When you first look at a film like "WAR," you wouldn't presume that the London Symphony Orchestra would be behind the film's score.  The primary reason is because "WAR" is the type of modern, urban action film that would normally rely on a different type of texture.  Look to the music we've been accustomed to hearing in some of Jet Li's other North American installments as examples of such.  In this instance, however, a bit more thought was placed toward the type of music that would make for a more effective picture, and to that end, Brian Tyler was given the assignment.  Additionally, it was a gig that led Brian to fulfill one of his childhood dreams and that is to work with the London Symphony Orchestra.  I couldn't imagine he thought a film from this genre would have led him there.  Go figure.

 

While 2007 has reached its midpoint, Brian is just getting cranked up.  In the first of a series of upcoming new releases from the composer, "WAR" ignites the summer's end with a fiery, robust brand of music that brandishes a very aggressive attitude.  For those of you who enjoy music with guts, than you'll be all over this entry.

 

In creating the score, Brian used both orchestral and electronic resources to create the music for the film.  First and foremost, the quality of the orchestra is evident from the beginning of this score, offering complicated performances that are played without a hitch. They didn't miss a beat amidst the frenzy and in fact, I can't recall the last time the LSO performed music at such a fast pace!  One has to appreciate the energy level that Brian brought to their sound stage.  The synths that are fused into the score also add value and do not diminish the orchestral work at hand.  A nice balance was found between the two.

 

While the execution worked favorably with this soundtrack, it is a grinding experience if you were to listen to it straight through.  Brian's themes and action motifs work well when heard in segments but when the CD is heard in its entirety, it proved to be a bit overpowering.  However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing as I am sure many of you enjoy a consistent, intense listening experience and "WAR" offers just that.  This score has a lot of brute force.

 

My favorite segments from the album are in the disc's latter stages where the themes seem to overlay the action music on a more prominent level.  Surprisingly, my overall favorite cue is the remix of the opening titles of "WAR," at the end of the album.  It's hip sounding, offers a great variety of beats and tempo, and adds another layer of excitement to what is already a bold score.  It's also a shade less aggressive than the orchestral licks heard on the disc.  Also of note--  there are a few non-score tracks mixed into the running time but they are fairly transparent.  The score material is the headliner here and takes up the majority of the material (thankfully).

 

Overall, this is an effective piece from Brian Tyler and offers a caliber of music that will appeal to a specific group of score fans.  The action is fast and furious (no pun intended) and the performances are interesting and well executed.  Personally, I'll be listening to this score before I play basketball or if I'm driving home from work, though I would recommend watching your speed as you're listening to this as it's easy to get caught up in the flow.