Throwback Thursday: Alone In The Dark Soundtrack Review
This review was originally published at g4tv.com on June 28, 2008.
It is a rare thing, but some of the best video game soundtracks work equally well if not better when listened to on their own, away from the imagery for which they were composed. Such is the case with the soundtrack album for Alone in the Dark, released by Milan Records. No matter what the reviews of the game say, composer Olivier Deriviere has created an engaging and original soundtrack to go along with the latest iteration of this survival horror game.
The majority of the album features the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir, who are perhaps best known for their Grammy Award-winning album, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares. If you don’t follow the World Music scene, this singing group has been around for several decades and released numerous albums which are well worth checking out. There are shock and scare moments thrown in, but the music is not what you would typically expect from a survival horror game. It isn’t so genre-based that you can’t sit and listen to it on its own (which I have done about five times today).
The highlights are far and away the pieces featuring the Bulgarian Voices, which make up half the album. Tracks like “Edward Carnby” and “Who Am I?” mix the voice choir with electronica elements and orchestration to create a suspenseful yet listenable sound.
It is very heartening to see American game music fans finally getting quality game soundtrack album releases, which are more than the expected ones from triple-A titles. An interesting side note: If you look up the “Listeners Also Bought” list for this soundtrack on iTunes, you will find it alongside video game music composers Tommy Tallarico and Michiru Yamane along with several bands from Grand Theft Auto IV’s Vladivostok FM. Clearly, game music fans have very good taste.
--Rick “No Fear of the Dark” Damigella
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