Invincible

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

No doubt about it, the old Zimmer is gone. No more synthetic keyboard plunker who scores nothing but action. No, today it is different and classical inspired pieces of art have been scattering around all over the floor, additional or co written scores have now become the staple of Media Ventures and anybody seeing it otherwise isn't following the career close by. Invincible, a European production was long forgotten until somebody picked up word that Hans Zimmer and fellow composer Klaus Badelt were running the puppet strings of the score. Now, forgotten it is only in view and the score received attention in Europe. And why is that? Simple, this is typically Zimmer drawn away from the scope and more than evidently, it is an orchestral deep dramatic score which might favor just those looking for thick homework listening. Invincible is first and foremost a dramatic listen that sounds just classically inspired like (due to cello and the string work) and becomes through that a close sidekick for several scores such as Gladiator but most Hannibal and The Thin Red Line. Klaus Badelt, already responsible for additional music in the last two scores is running the show or not, because it isn't clear. I personally think that Zimmer is the main composer behind this score, simply because it leans close to his other efforts. But then you might realize that Badelt perhaps was responsible for those ideas and then it is indeed difficult to chose.

Still, what drives Invincible is its pure, dark, emotional heavy burden a classical score normally possesses and this score isn't any different. At times you get lost in its dark underscore and occasionally it isn't very interesting to begin with. But at other times it surely is and those are the moments that make the listen worth it. 'The Journey' which opens the disc is one of the best tracks, simply because it uses Gladiator like cello movements but more a very nice theme, repeated too less during the score. 'Master of the Occult' offers in the begin a brief vocal (probably coming of Roni Kirwan as stated in the booklet) but more, it introduces us with the male choir that everybody loves of Media Ventures. This choir is very reminiscent of the dark passages of Gladiator and especially at the end it receives excellent time to proof itself worthy to that name. And another good track is 'Martha Lifts the Elephant' which offers the best of the Crimson Tide / The Peacemaker choral play mixed with interesting orchestral play. These are the moments that make the score interesting. Other than that, you hear at times a deep Patrick Doyle (meaning classical) influence in track 4 or the light, heavenly string work of 'Journey to the Line' of The Thin Red Line that justly reminds you of that passage. Or the dark and heavy tone of Hannibal in track 7, it all sets the tone and mood of Invincible.

Together this score runs for about 35 minutes which is more then plenty. A score like this that gets it harder the more you encounter its dark personality doesn't need much more than that. The two classical entries aren't very interesting to pick up or forget and the jazzy songs which close the score are the real boring thing on this score. They might appear in the film but this doesn't make it interesting in the first play. When the score would have received 5 to 10 minutes and songs like this would have been placed instead of it, then I would have called it crap but luckily for them, there is little to be found of the uninteresting nature. Invincible offers at least through this a wider look to either Zimmer his development of style or to Klaus Badelt, who appears more and more on the big Hollywood screen these days. Together, this score receives the dark and emotional mood, the occasional moment of interest and the sudden change of brilliance but overall, only for those that loved the dark play in either Gladiator and Hannibal. And then I have to warn you still, even if its good music overall, it starts to drag you down a bit the more the score nears its end.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. The Journey (2.44) Excellent Track

2. Siegfried, The Iron King (2.08)

3. Master Of The Occult (8.10)

4. The Prophecy (1.38)

5. Souls (3.05)

6. Martha Lifts The Elephant (2.02) Excellent Track

7. Visions (6.31)

8. The Unknown Just (7.19)

9. Benjamin Believes (2.06)

10. 3rd Piano Concerto, In C-Minor 2nd Mvt * (3.28)

11. Ombra Mai Fú ** (3.13)

12. Sweet & Lovely + (2.59)

13. You're The Cream In My Coffee + (3.13)

* Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Anna Gourari

** Georg Friedrich Händel, sung by Emmi Leisner

+ Das Palast Ochester featuring Max Raabe

Total Length: 49.10

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Sites: Hans Zimmer & Klaus Badelt ===