Descent, The (2005)

Composer(s):
David Julyan

Released in:
2005

Reviews

Dark, brooding, powerful...
by Alex (August 16, 2006)
...Everything a great horror score can and should be.
David Julyan has created a score that is mostly orchestral (70-piece at that, and with a 16 piece female choir) but also intelligently combines electronic ambience amongst the orchestrations. There are moments when the orchestra underscores a suspense scene almost unnoticably, only to punctuate the cue with sudden strikes of brass and strings (such as in "The Tunnel Collapses" and "Crossing the Crevasse"). This is a tepid horror convention, and would otherwise not work had Julyan not composed them with the dexterity and care for texture that he has. There are moments where the choir is used to haunting effect ("The Bone Dam", "Sarah Makes a Torch"), and yet others still in which synth work/electronics take the stage in mellow passages, such as the brief "Opening" or "Down the Pipe".
The score occasionally makes a nod to Ennio Morricone's "The Thing" with a two-part beat that is sometimes done electronically, and other times instrumentally. There is even a really great action cue, "The Crawlers Attack", which combines orchestral bombardments with heavy, fast, pounding drums.
For me, the best pieces of music on this album are the emotional, lush, fully orchestral ones. These being "White Water Rafting", the beautiful and epic "The Mountains", and the longest track on the disc, the quite excellent "The Descent", which brings the emotional theme to an overwhelming climax as it follows the film's lone survivor in her final descent into madness.
This is how a great horror score can and should be done. All the tracks are great, though 2, 4, 18, and 19 were definitely the highlights for me. I can't recommend it enough and will definitely be looking for more of David's work in the future!

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