The Lord of the Rings Online Digital Soundtrack
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Album Title: The Lord of the Rings Online Digital Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Turbine |
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| Catalog No.: N/A |
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| Release Date: May 12, 2009 |
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| Purchase: Not Available |
Overview
Inspired by the success of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Turbine developed an MMORPG based on the franchise in 2008. An ensemble team, featuring Harry Chase, Brad Spears, and, most notably, Chance Thomas, created the music for the title and portrayed the various races, locations, and battles of the Tolkien universe. The special edition of the game included a bonus CD featuring 26 tracks from the game. Later, a free official download of the score for the original game and its expansions was made available through Turbine’s download manager. This review refers to the latter release.
Body
For the most part, the soundtrack does a good job of portraying the characters and locations of Middle-Earth. The soundtrack captures the humble nature of the protagonists with the serene “Hills of the Shire” and lively “Bree-Land Jig”. While the evocative flute melody isn’t integrated as extensively as Shore’s leitmotifs from the film soundtrack, it makes up for it with authentic stylings. Both compositions are influenced by Irish tradition — perhaps in a manner that is too blatant for Middle-Earth — and the excellent instrument performances make up for their simple basis. The folksy component is further explored in “The Brigand’s Tale”, the jubilant jig “Autumn Ale”, and, most impressively, the penetrating improvisation “Home from the Hunt”. The digital soundtrack also includes delightful exclusives, such as “Let Us Sing Together” — which portrays the jolly old fellow Tom Bombadil with standout fiddle and tin whistle melodies.
The digital soundtrack further reveals that The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of Angmar is full of variety. Tracks such as bold orchestral march “Courage of Men”, the main menu theme “Far Ahead the Road Has Gone”, or mystical elvaan hymn “East of the Sea” maintain the focus on the Forces of Light. However, the chanting choruses of “Ride of the Nazgul”, driving percussion of “Wreck and Slaughter”, or brutal discords of “Hammerhand” testify that darker forces dominate Middle-Earth. This darker component is explored in several exclusive ambient compositions on the score, for example “A Glimmer in the North”, “Lonelands”, and “Forsaken Paths”. While effective scene-setters, these tracks tend to meander in a somewhat predictable manner like much underscore today. Indeed, they lack the inspired choices or refined implementation to compare with those featured on the expansion Mines of Moria, and reaffirm that Shadows of Angmar‘s strengths are its more potent pieces.
While the digital release gives more insight into Shadows of Angmar‘s vast soundtrack, it is presented in a flawed way. The tracks here are ordered alphabetically, meaning that the narrative flow and in-game synchronisation of the experience is lost. Dark cinematic scene-setters such as “Before the Storm” can suddenly be interrupted by jovial jigs such as “Bree-Land Jig”, resulting in a very muddled experience, and there of course plenty of short cinematic cues that provide further interruptions along the way. But while the collective experience does not satisfy, there are plenty of standout tracks that are worth listening to. More substantial compositions such as “Lament for Oakenshield”, “Things to Come”, and “Fell Deeds Awake” really draw listeners and evoke deep emotions with them. In addition, the sinister cinematic cue “The Doom of Edhelion” and the gorgeously produced choral piece “Garth Agarwen” are captivating.
Summary
The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar soundtrack is an enjoyable addition to the Tolkien universe. The soundtrack lacks the depth and refinement of its expansion, The Lord of the Rings: Mines of Moria. However, it compensates by offering a variety of moods and styles, a narrative flow, and plenty of memorable highlights. The free digital release is inconsistent and disorientating, but gives a more thorough insight into the musical variety of the game than the collector’s edition soundtrack.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
3.5
Posted on August 1, 2012 by Chris Greening. Last modified on August 1, 2012.
About the Author
Chris Greening I've contributed to websites related to game audio since 2002. In this time, I've reviewed over a thousand albums and interviewed hundreds of musicians across the world. As the founder and webmaster of VGMO -Video Game Music Online-, I hope to create a cutting-edge, journalistic resource for all those soundtrack enthusiasts out there. In the process, I would love to further cultivate my passion for music, writing, and generally building things. Please enjoy the site and don't hesitate to say hello!
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