A score with unexpected energy and resonance, Mutant Chronicles by Richard Wells (hitherto an obscure composer for small-scale cult films, b-movies and videogames) proves an entertaining listen. Its only real drawback is that it is so rooted in clichés of the genre that it fails to establish very much of its own identity, despite the strong nature of the score in general.
Heroic Aspects of Mutant Chronicles Score
The score for Mutant Chronicles has three distinct facets, each of which is functional at their worst and engaging at their best, though they rarely interact directly with one another. The first is the determined, dramatically heroic aspect, heard in such cues as “Take Off,” “The City Burns” and “Steiner Rescued.”
These cues display Wells’ ability to take simple melodies and progressions, and elevate them to dramatic effect with effective instrumentation and performance. Noble mid-range brass assumes stirring fanfares, led by solid snare drums and chopping string rhythms. Occasional electronic samples are tastefully inserted for added drive. Accelerated variations on these constructs appear in most of the structured action cues.
Softer, Emotional Content in Richard Wells' Sci-Fi Soundtrack
The second facet of the score is the introspectively emotional aspect, represented instrumentally with soft choir, acoustic guitar and cello, as well as occasional ethnic instruments and slow piano meanderings.
The cues reflecting this side to the score (“Mitch and Adelaide,” “The Night Before,” and “McGuire”) are soothing and harmonic in general, and colorfully attractive in instrumentation (the ethnic elements mixed with guitar and choir in “Monastery” are particularly compelling); but they are rarely fully satisfying, as they offer little emotional resolution, instead focusing on the current turmoil of the narrative. The wind chime-like bells in “How Much Do You Weigh?” provide a chillingly insecure effect, eventually buoyed by warm guitar.
Dissonant Horror Passages in Mutant Chronicles' Music
The third facet of Mutant Chronicles (and its most disappointing one) is the one which showcases dissonance. Punctuating many of the more intense cues (“Mutant Attack,” “The Sewer,” “The Killing Fields”) are passages of outrageously aleatoric string shrieks and whines, percussion slams and sound effects, reflecting adequately the horror of the film’s mutant army but failing to break any new musical ground, remaining unstructured and disconnected.
Melody has no place in these grating, shallow cues, and the ostensibly horrific and stimulating cues come across as boring and clichéd. Accompanying these slashingly chaotic cues are occasional periods of pure ambiance, with little discernible orchestral presence.
Interaction of Musical Styles and Emotions
Again, these various aspects of the score to Mutant Chronicles rarely interact directly, although they do share space within several cues, with horrific dissonance occasionally giving way to elegant and graceful passages for choir and strings; furthermore, there are moments where a passage of intolerable aleatoric material will suddenly mesh in extremely satisfying fashion with rhythmically-centered material, such as halfway through “The Killing Fields,” where an inspiring drum and chord progression is provided an unforgettable choral accompaniment to the concurrent violence of the dissonant material.
The final cue, “Mutant Chronicles End Credits,” is a nearly eight-minute suite presentation of all the score’s aspects, intelligently and satisfyingly integrated with one another, ending the album on a wholly agreeable note.
Summary
The score is not very strong thematically or melodically, but its raw energy and muscular nature overcome this. Wells’ approach to the score is intelligent and appropriate, albeit not very innovative; but this is a score in which taking a chance on bold new compositional techniques was certainly neither required nor expected, and frankly, it is surprising that this score is as solid and entertaining as it is, considering the nature of the film for which it was composed. As film scores go, Mutant Chronicles is no masterpiece, but manages to be a refreshing morsel of gung-ho blockbuster music. Recommended.
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