American independent horror film Laid to Rest features an aggressive and unsettling original score which avoids the usual genre cliches: instead of a singer-filled low budget score featuring the usual abundance of sampled string effects and pre-fabricated orchestral stabs, director Robert Hall decided to create an experimental avant garde soundtrack performed by his own metal band Deadbox featuring Robert Hall, Thomas Dekker, Jason M. Hall and Andrew Bentler...

First things first. If hardcore metal music is not your thing - if it all just sounds like noise - then you won't appreciate this album. Then again if you do like metal music it's probably going to be about a 50/50 split whether you enjoy this soundtrack.

Personally, while not a huge fan of the genre, I do appreciate the old bit of metal from time to time. However, the soundtrack to Laid to Rest really did just sound like one monotonous, and rather painful, noise. In fact, I was so bored sitting listening to it, that I cranked up the volume and walked far enough away so that I could just hear the main "noise" of the tracks. What I heard sounded exactly like metal on metal - or the brakes of a train stuck on as it tries to screech to a halt.

'The Trunk and the Truth' and 'Princess' are the only notable exceptions. Here we are treated to more of a conventional music score. Mainly, because it's practically impossible to convey a mellow ambient feel through metal. These two tracks I enjoyed a lot more.

'Sexy Bitches' feels very out of place on this album. It's cliched pop-esque feel is about as far away from metal as you can get.

On balance, this soundtrack isn't really worth hunting down unless you're in a particularly masochistic mood.

3

Darren Rea