Review Summary: "Sputnik! Prepare for glory!"
(Quick note: the other album page should be deleted.)
One of the biggest films of 2007,
300 seems to one of those movies you either love or hate. Those who don’t like it or hate it point to its simple plot, at times bad and cliche script, as well glaring historical inaccuracies about the ancient Battle of Thermopylae. (Even though it’s based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, who knows and admits his story is different. Watch the DVD special features and you’ll see he knows quite a bit about the actual Spartans)
But those who like it point to its awe-inspiring visuals, epic battle scenes and memorable lines like
”Tonight we dine in hell!”. Pete Hammond of
Maxim called it “A spectacular visual feast as inventive and groundbreaking as the first
Matrix”.
Being in the latter camp, I was not only impressed by the movie’s large scope and overall epic feel, but the soundtrack as well. I walked out of the theater not only blown away by the movie, but also by the inclusion of guitars in a movie soundtrack, and being a film score “buff” already I decided I needed to hear this.
Opening track
To Victory does not actually appear until the
end of the movie. It starts the album well, and mish-mashes a bit of nearly everything you’re gonna hear from here forward: an operatic male choir, beautiful female vocals, electric guitars, pounding drums, string arrangements and also a Middle Eastern sounding string instrument (that I obviously don’t know the name of). Overall the track has quite a driving, rhythmic feel and is an excellent opener as mentioned.
The Agoge begins where the actual opening credits start, and is not as good as the previous track. That’s not to say that it’s not good, but like (at least) 5 tracks, it’s overshadowed by the standout tracks. The track is mainly slow and a bit haunting, helping the film’s opening montage of Spartan warrior society. This track and
The Wolf are by no means bad, but they don’t stand out being sandwiched between two of the better tracks.
Returns a King consists mainly of an epic male choir, as the movie portrays the main character’s triumphant return from his rite of passage. The operatic vocals make sharp, brief appearances before smoothing out, and then just as strong orchestral and percussion backing joins them. The track finishes that way, and is
the main thing that makes the entrance of the Persian messenger(s) so dramatic. (Messengers whose fates should be known to anyone who saw the trailer)
Submission is again not a standout track on here, but it does mark the first appearance of hauntingly beautiful female vocals from Azam Ali. Her voice will only aid some of the best tracks to appear later.
The next highlight comes in the form of
Goodbye My Love, which uses Ali’s vocals and an orchestra to do exactly what any film score should do: emphasize the onscreen emotion of the king seeing his wife for the last time. It's a quite slow, sad sounding piece, and Bates outdoes himself with
Message for the Queen, which is similar but even better.
The battle-backing quartet of
Come and Get Them,
No Mercy,
Immortals Battle, and
Fever Dream are all excellent. The last one is the best, consisting mainly of driving distorted guitars over laden with a wah lead. It’s something you don’t hear in the average soundtrack, and subsequently is a simple but amazing highlight.
Everything in the rest of the album continues on sounding similar to one or more of the aforementioned tracks. For the most part, it's like your typical soundtrack, but better and more unconventional. One could easily elaborate on it, but you know that this review is probably long enough already. It ends on a high note:
Remember Us starts out slow, and its stirring strings slowly crescendo into a final blast from the brass. As with the album, it adds perfectly the strong ending monologue from actor David Wenham.(An ending I still get an emotional rise from, no matter how much I watch it. Yes, I'm a nerd). It should have other people feeling the same nerdy excitement I get at the end of the movie.
300 features a soundtrack that is everything it should be. Epic. Beautiful. Stirring. Emotional. It blends traditional elements with non-traditional guitars and electronic effects to make an album as well done as the movie.
Standout tracks:
To Victory
Returns a King
The Hot Gates
Come and Get Them
Fever Dream
Xerxes' Final Offer
Message For the Queen
Remember Us
