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SOUNDTRACK REVIEW

Son of Batman – Music From The DC Universe Animated Movie
Studio: La-La Land Records
Release Date: May 20th, 2014

Synopsis: La-La Land Records will release the original score limited edition soundtrack CD to the all-new DC Universe Animated Movie Son of Batman on May 20, 2014 at lalalandrecords.com (12noon PST). Acclaimed composer Frederik Wiedmann (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Green Lantern: The Animated Series) crafts another sensational original score that is a must-have for all DC Animated Universe fans and film score enthusiasts alike! This CD presentation contains two exclusive tracks not available on the digital download version. The first customers to order the CD from lalalandrecords.com on May 20th at Noon (PST) will have a chance at getting their copy autographed by the composer! The retail price on this 1500 unit Limited Edition is $19.98.

Son of Batman – Music From The DC Universe Animated Movie
Music By Frederik Wiedmann
1. Son of Batman 0:56
2. Peace and War 2:13
3. Deathstroke’s Army 3:41
4. Ashes to Ashes 4:59
5. Gotham Crimes 2:21
6. Souvenirs d’une Liaison 1:34
7. Damian 1:03
8. Gotham City 1:13
9. Call Me Deathstroke 2:40
10. Ninjas 1:57
11. Asylum Interrogations 1:50
12. Ambushed* 1:54
13. Rogue 3:45
14. Great Shoes to Fill 2:51
15. Man-Bats 1:42
16. The Spoiled Son* 2:05
17. Father and Son 1:52
18. Damian’s Mission 2:41
19. Off to Scotland 2:52
20. Stand-Off 2:19
21. Dr. Langstrom’s Rescue 2:36
22. Father Saves Son 2:12
23. The Duel 2:25
24. The Fall of the Empire 1:51
25. Damian’s Blade 2:52
26. Farewell 2:12
27. End Credits 4:23

Total Album Time: 65:52
*album exclusive track


Son of Batman Soundtrack Review
By James Harvey

Those familiar with the stylings of Frederik Wiedmann will definitely recognize his work here. Having scored for Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, he's clearly no stranger to the grandeur, cosmic side of DC Comics. Now, he gets to tap into his dark side a little with Son of Batman and, unsurprisingly, turns out a great effort.

Wiedmann does an excellent job laying out the album, starting things off with an almost eery mystical subtext before getting right into the action. From the opening raid on Ra's Al Ghul's temple, to the Man-Bats, to the final battle on an exploding oil rig, Weidmann does a great job of underlying the action with gripping music, never overshadowing and always complementing. Even in the film's quieter moments he is able to provide the film with atmosphere without overwhelming it. In fact, his work is impressive as he tends to reach far beyond what his budget is capable of ("Ashes to Ashes" is a great track but it seems like it holds back just a bit, for example).

The sound lulls you in with a nice peaceful ambiance before things quickly turn on their head with "Peace and War." From there we're treated with some real gangbusters, like "Deathstroke's Army," "Ninjas," "Ambushed," and "Man-Bats." Those aren't the only ones, but to me these track serve as checking points for the overall arc of the movie and soundtrack. For those looking for a theme, the "End Credits" track seems to provide a stronger interpretation of some of the cues littered throughout the score.

The only jarring track is the jazzy "Souvernirs d’une Liaison," which provides the backdrop for Talia unveiling her son Damian to Batman. I appreciate it was included on the soundtrack, for completion's sake, but this bit of background music breaks the pace of the the score (but by no means ruins anything). Also, the track "Gotham City" is a surprisingly heroic-sounding track, providing an almost upbeat tone to the counter some of the more serious aspects.

It's really obvious that the scope of the story really controls just how big Weidmann plays it. His work on Green Lantern: The Animated Series was, appropriately, cosmic. He went all out for that series, and you could feel it with each track. With Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, his tone felt a bit more tuned toward the big-budget epic disaster flicks, though a shade darker to match the film's tone. He plays it a bit similar here, but a turned down a few shades. The score feels more heroic at times, more down-to-earth, which actually works nicely with this film's somewhat grounded take on Ra's Al Ghul and his League of Assassins. It's great to see Weidmann flexing his muscles a bit, but also making sure he doesn't stray from the film's core story.

Frankly, while it's a great score release, I doubt it'll be remembered as one of Weidmann's best effort. And honestly, that mostly has to do with the source film material and the tight budget constraints. The score for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Christopher Drake really set the bar high for future composers in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line, and Weidmann's work here can't quite match it. That being said, for the die-hard Batfans, it's still worth a listen, though there's no immediate rush to pick it up. For Weidmann fans, it serves as a fine complement and an interesting diversion from his previous works, so give it a go. With all that said, I hope he returns to score more animated DC Comics projects in the future. He has a great, unique sound that is so well suited for these characters. Once you've finished watching the movie, give the Son of Batman soundtrack a spin. It's definitely worth your time.


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