Lakeshore Records release Frederik Wiedmann's score for The Damned. The movie follows a family as they deal with their hidden secrets while, at the same time, attempting to defeat an ancient evil...

Frederik Wiedmann's score for The Damned may take you completely by surprise. I've reviewed a handful of his scores in the past (Hostel: Part III; Green Lantern: The Animated Series; Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox), so was expecting it to be well above the average horror score. If you're, rather pessimistically, expecting your usual run-of-the-mill horror score with long dull, atmospheric sections and possibly one or two average, but interesting themes, then you're in for a surprise. What Wiedmann delivers is a score that is beautiful and at the same time as creepy and unsettling as Hell.

All too often these day, modern horror scores tend not stand on their own merits, they are simply there to prop up the onscreen imagery, and heighten the tension. Listened to on their own they normally don't deliver anything other than background atmosphere. Now there are some elements of this in tracks like 'Childs Play', but generally this album is full of creepy themes that you don't really want to be playing if you have the house to yourself and the sun has gone down.

The score's 'Main Title' not only houses an interesting theme, but also incorporates eerie whispering and broken, electronically altered voices of a young girl who appears to be singing. It actually sounds like it may be played in reverse, but whatever the effects used on it, the affect on the listener is more than a little unsettling.

The score contains 22 tracks (46 min, 05 sec). 'Finding Ana Maria' houses arguably the most beautiful, yet chilling, theme. This is a segment that is repeated in other tracks, like 'Your Boss Is Handsome', where it also incorporates the sing-song little girl's voice, which adds to its creepiness. There's also a loving nod to John Williams's score for Raider of the Lost Ark: 'Alone' briefly pays homage to 'Well of the Souls'.

Those of you that normally give horror scores a miss, should pick this up. You won't be disappointed that you did. Just make sure you don't play it alone, after dark...

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Darren Rea