Soundtrack Review: The Lazarus Project (2009)

This is a review of the motion picture score for The Lazarus Project by Brian Tyler.

“This is nothing short of sensational stuff from Brian Tyler. Every tone has me crying for more, dreaming for more, wanting more and craving it all”

Is it just me or is the whole crazy world of soundtracks going gaga when Brian Tyler releases a score? After having an amazing year in 2008, the first score of the year is the score to a 2008 movie called The Lazarus Project (AKA The Heaven Project). I actually got to listen to this a few months ago to a DVDRIP that someone gave to me and I eagerly wanted to know if there was going to be an official release of this score. Luckily my prayers were answered by the good guys of Varese Sarabande. After I listened to the DVDRIP I knew that this was something that had to be released.

Track List

1. Jaybird (*****)
   
2. The Lazarus Project (*****)
   
3. Discovery (*****)
   
4. The Divide (****)
5. Cold Harbor (****)
6. Avery (*****)
   
7. Julie In The Cabin (*****)
   
8. A New Life (*****)
   
9. The Break In (*****)
   
10. Passagesscapia (*****)
    
11. The Jumper (***)
12. Glimpses (****)
13. The Revelation (****)
14. Voices From The Past (****)
15. The Forest (***)
16. Portraits (****)
17. I Want To Forget (*****)
    
18. The Lazarus Project End Title (*****)
    

Unusually Short

This score is unusually short to be a Brian Tyler score. “Only” 56 minutes, I cried when I unwrapped it. Well not really as it was already in my ears before I acknowledged the content. What’s so special about this score? First of all it’s not an all out action fest which Brian Tyler does amazingly well I might add. This is one of his more drama-like scores, but don’t worry action fans. There’s some heavy stuff on there too if you look hard.

From the first track ‘Jaybird’, Brian Tyler had me just where he wanted me as I listened in amazement. It’s like listening to a first class Bruce Springsteen tune. It just hits you. It’s very nostalgic, melodic and simply gorgeous. It’s like Brian Tyler had taken the guitar and went on tour, although it’s certainly not acoustic. With him he has all the band members and it sounds so great. The melody here is on par with anything hit meister Trevor Rabin can put up and that’s pretty damn impressive.

The Continuation

I am shaking now… really scared… scared that the first track was the only one up to this level. Track 2 starts playing and I sigh heavily as everything comes clear. It has to be one of Brian Tyler’s finest work! The beautiful minimalistic ‘The Lazarus Project’ has me all emotional and spellbound. ‘Discovery‘ which is the 3rd cue mixes in the best of cue 1 and 2 to firmly establish Tyler’s grasp on me as he leads me through his musical territory. I am trapped, relentlessly and unconditional, but I don’t mind, I let it happen. I listen to it once, twice, three times, x times and it doesn’t get worse, but better.

I mentioned briefly about action as well before and it hits full force around 2 minutes 40 in the cue ‘Discovery‘ and makes me jump with joy as it is Action Tyler which we all know and love. Simply superb stuff even if the action lasts too little for my taste. ‘Julie In The Cabin’ is so dreamy it makes me dream as Tyler pounds me with notes from another realm, pulsating, rhythmic, hypnotic… You can even hear the touch of physical instruments, the actual movement of the orchestra which is great.

Breathtakingly Beautiful

‘A New Life’ is a continuation of ‘The Lazarus Project’, and directly causes my heart to take a few jumps, not because it’s full of action, but because it’s breathtakingly beautiful. The slight fizzing of violins in the background adds to the unreal layer of magical music. I have to mention here that this is not an orchestral score, but a mix with electronic sounds which makes it even better in my opinion. ‘The Break In‘ is an example of a highly charged electronic sound and also the return of Action Tyler. It sounds so great!

The sounds of ‘Passagesscapia‘ is ambient, but with pulsating beats of electronica that wakes you up from the trance you find yourself in. It is simply astounding how many great cues Brian Tyler has managed to create for The Lazarus Project. The framework was done in the first 3 tracks and it just went on from there. The ending is just as beautiful and it starts off with the slightly scary ‘I Want To Forget’, but you really don’t want to forget because this is top class material. ‘The Lazarus Project End Title’ ends it all appropriately with a slightly slower version of ‘Jaybird‘ and I can only say it makes it just as good or even better.

Conclusion

This is nothing short of sensational stuff from Brian Tyler. Every tone has me crying for more, dreaming for more, wanting more and craving it all. It’s like one of those greatest hits albums of your greatest artists in a way. I simply can’t stop listening to it and it gets better every time. Everyone deserves a bit of The Lazarus Project, I surely did and so do you.

Listen to The Lazarus Project by Brian Tyler below:

Other articles of interest:

• Soundtrack Review: Dragonball Evolution (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: The Final Destination (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: Fast & Furious (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: Watchmen (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: Race to Witch Mountain (2009)

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