Renovatio Records proudly presents you the score for Deep Blue Sea from composer Trevor Rabin. Deep Blue Sea is a thrilling action film mixed with a bit of horror and a bit of science fiction. Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger) and starring Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Jacqueline McKenzie, Michael Rapaport, Stellan Skarsgård and none other than Samuel L. Jackson, the 1999 movie features vicious mako sharks that have had their brain mass genetically altered by a group of scientists in hopes of securing a cure to Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, the sharks seem to have become a lot smarter than expected and they quickly revel against their human captors. If as a viewer you can shut off your brain and ignore the heavy religious undertones, the film being a cautionary tale with messages such as "don't mess with nature" and "science is our doom", Deep Blue Sea has plenty of action and entertainment to offer: from scenes involving giant sea waves and explosions, to nail-biting sequences in which sharks chase people through flooded corridors. Not to mention lots of blood and gore to satisfy shark-movie fans. All of this highlighted by former Yes guitarist Rabin's impressive score, who at the time was just fresh out of Armageddon and already starting to build his own fan base in the film scoring business.
As it could not be otherwise, Rabin resorted to synthesizers for much of the score of Deep Blue Sea, influenced mostly by the Hans Zimmer/Media Ventures sound that was so popular in blockbusters during the nineties. Rabin took an extra step, though, and added much emphasis on orchestral and choral elements to highlight the fantasy aspects of the story rather than the horror ones. This decision results in many harmonious moments and a substantial amount of thematic material. The score is dominated by two major themes, the primary theme being a majestic series of two four-note progressions, which is a heroic mix of strings and synths in Armageddon fashion, augmented occasionally by a grand choir that will certainly give listeners chills down their backs. This theme will quickly call your attention in the pounding non-stop action track "Death of Aquatica", but its best treatment can be heard in the form of two full ensemble performances in the track "Aftermath", a highlight not only of the score but of Rabin's entire career. The second main idea is an exciting series of two six-note progressions to represent the grandeur of the underwater facility in which the scientists operate. This theme appears during a fly-by sequence in "Journey to Aquatica", at the end of "Decoy" and gets a massive choral and orchestral performance at the end of "Death of Aquatica". Rabin also takes the time to throw in thematic ideas for some of the main characters, one being a tender piano motif for Burrow's character (best heard in "Susan Softens"), and the other one being a chilling theme for the shark themselves, which opens the score with "Main Title & Prologue" and makes its appearances throughout the film in effective Jaws fashion: whenever there's the feeling of the sharks being around just below the surface. In the last part of the track "Final Confrontation", you can hear an effective treatment of the shark motif merged with the primary main theme. The mixing of the music with the L.A. Master Chorale is astounding, especially in the shark attack sequences, which are certain to put your speakers to the test. Rabin's electronic work is quite astonishing as well, since the composer manages to embed many ocean-related sound effects in the score, in many instances resembling whale and dolphin vocalizations, buoy bells and underwater sounds.
The score was released in 1999 by Varèse Sarabande in the form of a short 30-minute album, that features some of the best moments of the score. Unfortunately, many parts of Rabin's work were left out. Renovatio Records has now put together this new presentation of the score, including more than 30 minutes of unreleased material and in chronological order, which is granted to satisfy not only Rabin's most avid enthusiasts but also those who have always felt indifferent to the South African composer' scores. You'll be in for a treat!
1. Main Title & Prologue (4:53)
2. Journey To Aquatica (3:54)
4. Hunting In Packs (1:42)
5. Decoy (5:47)
6. Experiment (4:30)
7. Death Of Aquatica (6:03)
8. Jim Returns (1:21)
9. Franklin's Demise (3:12)
10. Elevator Shaft (5:43)
11. Susan Softens (1:25)
12. Lab Attack (4:32)
13. Power Cable (3:55)
14. Back To The Surface (4:57)
15. Final Confrontation (6:25)
16. Aftermath (2:46)
17. Finale (1:06)
Download Deep Blue Sea by Trevor Rabin
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