Review: Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath Original Soundtrack Volume 1 Collector’s Edition

That must be the longest album title ever. You may recall seeing this album a few weeks back when we pointed you to some of the most amazing deals on the web in the debut of The Economizer. This was definitely one of the moodiest and coolest albums of 2007, so it’s great to be able to revisit the music through this Collector’s Edition, which features an interview and extensive commentary on each track by composer Michael Bross.

So what’s here? The album features an electro-western sound (yes, I just made that up), complete with twangy guitars and sweeping ambient synths. It’s pretty unique to say the least. It’s definitely something to look into for fans of gritty ambiance. And remember, there are only 500 copies of the Collector’s Edition in print!

Find out why you should be one of the lucky 500 after the jump.

The album opens with one of the strongest tracks, “Fighting Outlaws,” starting things off a bang. Influenced by spaghetti westerns according to Bross’s comments, the track sports a chugging bass alongside a psychedelic, tricked-out guitar melody with lots of vibrato and other effects, making for a unique sound. My favorite track on the album, “The Looten Duke,” follows, written in 7/8 so that the beat alternates between the downbeats and upbeats. Guitars and a powerful string section slowly build upwards, climaxing in a whirlwind of sound that will remain on my iPod indefinitely.

“Attract” is another bizarre piece that defies boundaries, opening with a haunting tribal-sounding chant that carries through the piece as electronic percussion and synths generate a cool, progressive atmosphere. “In the Dark Sewers” offers a darker atmosphere with the filtered thuds of a bass drum plodding along with icy synth sweeps and distorted guitars. The mix is perfect, with the twangy guitar rising quietly from the depths and echoing in the distance.

Finally, “Burning Town” is a distressing track that slowly builds in intensity. While the first half is fairly static aside from the ascending string melody, the variation in the second half imparts a wave of emotion that is truly stunning. There are some dissonant portions near the end that skillfully reinforce the feelings the track is trying to convey.

Since this is titled Volume 1, hopefully there will be a second volume sometime in the near future. I really feel this is one of the most underappreciated scores of 2007, so I highly encourage everyone to head over to iTunes to check out the samples before picking up the Collector’s Edition from KeepMoving Records. For $7.99, you’d be crazy not to. My only complaint is that they got rid of the awesome cover art from the original 2007 release (pictured above)!

Am I the only one who’s aware of the amazing music in this game? Does anyone dig the samples from iTunes?