Album Review: Erock – Movies Meet Metal Vol. 2 (Erock)

The second compilation of Erock’s Movies Meet Metal isn’t as instantly appealing as the first thanks to some strange choices of covers this time round.

While it has plenty of classic movie soundtracks; The Exorcist (Tubular Bells), Braveheart, Ghostbusters etc. It also has its fill of not so classic stuff such as Pacific Rim, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & Godzilla. While everything is played well & mostly recognisable, it’s the ones that have the epic about them that really stand out.

The ones that make you feel emotion are the ones that you’ll remember. Last of the Mohicans is the best track on the album. Hardly a well known film but it’s fan base will tell you just how incredible & iconic its soundtrack is. Here, its sped up & turned into a gloriously upbeat metal track but retaining the sense of beauty & wonder found in the film.

The moment in the middle where it changes style to play the music where the Mohicans hunt near the end of the film is stunning. You’re there, you’re on that path & it drips emotion. The guitar wails & slamming drum beats just work wonders.

The same can be said about Braveheart, a film that was filled with music that stuck with you long after. Here a few different parts of the music are melded together to create a flowing track. It combines the beauty of Scotland with the horror of the battlefield. It’s bombastic stuff even turning the bagpipe tune & making it sound just as huge coming out of a guitar.

The two highlights of an otherwise decent compilation album. Far too many are almost built ready for a metal do-over so they hardly inspire. Conan (The Barbarian/The Destroyer) is great but lacks a killer edge, Robocop works well with its heavy drumming really standing out & while Requiem for a Dream Lux Aeterna finishes the album on a high.

It’s still an incredible effort to take these pieces of music (what Erock does with The Exorcist deserves some serious credit) & turn them into, not just listenable metal tracks but good ones. It’s a bit more hit & miss then the first (I really don’t like the Pacific Rim, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & the Ghostbusters tracks) but thanks to some stellar efforts it’s well worth checking out.

Overall Track Listing:

1. Conan (The Barbarian/The Destroyer) Meets Metal
2. Pacific Rim Meets Metal
3. The Exorcist (Tubular Bells) Meets Metal
4. Ghostbusters Meets Metal
5. Robocop Meets Metal
6. Kill Bill Vol. 1 Meets Metal
7. Godzilla Meets Metal
8. Last of the Mohicans Meets Metal
9. Braveheart Meets Metal
10. Requiem for a Dream Lux Aeterna Meets Metal