Capcom Sound Team - Resident Evil 4 - Original soundtrack (Album Review)

 

Capcom Sound Team - Resident Evil 4 - Original Soundtrack

My copy: 2020 limited deluxe remastered box set on gold vinyl by Laced Records.

Every so often, a game is released that totally reshapes the landscape of its genre. Resident Evil 4 is probably the most influential action/survival TPS game of all time, totally reworking the controls and camera style from all prior entries in the series to create a visceral and frantic experience. While the gameplay itself is amazing and highly addicting, the game would lose a tremendous amount of personality if the soundtrack had come out any different. 

There are your typical cutscene/establishing tracks that do well to set the tone (“End Of Umbrella,” “The Drive ~ First Contact,” “Sorrow (Ending Credits),” etc.) but then there are the combat and environmental pieces that do wonders at constructing rich atmospheres. Simply hearing a few seconds of the dread-inducing percussion and ambient drone of “Ganado I” as it shuffles in suspended animation is enough to instantly remind you of the iconic enemies from the game. “A Strange Pasture” is one of the most immersive pieces I’ve ever heard in a game, for its expert ability to warp digital instruments into harrowing environmental sounds (or perhaps it’s vice versa). Following the twisted village survival section, the music keeps you paranoid: Then comes the save theme “Serenity,” a beautiful sign of temporary shelter. The warm synth tones pour through your tv speakers, though everything is just warped enough to keep your temper grounded. 

While Del Lago is likely the worst boss in the game, the dramatic piano progression and eerie string swells complete with cuts to silence as the boss hides under the water show masterful understanding of dynamics. “El Gigante” makes genius use of booming, stilted drums to mimic the panic-inducing footsteps of the giant monster itself. The composers here have a firm understanding of the enemies, and the music has evolved into a gameplay aspect as players wonder if the beast is closing in or if it’s just the music. “Echo In The Night” ups the tension now that the village is steeped in darkness, with head parasites now posing as a random threat to both the player and Ashley, whom we must protect. The unsettling whine of the strings on “Bitores Mendez” perfectly accommodates the big bosses’ hideous true form.

Once you infiltrate the second major set piece of the game, the castle, you’ll encounter the blind Garrodor enemy. The claw-equipped fiend is met with a carefully constructed collage of vocal synths and deep strings. The track plays wonderfully with silence, stripping down and building back up with echoing percussion. The castle zealot themes reach new levels of creepy, focusing more on obscured vocal chants and hand percussion. The hanging synth chords never let up, daring you to clear a room so as to bask in the silence of victory. The heartbeat of “Cold Sweat” amplifies the anxiety felt in the game’s notorious water hall. In the sewers we encounter the Novistadors, camouflaged insects that lurch with uncanny gaits; their theme unravels and flutters perfectly. 

“Evil Malaise” is used in a few of the game’s darker and more mysterious environments with slow, subtle creaking sounds. “Bad Vibes” builds anticipation before the showdown with the nigh invincible Verdugo, as the creature’s theme breaks in with metallic slams to emulate the enemy's ability to leap out from vents. “Robo Salazar” dials things up for a hilarious chase scene before we finish off the ruler of the castle himself. Salazar’s theme is one of the more generic action themes of the game, though smart players will save the free rocket launcher to bypass the fight entirely. The save theme is late in the lineup on the official tracklist, but its soothing,  intricate melody will work its way deep into your subconscious throughout your playthrough. 

The overtly tactical sense that permeates “Infiltration” helps the player feel in control, until the island enemies spot you and rally under the borderline rambo music of “Ganado V.” While the island section does jump the gun on action, it re-submerges you in horror with the terrifying “Regenrador.” These slow moving, limb regrowing freaks make verdugo seem like a cakewalk until you acquire the heat-scope. Most other enemy themes have unfurling strings or primal structures, but the regenerator theme is ominously cold and calculating - at a slow tempo to match the awkward trudge of the abominable monster it represents. Then there is the mechanical buzz of “U-3” which is elevated by the labored breathing of one of the most gnarly boss designs in the whole game. The themes dedicated to double-agent Jack Krauser are again fit for an action movie, along with the theme of Mike, the helicopter pilot who accompanies you through the lowest point of the game. Even when RE4 does action, the music relishes in impressive and standout crescendos: these composers understand that game music requires a delicate balance between triumph and fear. 

While Saddler isn’t the most interesting final boss out there, his theme is appropriately grand and climactic. As you make your way through the final gauntlet on the jetski, you are finally met with “Horizon,”  a final sigh of relief at the end of Leon and Ashley’s journey. There are three additional sides in this collection to compile auxiliary themes. RE4 also reshaped fan favorite bonus game, the mercenaries into a time attack minigame with players killing as many enemies as possible for a high score. Each playable character in this mode receives their own custom theme, each perfectly fitting the personality and play style of the combatant it represents. Finally, there are remixes and bonus tracks for the Assignment Ada story, which follows a different perspective through the main story. 

Ultimately, Resident Evil 4 will certainly be more firmly remembered for its incredible gameplay. That said, its music and atmosphere help to elevate it even further into a complete package with an impressive aesthetic of its own. If only the composer of the remake’s music understood how deliberately crafted each of the original’s individual tracks were; then maybe the music could have reached a new peak.