There's a song by Celine Dion and Luciano Pavorati called I Love You then I Hate You and pretty much that sums the situation between me and how I feel about Elliot Goldenthal. There are moments when he shines as a composer and others where he disapponts. I searched for this score for some time, primarily for nostalgia's sake but also because there are a few portions of the score that I did care for. When I first sat down and listened to this soundtrack I realized one thing, that this was a truly mixed bag of a soundtrack. One of Goldenthal's favorite techniques is to keep the mood of a track somber and quiet and then punctuate it with the occasional solo of a boy soprano to give the track an eerie quality. In the case of Agnus Dei, it works effectively enough but it reminds me quite a bit of Libera Me from Interview with the Vampire. Now that was the first horror score of Goldenthal's that I purchased and then after getting this one, the resemblance I found was uncanny.
Now while Agnus Dei is one of the tracks that I like, Wreckage and Rape is one that I find downright kooky. Mixing in everything but a howling dog, this is one of the worst tracks on the soundtrack. After the haunting score by Jerry Goldsmith for Alien and the frenzy-filled score of Aliens by James Horner, Goldenthal's entry into the Alien franchise is not quite up to par. It isn't awful, but it isn't terrific either. Like the movie, it seems to be an eclectic mix.
Total time: 49:58
1: Agnus Dei (4:29)
2: Bait and Chase (4:40)
3: The Beast Within (3:07)
4: Lento (5:48)
5: Candles in the Wind (3:20)
6: Wreckage and Rape (2:41)
7: The First Attack (4:18)
8: Lullaby Elegy (3:39)
9: Death Dance (2:15)
10: Visit to the Wreckage (2:02)
11: Explosion and Aftermath (2:19)
12: The Dragon (3:05)
13: The Entrapment (3:40)
14: Adagio (4:14)