Paul Haslinger Underworld

What an awesome and dark, dark, dark soundtrack album this is! When I first heard it, it blew me away. It can easily be appreciated as a work in its own right even without the visuals of the film to go with it. Much of it reminded me of Lustmord and it was only after reading the artwork that I realised that Paul co-produced it with him. Lustmord was also credited with some of the Sound Design and Additional Programming. Even though there are nineteen tracks listed it really comes over as one large work so I will review it as such. A thunderclap, rain and vocal sample are joined by both sighing and orchestral pads. Crashing drums pound out like the Devil himself striking the very Earth smashing and splintering everything beneath. The underlying pads swell to a massive climax like a breaking tidal wave and the drums are washed away. We are now left with eerie effects and half heard vocal samples.

Things become almost silent then rushes of sound come in waves accompanied by more crashes and ominous brooding, ratcheting, pounding percussive effects building up to explosive proportions. We then effectively enter a heavy metal section with thunderous drums and axe man guitar plus menacing sneering vocals. God, many of you are going to hate this but it takes me back to fond memories of my leather jacket wearing, head banging, fourteen-year-old youth! Bring on the mayhem! We then get the calm after the storm. Little piano melodies float over silken pads and orchestral colouring. Gorgeous stuff. What a contrast from what has gone before. Things then become more chaotic with Hellish sounds and massed drum flourishes. A slow, echoing rhythm starts up. As things build the better the sound system you have the greater will be the excitement. These drums are simply like one awesome explosion of sound after another. Deep deep virtual guitar type rumbles can be heard low in the mix. Powerful pads swell and the drums keep coming back like one great salvo of pure destructive energy after another.

Tranquillity once again returns for a couple of minutes. These moments of tenderness only serve to make the percussive / drum driven mayhem dominated moments even more powerful when they arrive. An uneasy calmness is joined by demonic breathing. It is as if we are being stalked. Little melancholy piano touches change the mood once more. Brooding pads start to swell under sparse echoing vocal samples. Then- wallop, the bludgeoning drums return accompanied by almost wailing, reverberating, slowly decaying sonic stabs. Things return to a malevolent calmness- of sorts. Massed strings ebb and flow. Monastic chanting can be heard low in the mix. Another growling, rhythmic, metal pounding maelstrom, blows these away. Piano then strings return followed by more Devils' breath and looped vocal sample. Bass piano strings play out a slow ominous melody as a fairly conventional rhythm shuffles around it. Moody stuff indeed.