Music Composed by Marco Beltrami
Rating: ***

Vampires. Marco Beltrami has no lack of experience scoring films with vampires, what with Dracula 2000 and Blade II under his belt (though, none of them had Kate Beckinsale in skin-tight leather to provide inspiration!). Beyond vampire films, though, Beltrami seems to have been almost typecast as a horror/action horror specialist. This makes a film like Underworld: Evolution fall right up his alley.

So, what’s the score like? Well, in a way, it’s a lot like many Beltrami scores. It’s dark. Lots of minor chords. A melancholic main theme. Varied percussion, real and synthetic, under massive brass chords. Hints of Jerry Goldsmith and Elliot Goldenthal’s orchestral stylings. Complex, well written action cues with lots of counterpoint and ideas bouncing off one another.

Marco Beltrami

To be more specific, though, the score’s cues revolve around either purely thematic music or pure action and suspense. The thematic moments are featured in the slower, more reflective cues. These feature the two main themes; one heard in, for example, “William Captured” and “He Is My Sonshine” (great cue titles from Beltrami for this score…); the other featured in “Cue de Cilantro” and “The Future”. Both themes feature heavily in minor keys, leaving a sense of foreboding and dread even in the lighter moments.

The action pieces comprise the bulk of the score, as one would expect in an action score. Here, Beltrami features two main styles. The first style is dominated by drawn out brass chords played over percussion and light strings, such as the opening of “Hell - Ride”. The other, in cues such as “Ol’ Timey Music” and “Beware of Dog” show Beltrami at his best. They feature hectic writing with driving percussion and synths. The brass in particular gets a monster workout; just check out the constant scales in the trombones in “Trunkin’” or “Beware of Dog”.

Not all is fine and dandy with the score, though. At over an hour, the music seems to go on and on, and blends into itself during the less interesting parts of the score. With multiple cues clocking in at less than a minute, a fair portion of the album could have been removed from the disc, and the listening experience would have been stronger as a result. Also, the album is concluded by a pair of throwaway songs, but at least they’re at the end of the disc and don’t interrupt the flow of Beltrami’s score.

All in all, Underworld: Evolution is more strong, well written film music from Beltrami in a genre he excels in. The recording by John Kurlander is fantastic; everything is crisp. However, as with some scores, less on album is more as a listening experience, and Underworld: Evolution is no exception. Still recommended, but tightening the run time might have helped the score compete with Kate’s costume.

Music Composed and Produced by Marco Beltrami; Orchestrated by Tiffany Biscayne, Max Windhalm, Phil A. Pinot, Dennis Smith and Rici J. Sentoures, Conducted by Marco Beltrami and Phil A. Pinot; Recorded and Mixed by John Kurlander; Album Co-Produced by Buck Sanders; Label: Lakeshore Records, (LKS 338502); Availability: In-print; U.S. Release Date: February 28, 2006.

iTunes

01. The Crawl (0′52)
02. Ol’ Timey Music (4′58)
03. William Captured (0′55)
04. Previously… (2′18)
05. Safehouse 2 Crypt (4′12)
06. Stay (0′55)
07. Corvin’s Cruisin’ Crypt (3′11)
08. Morgue Medallion (2′43)
09. Mike to Tavern (1′29)
10. Mikey Doesn’t Like It (3′13) audio clip
11. Cue de Cilantro (2′15)
12. Trunkin’ (2′38)
13. Marcus Trumpped (0′19)
14. Marcus Hits Snooze (0′50)
15. Beware of Dog (3′54)
16. Shot Glass (1′53)
17. Family Values (4′29)
18. Marcus Taps Tannis (2′08)
19. Patricide (4′16)
20. Alexander Can Help (1′02)
21. He is My Sonshine (1′31)
22. Hell - Ride (3′36)
23. William’s Castle (2′54)
24. Selene, Willie & Marcus (3′36)
25. Trying to Kill Will (0′59)
26. Kill Will 2 (2′10)
27. Marcus Trumpped Again (1′33)
28. The Future (2′34)
29. Something I Can Never Have (4′58)
Performed by Flyleaf
30. EracTou (3′19)
Performed by Cevin Key / Ken Hiwatt Marshall

Total Playing Time: 75′40