Matrix Reloaded Soundtrack

No surprises found on CD 1, just look at the track list. Another round up of the favourites from the original movie’s soundtrack and again we have Marilyn Manson, RATM and the two Robs, Zombie and Dougan. Obviously the compilers have stuck to what works but let’s hope the movie isn’t as predictable. The success of the first has had some impact at least so some songs here are more tailored to the sequel and we have song titles such as Reload and Zion while the others follow more of a pattern, all featuring dark, electronic rock rather than all out heavy stuff. The first few tracks kick things off in style; a great Linkin Park instrumental (arguably helped by the fact they don’t sing on it) and you can’t go far wrong with a song from Manson’s new album and Zombie. Dougan’s ‘Furious Angels’ is a head nodder but frankly doesn’t offer much more than remixing the strings from his ‘Clubbed to Death’ classic from the previous soundtrack. The album then slows down slightly in the middle with Team Sleep slightly straying from the feel by using some not very subtle clues to the Vangelis Blade Runner score but then things pick up again with some rocking stuff from POD and Unloco, you’ll either love or hate this type of music but sits well with everything else. The last three tracks get a bit more clubby with Oakenfold appearing on two of them and both being especially catchy with ‘When the World Ends’ being a stand-out song. I’m guessing it’ll be what’s played at the end of the movie. All in all a good listen but nothing particularly ground breaking which is what you might expect for this highly anticipated sequel.

The second CD is what fans will be really after. At last, mistakes have been rectified and the actual score is available on disc! So all the classic Matrix sounds are here in various forms including the class main title. The first few tracks here are short and sweet and it’s not until ‘Chateau’ that things begin to get interesting although yet again Rob Dougan relies on those strings but it is a cool remix. ‘Mona Lisa Overdrive’ and then ‘Burly Brawl’ really start to kick some ass and surely must be taken from the movies more awesome stunts. This disc will appeal to die hard fans but casual listeners not hot on movie scores may want to think twice about this one seeing as the other disc merely amounts to compilation of some contemporary rock.

Also on CD2 are some goodies for your computer. Pop it into your drive and you can wet your appetite some more with some movies about the world of the Matrix. You can’t go wrong with a trailer for Reloaded albeit an old one and then there’s a lengthy look at the Animatrix, featuring each glorious episode in detail. Finally, there’s a doc about the Enter the Matrix computer game featuring some of the cast members in interview and even Carrie-Ann Moss looking especially uncomfortable in a motion capture suite with plenty of ping-pong balls stuck round it.

Rich Badley