Two Dark Void Soundtracks Released Tuesday!
I’m thrilled to announce that Capcom and Sumthing Else will release two Dark Void albums this Tuesday, February 9th. Of course, the first and most essential is the 80-minute album Dark Void, Original Video Game Score. Anyone who’s ever enjoyed a single CD of mine better check this out, because it ranks right up there with the best albums I’ve ever put together. Second (perhaps) only to the double-disc BSG Season 4 album, this music is the most sweeping, epic and kick ass soundtrack I’ve ever created.
There’s little I can say about the score I didn’t already discuss in depth in this here. Every theme and unique soloist can be found on the album. Here’s the scoop on the official track list with exclusive audio clips: (more…)
- Published in Albums, Blog, Dark Void, Video Games
The Dark Void Score
DARK VOID, the first video game I’ve ever scored, is released today for X-Box, PS3 and PC!
MODERATE GAME PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD: When I was a kid, I was enthralled with Capcom’s Mega Man II. I battled mechanized evil robots and saved the day as the curiously bombastic 8-bit music seeped into my imagination. Those catchy melodies and bold arrangements, realized in glorious sine wave synthesis, were among my first musical influences. I dreamt of one day creating my own video game score, one that could grow past the limitations of 8-bit hardware and match the scope and breadth of the orchestral film scores I also adored. Exactly twenty years later, Capcom would give me that chance, offering me the score to Dark Void.
Having spent the first several years of my musical career scoring television and films, I approached writing for an interactive medium with no previous models in mind. And I sought none. As an avid life-long gamer, I knew what I wanted to hear: a swashbuckling orchestral score in keeping with the grand story. I wanted the music to constantly adapt, as if it were being written specifically for the gamer, with virtually no repetition whatsoever. I sat down with the development team at Airtight Games and described to them my musical aspirations. They said this was impossible, and thus, I knew we were on the right track.
- Published in Blog, Dark Void, Video Games
January Premieres: Human Target, Dark Void & Caprica
Next week is a good time to be a fan of big, kick-ass orchestral Bear McCreary scores, because I have (count’em) three new scores premiering in a single week, each recorded with a full orchestra! And all three projects have sweeping character themes woven into the music, featuring some of the best melodies I’ve ever written in my life. First up…
SUNDAY JAN. 17 at 8/7c on FOX: HUMAN TARGET
Don’t let the cheesy pop music from the ads fool you: Human Target has a thematic and lyrical orchestral score, inspired by the classic scores of Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein and John Williams. One of the only shows on TV with a weekly orchestral score, this could be the largest and most ambitious TV music in decades. The typical HT orchestra is literally twice as big as the largest orchestra I ever had on BSG. Soundtrack fans will not want to miss this one! Then, two days later…
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- Published in Blog, Caprica, Dark Void, Human Target, Video Games
Remix Me: The Dark Void Remix Contest Winner
Capcom announced the winner of the Dark Void Remix Contest:
Jesse G. (aka Main Finger), representing from my home state of Washington!
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- Published in Blog, Dark Void, Video Games
Remix Me: The Dark Void Remix Contest
This has got to be one of the coolest contests out there for soundtrack fans! Capcom & URB are sponsoring a Dark Void Remix Contest. You have the chance to remix the “Theme from Dark Void” and enter to win a bunch of cool prizes. The winning entry may even be used in game promos or in a digital soundtrack. Best of all, the individual track assets are made available to you, so you can peel back the layers of my orchestration and mess around with the various elements.
The details and official rules are available here at the official site. (You must create a Capcom Unity account to log in.)
And, for you loyal blog readers, I’ll even help you out. 🙂 Upload your draft somewhere and post a link in the comments field below and I’ll listen to it and make some suggestions for you. Now remember, I’m only one of the deciding judges, so even if I like what you do that doesn’t mean you win. But, I look forward to listening to as many entries as I possibly can. Be warned, this contest ends December 15th, so you have to get moving!
- Published in Blog, Dark Void, Video Games
New Docs: Dark Void, T:TSCC & Eureka
There are some new cool documentaries out there worth pointing out. First up: GameTrailers.com has a Dark Void Character Development Diary:
This is a wonderful look at the evolution of the characters in the game, told by the producers and developers themselves. There’s an interesting comparison between typical blank-canvas videogame archetypes and actual, interesting characters. The game’s strong narrative structure is what made it such a joy to write music for. There’s a good story that required multiple character themes and musical development along the lines of my work on T:TSCC and BSG.
Speaking of the Dark Void score, this documentary is by far the best sneak peak yet at a bunch of my cues written for the game. Previous trailers (as well as the cue excerpts released last spring) have featured exclusively gameplay music. This documentary is your first example of what the cinematics and character themes sound like.
(UPDATED: Thanks to cory for pointing out in the comments that the official website has a bunch of my score playing on the main page! Check it out: http://www.darkvoidgame.com/)
- Published in Blog, Dark Void, Eureka, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Video Games
New Dark Void Trailer / Press
Capcom has updated their official Dark Void site, and there’s a new trailer, featuring more of my original score! Click on the pic to check it out:
When you’re there, click on TEST FLIGHT, then PERFORMANCE to see the trailer. There’s also a bunch of new material on this new site, video and images that look even better than what I was given to actually inspire the music. I can’t wait to play this thing!
- Published in Blog, Dark Void, Other, Press, Video Games