Call of Duty (Video Game Score)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

After Electronic Arts fell apart in the war department, with namely half of the creators of the Medal of Honor industry leaving due to consistent disputes, also Michael Giacchino left the sinking boat. It seems many saw it literally happening because Medal of Honor: Rising Sun couldn't live up to its previous created brothers. And so many of those Medal minds started working for another company, and guess what they created? Another war game. Naturally Michael Giacchino (who didn't feel a lot of respect for the decision of the EA bosses) stepped in to follow his colleagues in another gritty war attempt. But Call of Duty (something else then Medal of Honor in verbal conversations) is not what you'd expect of it. I mean, musically its a complete different attempt then the Medal of Honor scores. Those scores had themes, and kept building on sub themes and constant melodic ideas. Call of Duty throws it all overboard and creates pure ruckus, total mayhem and a gritty atmosphere all the same. Don't get me wrong, there is much to appreciate of Call of Duty, but perhaps not a lot to like. Think back at John Williams in his most non melodic sense and in his dark gritty robe, creating dark music for films such as Born on the 4th of July or Star Wars, and then without the themes. Basically this video game score shows a complete different Michael at work, and its nice to have a different voice from him for diverse reasons, Call of Duty is not to be enjoyed for its themes, its to be appreciated for its ruckus. And what a ruckus to speak of because it blows you away. Its orchestrally powerful as it is demanding.

Are you ready for dark aggressive action music in the most non melodic sense of all? Then get set from the 3rd track. First we have the gritty opening in 'Call of Duty' following with some more heroic tones (with the aggressive opening motif between it) and it captures also some lovely Born on the 4th of July strings, before the growling motif returns with the solo main theme through it. Its very nice if you would to compare it with what to come. 'Pathfinder' has some sneaking around music (very dark) before a rushing tempo sets up the blazing trumpets and flutes. This is the foreboding start on the senses, with Williams like carnage in 'Countryside Drive', the return of the growling motif of track 1 in 'Below Deck', the brass clusters flying around in 'Stuka's and Flakvierling's', 'Eder Dam' which is a bit too much of the goods with more of that mindblowing non melodic action music and 'Breaking Through' follows that trend. Its however fair to say that multiple listens to this short album makes it somewhat approachable after a while. And of course that the more soft pieces are a lucky break between all the mayhem. 'Approaching the Tirpitz' has some John Williams like creepy music (from the likes of Star Wars and Close Encounters), 'Taking Stalingrad' which is dark and low before a march starts to build up and the main theme returns with the growling motif right after it. 'Red Square' is one of the best tracks since it states the main theme finally with emotion and growing orchestra (even a lonely trumpet in it). And thank god for 'Pegasus Bridge' that it is basically thematic after the two bombast tracks before it, here strings glide from a downbeat feeling to a more optimistic mood and it sure feels good after everything else. Call of Duty is beware absolutely not Medal of Honor, its the counterpart. From the orchestral brilliance with themes and power to the aggressive non melodic attacks of the orchestra, its basically more set to film boundaries or it at least feels that way. I appreciate this assault of Call of Duty because it is mighty impressive to actually dissect it, but it falls flat if you want to hear themes like in Medal of Honor. But I think that was the general idea behind Call of Duty.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Call Of Duty (4.58)

2. Pathfinder (3.08)

3. Countryside Drive (4.13)

4. Approaching The Tirpitz (2.38)

5. Below Deck (1.47)

6. Stuka's And Flakvierling's (3.10)

7. Eder Dam (3.26)

8. Taking Stalingrad (3.51)

9. Breaking Through (2.02)

10. Red Square (1.37)

11. Sewers Under Stalingrad (1.54)

12. Tanks A Lot (3.25)

13. Pegasus Bridge (2.50)

Total Length: 39.08

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Michael Giacchino ===