Writer/director Neil Marshall is proving to be an interesting voice in cinema, with his impressive debut Dog Soldiers, his supremely scary The Descent, and now with the big screen mash-up/homage Doomsday. It is a film that brings to mind the best elements of the Road Warrior series, Escape from New York, and Aliens, and playing like a greatest hits reel of those elements. Joining Marshall for his post-apocalyptic adventure is composer Tyler Bates. Bates is another artist who is fast becoming an interesting voice in cinema, but instead of putting his vision onscreen, he composes it and uses it to bolster the onscreen action.It is only recently that the work of Tyler Bates has come to my attention. Of course, it was only recently that my soundtrack addiction began to take hold. Bates has quickly become a recognizable name for genre films, particularly through his work with the likes of Rob Zombie and Zack Snyder on films such as Halloween and 300. Bates has an approach that feels fresh and refreshing, not reliant on the orchestral sounds of other composers. He is more like Charlie Clouser and Clint Mansell, using the orchestra but not being afraid of bringing in electronics and synthesizer into the mix.
Doomsday is a movie that mixes a bleak worldview with fun, pure and unadulterated fun. To that end, the movie is a rousing success. It is the story of a future where a disease outbreak has forced the UK to make the decision to wall off Scotland in order to contain it's spread (it was apparently not an airborne infection). The wall did it's job, or so everyone thought. Years later, the virus returns and a team must venture inside the wall in the hopes of finding a cure. Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra), a stoic cross between Sarah Conner and Max Rockatansky. She is a tragic figure, leading a team, yet very alone. She is faced with gangs of wild, over-the-top characters, such as Sol, the leader of a cannibalistic sect that has developed within the wall.
Much like the tone of the film, Tyler Bates score follows suit. It follows an ebb and flow that is all its own, not so much about the full composition as a piece unto itself, but rather about the moment, about capturing the mood of the scene. In order to achieve this, the music uses some recurring themes and a mix of traditional strings, synth, and voice. It is a roller coaster of bleak sonic landscapes and dense, fast-paced action sequences. It is a wild score that is engrossing and original.
Tyler Bates has crafted a score that is haunting and tense. He does a great job of taking the listener on a journey through this futuristic landscape of death and danger. Whether it be the bleak build of suspense and dread like the epic "Exodus" or "Train to Kane," or the action filled sequences such as "Hospital Battle" or the driving "Sword Fight." Everything culminates with "Headless Love," a fast paced action driven conclusion.
Now, the album is not all about Tyler Bates. The soundtrack album contains a couple of songs that existed well before Bates began his career. The album begins with "Dog Eat Dog" by Adam and the Ants. An odd track that I don't remember from the film. In any case it is strangely appropriate when you see how these gangs go about their days. The next track is "Two Tribes (Carnage Mix)" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Again, I do not recall this in the film, but the near eight minute mix is a very good cut that has an old school feel (yes, I know it is from the 80's), yet it has a modern edge with the remixing. Finally, there is Ariel Rechtshaid's "The Can Can," which clocks in at a healthy forty-one seconds, to close the album.
Bottomline. Bates is fast becoming a standout composer for me. His work here and on 300 is strong and makes him standout from the crowd. He has successfully crafted a score that is exciting to listen to on its own, just as it enhances the film. It will be interesting to see his upcoming projects, including Watchmen and the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Recommended.
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