Milan Records releases the original soundtrack to the television series Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches. The album features music written by Will Bates for the 8-episode series which follows Rowan, a young neurosurgeon who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations...

There's a lot to enjoy with Will Bates' original score for Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches. The album consists of 22 tracks (52 min, 53 sec) and if you're a fan of the show, or gothic score's in general, then there's plenty to sink your teeth into here. However, for my tastes I did find it a little formulaic and cliched. While this is no bad thing, it meant that its identity got a little lost from time to time.

Talking about the score, Bates says: "The gothic horror of New Orleans and the complexity of Anne Rice’s characters really allowed me to experiment with instrumentation and themes. I love to make use of the enormous power of melody when working on a show, planting the seed of a theme in 17th century Scotland and allowing it to grow into a new context in contemporary New Orleans. And I feel so fortunate to feature the vocals of Maiah Manser, she’s truly masterful and I think her voice really became the sound of Rowan’s internal subconscious. I asked her to sing in reversed Gaelic quite a bit. And after recording some guttural wailing for a certain 17th century Scottish funeral, I gather her studio cat no longer looks her in the eye."

I did enjoy the creative elements employed, especially the reversed Gaelic singing. But once you've heard it once it's not something you're overly bothered about rehearing.

Thematically this is memorable and above average fare, but I was unsure if it was an album of music I'd want to listen to outside of the show.

6

Darren Rea