Soundtrack Review: SOCOM 4 (2011)
| Reviewer: JØrn Tillnes |
SOCOM 4 Soundtrack Review: This is a review of the video game score SOCOM 4 by Bear McCreary.
"It all feels a bit like I have heard it before"
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs or SOCOM: Special Forces as it is called in PAL regions is a new third-person tactical shooter video game developed by Zipper Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the Playstation 3. It's the latest game in the SOCOM series and this time it's set in Indonesia where you will do various recon, sabotage and stealth missions. The music is by Bear McCreary.
Track List
| 1. Theme from SOCOM 4 | **** |
| 2. Countdown | **** |
| 3. Naga Formation | *** |
| 4. Gold Team | *** |
| 5. Clawhammer | **** |
| 6. Turning Point | **** |
| 7. Revelation | **** |
| 8. Leviathian | **** |
| 9. Fluid Dynamics | ***** |
| 10. Razad's Tarocco | **** |
| 11. Clawhammer's Betrayal | **** |
| 12. Holding the Trigger | **** |
| 13. Onslaught at the Bridge | *** |
| 14. Means to an end | **** |
| 15. The Fortress | *** |
| 16. German's Orders | **** |
| 17. Battle for Control | ***** |
| 18. Passing the Mantle | **** |
| 19. The Pursuit of Vengeance | ***** |
SOCOM 4 is the second video game score by Bear McCreary. Last year he did the score to Dark Void, a review I will put up as soon as I have access to my old archives. I must warn you that there will be a 2CD release of this score coming from La-La Land Records in the near future, but I chose to review the iTunes version.
Taiko Drums
The first thing you notice when you start listening to the score is the taiko drums that Bear uses in almost every action score he creates. This is starting to annoy me quite a bit. I would love him to give the drums a rest for a while and do something different. Perhaps he is trying to create a sound for himself, much like Thomas Newman did? It's not working for me I'm afraid. It feels like an extension of his previous scores with a few exceptions.
The game is set in Indonesia and it pleases me a lot that he has done his research and introduces Indonesian music in his cues. Makes me miss Indonesia quite a lot and I love it being used in a game. It's a personal thing for me since my wife is Indonesian and probably gave this score one more point that it deserved.
Conclusion
It's not the best action score I have heard. There's the Taiko drums and the Indonesian sounds that you can hear through all of 'Fluid Dynamics' (the ones that sounds like a marimba, but isn't). Still, there aren't too many great cues to enjoy and it all feels a bit like I have heard it before. If you truly enjoy Bear's work and wouldn't mind more of the same with a couple of twists, give SOCOM 4 a go. I just feel that after listening to the iTunes release that one hour and 15 minutes is quite long enough so I don't need the 2CD release (unless my wife force me).
CUE RATING: 78.9
Listen to the SOCOM 4 soundtrack byBear McCreary below:
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