Canadian composer Howard Shore has enjoyed a long and successful career in music, seemingly snagging awards and accolades left and right. Long before the mega-success of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and aside from his stint as music director on Saturday Night Live, Shore was scoring less Oscar-friendly stuff. He got his start in film music working with body horror master, director David Cronenberg. They formed a working relationship that has lasted since the late 1970s, with Shore scoring all but one of Cronenberg's films. Nearly all of these films have explored the fear of corruption of the flesh, and Shore has consistently composed some of the most eerie music to match the nightmares on screen.
The music on this disc comes from the films Scanners (1981), The Brood (1979), and Dead Ringers (1988). It is clear at the start of the album that Shore has the horror genre in his blood. The Scanners main title is classic, and is followed up by nine tracks chock full of spooky electronic effects and jarring, nasty string sections. I am starting to wonder when Hollywood is going to try to make a quick buck with a crappy remake of this movie. The suite from The Brood is performed entirely by strings, imparting paranoia, dread, and everything in between. When the Dead Ringers tracks begin midway through the album, there is a noticeable shift. You can hear that he has matured a lot as a composer, relying on subtler devices to haunt you. I highly recommend this out-of-print album, that often goes for collector's prices, to all fans of Shore and Cronenberg.
There is a link for an unrelated bonus album in the comments for this post.
The music on this disc comes from the films Scanners (1981), The Brood (1979), and Dead Ringers (1988). It is clear at the start of the album that Shore has the horror genre in his blood. The Scanners main title is classic, and is followed up by nine tracks chock full of spooky electronic effects and jarring, nasty string sections. I am starting to wonder when Hollywood is going to try to make a quick buck with a crappy remake of this movie. The suite from The Brood is performed entirely by strings, imparting paranoia, dread, and everything in between. When the Dead Ringers tracks begin midway through the album, there is a noticeable shift. You can hear that he has matured a lot as a composer, relying on subtler devices to haunt you. I highly recommend this out-of-print album, that often goes for collector's prices, to all fans of Shore and Cronenberg.
Year of Release: 1992
Label: Silva Screen
Catalog Number: FILMCD 115
Genres: Soundtrack/Score, Horror, Early Electronic
Format: 320kbps MP3 or FLAC
Label: Silva Screen
Catalog Number: FILMCD 115
Genres: Soundtrack/Score, Horror, Early Electronic
Format: 320kbps MP3 or FLAC
Tracklist:
Scanners
1. Main Title 1:35
2. Vale Captured 4:07
3. Ephemerol 1:18
4. The Ripe Program 2:49
5. The Injection 2:48
6. Dirge For The Assassins 2:35
7. Vale's Lonely Walk 1:01
8. The Dart 1:32
9. Scanner Duel 5:47
The Brood
10. The Shape of Rage
A Suite For 21 Strings 12:16
Dead Ringers
11. Main Title 2:14
12. Bondage 2:41
13. Twins 1:00
14. Growing Awareness 0:58
15. Dependence 2:10
16. Helpless 0:47
17. The Operating Room 1:48
18. In Delirium 2:39
19. Birthday Party 4:20
20. Suicide 5:27
21. Finale 3:16
Scanners
1. Main Title 1:35
2. Vale Captured 4:07
3. Ephemerol 1:18
4. The Ripe Program 2:49
5. The Injection 2:48
6. Dirge For The Assassins 2:35
7. Vale's Lonely Walk 1:01
8. The Dart 1:32
9. Scanner Duel 5:47
The Brood
10. The Shape of Rage
A Suite For 21 Strings 12:16
Dead Ringers
11. Main Title 2:14
12. Bondage 2:41
13. Twins 1:00
14. Growing Awareness 0:58
15. Dependence 2:10
16. Helpless 0:47
17. The Operating Room 1:48
18. In Delirium 2:39
19. Birthday Party 4:20
20. Suicide 5:27
21. Finale 3:16
Download: MP3 - Howard Shore - Dead Ringers: Symphonic Suites From The Films of David Cronenberg
FLAC - Howard Shore - Dead Ringers: Symphonic Suites From The Films of David Cronenberg
Download Size: MP3=144MB, FLAC=318MB
FLAC - Howard Shore - Dead Ringers: Symphonic Suites From The Films of David Cronenberg
Download Size: MP3=144MB, FLAC=318MB
There is a link for an unrelated bonus album in the comments for this post.
Excellent share. I love Howard Shore's music, and I haven't had the opportunity to listen to "Dead Ringers" I thought I had the soundtracks to both "Scanners" and "The Brood", but it turns out I only have Scanners. I know it contains 27 tracks. It has been a long time since I've listened to it though, but perhaps I will share it soon if the music is fitting.
ReplyDeleteJust in case someone misses that one:
ReplyDeletehttp://retro-teque.blogspot.com/2010/03/rt-102-rabid-1976-library-cues.html
I've heard that there is a 27 track version of Scanners. It is either a promo or laserdisc isolated score, I have no idea which. I'm sure its excellent though. I think you will enjoy Dead Ringers. It walks a fine line between lovely and creepy. Howard Shore is a bad-ass.
ReplyDeleteBONUS ALBUM: Dark Adventure Radio Theatre - H.P. Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness
ReplyDeleteFormat: MP3
Bitrate 320kbps
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0YIMMWBV
@Korla: Thank you very much for that link. I'm downloading the album now. There are a ton of nice library compilations there also, so it was a most welcome surprise.
ReplyDelete@Strange Ranger: Howard Shore is bad-ass indeed. I would have to say "Videodrome" is my personal favorite Shore soundtrack. I was thinking that the Scanners soundtrack with 27 tracks that I have might be a bootleg, but you may be correct about it being a promo. I'll see if I can dig up some more info on it. I actually have all of the radio plays released by Dark Adventure Radio Theatre if you might be interested. It took me forever to track them all down.
@ Zer0_II: I love the score for Videodrome. The movie is wicked cool, too.
ReplyDeleteI managed to snag all of the Dark Adventure Radio Theatre albums as well. If only I could find the time to listen to them!
One more exam to go... gonna make it... gonna make it.
Please post the flac! Thanks so much for this rarity!!!!
ReplyDelete@Adam: I'll get on that as soon as I can. Expect it sometime this week. Cheers!
ReplyDelete