ABOUT THE MUSIC
D4Disgruntled created his take on a sci-fi action story he conceived to which over an hour and a half of music was composed to help tell the story. The music is for a film that does not exist. This is a concept soundtrack album that is produced as though it were an actual score to an actual film, show or game.
Inspired by a variety of styles of techno infused electronic synth scores to video games such as Mass Effect, alien tribal soundscapes like Halo as wll as films such as Supernova, Ultra Violet, and Resident Evil. Additional inspiration came from a wide variety of techno artist and a little sprinkle of industrial.
While one half of the composition is primarily explorations of techno styles with a harsher and more tangible sound to illustrate the human characters, dark and brooding ghostly soundscapes are created for the omnipresent enemy. As they make the presence known their material becomes harsh and tangible as well. There are moments of emotional drama throughout the score which bridge the two worlds or dimensions rather.
The score is comprised of a variety of motifs that also function as major themes. All the major musical ideas are presented in the Main Title track that are further developed throughout the score.
The Erehwon has a variety of motifs. It has an "investigation" motif consisting of a repeating series of 4 ascending notes for moments of investigation, searching, and discovery. At times the motif is developed further into a driving action rhythm.
There is a more estoic military theme that is associated with the federation regime and what will be discovered to be covering up the truth about the enemy. It is inspired by similar rising 5ths much in the style of Jerry Goldsmith has used throughout his career for military action movies.
There is a motif for the sense of loss and hopelessness felt by everyone as their existence is systematically being wiped out. This is a series of 2 notes repeated up to 5 times. Think a slower and even more minimalist version of Laurie's Theme from Halloween.
The enemy material is more of a sound design soundscape approach but uses the same ensemble of sounds associated to the enemy. When they are lurking, about to attack or simply being omnipresent, the sounds established in the soundscape can be heard. These include a whale-like siren call, a variety of echoey and clickity clacks, bells, industrial drum hits, tribal drums, and male grunts. The idea was to give a primal alien feel.
When the enemy does attack, a more tangible, aggressive and incessant swirling battle motif is heard. A pattern of rising and falling 1/2 step notes make up the alien battle motif and is heard on techno pad plucks, 8-bit inspired computer sounds and bells over driving percussion rhythms.
And what current modern sci-fi action / horror score is complete without including the 4 most overused elements heard in so many films and trailers. The Braum, The high pitched single piano note, the bass hits with descending glissandos, and ascending glissando whooshes that abruptly end as though the music was abruptly shut off when it peaked.
ABOUT THE ALBUM
This is the longest album to date. There is a little over an hour and a half of music on this album. The music is structured in chronological order and the track titles are named in a way as though they were chapter titles to offer some understanding of what is happening in the story.
As bonus tracks at the end, there are 2 alternate versions of the Main Title Track. These were done first as D4Disgruntled was exploring the musical ideas that would become the genesis for the score. These two share ideas that ultimately ended up in the final Main Title track that was used but there are major differences between them and the final Main Title track. As for the mix, since neither were used, these are in their raw form and are somewhat "louder" and closer to being blown out.
STORY CONCEPT
Mystery begins with suspected computer glitches. Then several sneak ambushes, each getting more backside than the first. This creates panic among the federation and fleets as the enemy are able to pop in and out with little warning and trace. Except for the Erehwon. The ship is capable of detecting and traveling interdimensionally.
There is a centennial celebration on the main federation planet which will be host to various other planets and councils. The attacks are getting closer to the main planet. The enemy is detected and The Erehwon tries to warn the federation of the impending assault. The assault occurs and creates massive chaos.
When the enemy reveals itself, they state their terms which entail reclaiming all the technology that was stolen from them before they were banished. After it reclaims what is rightfully theirs, they will banish the remaining citizens of the federation and its leaders in another dimension, left to die and able to escape.
The federation goes into panic mode and everyone is out for themselves. There is widespread chaos and failed attempts to escape due to the enemy obliterating anyone who attempts to escape.
They demand to be taken to the Erehwon Ship and all facilities that have been privy to building it and cloning it. While the federation continues to try to hide everything they don’t realize the enemy detects the energy signatures from the technology and are able to trace it themselves.
They learn of a failed attempt of cloning the Erehwon technology. The only one they have is the original they stoke from the enemy. The enemy reclaims it and uses their powers to send the research facility and all the remaining ships to a different dimension in which it will obliterate them as well.
The enemy knows this is all a lie. They have been able to detect the energy signatures this whole time. They needed to cripple the federation and let them know who did it to them before they took back what was theirs
They begin the mass transport of the fleet into a different dimension. Then they start the countdown of the bomb. Why the countdown? Psychological torture. They let them all know this is a justice for an I justice.
The enemy leaves them behind. The federation quickly act and get to escape pods that send them to the secret interdimensional bases. Not all make it though.
The enemy rounds up those that are left and demand to be taken to the secret base where the erehwon clones are at. While in transit they detect energy signatures from the escape pods. The enemy leader orders part of the fleet to investigate.
In the meantime, unbeknownst to the enemy that facility is the decoy. The real clones do exist and have been cleverly shielded in various gas clouds to help shield the energy signatures of the technology.
The decoy facility is revealed to be a trap and most of the enemy fleet is obliterated, leveling the playing field. They inform the leader in a broadcast showing their fleet about to be obliterated.
The part of the enemy fleet that pursued the escape pods are met with defensive measures at the bases and are killed.
The cloned fleet prep for battle and launch.
The enemy arrives at the decoy facility to discover no clones are there, just the elements of the technology that emit the signatures.
The federation team of Erehwons broadcast to the enemy the destruction of those who followed them. Showing they were more prepared for this I inevitable event than the enemy had thought.
The enemy leader kills the federation people who took him to the decoy location. Then the cloned fleet secretly arrives while the revelation is occurring in a surprise ambush.
All battle ensues.
The enemy decides to activate the bomb in this dimension. The erehwon fleet has other plans, they get him to follow them into what turns out to be the original dimension the enemy was from and were originally banished back into. So this time around they rebannish and do it in just enough time to escape before the bomb goes off and destroys that Demi soon with the enemy still in it. They are extinguished forever.
Then there is a regime change and a new life is built in this dimension to repair the damage that occurred.
