Bless The Child

Composer (Orchestra): Christopher Young (London Metropolitan Orchestra)
Lable (Release Year): GNP Crescendo (2000)
Availability: ****
Rating: ****

Christopher Young returns to the genre that he started with his career. His last horror effort was 1998's Urban Legend. Coincidentally, Urban Legend's sequel Urban Legend: Final Cut, directed by fellow film composer John Ottman, hit theaters soon after Bless the Child.Although Bless the Child, like UL: Final Cut, is not welcomed by most film critics, Young's score is probably the best in the genre in recent years.

Young's gothic orchestral score is quite impressive and has many great moments. There is no dominant main themes but there is a soft 2 phrase piano motif. Another motif that stands out very much appears at the start of "Introitus". It is an unusual (male) deep bass chorus chant that carries the feeling of anger. I use the word unusual because I have never heard anyone uses a bass chorus in a horror score. The result is surprisingly effective. After a short dudak intro, a relatively contrasting angelic choir starts. The bass chorus soon joins back in and that creates an interesting gothic atmosphere. The rest of the track contains mostly moody and low key orchestral passages. Towards the end, there is a great use of a semi-eerie baritone solo. It sounds like music from a ceremony of an evil religious cult. "Kyrie Eleison" starts with the "cult" music and more angelic boy solo. It comprises mostly with Goldenthal's Alien3 type quite passage and occasional sudden crescendo moments. In the middle and near the end, there are too great orchestral build-up. Unfortunately, they are both quite short and never reach a satisfactory climax. "Dies Irae" is an alternation between quite moments and tongue in cheek action cuts. There are 4 separate action segments. All of them are different and show distinct characteristics and features brilliant orchestrations. Unfortunately, like "Kyrie Eleison", the finale type ending never reaches a satisfaction. "Agnus Dei" is in many ways similar to "Introtitus". It features more chorus work and the piano motif. The ending is the reprise of the beginning of track 1. The last track "Lux Aeterna" is quite different from the previous tracks. The first half features a peaceful boy solo. The second features a mass (ceremony) type chorus with a grand finale at the end. The track is peaceful, slightly joyful and is quite enjoyable.

Bless the Child has avoided being too cliched. It has its not characteristics. Young's use of voices is excellent. Although a good portion are quiet and low key moments, the score is still quite enjoyable. It does not give you the chill like Goldsmith's The Omen does or is as rousing as Young's Hellraiser. However, it is effective on its own ways. I recommend this score to any horror score fans, especially Young's.



    Track Listing:
  1. Introitus (Entrance) (8:30)
  2. Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy Upon Us) (11:55)
  3. Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) (12:50)
  4. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) (13:25)
  5. Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light) (6:44)
    Total Time: 53:24


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