Avengers: Music from and inspired by the Motion Picture

Category:	Music
Genre:	Soundtracks
Artist:	Various Artists

Review by Timothy Austin

It's clear that Marvel was certain that they had a huge hit on their hands with "Avengers", a prime example being the exemplary presentation of the movie's soundtrack album. They have pulled out all the stops for the film's music by assembling what can only be described as one of the best rock compilations in years with a barrage of rock royalty which include hugely popular band Shinedown, rock veteran Papa Roach, Evanescence and Buckcherry. 

Indeed fans of the blockbuster film and collectors of rock albums will salivate at the very scope of the album which varies from "torchy" rock ballads to heavy metal violence. The stand out song comes immediately at track 1, and surprisingly its from lesser known band "Soundgarden" with "Live to Rise" again. Obviously the best cut on the album, the rock ballad is powerful with uplifting vocals which speak directly to the struggles endured by the heroes of the film. The ballad is in the vein of "Hero" by Chad Kroeger from the first Spiderman soundtrack (which I consider to be the BEST song from a superhero movie), and is the sort of powerhouse anthem that deserves "Best Song" Oscar attention. 

Soundgarden

Being a fan of "Shinedown" I was excited at their entry here and the band delivers with the heavy metal song "I'm Alive" which is the sort of heavy base song befitting the Hulk. While not as harmonically pleasing as "Live to Rise", the song perfectly exemplifies the anguish of the heroes as well as their internal conflicts. For causal fans of rock, the tracks outside the opening cut may be jarring as tracks like "Dirt and Roses" rely heavily on the harsh metal rock sound with pounding electric guitars rips that may send any listener into a "Hulk Smash". But for heavy metal fans, this compilation is a dream come true and indeed the producers should be commended for combining such major names in rock. Rock veteran Papa Roach may blow out your speakers with the anthem "Even if I could" which brings musical life to more of the emotional conflicts in the film with towering rock vocals and rip roaring guitar accentuated by a heavy drum beat.

Another highlight is the uplifting "Unbroken" by Black Veil Brides which succeeds since it references the overarching "unity" theme of the film aided greatly by smooth vocals and pulsating rock percussion. More mellow is Scott Weiland's "Breath" which is one of few more soulful tracks. The always ethereal Evanescence offers another break from the heavy rock atmosphere with the power ballad "A New Way to Bleed" which again references some of the painful internal conflicts endured by the Marvel heroes. Perhaps because lead singer Amy Lee offers some of the few female vocals, the cut is a center piece with the band's usual bitter/sweet lyrics and emotional delivery. But the heavy metal sound is never far behind with Buckcherry's "Where ever I Go". The popular rock artist delivers pure gold with a more Gothic rock approach and melancholy vocals which perfectly reflect on the more solemn moments within the blockbuster film. The ballad perfectly bookends the masterpiece soundtrack which will certainly be remembered as one of the best rock inspired compilations in recent memory.

There is little doubt that fans of the film will be impressed with this fantastic range of rock artists and the album's ability to recapture the intense pace, emotional drama and heroic themes of the film. Indeed, few comic book fans will argue that this album is exactly what the "Avengers" should sound like; in fact few soundtracks have come this close to mirroring intense action scenes with heavy rock metal. Moviegoers who made the film the giant success it is need not hesitate to make this album a priority purchase since it allows the listener to accurately relive the intense emotions of "The Avengers". 

Tags: song compilations, heavy metal, comic books, adventure, avengers, superheroes, action, rock

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