Winner of six awards at the Action on Film International Film Festival in 2011, 4 Assassins is a tense drama with action elements. The music is written by German composer Andre Matthias, who in director Stanley J. Orzel's words uses "haunting flutes, stirring strings and deep percussion to heighten the characters' expressions and reflections". The score combines traditional Western musical semantics with Asian influences as the film takes place, and is produced in Hong Kong. The soundtrack also features the end title song 'Like Ashes' by Mad Carousel...

Andre Matthias's score for 4 Assassins contains some interesting themes. In particular, I loved the repetitive haunting main theme that opens and closes the album, as well as the stripped down version that is at the core of 'Is That All I Meant to You?' It's almost hypnotic in its execution.

The album contains 15 tracks and lasts for 44 min, 28 sec. It's a mellow, and at times quite mechanical score, which delivers the goods. This is well worth checking out.

7

Darren Rea