Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001;
Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)

by Christopher McElfresh

When Microsoft launched their first console, the X-Box, there was a lot of talk surrounding its power, the apparent coming online play, and one game: Halo.  Halo was such a big deal that, though there was no online play, friends were toting their consoles over to their friends houses and networking them in to take advantage of the large-scale multiplayer.  The game was the talk of the gaming community.

Before Halo was released in 2001, the console first-person-shooter was a pipe dream, achieved only by Goldeneye: 007 on the Nintendo 64, and a very short list of additional console titles from the past.  Halo perfected a control scheme that is, to this very day, the standard for first-person controls.  They are used in just about every game that uses this perspective, and some that do not.  

The game was a product of shooter veterans Bungie, working in accordance with Microsoft Game Studios.  Halo became an instant classic and was also the point of a lot of contention, haters gonna hate, I guess.  Still, the impact the game has made on the industry is undeniable.  It is almost impossible to look at shooters today and not find at least a few elements that Bungie influenced more than a decade ago.

The soundtrack of Halo: Combat Evolved was a very interesting experiment in styles.  Martin O'Donnel and Michael Salvatori worked together to mix many different styles and experiment with sounds and musical concepts from around the world.  The Halo soundtrack features noticeable inspiration from rock, country, classical, Celtic, drum and bass, electronica, Indian, Gregorian and more.  The soundtrack has become a staple in video game music.  An example of powerful, flowing auditory journeys that softly accentuate the war around you.

The Soundtrack -

Halo-

This is the principle theme of the entire game.  A haunting choir chants the famous refrain as the song builds into a thundering anthem of pounding drums keeping the pace for an energetic fiddle.  

Under Cover of Night-

The game picks this song up at roughly 1:46 but it is worth a listen from beginning to end.   At first it is a soft, haunting theme with a breathy choir and a bass riff that keeps the pace.  As the song builds, the drums enter and the vocals build, creating an atmospheric and powerful tune.

Enough Dead Heroes -

This song has a warm opening that leads into a dramatic and forceful suite.  There is definitely a sense of force in this tune and I think that's why I like it.  It's menacing and it's beautiful at the same time.

Perilous Journey -

This rhythmic piece features a nice combination of a vibrant string plucked to a syncopated beat.  This is an element that will become a recurring theme in the Halo soundtracks, in particular in the drums and accompaniment.  O'Donnel and Salvatori have a penchant for syncopation in drums and using filters to make one half of the beat sound just a little more distant or distorted than the other.  It's ever-so subtle, and that subtlety makes it work.

A Walk in the Woods

This is another example of their ability to mix sounds.  The soft almost cheery synth sound over a nice beat, that fades into a slightly darker sustained note for ever just a second, as if a darker side of this song is trying to escape.  The beat picks up as the song reaches its conclusion, going off-pattern and creating a nicely accented piece.

Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe

This theme uses the syncopated beat again, with one half sounding electronic or filtered, while acoustic percussion like hand drums and other softer sounds fill the background.  Towards the end there is almost a marching band sound pulsing, building things up until it all crashes down at the end.  This is a great piece for drum fans.

Devils... Monsters...

Here is an experiment in sound.  A creepy, squeaking pulse resonates through the song, while syncopated string plays a dire melody.  This is a great composition.  Little touches like stings that fade in quickly conjure memories of great horror soundtracks.

Perchance to Dream

Another simple experiment in sound.  This song mixing very inorganic sounds together, one of which sounds almost like the banning of a cardboard tube.  The scratchy rhythm in the background and the tom mix well and the nice, warm strings piece over the top gives it  a little bit of humanity.

That was just a taste of the soundtrack to Halo: Combat Evolved.  Halo as a series has some sublime music and we will get to its sequels eventually.  However, next time I'm going to talk a little about being the Mayor of a big city.

All above music, Halo: Combat Evolved and all elements therein are property of Microsoft Game Studios.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.