Title - 'Knights of Badassdom' (Sparks & Shadows)
Artist - Bear McCreary
Well, if you didn't know anything about this movie, much as I didn't either, here is the quick synopsis: 'Knights of Badassdom' is a film where live-action role players conjure up a demon from Hell by mistake ... and they must now deal with the consequences!
All very Tenacious D-esque, if you ask me, but Bear McCreary got ahold of the composing reins here and rode it for as long, and as hard as he could before finally putting music to CD! And boy, does it shine through!
Indeed, McCreary himself has been quoted as saying, "As I read, my musical imagination filled with soaring bagpipes, drop-tuned distorted guitars, double kick drums, blaring horns, dulcimers and ethereal vocals-everything I love about music in one epic score! Producing the soundtrack for KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM has been a joyous experience. I think of it as a 'heavy metal fantasy concept album'!"
And so with an incredible 100mph soundtrack being listened to as I type, I have to say the featured rock roles by heavy metal (and rock) luminaries such as the always dependable Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa), Brendon Small (Dethklok), Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo), Ira Ingber (Bob Dylan), Pete Griffin (Three Inches of Blood) and Joe Travers (Zappa Plays Zappa) REALLY aid McCreary in having brought "life" to this soundtrack.
1. The Kingdom of Eliphaz (4:02)
2. Your Heart Sucks My Soul (Garage Version) [feat. Brendan McCreary] (1:59)
3. Joe’s Power Ballad (feat. Brendan McCreary) (3:18)
4. The Game Master (3:55)
5. Slightly Badass (2:44)
6. The Sigillum Dei Aemaeth (1:55)
7. Paintballers (1:56)
8. Demon Apes (3:11)
9. Gwen’s Theme (2:07)
10. Massacre at Valinore (5:08)
11. Out of Game (3:24)
12. The Hell Lord Abominog (3:45)
13. Earn Our Valor (5:35)
14. The Epic Battle of Evermore (2:40)
15. Abominog Battle (6:26)
16. Your Heart Sucks My Soul (feat. Brendan McCreary & Brendon Small) (4:42)
17. At the Gates (feat. Brendan McCreary & Doug Aldrich) (7:21)
Of course, Bear brings in his brother Brendan McCreary to add some musical flow to the proceedings on a few tracks, but for me it's the always-impressive guitar work of Aldrich that takes this OST to the rock levels that it is now being talked about within.
And so, finally, as someone just said to me, no matter if you're a hardcore geek or a metal aficionado you will love this unique blend of combative musical genres, for sure.
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