 | Album Title: Fallout 4 Original Game Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Bethesda Softworks | |
| Catalog No.: N/A | |
| Release Date: November 6, 2015 | |
| Purchase: Download at iTunes |
Overview
Seven years after the universally acclaimed Fallout 3, Bethesda finally released the follow-up (not counting Fallout: New Vegas from 2010), Fallout 4. Inon Zur, who also composed Fallout 3, once again helmed the music for the series. This time, Zur composed a whopping 65 original tracks, totaling about three and a half hours of music, to capture the soundscape of the desolate wastelands in the Fallout universe.
Body
The soundtrack begins with the “Fallout 4 Main Theme,” which will sound familiar to those who have heard the Main Theme of Fallout 3 as these two tracks share the same melody. The familiar theme sounds more epic than ever in this new iteration, fully fleshed out by the live orchestra and piano. The track starts out serenely with piano and strings, but as the percussion joins in, the piano shifts to a much lower register to play the brooding melody. The brass section comes in later, giving the track a fuller sound as it slowly builds toward a grand climax. The “Fallout 4 Main Theme” is probably the most melodious track in the entire soundtrack, as the rest focus more on creating an ambiance.
“The Commonwealth” is a minimalist piece that begins with muffled bells to evoke the image of a bleak landscape, joined by strings and woodwinds later. The same set of instruments is used in “Of Green and Grey,” along with bagpipes, to create a sustained, grim soundscape of airy drone. In these two tracks, the melody is sparse and the tracks focus more on timbre; these set the tone for much of the remainder of the soundtrack.
“Combat Ready” is a rhythmic track composed entirely of different percussive parts which fit together nicely to form a palpitating atmosphere. “War in the Wastes” is another rhythmic piece that puts together multiple percussion elements with different timbres as well as some brass instruments to create a varied and colorful soundscape.
“Brightness Calling” utilizes ringing chimes, harp, flute, and violin to create an ethereal vibe. The violin gives the airy track more gravity when it comes in with a sustained, piercing tone. “Of the people, for the People” shares a similar set of instruments and atmosphere with the previous track, but also throws bagpipes into the mix for a more sonorous sound supported by a recurring pattern of plucked strings.
There are multiple “Wandering” tracks in the soundtrack composed for various different locales in the game divided into two or three parts. “Wandering – The Blasted Forest” Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 are both very plain, with only strings and bells/woodwinds spread thinly over the track to evoke a barren image. “Wandering – The City” has three parts. Pt. 1 has low strings and booming percussive sounds to paint an ominous picture of a huge reverberating space. Pt. 2 has the strings repeat a two-note motif with low tremolos between the repetitions before adding more melody to the track. Pt. 3 is a tranquil piece of primarily harp and some resounding low drones.
“Rebuild, Renew” is a track with a serene and hopeful atmosphere. The track is very well developed with plenty of nuanced changes throughout its lengthy runtime. The bells and muffled piano express a barren feel while the strings carry a positive vibe with their piercing tone. “Quarter” is an intense track that makes use of a colorful palette of percussive and brass sounds to build up the tension. “The Vigilant,” a rare melodious track, has the trumpet carry the optimistic melody with its bright timbre supported by a marching drum beat.
The next set of “Wandering” tracks, “Wandering – The Foothills,” is separated into three parts. Pt. 1 starts with reverberating bells and plucked strings to evoke a mystical feeling before the flute leads into a tranquil section with a lot of mellow sustaining tones. Although it begins with some unsettling tremulous woodwind parts, Pt. 2 eventually settles into stillness drawn out by a booming drone. Pt. 3 is best defined by the tribal horn sound scattered throughout the track, contrasted sharply by the occasional brief harp sections.
“A Critical Chance” is an urgent track with a rapid repeating pattern by the strings, while the brass section propels the motif forward with its deep resonant timbre. Despite being a primarily brass piece and featuring marching drum beats, “Honor and Steel” is a rather serene track driven by a hopeful melody that constantly modulates. In contrast, “Dominant Species” is an all-out piece with bombastic percussion and a grandiose melody that makes it stand out among the predominantly ambient soundtrack.
“Wandering – The Glowing Sea” Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 are perhaps two of the most ambient tracks in the entire soundtrack. Both tracks are made up of airy sustained drones at dissonance when juxtaposed to create an ominous atmosphere. The last set, “Wandering – The Coast,” is again divided into three parts. Pt. 1 features woodwind and chimes, which gives it a solitary vibe. Pt. 2 begins with some minor arpeggio figures by plucked strings before transitioning to sustained airy drones that give the track a sense of stillness. Pt. 3 starts with an accordion to give the track more textures, but it still relies heavily on drones to set the atmosphere.
In “Lone Wondering,” the gentle timbre of the harp is starkly contrasted with rough sounds of tribal horns. The contrast can be seen as an analogy in which the harp represents the lone wondering soul, while the tribal horns symbolize the harsh environment. “Enough is Enough” is a compelling track with relentless momentum driven by percussion and brass. The motif of the main theme is seamlessly inserted toward the end of the track.
“Covert Action” features a stealthy trumpet motif supported by a repeating fading one-note pattern and piano arpeggio figures. “In This Together” is a track that gradually builds up from just sparse bells to the full tones of strings and the piercing timbre of bagpipes, adding to the colors of the track while still maintaining its tranquillity. At the end of the soundtrack, we return once again to the “Fallout 4 Main Theme” in the form of “Spinner Mix.” While the remix of the main theme sounds rather similar to the original with only some changes in instrumentation, it is a nice touch to close the massive soundtrack with the memorable and familiar motif.
Summary
Fallout 4 Original Game Soundtrack is an ambient soundtrack that excels at setting a mood or creating an atmosphere with different timbres and tone colors, credited to the mastery of Inon Zur as a composer. However, most of these tracks do not function as well without their accompanying visuals, especially to those who have not played the game before, because of the subtlety of the compositions and their heavy reliance on timbre. I find it rather difficult to listen to the entire soundtrack in one sitting, and it is not recommended for those looking for a more melodious experience. However, for those who enjoy ambient game music, Fallout 4 Original Game Soundtrack will be well worth your time.
One thought on “Fallout 4 Original Game Soundtrack”
Thanks for the review, KT! The music of this game is so interesting – one thing that makes it a little odd is that you can essentially play the entire game listening to music on the in-game radio (jazz/lounge, classical, etc), and rarely hear a single note of the score. I haven’t played previous Fallout games, but this doesn’t seem to be the first time such the device is used. I’ve always been curious about whether – and if so, how – this affects the score.