Sea Dogs
Soundtrack Review
I'm sure you're asking yourself, "What the heck is Sea Dogs?" Well, don't write it off quite yet, as
this little soundtrack will surprise you.
It was released by KeepMoving Records in 2007, and immediately became
one of my favorite orchestral scores despite the obscurity of the game.
The music is composed by Russian composer Yury Poteyenko and performed by the
Russian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
That's right. Live
orchestra. This album definitely
has the live orchestra thing going for it, but without the amazing compositions
of Poteyenko, this would have been a wasted effort. Fortunately it's not.
The album opens with "Main Theme," which builds upwards with a sturdy brass
section and a melancholy choir that calls out from the depths of the sea. It's quite simple, but effective
all the same, driving home the message that pirates are absolutely epic. "Storm" is next, and it's the most
cinematic piece here with its haunting strings and mischievous woodwinds that
sound like something out of an old horror film.
From here, the album launches into a series of theme songs for different
nations, starting with "England Theme."
This sleepy theme starts with a single violin before, one-by-one,
instruments are added on to voice a rather whimsical melody that sounds like
the morning sun on the cold, wet horizon.
It's really a great piece of music. "France Theme" is equally relaxed with its playful
harpsichord and woodwind melody.
It sounds kind of dainty.
Draw your own conclusions.
"Spain Theme," on the other hand, is one of the more bombastic tracks,
complete with string stabs and flamenco percussion stylings. Unfortunately the melody isn't as
strong as the previous tracks.
The score's only battle theme, "Battle Theme - 'Dies Irae'," is the longest
piece here at 5:42. It utilizes
orchestral percussion and foreboding choir segments. Unfortunately it's not the most interesting piece of music,
which is a shame given that you probably hear a whole lot of it in the game. I can still appreciate the energy of
the composition, however. With
vicious pirate battles taking place, there's bound to be some losses, and
"Defeat Theme - 'Domine Jesu'" very effectively conveys this sadness with its
sparse orchestration and emphasis on the choir. "Trumph," on the other hand, is your typical victory fanfare
done orchestral style. At least
it's only 49 seconds long.
"Fog" is a piece that builds tension.
I can't imagine having to steer a pirate vessel through dangerous waters
with fog about, but I imagine the horror I'd feel is pretty much captured with
this piece. Uncertain harp
progressions and a repetitive string section that moves back and forth between
two notes makes for a surprisingly edgy atmosphere. "Sunrise" actually sounds somewhat similar, which isn't what
I was expecting at all given the title.
I guess the Sun is also a natural foe out on the high seas.
The final track, "Menu Theme - Sea" is a reprise of the main theme. It's much more subdued, suggesting that
you've actually succeeded in calming the deadly sea. It provides a lot of closure, and doesn't beat you over the
head with the main theme until the very last moment.
Overall, I was very surprised with the high quality composition and performance
featured on this album. The
multi-page booklet included in the jewel case features several pages of
artwork, although it's pretty light on text. Still, for KeepMoving's asking price of $7.99 plus shipping,
this album is definitely worth your attention, if not to at least show you what
game composers are up to in Russia.
I recommend checking it out.
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