Renovatio Records proudly presents a new edition of one of the most powerful epic scores of the 2000s: Kingdom of Heaven (2005), composed by Harry Gregson-Williams.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Kingdom of Heaven is a sweeping historical drama set during the Crusades of the 12th century. The film stars Orlando Bloom as Balian of Ibelin, a humble blacksmith who rises to knighthood and moral purpose in the defense of Jerusalem against the forces of the Saracen leader Saladin. The stellar ensemble cast includes Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Ghassan Massoud, and Edward Norton in a striking uncredited role as the leper king, Baldwin IV. With lavish production values, breathtaking cinematography by John Mathieson, and richly detailed world-building, Kingdom of Heaven was conceived as a grand epic in the tradition of Gladiator.
Yet upon its theatrical release, the film met a lukewarm critical reception. While praised for its visuals, performances, and action set pieces, it was faulted for uneven pacing and thin character development—issues largely attributable to the studio-mandated cuts. It wasn’t until the release of the extended Director’s Cut on home video that the film was properly reappraised. Running over three hours, Scott’s restored version was widely hailed as a deeper, more emotionally resonant and politically nuanced work. Today, the Director’s Cut is regarded as the definitive edition of the film—an ambitious meditation on faith, conscience, and the cost of peace.
When it came to the music, longtime Scott collaborator Hans Zimmer was initially attached to the project. However, Zimmer passed the assignment to his protégé Harry Gregson-Williams, who was then emerging as a major composer in his own right following Spy Game, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Man on Fire. It proved to be a career-defining opportunity. With Kingdom of Heaven, Gregson-Williams crafted what is arguably the finest score of his career—a work of sweeping orchestral drama, intricate choral writing, and deep thematic resonance.
At the heart of Gregson-Williams’ music lies a deeply conceptual framework. He created a vast network of leitmotifs tied to individual characters, ideological forces, and moral concepts. Few film scores of the era are this rigorously constructed—and even fewer were so tragically undermined in the final mix.
The main theme, often referred to as the “New World” theme, embodies the film’s central idea: the dream of a just and peaceful kingdom in the Holy Land, where Christians and Muslims coexist in harmony. This is articulated during the cue “A New World”, underscoring the dialogue when Balian’s father, Godfrey (Neeson), on his deathbed, defines the Kingdom of Heaven not as territory but as an idea rooted in conscience. This theme later emerges fully when Balian revitalizes the land inherited from his father, bringing water, life, and community to a barren landscape. The cue underscoring this sequence, “Ibelin”, expresses the theme at its most expansive and hopeful, representing a utopian moment when that dream seems attainable.
But as war and fanaticism take hold, the theme begins to wither. It becomes fragmented, appearing in reduced or subtle forms, mirroring the crumbling hope for peace. Its final intended statement comes during Balian’s surrender of Jerusalem to Saladin: a solemn, scaled-back version that communicates not defeat, but moral victory. Balian has upheld his father’s charge by protecting the people. Gregson-Williams’ music underscores this beautifully—though, tragically, in the final theatrical mix, the cue was replaced by Marco Beltrami’s music from Blade II, undercutting the thematic payoff the composer had so carefully constructed.
The score also explores the character of Balian through two distinct musical identities. Early in the film, Balian is associated with a somber, introspective theme reflecting his grief, humility, and inner conflict (as heard in “Burning the Past”). However, when he inherits his father’s title, mission, and moral compass, he also inherits his father’s theme (which is introduced in the cue “I’m Your Father”). This second theme becomes Balian’s as he embraces the knightly virtues of service, courage, and sacrifice. Its first application to Balian occurs not when he claims to be the new Baron of Ibelin, but when he is recognized as such by Godfrey’s men in Jerusalem (in the cue “My Lord”). From that point on, the two themes evolve in parallel, culminating in their confluence during the siege of Jerusalem. The most poignant musical synthesis of these identities occurs in “Rise a Knight”, which accompanies Balian’s knighting of the city’s defenders. It’s a scene of spiritual and narrative weight—and the music matches it with elegiac dignity. Sadly, this cue was also replaced in the final film with music from Jerry Goldsmith’s The 13th Warrior, robbing the scene of its thematic and emotional resonance.
Beyond its central themes, the score weaves in a wide array of motifs reflecting the film’s broader sociopolitical landscape. The Christian Faith theme appears both in moments of private introspection—such as Balian’s visit to Golgotha during the first part of the track “The King of Jerusalem”—and as a larger emblem of Christendom during the city’s defense.
Two military motifs also gain prominence: the Crusaders’ theme (heard in the track “Crusaders”) and the more sinister Templar motif (heard in the second part of “Rape and Pillage”), the latter growing in intensity as the fanatical Guy de Lusignan rises to power. By the time the army marches to the ill-fated Battle of Hattin (“To War”), the Templar theme has overpowered the Crusaders’—a chilling musical metaphor for the hijacking of religious ideals by extremism. These dynamic, shifting relationships between motifs add a rich political subtext to the score, reflecting the tension between true faith and institutional violence.
Vocals, too, play a central role. The score features Latin choral writing, solo Eastern voices, and ethereal vocals by artists like Natacha Atlas, weaving together Christian and Muslim musical traditions. The instrumentation is equally diverse, from large symphonic passages to Turkish percussion, electric strings, and regional woodwinds, all combining to give the music a grounded cultural authenticity. The standout cue “The Battle of Kerak” exemplifies this blend, with the percussion shifting in tone and instrumentation depending on whether Christian or Saracen forces dominate the scene.
Despite the brilliance of Gregson-Williams’ score, its fate in the final mix was deeply unfortunate, as often happens in Ridley Scott productions. Beyond the cues replaced by music from films like The 13th Warrior, The Crow, Hannibal, and Blade II, the film was riddled with last-minute edits, abrupt music replacements, and odd re-sequencing of cues. Some pieces were even used three or four times, while others were stripped of context or cut entirely. As a result, the musical narrative Gregson-Williams so carefully crafted—especially his use of recurring themes—was rendered incoherent in the final cut.
The original Sony Classical commercial album, though well-produced, prioritized musical cohesion over narrative structure. Many highlights were left out entirely, and the full dramatic arc of the score was lost. Our Renovatio Records edition seeks to rectify this. Carefully curated and remastered, this new release offers a fuller, more faithful representation of Gregson-Williams’ original vision. It restores crucial unreleased material and restructures the album to better reflect the score’s narrative logic, giving new life to a score that has long deserved a more complete and thoughtful release.
Kingdom of Heaven remains one of the most ambitious and emotionally grounded historical epics of its era—and Harry Gregson-Williams’ score is a crucial part of its legacy. With this release, we invite listeners to rediscover—or experience for the first time—one of the great scores of the early 21st century in all its spiritual and cinematic power.
Track listing:
Cover Artwork:
Cue Assembly:
|
Track Title |
Cue Title |
|
1. France 1186 |
France 1186 |
|
2. Burning the Past |
Burning the Past |
|
3. I Am Your Father |
I Am Your Father |
|
4. Swordplay |
After Godfrey (Alternate 2) Swordplay (Alternate 1) (Edited) |
|
5. Crusaders |
Crusaders (Edited) Path to Heaven (Edited) |
|
6. Messina |
Religion To Messina |
|
7. A New World |
Godfrey Dies New World |
|
8. To Jerusalem |
To Jerusalem |
|
9. My Lord |
My Lord (Edited) Sibylla Visits (Edited) My Lord (Edited) |
|
10. The King |
Golgotha The King (Edited) The Pilgrim Road |
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11. Ibelin |
Ibelin |
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12. Sibylla |
Washing (Edited) Two Faces (Edited) Washing (Edited) |
|
13. The Battle of Kerak |
Kerak Castle (Edited) Battle of Kerak (Alternate 1) |
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14. Terms |
King Dead (Edited) Terms (Edited) Leprocy (Edited) |
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15. The King is Dead |
Kind Dead (Alternate) |
|
16. Rape and Pillage |
Ship Wrecked (Edited) Rape and Pilage (Edited) Caravan Road (Edited) |
|
17. To War |
Desert Thirst (Edited) Kill the Messenger (Edited) To War (Edited) |
|
18. Rise a Knight |
Rise a Knight |
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19. The Siege Begins |
Fireballs Almaric’s Peerage (Edited) Templar Fight (Edited) |
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20. Siege Towers |
Haircut Flag Up (Edited) Battle of Kerak (Alternate 2) (Edited) Battle of Kerak (Alternate 3) (Edited) |
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21. Wall Breached |
Leprocy (Edited) Door Into Jerusalem |
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22. Everything |
Muslin Jerusalem (Alternate) Everything Smelly Wood |
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23. Path to Heaven |
Chorale |
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24. Light of Life (Ibelin Reprise) |
Light of Life (Ibelin Reprise) |
