ZIMMER, HANS-THE DARK KNIGHT RISES OST

My most awaited score of 2012 is here and it is trully brilliant!

I own and love both the Batman Begins score and The Dark Knight score but this score takes things to a whole new level. The score is roughly 52 minutes long and features 15 tracks. It is not an all-out action score, but the action music is exceptionally good. The whole score basically flows through meditative aggression, darkened depression and energizing, forceful action. I love the repeated chant and the unspontaneous brass screeching that is maintained at length without interruption reflecting the entrance of The Dark Knight. I love the way Hans Zimmer highlights the sullen low-spirited feeling and oppressive feelings of gloom and inadequacy throughout this score.

`A Storm Is Coming' is the very first track and starts the album off in a befittingly threatening manner but it is only 37 seconds long! It is too short! At least it isn't the shortest track on the album!

`On Thin Ice' is a good emotional theme that ends with the same theme that is extended in `Why Do We Fall?'

`Gotham's Reckoning' is a wonderful action track ruled by powerful thumping, inharmonious strings and a chanting choir. The first half is menacing and features a quiet Bane chant, droning horns and a touch of electric instruments. The music then intensifies and employs severe, crushing strings to build a sound with electric instruments and ascending notes that are both messy and ambitious before finishing with a climaxing Bane chant. I love it when the brass injections kick in, imitating the rush of power-driven tremors.

`Mind If I Cut In' unquestionably sounds unlike the rest of the score. It is the indispensable Cat-woman theme tune that opens with a creepy cello theme and then fades to a very nearly menacing piano solo. The track showcases a classical piano sound with a slinky simple tune.

I love the restrained, string-loaded dark tones of `Underground Army.' This is a naked and fragmented track that lacks the power and oomph but it still sounds like a tune of devastation.

`Born In Darkness' is a beautiful track and contains some deep emotional cues. The music is soft and meditative.

`The Fire Rises' is an awesome action track with a lethal, rough start and muddled action cues jam-packed with heavy, crunching electric strings and loads of string sound effects. It is an explosive action track that blasts ominous themes, then gently sizes with tension to another action cue with the Bane theme and chant together.

`Nothing Out There' is brought into being with a theme that is not lengthy but offers the first real sound indicative of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The tune swiftly changes to a novel theme comprising ominous sounding strings containing a downcast sound suggestive of `Nycteris' from Batman Begins. The last part of the track closes with the soft piano solo from `Barbastella' of Batman Begins.

It is an underestimation to say that `Despair' is electric instrument heavy. It pays respect to the Batman Begins and The Dark Knight soundtracks by containing some of the key defining Batman signature tunes. I love these action-heavy Batman themes! An Awesome Track.

The first time the Bane theme has been in direct contact and is arranged behind other action cues occurs in `Fear Will Find You'. This track features the entrance of the Batman theme and additional definitive Zimmer Batman cues. I love the way the Batman theme plays as one melody with the chant-less Bane theme.

`Why Do We Fall?' is purely outstanding. A soft beginning slowly builds unremittingly in volume and strength. I love the magnificent build-up of strings and drums that progress into one of the standard redemption pieces slowly driving the pulsing theme forward to its familiar epic Batman theme close.

The award for the shortest track of this whole soundtrack album goes to `Death By Exile.' This is a 23 second discordant torrent of sound which, I think, needs filmic supplement in order to be fathomed.

`Imagine The Fire' is the lengthiest track on the score (7:25) and Hans Zimmer is truthfully at his best here. This track has an epic and heroic style that just keeps on asserting Zimmer's engaging chaos. This track starts off with full power action music with all of Hans Zimmer's hallmark flair driving it forward. `The Kraken'-like sounds from his Pirates of the Caribbean films surfaces, followed by a mix of a altered choral Batman theme progression, the Bane chant and the fresh line of horns blaring. The theme develops to the heroic line with the Bane intonation undercurrent. I can only describe this track as the finest action track on this album and unquestionably, one of the greatest pieces of action music I have ever listened to!

`Necessary Evil' begins with the classic Batman music that plays during an action scene but then fades to something that sounds like the Limbo music featured in Inception.

A moving soprano tune, followed a cello-heavy slow tune builds with a sombre Batman theme in `Rise'. The music grows gradually louder as the emotive level rises. The music continues to build and build and then rounds out the track with the full Batman hero theme. It's truly a beautiful track!

My favourite tracks are:

1. Imagine The Fire
2. Why Do We Fall?
3. Rise
4. Gotham's Reckoning
5. Underground Army
6. Fear Will Find You
7. The Fire Rises
8. Despair
9. Nothing Out There

The Dark Knight Rises Soundtrack feels fresh even though it is based on the previous Batman scores. It rises to a new music level for me and is nothing short of brilliant. Hans Zimmer has added some outstanding explosive stuff that keeps you coming back for more. A Must Buy!

It's been an excruciating wait, but finally we have The Dark Knight Rises, sequel to the Ambitious and excellent "Batman Begins" and the truly Spectacular "The Dark Knight".

With a great film should come a great musical score, correct? Well I'm happy to say it does. Hans Zimmer is going solo this time around, after teaming up with James Newton Howard for the previous two Films.

1. A Storm Is Coming

This haunting and suspenseful piece is what starts off our Album, and does a good Job setting the mood.

2. On Thin Ice

People hoping for the usual Batman theme to immediately take over may be left slightly disappointed as we then enter a soft and emotional piece. Not bad by any means, but not one of the Album's best either.

3. Gotham's Reckoning

And here we are clearly introduced to our villain as the drums are rolled out and we get our first dose of the rather adrenaline pumping chant that has featured in every Trailer for the film. A suspenseful and dark piece.

4. Mind If I Cut In?

I'll be honest, I quite like this. It's a different type of piece that suggests a certain female character may have a secret Agenda.

5. Underground Army

Well now we are really cooking now. More drums and more hints at things to come. Far from the best track, but far from the worst.

6. Born In Darkness

Once again we leave our drums and chanting and head back to a relaxed and emotional atmosphere. There is a lot to take from this track, but it was one of the ones I found the least interesting.

7. The Fire Rises

Boom Boom Boom. The Drums are blazing now, and the Men's choir is chanting away madly. This is clearly some kind of confrontation, and it rewards it's listeners with a pulse pounding track that is one of the strongest the album gas to offer.

8. Nothing Out There

As if the theme of the album type is meant to go from Loud and Grand, to simple and Sad, we once again head back to the emotional and the concerned. A chilling track that I really enjoy.

9. Despair

This one caught me completely off guard. Those who expect something slow and or sad will be in for a surprise. This is another pounder with hints of the Epic Batman theme that has followed the films since Batman Begins.

10. Fear Will Find You

We have found a rythm now, because more drums and more chanting is headed your way.

11. Why Do We Fall?

One of my favorites. Though it starts slow and emotionally controlled, it builds and builds until we are hit with the best version of our favorite Epic Main theme to date.

12. Death By Exile

I had to play this again to make sure I actually heard it. It's extremely short at around 20 seconds, but those 20 seconds are filled with emotion and sorrow. I love it.

13. Imagine The Fire

Here it is. This is the heavy hitter from Zimmer this time around. It opens with a strange electronic sound that compliments the pounding drums in such a way that it takes over your entire focus. Throw in our favorite theme in the middle, and we have a winner. 7 minutes of absolute Epicness.

14. Necessary Evil

Though it starts loud and proud, it leaves on an emotional and thought provoking few last notes.

15. Rise

Wabam! And we're off again! Lots of percussion, lots of hints of the big theme, and it leads straight into what I can only predict will be the credits. During the credits we have a female soloist with a little bit of choral. This part is extremely Lord of the Rings esc, and only compliments an excellent track that once again builds to a full instrumental blast.

Whew! There you have it! Another outstanding album from an outstanding composer. Let's hope Nolan and Zimmer pair up for even more future projects. Buy this album and watch the film!

Recently saw the movie the dark knight rises and one of the main things I loved about the film was its soundtrack! Hans Zimmer is my favourite composer to date and he doesnt disappoint with this soundtrack. keeping elements from the previous two films whilst adding in new music elements, my favourite track being "Gothams Reckoning", which is the music introducing bane. Despite some of the tracks on the disc being very short, there is still plenty to enjoy! For any big fan of the nolan trilogy or of Hans Zimmer I highly recommend buying this soundtrack. 10/10 :D