The Age of Conan soundtrack is awesome. I love it. However, when you start shoving multiple prints out the door, it gets a little confusing. This particular version came with a second disc: bonus tracks, if you will. Arranged tracks, remixes, and stuff not released the first time around.
Let’s start with these tracks from the band Turbonegro. It’s a pseudo-Brit (Norwegian, technically) dark glam-rock band. Let me quote the chorus of their first song: “Destroy all monsters, exterminate the light! Destroy all monsters, inseminate the night!” — Wait, did he just rhyme “exterminate” with “inseminate”? Wait… did he even use the word “inseminate” in a song? Now I just feel uncomfortable. Please, whatever you do, please do not inseminate the night. That calls up all sorts of weird mental imagery, and when it’s mixed with this cheesy rock, well… I just can’t handle it. Here’s another one: “Brass knuckles and a 2 by 4… do you dig destruction?” I just don’t get how this has anything to do with Age of Conan. Not the lyrical content, I guess I get the rockstar nihilism thing. Just… the rock music itself.
I guess since the game was developed in Norway, Norwegian rock bands get a moment in the spotlight. And Turbonegro was fairly popular for some time.
But let’s get to the good stuff from Knut Avenstroup Haugen.
Basically, it’s more epic orchestral music. I love the first disc, and this second disc, while having fewer tracks, still packs a punch (once you get past Turbonegro). “Shadows of Acheron” is especially powerful. The whiny, chromatic-scale-ascending string parts mixing with the choir of folks singing diminished chords is always effective. Always, always. But that’s just the intro portion of this four minute track. It’ll knock you off your chair if you turn it up loud enough.
I’ve covered the original OST disc in a separate review, and I think the world of it. If you can get the two disc version, well: bonus!
