An Epic Gothic Rock Soundtrack

By: Randall D. Larson
Date: Thursday, April 06, 2006

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDATION

Like many progressive metal and gothic rock bands, the Dutch group Epica has been strongly influenced by motion picture soundtracks. Their first two albums, The Phantom Agony (June, 2003), and Consign to Oblivion (April, 2005) are both strong gothic metal albums that are developed along cinematic sensibilities. Epica's founder Mark Jansen has admitted he is a huge fan of film music and, especially the work of Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman, whose scores have been an influence on his writing for the band. Incidental music is a big part of both progressive metal and gothic metal recordings, which often proceed cinematically to tell their fantastical stories. Epica's first single, Solitary Ground, had featured instrumental passages as the song developed along progressive measures; Consign to Oblivion, for example, tells the story of the Mayan Culture, from its cinematic opening prolog through the development of the songs and their progressive chordal, rhythmic, and operatic structures there is a strong parallel between the band's sound and that of contemporary film scores. Epica's sound is in the vein of female-fronted gothic/progressive metal bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation, Leaves' Eyes, and many others, featuring mezzo-soprano Simone Simons leading the band through an operatic, symphonically-proportioned array of melodic and strongly rendered

Prior to band's first album, Epica's founder Mark Jansen had the opportunity to compose the soundtrack to a 2005 Dutch psychological thriller called JOYRIDE, directed by Frank Herrebout. The score retains the Epica cinematic sound design. The score is "typically Epica," notes Jansen in the CD booklet. "Only without the singing, without the guitars, no bass, and no drums." The score effectively follows both the dramatic curve of the film's storyline about three girls who steal a car and head up for a model contest, until one of them decides to secure the others' friendship by involving them in the murder of an innocent passenger. The score effectively captures the increasingly weird ambiance and tension of the story as the girls become more involved in their deadly tryst.

Released last year on Transmission Records in The Netherlands and available from amazon as an import, The Score: An Epic Journey revisits the JOYRIDE score in a newly-recorded fashion in a hybrid CD/SACD release that accommodates a terrific sound. The film was actually scored in 2002 (predating both Epica albums), although the film was only released last year. While the album's cover design (depicting a fantastical mountain lair) is more befitting the epic concepts of the band's previous albums rather than the contemporary road-trip nature of Herrebout's movie. The idea, I suppose, is that the music can be just as effective in delineating the kind of fantastical world suggested by the "epicness" of the score as it was for the gritty reality of the road-trip-from-hell storyline. That is both in keeping with the concept of the band's music and the kind of music Jansen and his teammates hope to be known for.

The Score is not a rock album nor is it a collection of songs, it's a bonafide soundtrack, albeit rerecorded; a heavy synth score that works well as a symphonically-styled soundtrack while also capturing elements of the band's own sound. The influence of Zimmer and that of Danny Elfman is, of course, dominant but not undesirable. Using synth effects as well as sampled instruments and chorus enhanced by love strings, piano, acoustic guitar, and percussion, The Score achieves a notable post-modern Hollywood action score capability, with epic overtones. The score is full of epic bombast, persuasive rhythms, elegant melodies, and progressive thematic development. Built around a splendid orchestral-sounding melody which traverses the flawed characters to link their emotional connectivity. At the start, this theme is rich and flavorful, evocative of the blossoming friendship shared by the trio; but as the events of the journey take on a less happy circumstances, the melody will be arranged for harsher and darker renderings.

The band's lead vocalist, Simone Simon, appears in three songs, "Trois Vierges," "Solitary Ground," and "Quietus," songs that had appeared on Consign to Oblivion, here arranged for orchestral accompaniment (the latter includes the strong electric guitar riff and drumbeat it had previously). These songs, of course, post-dated JOYRIDE, and were rearranged and added to The Score in order to include Simone on the album. Hearing them outside of their gothic rock trappings in an orchestral setting gives them a whole new dynamic which is exceedingly interesting and impressive. Simon's vocal on "Solitary Ground" is just wonderful, backed by piano, strings, and her own echoed voicings. (There is also a very good instrumental variation on "Trois Vierges" for a chamber ensemble of strings and harpsichord.) A beautifully illustrated CD booklet, carrying through the visualizations of the CD's cover, includes detailed notes on the original JOYRIDE score and its revisitation on this album.

Producers of a Dutch TV series have asked to use music from The Score in their new series, so The Score may have a life outside the album (and the film JOYRIDE). We may well see Epica return to cinematic

See Epica's official web site at: www.epica.nl  

FILM MUSIC NEWS

Collectors Choice Music will re-release the long-out-of-print and long-sought-after John Williams soundtrack to THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, with new liner notes by Jeff Bond. The original CD, released by Warner Bros. in 1987, became one of the rarest Williams albums ever released (beaten by SPACECAMP and quickly followed by THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST). www.ccmusic.com  

Varese Sarabande Records will release Michael

(THE INCREDIBLES, LOST) Giacchino's score for M:i:III (that's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III for the abbreviated acronym impaired) on May 9th. Giacchino's score for LOST and ALIAS director J. J. Abrams' feature film directorial debut, is said to provide a thrilling, adrenaline rush of a score that may be among the year's biggest scores. The film opens nationwide on May 5th. The label recently released Christophe (BUFFY, ELEKTRA) Beck's vivacious score to the PINK PANTHER remake and Mark (CRASH) Isham's intense score for Wayne Kramer's RUNNING SCARED. Beck's score for the new Michael Douglas thriller THE SENTINEL will hit the streets on April 25th.

Veteran comedy director Ivan Reitman's new film, MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND, will get an original score by Teddy Castellucci. He joins the ranks of Elmer Bernstein, James Newton Howard, and Randy Edelman, to name of few of composers previously on Ivan Reitman's payroll. MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND stars Uma Thurman as a superhero who is using her superpowers to create a living hell for her ex boyfriend (Luke Wilson). The script is written by Don Payne, whose previous credits include writing and producing many episodes of THE SIMPSONS. MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND is scheduled to open on July 21. Teddy Castellucci, a comedy specialist who has films such as THE WEDDING SINGER, BID DADDY and 50 FIRST DATES on his filmography, is also composing the score for JUST MY LUCK, Donald Petrie's comedy starring Lindsay Lohan. via filmmusicradio.com

Alan Williams has privately released his latest score, SUITS ON THE LOOSE, Rodney Henson's rebellious teen comedy. The music is a wild ride featuring an eclectic country ensemble and not a few homages to Ennio Morricone as Williams plays up the Western flavors of this story about corporate youths breaking out from a desert survival camp. The score is zesty and lots of fun. www.alanwilliams.com

EuroArts has released an Ennio Morricone concert DVD in Region-0 NTSC. Featuring 16x9 widescreen and DTS 5.1 surround sound (also in Dolby 5.1 and PCM Stereo), Morricone Conducts Morricone was filmed at a 2004 concert of the composer's film music held in Munich, Germany. The repertoire includes material from ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, THE UNTOUCHABLES, 1900, THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY, A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, THE MISSION, and others.

Italy's Digitmovies has released Ennio Morricone's score for the 1969 "giallo" film, SENZA SAPERE NIENTE DI LEI, which will be first in a series of Morricone scores for Italian giallo movies culled from the C.A.M. archives. The film was directed by Luigi Comencini (IL GATTO/The cat) and starred Philip Leroy and Paola Pitagora only two

tracks were previously issued on compilation albums. The film tells the dark story of a young lawyer (Leroy) meets and falls in love with a strange girl with an unknown past (Pitagora), Ennio Morricone has written a monothematic score based on a waltz-like main theme that is reprised with variations. In the movie, this music background creates the right mood as contrast to the ambiguous atmosphere of the story. Digitmovies release will include all of the music that was recorded during the 1970 sessions. "The score is experimental but also has a subdued Lounge flavor with use of beat instrumentation like distorted guitars, organ, drums and choir," noted the label. "For this CD release we used all the material survived on the original recording sessions stereo tapes." www.digitmovies.com  

Later on, point your web browsers over at www.thebernardherrmannestate.com for a look at a new web site devoted to Bernard Herrmann. The new site seeks to promote the works of the venerated composer through commercial releases, concert performances, radio, cinema, television and into the 21st century via new digital media. It will also become a clearing house for links of notable Herrmann material posted elsewhere on the web.

If you're into the MGM musicals of yesterday you may be interested to know that, on April 25th, Rhino will release That's Entertainment! The Ultimate Anthology, a six-CD set which will contain nearly eight hours of music, much of it remastered, and will include a disc of "never-before-released outtakes and vault rarities."

Harry Gregson-Williams will receive BMI's 2006 Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the performing right organization's Film & Television Awards slated for Wednesday, May 17 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The black-tie, invitation-only dinner will also honor the composers of the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs. The award for Outstanding Career Achievement is named after past BMI Vice President Richard Kirk and is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to the field of film and television music. Past honorees include Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams. Golden Globe nominee Gregson-Williams has infused his unique musical talent into the scores of such diverse films as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE, MAN ON FIRE, BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON, SPY GAME, SHREK, SHREK 2, CHICKEN RUN, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, ANTZ and DOMINO. The British-born composer, who was named Composer of the Year at the 2005 Hollywood Film Festival, is currently working on the music to SHREK THE THIRD, DÉJÀ VU and the Narnia sequel, PRINCE CASPIAN.

José Nieto will finally be the composer for Milos Forman's GOYA'S GHOST," one of the most exciting and anticipated films of 2006, according to Spain's ScoreMagazine, which released the news. He replaces Alberto Iglesias, the original composer who was initially chosen to score the film. This ambitious production, starring Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman, is about the intense personality and madness of Master Spanish painter Francisco de Goya. Shot in Spain, in the beautiful cities of Madrid, Salamanca, Toledo and Cuenca, the film will be released at the end of 2006, along with other historical films like ALATRISTE (score by Roque Baños), TERESA, MUERTE Y VIDA (score by Mychael Nyman) and MIGUEL & WILLIAM (score by Trevor Jones). José Nieto is now working in some preliminary scenes, also composing incidental source music to be played live during the shootings. This is the third important international project for the Spanish film music master after CRUSADES and OF LOVE AND SHADOWS.

Former editor/publisher of CinemaScore magazine, Randall Larson was for many years senior editor for Soundtrack Magazine and a film music columnist for Cinefantastique magazine. He is the author of Musique Fantastique: A Survey of Film Music in the Fantastic Cinema (Scarecrow, 1984) and Music from the House of Hammer (Scarecrow, 1995). In addition to Soundtrax and Music News for Cinescape.com, Randall reviews soundtracks Music from the Movies, writes for Film Music Magazine, and in many other fields.

Recommended Soundtrack sources:
www.buysoundtrax.com  
www.intrada.com  
www.screenarchives.com  
www.footlight.com  
www.arksquare.com/index_main.html (Japan)
www.intermezzomedia.com/ (Italy)
www.moviegrooves.com  
www.moviemusic.com  

For questions or comments, contact the author at Soundtrax@cinescape.com