SOUNDTRACK

Latest CD release reviewed.

Latest CD release reviewed.

MARCO BELTRAMI
Hellboy   Varese Sarabande
****

After his mixed journeyman work on a raft of contemporary sci-fi and horror films and sequels (Scream 1, 2, 3, Resident Evil, Blade II, Mimic), Marco Beltrami at last delivers a master score for Hellboy. Combining idiosyncratic instrumentation (theremin, balaika) with electronic sounds, elegant melodies with dynamic polyrhythms, and exuberant choral flourishes with spare orchestral passages, Beltrami creates a score of exquisite color, mood and drama, at once grotesque and beautiful - from the driving horns of Fireproof and the brooding percussion of Wake Up Dead to the menacing strings of Soul Sucker and the playful vocal stylings of B.P.R.D. Hellboy is Beltrami at his best. www.hellboymovie.com

Jocelyn Clarke