Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

Óscar Araujo

 
" Video Game fans rejoice again: Oscar Araujo is back with a vengeance! "

Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release

Though released in 2013, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow dates from 2010. In that year, Oscar Araujo amazed the populas with an epic Lord of the Rings like soundtrack, delivering quality music which proved once again the talent of game composers. And when it was announced that Araujo would return for the sequel, it only confirmed what that talent really meant. Using the world's largest orchestra ever used in a video game production, recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios and having the freedom to continue on the epic way by which he took us all by surprise.

In between (2013), Araujo released Castlevania: Mirrors of Fate which was only an appetizer for us fans, considering the capabilities of that game weren't that big. The console couldn't support such a large sound and Araujo was forced to sample his massive orchestrations to much more limited heights. Luckily that limitation doesn't exist anymore in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, delivering once again an opportunity for Araujo to flex his muscles, turn up the volume, exercise the orchestra and let loose the power that is Castlevania.

We open the festivities with probably another ode to Hans Zimmer's sound in "The Throne Room", as it is pretty clear that Inception starts ringing some bells when you hear several fanfares from that score returning. And in "Brotherhood Assault", it is also pretty noticeable that electronics are enhancing the show more than one might like. But what's definitely noticeable is that the choir is not so overtly used as in Castlevania. Luckily this means that when it does come out to play, the impact is so much larger and thereby more impressive. There's much more detail now to the massive orchestra's sound and Araujo's intentions, leaving it to the choir to erupt now better than ever.

Which means, everything feels much more organized now. I sense there's a better balance between power and subtlety, orchestra and choir, wonder and awe. The first moment of choral accompaniment arrives in the wonder of "Dying for a Drop of Blood", while the first eruption of those amazing trumpets happens to be in "The Toy Maker", a track that literally goes beyond epic'ness the moment Araujo infuses the trailer music of Two Steps from Hell in it (Freedom Fighters). Without a doubt the most awesome track of the album, though it's actually a rip from another known trailer piece. Nonetheless, the brilliance lies in the fact Araujo faintly uses the main theme of Castlevania in it, barely audible but definitely alive through the tone and choir.

And that means that the tone has been set, and Castlevania 2 displays its talents much more diverse now. The relaxing solitary beauty of the violin in "Descent to the Castle Dungeons" in contrast with the occasional orchestral eruptions of sheer wonder (reminding me of Howard Shore's "A Journey in the Dark" of The Fellowship of the Ring is one example, the epic power of "The Siege Titan" which again features some of those amazing trumpet moments another, while the lonely "Dracula's Theme" on piano, the battle between choir and orchestra in the thundering "Hunter and Prey", the return of Dracula's theme in "Carmilla" and the soothing emotion of "City in Flames" deliver just so many moments for you to marvel at.

But naturally all this has to lead to somewhere. And that means Castlevania FINALE time. Yes, as can be expected, Araujo might have given us some pretty spectacular moments by now, but there are still several that are dying to explode right in front of you. The frantic string writing over the choral eruptions make "Carmilla's Fight" goddamn nerve wrecking, followed by the equally chaotic string work in "Satan", a track that unleashes a powerful Dracula theme statement. But THE moment arrives at the end of that cue, when Araujo's battle music of Castlevania's "Final Confrontation" returns for a second round, re creating the same amazing feeling that made our mouths fall open in 2010. The final track delivers us a beautiful resolution in "Carmilla's Spell".

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 has the equally astounding music of the first game, but now in a much tighter presentation. The album divides the strengths much stronger now, making it possible for epic moments to feel even more colossal than they might actually be. The absence of the main theme, the sparse use of choir and the thundering performance of the trumpets and strings only heighten the feeling more that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is better than the original one. Better in presentation at least. But I admit that I also like the diversity between the action tracks more, and the fact Araujo uses now action motifs to heighten the experience. All in all, same quality writing as Castlevania, just better diverse presentation. But altogether it's another knockout score, just like its big older brother.

And I would like to address the following: to all the composers who have aspiration to write filmmusic with a big capital letter F. Just try to score a video game once and a while,because it doesn't appear to be such a bad place to be in ;-)

Favorite Moment - The Toy Maker (3.39 - 5.09)
I love the entire development that leads to the epic conclusion (trailer music temp track notwithstanding)

Track Listing

1. The Throne Room (4.31)
2. Brotherhood Assault (2.48)
3. Dying for a Drop of Blood (3.47)
4. The Toy Maker (5.15) Excellent track
5. The Paladin of God (1.09)
6. Descent to the Castle Dungeons (3.52) Excellent track
7. The Siege Titan (5.15) Excellent track
8. Dracula's Theme (1.59)
9. Hunter and Prey (5.28) Excellent track
10. Gods Chosen (2.25)
11. Carmilla (2.06)
12. The Power of Void (1.01)
13. City in Flames (3.01)
14. Castlevania (3.23)
15. Carmilla's Fight (5.09) Excellent track
16. A Man of God (1.51)
17. Chaotic Battle (4.30)
18. Satan (6.02) Excellent track
19. Carmilla's Spell (4.48) Excellent track

Total Length: 68.27
(click to rate this score)  
 
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(total of 2 votes - average 4.25/5)

Released by

Sumthing Else SE-3058-2 (regular release 2014)

Orchestrations by

Ferran Cruixent