As you’d expect from a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film, the Dredd Soundtrack is dark, brooding and atmospheric. For lovers of rock music, from noise and metal to melodic and electro, it’s an album that doesn’t disappoint as an album in its own right, as well as a stunning accompaniment to what’s rapidly turning into a cult film.
Scored by BAFTA-winning British composer Paul Leonard-Morgan (Limitless, Spooks) for the cinematic release of Dredd in September 2012, the soundtrack was released on the 1st October 2012 on CD, 180 gram audiophile vinyl and digital download.
One of the best features of the album is the way that it lulls you in with a softer introduction or calm interlude only to kick back in with heavier rocktronika. It’s all out instrumental rock that loses nothing for stripping out the thought of vocals and delivers some great distortion and fuzz tones.
Shades of Brian Eno combine with inspiration from Mike Oldfield to make an album that works well as the Dredd Soundtrack, but also as an album that you can listen to in its entirety whenever you need a blast of rock instrumental. Its most recent comparable would be the Tron Legacy Soundtrack, but it’s a heavier beast altogether.
While there are themes of motorik action throughout most of the tracks, there’s a lot of variation from slower atmospheric sections to the driving pace needed as the backdrop to all-out assault scenes in the film.
Changing things up and down makes the album such a joy to listen to, as well as bringing to life the latest saga from the Judge Dredd comic book world.
With 22 tracks, it’s a pretty big undertaking with no real filler as each track correlates with the plot of the movie. However, the Dredd Sountrack album is definitely one for serious rock lovers as it hurls out noise and thumping beats on the faster tracks.
Dredd Soundtrack review: 4.4/5
Dredd Soundtrack tracklist:
1. She’s a Pass
2. Mega City One
3. The Plan
4. The Rise of Ma-Ma
5. Anderson’s Theme
6. Lockdown
7. Cornered
8. Kay Escapes
9. Mini-Guns
10. Undefined Space
11. Bad Judges
12. Judgment Time
13. Hiding Out
14. Order In the Chaos
15. Slo-Mo
16. Taking Over Peach Trees
17. It’s All a Deep End
18. Judge, Jury and Executioner
19. Any Last Requests?
20. You Look Ready
21. Ma-Ma’s Requiem
22. Apocalyptic Wasteland
If you still haven’t seen the film, we’d suggest watching it on Blu-ray in 3D to experience it as close to how it went down at the cinemas. Read our Dredd blu-ray review to read more.
