Legion
John Frizzell
" The trailer music was better! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
I was rather looking forward to Legion, projectwise. Angels and demons always make up for an entertaining concept, and an orchestral composer can always cook something up when it concerns a battle between good and evil. Of course not everything plays out the way you want it and so for now the movie looks like Legion is mediocre at best. Fortunately the composer of choice, John Frizzell, was attached. But then you read that he used no trumpets whatsoever! My response was HUH?
For an epic action film like this, I'm sure trumpets are the first instrument you include when assembling an orchestra, but not Frizzell apparently. His answer to this is: "Wrapped all around these dark and often low-pitched orchestral sounds, I strove for a web of synthetic sounds that would evoke the supernatural, the divine, and the horrific". Well, if that sounds interesting enough, I guess this album is for you.
And so Legion begins more or less the way you expected it, with a sombre opening. Also in "Michael Descends", Frizzell delivers brief choral accents, considering the supernatural weight of the story this is understandable. The same is heard in "They're Here" and "Open the Door". Sadly the choral moments are rather small in scope, especially compared to his score for The Reaping.
The main tone of Legion is fairly dark, threatening, rhythmic and it consists of a fair share of electronic moments, creating a rather 'frozen' sound. Better for sure, but it doesn't conjure a lot of musical highlights. In fact, most of it is either moody ("This is not a Test") or downright attacking ("Clouds don't Buzz"). The track that comes closest to anyone's expectations is "The Battle", but again don't expect the world of it.
THE moment of the trailer is when the ice Cream Man shows the audience what a big mouth he truly has. It isn't surprising those musical tracks ("The Ice Cream Man" and "Attack of the Possessed") receive some of the creepiest music of all.
Luckily there are moments where the emotional quality is at its best, and this truly delivers the album a humane feeling, best heard in "Old and Pissed Off" or the very lovely "I Didn't Even Want This Baby". This is repeated again in the two versions of "You are the True Protector".
In fact, for a thriller/action film, the music shines when we hear the dramatic musical moments of Frizzell. Tracks like "I Didn't Even Want This Baby" make up for the effective yet uninteresting action style of Legion. Regarding the themes, I don't think I remembered one (or it has to be the sole returning emotional theme that becomes the only saving grace of the album). Take it from me, Legion delivers you an effective and fitting sound design, but when it concerns musical highlights or even epic grandeur, stick with the trailer music that more effectively spelled out "epic good vs evil" music.
1. When I Was a little Girl (1.33)
2. Michael Descends (2.45)
3. It's Started (2.36)
4. Old and Pissed Off (2.39)
5. This is Not a Test (1.40)
6. Clouds don't Buzz (1.18)
7. The Aftermath (0.57)
8. Now What? (1.44)
9. They're Here (1.54)
10. The Ice Cream Man (1.59)
11. Attack of the Possessed (0.42)
12. We Got 'Em Running (1.02)
13. God's Plan (3.48)
14. Percy's Story (1.28)
15. Dark World (1.51)
16. Bob Blames Himself (1.08)
17. I Didn't Even Want This Baby (2.12)
18. Open the Door (2.42)
19. Are we Safe Now? (2.57)
20. A Rebellious Son (2.14)
21. The Battle (2.21)
22. Die Like One of Them (1.43)
23. That is Why you Failed Him (3.05)
24. You are the True Protector (2.12)
25. You are the True Protector (Alternate Version) (2.12)
Total Length: 51.39
For an epic action film like this, I'm sure trumpets are the first instrument you include when assembling an orchestra, but not Frizzell apparently. His answer to this is: "Wrapped all around these dark and often low-pitched orchestral sounds, I strove for a web of synthetic sounds that would evoke the supernatural, the divine, and the horrific". Well, if that sounds interesting enough, I guess this album is for you.
And so Legion begins more or less the way you expected it, with a sombre opening. Also in "Michael Descends", Frizzell delivers brief choral accents, considering the supernatural weight of the story this is understandable. The same is heard in "They're Here" and "Open the Door". Sadly the choral moments are rather small in scope, especially compared to his score for The Reaping.
The main tone of Legion is fairly dark, threatening, rhythmic and it consists of a fair share of electronic moments, creating a rather 'frozen' sound. Better for sure, but it doesn't conjure a lot of musical highlights. In fact, most of it is either moody ("This is not a Test") or downright attacking ("Clouds don't Buzz"). The track that comes closest to anyone's expectations is "The Battle", but again don't expect the world of it.
THE moment of the trailer is when the ice Cream Man shows the audience what a big mouth he truly has. It isn't surprising those musical tracks ("The Ice Cream Man" and "Attack of the Possessed") receive some of the creepiest music of all.
Luckily there are moments where the emotional quality is at its best, and this truly delivers the album a humane feeling, best heard in "Old and Pissed Off" or the very lovely "I Didn't Even Want This Baby". This is repeated again in the two versions of "You are the True Protector".
In fact, for a thriller/action film, the music shines when we hear the dramatic musical moments of Frizzell. Tracks like "I Didn't Even Want This Baby" make up for the effective yet uninteresting action style of Legion. Regarding the themes, I don't think I remembered one (or it has to be the sole returning emotional theme that becomes the only saving grace of the album). Take it from me, Legion delivers you an effective and fitting sound design, but when it concerns musical highlights or even epic grandeur, stick with the trailer music that more effectively spelled out "epic good vs evil" music.
1. When I Was a little Girl (1.33)
2. Michael Descends (2.45)
3. It's Started (2.36)
4. Old and Pissed Off (2.39)
5. This is Not a Test (1.40)
6. Clouds don't Buzz (1.18)
7. The Aftermath (0.57)
8. Now What? (1.44)
9. They're Here (1.54)
10. The Ice Cream Man (1.59)
11. Attack of the Possessed (0.42)
12. We Got 'Em Running (1.02)
13. God's Plan (3.48)
14. Percy's Story (1.28)
15. Dark World (1.51)
16. Bob Blames Himself (1.08)
17. I Didn't Even Want This Baby (2.12)
18. Open the Door (2.42)
19. Are we Safe Now? (2.57)
20. A Rebellious Son (2.14)
21. The Battle (2.21)
22. Die Like One of Them (1.43)
23. That is Why you Failed Him (3.05)
24. You are the True Protector (2.12)
25. You are the True Protector (Alternate Version) (2.12)
Total Length: 51.39