Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Composed by Oscar Araujo
Promo Release (2010)
Rating:
10/10
“Standing defiantly
against the stereotype that gameplay music must be unobtrusive in order to be successful, OSCAR ARAUJO’s
magnificent score for CASTLEVANIA: Lords of Shadow elevates an already strong
production to dizzying heights, and sets the bar high for games to come.”
A Beautiful Re-Invention
Review by Marius Masalar
Not too long ago, the International Film Music Critics Association announced
their award winner for best video game score. The winner, who was also nominated
for best breakout composer of the year, beat out such critically acclaimed
titles as 007 Bloodstone, Dark Void, and Lego Universe — each of which was
penned by marvelous and well-known composers. The unexpected bolt of lightning
that took the IFMCA and your humble writer’s breath away was the score for
CASTLEVANIA: Lords of Shadow, a 3D reboot of the iconic Konami franchise,
developed by Mercury Steam and released on the major consoles earlier this year.
The musical mastermind behind this achievement was OSCAR ARAUJO, whose name is
likely unfamiliar to you.
ARAUJO is a Spanish composer whose work on CASTLEVANIA will surely catapult him
to more mainstream work, though he is certainly no stranger to the craft, having
worked on a number of smaller scale projects in his homeland. For CASTLEVANIA,
ARAUJO pulled out all the stops and recorded an absolutely immense score with a
120-piece orchestra and choir in Bratislava. An immediate gauge of the score’s
success is that even die-hard Castlevania fans, ones who were demanding another
gothic-rock musical offering in the vein of all the previous titles in the
series, have unashamedly admitted that ARAUJO’s score — while certainly
unexpected — takes the franchise in a very strong new direction.
From the opening low strings rhythm in “Besieged Village” (1), the pace is set
and the score’s main theme soon unfolds majestically in a huge choral statement
accompanied by the full ensemble. It is only a tease though, as the scale
quickly shrinks back to a more modest level, only to build back up several times
over the duration of the cue. The ebb and flow of intensity is effortless, and
never interrupts the propulsive action underscoring, a trait that is consistent
across all tracks on the limited edition soundtrack album. “The Warg” (2) feels
like a straight continuation, with more of the same aggressive orchestral pacing
to underscore combat. The fact that these are standard in-game tracks rather
than cinematic cues goes to show just how literally epic the game experience
itself is made to feel.
Continuing the strong opening portion of the album, “Hunting Path” (3) re-states
the main theme before sweeping into a shiver-inducing choral interlude. This
progression from action to choral peace is echoed several times, with the action
eventually wearing itself out. “The Dead Bog” (4) is basically the first point
where the score lets you take a breath. Dropping the quick pace and action of
the previous three cues, it presents a moody atmosphere for the bog. It is
hardly an understated background cue though, featuring a dramatic climax. There
are no filler tracks here. When the action returns in “The Swamp Troll” (5), it
is in a more subdued manner, with dark low woodwinds growling about as the
strings and percussion gallop along. Though it grows back to a huge scale by the
end, it pales in comparison to “The Ice Titan” (6), a truly fantastic boss
battle cue. With shades of the God of War series shining through, this track
manages to convey a sense of grandeur without becoming too busy. There’s also a
spectacular reprise of the main theme.
The album’s calm middle portion is one of its strongest aspects. Beginning with
“Labyrinth Entrance” (7), we finally begin to feel some untainted gentleness. A
cooing clarinet carries the theme over a bed of strings and woodwinds. The
restraint is refreshing and offers a sense of contemplation. While soothing, the
track is also fairly anonymous, which is one of the few instances where that
adjective can be used to describe this album. That being said, the next tracks
more than make up for it. “Waterfalls of Agharta” (8) is a work of beauty, with
stirring harp, cello, and violin figures painting a scene of natural splendor.
It leads us to “Agharta” (9), where the material is lifted to a new dramatic
height in a manner that would feel right at home in the Lord of the Rings
scores.
In terms of peaceful material, the standout track may well be “Cornell” (10), a
patient and noble piece of music that hovers in the quiet middle between
background and foreground, only occasionally pushing out in either direction.
Whenever it does, as in the string theme that appears near the end, the result
is worth the wait. “Maze Gardens” (11) begins lifting us back out of reverie,
with dramatic swells leading to an operatic conclusion. By the time we reach
“Castle Hall” (12), the tension is creeping back in, and the sweet sound of the
female chorus does little to mask it. As the orchestra continues building back
its energy, a deep, throbbing rhythm emerges in the climax to deliver us to “The
Evil Butcher” (13). Conflict returns with a vengeance here, with a soaring horn
line leading a sharp brass-led march.
Sheer terror ensues at the onset of “Laura’s Mercy” (14), with shifting choir
whispers and slithering violins. The effect is all the more poignant since it is
followed by the album’s most glorious statement of pure romance. One of the most
distinctive battle tracks is “Carmilla” (15), which somehow feels more in tune
with the gothic nature of previous CASTLEVANIA scores. The choir is firmly the
centre of attention, and twisted variations on many previous motifs from the
score make brief appearances in the brass and strings.
Opening the album’s final stretch is “The God Mask” (16), a brief but powerful
thematic offering for the mysterious artifact at the heart of the game’s plot.
What follows is perhaps the only true disappointment: “Belmont’s Theme” (17).
Considering the fact that it is the theme for the protagonist, there is
definitely a lot of expectation for it to be impressive, and ARAUJO only half
delivers. While the music is definitely unique, lively, and just as well crafted
as the rest of the score, it doesn’t feel much like a theme for the character.
It fails to really represent all facets of his struggle, and so falls somewhat
flat despite being pleasant to listen to. The might of “Final Confrontation”
(18) swiftly makes us forget all about that though. Bringing together the full
breadth of orchestral and choral forces at his disposal, ARAUJO’s parting battle
theme is a lengthy, satisfying, and unerringly motivational cue. Amid the choral
stabs and brass flourishes, a dark theme is presented and developed, and by the
time we reach the ending that consists of a reprise of the main theme, it’s
almost overwhelming how powerful the effect is. “The End” (19) does for the
score’s quieter material what the previous track did for its action fare. The
game’s more somber and subdued moods are wrapped together and put to rest.
Rounding everything off is “Love Lost” (20), a moving and plaintive dirge,
beginning with a crying violin and ending with one final triumphant statement of
the theme.
What makes CASTLEVANIA: Lords of Shadow an impressive score is not only its
success as an album listening experience, but also its success in the game.
Where there is usually a divide between the scale and sophistication of
cinematic music vs. in-game tracks, here no such divide exists, and I challenge
you to try and decide which of the tracks from the CD fit into which category. I
guarantee you would be surprised. Standing defiantly against the stereotype that
gameplay music must be unobtrusive in order to be successful, OSCAR ARAUJO’s
magnificent score for CASTLEVANIA: Lords of Shadow elevates an already strong
production to dizzying heights, and sets the bar high for games to come. ARAUJO
is already working on the score for the sequel, and given the amazing quality of
work he’s displayed here, it’s surely just the first of many more great things
we can expect from him.
