CD REVIEW - THE HORDE


The Horde
Music by Christopher Lennertz
MovieScore Media MMS10016
24 Tracks 58:47 mins

The new zombie movie in town is different in that it is a French production. The score however is provided by an American, the dependable Christopher Lennertz (with additional music and co-production by Philip White). Used more to working with orchestra of late, Lennertz here resorts largely to synths and samples, but the sampling is of such quality as to sound pretty orchestral at times, with ethnic elements like duduk, zorna and Tuvan throat singing, as well as more conventional sounds and a good deal of percussion.
The album gets underway in largely menacing fashion with "Prologue," but a solitary airy female voice soon enters and wafts over the raminder of the track. The first action of the score follows in the electric guitars-propelled "The Beating," but is not sustained.
There is more action however, often savage, with eerie, sinewy strings, wailing electric guitars, choir, brass and driving percussion, in tracks like "First Attack and Escape," "Jo's Fight," "Headbanging," "C'est Finis," and "Mouthful of Grenade; as well as a good deal of mystery and suspense in cues like "Inside the Apartment," "Held Hostage," "Sound Behind the Doors," "In the Darkness," "Meeting Rene," and "Bola Rebels;" whilst "Rooftop Realization" offers choral weightiness;" "Badass Alliance," a cool groove; and "Guns," a subdued martial feel.
There are precious few moments of sentiment, but "The Mirror" offers a little, with delicate piano featured, as does "Oessem and Aurore," before turning ominous; and there's a mournful moment, with duduk, at the start of "Mutiny;" the sound also featuring, along with choir at the fateful climax of the initially heroic "Facing the Horde."
Got to www.moviescoremedia.com/horde.html for samples, a trailer, and for details as to how to order your copy of the soundtrack on CD, or as a digital download.