Saya's Destiny" and "Saya's Courage." The piano-lead "Saya's Love" is absolutely gorgeous, and after the "Grand Theme" has brought proceedings to a proud and triumphant end, a surprising operatic aria for soprano, concludes the disc in dramatic style.
A fine score then, and I'm delighted to say that a second album is on the way - I can't wait!