Filter & The Crystal Method, Marily Manson & Sneaker Pimps, Orbital & Kirk Hammett, Korn & the Dust Brothers, Mansun & 808 State, Prodigy & Tom Morello, Silverchair & Vitro - Spawn: The Album (1997 Film)

spawn

i love this cd all songs on it rocks i listien while i play games and wash dishes. November 9, 2008

Happy Walters 2nd Coming of "Judgment Night"

Immortal Records executive producer Happy Walters was responsible for killing the long-standing feud between rock and hip-hop when he coordinated the production for the soundtrack to 1993's "Judgement Night", which was critically-lauded for its unorthodox tag-teaming of acts of both genres. Walters decided to try the same concept for "Spawn", the 1997 live-action flim adapted from creator Todd MacFarlane's Marvel Comic. This time out, he put together established acts from both hard rock and electronica, and the results here were equally as memorable if not terrific.

Filter & The Crystal Method ("[Can't You] Trip Like I Do"), Marilyn Manson & Sneaker Pimps ("Long Hard Road Out Of Hell"), Mansun & 808 State ("Skin Up Pin Up"), and ButHole Surfers & Moby ("Tiny Rubberbands") are dark but solid tracks to keep an ear on. Two very key tracks that standout (and are the best on the entire record, I feel) belong to Metallica & DJ Spooky ("For Whom The Bell Tolls [The Irony Of It All]") and Prodigy & Tom Morello ("One Man Army"). The former for its blend of anger and sadness and the latter for the brilliant guitar wizardry of Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello (also of AudioSlave).

The only track I had intense trouble with was "T-4 Strain" by Goldie & Henry Rollins. Uneven and repetitive at times. Same goes for the closing track from Soul Coughing & Roni Size, but theirs is five times better than the Goldie/Rollins offering. As a black male who loves rock music, as well as my hip-hop & R&B, I am proud to say that this is one soundtrack I still play with to this day when the feeling hits me.

"Spawn", despite its flaws, was a solid and satisfying follow-up to "Judgment Night" and created an alternative way to release built-up tension by blending classic hard-rock riffs with electronic beats to give you the ultimate experience in a digital headbangers ball. - DEM - August 11, 2008

Ten years on, fresh as ever...

Thanks to the pioneering work done Rick Rubin et al. back in the day, the very idea of mixing dance and hard-rock has become the norm these days. Ten years back, however, it was not as widely accepted nor as likely to be a commercial success, thus the decision to produce an album of some of the hardest rockers and phatest beat-meisters was a risky one. Couple that with the usual unpredictable nature of soundtrack sales and you could have been looking at both an artistic and commercial white-elephant. Is that the case, here? Definitely not so! What we have here is perhaps the best ever example of dance-rock fusion. An outstandingly original selection of both tunes and pairings; fourteen solid tracks all uniquely original yet which all somehow see, to come together under a common theme, a common sense. Brilliant. What continues to amaze me is that nearly a decade after its release I still enjoy listening to this CD as though I just bought it yesterday, it is timeless excellence and a record that should be in the collection of anyone who appreciates great music, music without boundaries. All in all I cannot convey the staggering excellence of this varied offering, take a listen for yourself, if you like progressive music or dance-based rhythms, I am certain you won't be disappointed.
N.B. Incidentally if you are looking for a CD to run to or cycle to, then this is the CD for you. Go out for a ride with this plugged in your ears and you'll cycle twice as fast! Guaranteed!

Personal favourites:
Track #6. For Whom The Bell Tolls (The Irony Of All) - Metallica & DJ Spooky
Track #13. No Remorse (I Wanna Die) - Slayer & Atari Teenage Riot

- anyone who rates this less than four stars should never have bought the CD in the first place, because it's clearly NOT the music for them and thus renders their review entirely worthless. A total of fourteen tracks, TWENTY-EIGHT collaborators - it would be impossible to rate this CD so low. March 24, 2008

One of my favorites!

I remember listening to this soundtrack around 1997, and its really hard to hear any of these cool songs over the radio. Good music! Worth buying!! September 11, 2007

a fusion of synth and metal

This is a good soundtrack. "Trip like I Do" was the main reason I got it. I found out I got a lot more too. Marilyn Manson with Sneaker Pimps, Orbital and Kirk Hammet, Butthole Surfers and Moby, Metallica and DJ Spooky. All these tracks are good. It starts to wind down and lose steam with the last couple of tracks but this is a good investment. If you enjoy the musical fusion of different styles than check this out, also check out the Judgement Night soundtrack June 12, 2007

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