Mercenaries

Composed by Chris Tilton, Michael Giacchino Arranged by Tim Simonec, Mark Gasbaro, Larry Kenton, Matthew Ferraro, Steve Zuckerman, Chris Tilton Performed by The Northwest Sinfonia by Jason Ankeny To its credit, it's virtually impossible to differentiate Michael Giacchino and Chris Tilton 's score for the video game Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction from the big-budget Hollywood action epics it emulates. An aggressively bombastic effort distinguished by memorable melodies and imaginative arrangements, it boasts a scope and complexity absent from the average game soundtrack. With its ingratiating five-note motif, the main theme proves well matched to a variety of contexts and genres, and to its credit, the score explores a number of approaches rare to the game format. From the heartfelt "For the Motherland" to the delicate "Hidden Valley Bunker," Mercenaries possesses an emotional depth that truly enhances the visceral intensity that defines the lion's share of the music.