Today I'd like to post one of my favorite orchestral game scores:


Headhunter OST - Richard Jacques
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?jopwtz0v0sc



01 - Main Title.mp3
02 - Escape From The Lab.mp3
03 - Meet Angela Stern.mp3
04 - The Stern Legacy.mp3
05 - Jack's Theme.mp3
06 - On The Prowl.mp3
07 - Ready For Action.mp3
08 - Headhunting.mp3
09 - Greywolf.mp3
10 - Assault on The Mall.mp3
11 - Fuici's Final Threat.mp3
12 - Ready For Action (Reprise).mp3
13 - Ramirez at Bay.mp3
14 - Aquadome.mp3
15 - Angela's Quest.mp3
16 - The Queen of Hearts.mp3
17 - A Dark Secret.mp3
18 - Jack's Dream.mp3
19 - Zweibergs Nightmare.mp3
20 - Final Conflict.mp3
21 - Game Over.mp3
22 - Credits.mp3

Credits to the original uploader



Review by Andreas Lindahl

Full blown orchestral scores are becoming more and more common in video and computer games today. This, of course, makes the genre attractive to Hollywood composers (Harry Gregson-Williams recently wrote a rather good score for Metal Gear Solid 2, for example) but it also allows relatively unknown composers to step forward, demonstrating their talents. Michael Giacchino (Medal of Honor) and Bill Brown (Rainbow Six and other Tom Clancy games) are two good examples. Richard Jacques is a third. And his score for the PS2 game Headhunter is an equally good example of a succesful score for a video game. Major game magazine - both online and offline - have mentioned Jacques score together with words and phrases such as "great", "stunning", "evocative" and "perfectly captures the essence of the 'big budget action movie'". I'm sorry if I am starting to sound like a press release here... But, my point is that they are right. It's an excellent score.

Performed by a 67-piece orchestra and recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, Headhunter is one of the best video game scores I have ever heard, not far from the orchestral bombast Giacchino created for Medal of Honor. Jacques succesfully mixes the traditional orchestral sound with electronics - there's a lot of electronic percussion - without crossing the line, entering the territory the Media Ventures' composers have claimed for themselves. Which is refreshing. Even if I like the sound of Zimmer and friends, Jacques demonstrates that it is possible to mix synths and symphonic instruments in more than one way.

The main theme is a strong, melodic and catchy melody, often performed by French horns backed up by the rest of the orchestra, as well as electronics. It is allowed to really shine in track five, "Jack's Theme", which is one of the best cues this CD has to offer. (Other great cues especially worth mentioning are "Zweibergs Nightmare" and "Final Conflict" - two amazing, huge action pieces.) The CD, yes... Here's the bad news. It's not available. Or rather, it is only available as a promotional release. At the moment. However, an official soundtrack CD will hopefully be made available to the public in the near future.

And if it ever becomes available, be sure to pick it up. Headhunter is action music at its best.



Some personal remarks about this score:

- This score is highly thematic. There are a pretty good number of themes comparatively to most scores coming out these days, and they're all excellent, some even being exceptional.


The main theme, mostly heard in "Jack's theme" and "Main Title", is a bold, epic, heroic, long and rather complex theme. It's just one of the greatest themes I've heard in a videogame. "Jack's theme" is the highlight of this OST, and I recommend you start your listening with this one.

Angela's theme is another beautiful theme, more delicate and emotional, appearing notably in "Meet Angela Stern" and "Angela's Quest".

Greywolf's theme (a villain) is an extremely heroic theme and appears only one time in the score, in the track "Greywolf" (obviously), which is a fantastic boss battle piece, one of the best I've heard.

Ramirez's theme (another villain) is another very beautiful heroic and epic theme, appearing the most in "Ramirez at Bay".

"Final Conflict" is a very good ultimate battle track, but it has one slight problem: the last boss theme featured (and its development) is for a large part a blatant rip-off of David Arnold's alien theme from ID4. However it's very enjoyable in itself.
There are other themes and motifs, I've only mentioned the most important ones. Basically, almost every track develops its own theme or motif, which is extremely impressive and reveals how much Mr Jacques is talented.

- This score is very elegantly composed and orchestrated. It looks like Media Ventures at first, but in fact it's incomparably superior in every single aspect. The heavy use of percussions is actually very well done here, and doesn't only exists to fill the lack of complexity and inspiration. The subtle use of woodwinds (the piccolo, notably) adds a lot of elegance and lightness to the score, thus avoiding the common flaws of MV scores: heaviness and loudness.

Enjoy! :)

alright awesome, Ive played the game before but never had a chance to really listen into the score.

ive already got this, its one the best game soundtracks ever. excellent production values and melodies.

Picking that score up now....haven't heard of the game before. Thanks! :)

You've piqued my interest!! I'll check it out and give some comments!

D/L now!
Can't wait!!!!

Thank you very much for posting - I was curious to hear the full version of this after Thomasdaly made a track available over in the Orchestral thread. Afraid it doens't entirely appeal

An abridged alternative review (by Paul Tonks) - this time, speaking for the prosecution; and coincidentally reflecting my own views very accurately indeed:


A lot of preconceptions exist for what game music should be. Fortunately there have been some composers given free reign to go against the grain in recent years (e.g. Michael Giacchino). Most everyone else has been under the thumb of their producers to keep those preconceptions alive (OK - I'm talking about electronics and nothing but here).

Richard Jacques here seems to have belonged to both scenarios. There's a great deal of exciting orchestration going on, but, more often than not, a limp beat (mostly drum loops) spoils things by sitting prominently above it. The electronic aspects of this score are in this reviewer's opinion, an unnecessary capitulation to the genre.

The other 'clue' that would indicate following tastes and ideas other than the composers is more than just a few moments of familiarity. Temp track or no, Star Wars ("Escape from the Lab") might be someone's idea of an homage. But David Arnold's Stargate ("Final Conflict") and Craig Armstrong's The Space Between Us ("The Stern Legacy") are clearly a case of someone insisting upon a sound-alike. It's a shame to be thus distracted, because there is so much else going on deserving attention.

"Jack's Dream" features a very sweet piano and solo violin duet. "Fulci's Final Threat" is an exhilaratingly accelerative and accumulative percussive action cue. Yet just as your ear pricks up to such a highlight, it's likely to quickly deflate at the next drum loop or 'homage'. The even bigger shame of course is knowing that even the greatest aspects of this score will undoubtedly be lost under OTT sound design. Here's hoping Jacques soon secures a project that allows him to do his own thing.

- Well, a modern beat versus orchestra can appeal to some... *hand up*

- I don't detect SO much electronics, and anyway they don't spoil the orchestra sound to my ears, unlike in MV scores.

- the game is a futuristic James Bond-like one, so Jacques didn't do something wrong, he just tried to stick to the context, with success.

- Thomasdaly posted something from this??? He only posted one (very small) pack, which didn't included this.

A couple of weeks ago he posted again basically saying "THIS is what I want you assholes, more like this, more more more!!!" and everybody ignored him... But I downloaded the track he posted and it was from Headhunter. ;)


Well, a modern beat versus orchestra can appeal to some... *hand up*

Of course - as I say, just presenting an alternate viewpoint.


I don't detect SO much electronics, and anyway they don't spoil the orchestra sound to my ears, unlike in MV scores.

95% of the score has either electronics, a crappy beat, or both. IN MV scores, there isn't a great deal of decent orchestra to spoil - which is why this one pains me even further; there is some superb work going on, but it's undermined by a genre-pandering drumkit.


the game is a futuristic James Bond-like one, so Jacques didn't do something wrong, he just tried to stick to the context, with success.

Well, you don't need electronics or drums to evoke futuristic. That's just a current film music cliche, and one I hope passes by incredibly quickly. Some of the very best scores for futuristic or sic-fi films have been traditional symphonic works and are now hailed (rightly) as landmark works in the genre. (Superman, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc, etc, etc.)

One of my favourite films (Metropolis - 1927) has a score worthy of Wagner. ;)

A couple of weeks ago he posted again basically saying "THIS is what I want you assholes, more like this, more more more!!!" and everybody ignored him... But I downloaded the track he posted and it was from Headhunter. ;)

Ah, that's why... Ok. ;)


95% of the score has either electronics, a crappy beat, or both. IN MV scores, there isn't a great deal of decent orchestra to spoil - which is why this one pains me even further; there is some superb work going on, but it's undermined by a genre-pandering drumkit.

You talk about frequency, and you're right because most of this score has electronics or beat. I was talking about quantity: the proportion of it is quite reasonable and never overtakes the orchestral sound. It acts more like a complement to the orchestra. Goldsmith himself used such techniques in some of his scores.


Well, you don't need electronics or drums to evoke futuristic. That's just a current film music cliche, and one I hope passes by incredibly quickly. Some of the very best scores for futuristic or sic-fi films have been traditional symphonic works and are now hailed (rightly) as landmark works in the genre. (Superman, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc, etc, etc.)

One of my favourite films (Metropolis - 1927) has a score worthy of Wagner. ;)

Agreed, but it's also a James Bond-like spy game, and in that context, beats and electronics *are* quite effective and really sound good. I wouldn't have said the same if he had put some techno beats in a Star Trek game, that would be nonsense.

You talk about frequency, and you're right because most of this score has electronics or beat. I was talking about quantity: the proportion of it is quite reasonable and never overtakes the orchestral sound. It acts more like a complement to the orchestra.

In itself, it's not bad. But it still sounds to me like another example of modern, commercially-inspired film scoring techniques foisting themselves upon yet another genre that doesn't need it.

If I switch off my brain and just listen to it, I really enjoy it. But the moment I turn on my brain, I'm thinking "this is commercialised crap - why does this guy need a beat? He's plainly a very talented composer. Somebody has forced him to do this, or he's done it because it's expected of him."


Goldsmith himself used such techniques in some of his scores.

Cite one (legitimate) example of Goldsmith pandering to genre (or indeed writing a perfectly serviceable orchestral score and shoving a beat over the top of it) and you can *have* my entire Goldsmith CD collection. I'll even drive it over to your house wrapped in gold paper.

Goldsmith used his synths (often) and his beats (very, VERY infrequently - all I can think of off the top of my head is Hoosiers and Looney Tunes) as dramatic devices. Jacques score sounds like an orchestral score that somebody has listened to and said, "Err, this sounds a bit old fashioned - can you slap some beat on there?" and Jacques has said "Um, I'd rather not... If I don't, I'm fired, right?" and then gone and half-heartedly thrown a beat on to it.

[Edit: And even Goldsmith's beat use was completely and utterly unique. Take any of his few scores with a beat, completely remove the orchestra, and you still know it's Jerry. The beat here is repetitive generic drum loops straight out of any of five hundred music production packages.]

IMHO of course. :)

Ha ha, I was talking about electronics sounds, not beats.

Concerning the "brainless" nature of this score, I clearly disagree. I listened to it MANY times since years, and the thematic/motivic writing is really dazzling. Jacques manages to use his themes and motifs in all kinds of ways throughout all the score. This reveals some remarkable composing skills.

Note: The brainless refers to the mindless addition of generic beat. ;)

Hence my continued assertion that there is SUPERB music here which is wrecked by lowest common denominator banging drums.

The fact that it has such a fine foundation makes it even more of a tragedy.

one of my favorite soundtracks, had it since it came out on the net lol

one of my favorite soundtracks, had it since it came out on the net lol

That's the kind of comments I appreciate as a poster! Yeah, me too. :)

By the way, here's something interesting: an interview with the composer, Richard Jacques, where he talks a lot about this score:


Interview with Richard Jacques at bsospirit.com



Read the full interview (http://www.bsospirit.com/entrevistas/richardjacques_e.php)

BS: Although we will focus this interview on the "phenomenon" Headhunter, which is your favorite soundtrack you’ve composed?
RJ: Apart from the Headhunter series my favorite at the moment is my score to the upcoming release of Starship Troopers (www.starshiptroopers-game.com), but that is not complete yet!

BS: How did you begin to be a member of “Headhunter” project?
RJ: At the time I was working as the in-house composer at Sega Europe in London. Part of my role involved working with all of Sega’s creative partners, by providing music and audio content for their games. Once Sega had signed Headhunter, I met with the game’s director, John Kroknes and his development team at Amuze. It was clear from the beginning that we both shared the same vision for the game; He takes music very seriously and has a huge passion for it.

BS: What did attract you of this video game?
RJ: The game is very character-driven and has a great science-fiction story, so it was an interesting project to work on for me. It meant that we could have themes for some of the main characters and action set pieces as well as underscore for other gameplay sections. Also the score needed to sound cinematic, and had to convey adrenaline-fuelled action. These were all factors that attracted me to the project.

BS: How had you the possibility of working with the London Session Orchestra, with 67 instruments, and records in Abbey Road Studios?
RJ: From the beginning of the project, I had made a good case to the people at Sega and Amuze that it would be necessary to record the score live, since the orchestral samples at the time weren’t really up to the job. Also for this type of score, you can’t beat the sound of a live orchestra. The London Session Orchestra record many film scores, including the Bond soundtracks, and I knew that my writing, especially for the brass and percussion was quite demanding, so I opted for the best players for this kind of contemporary theme. Abbey Road was also a natural choice because the sound of the room was perfect for the score. As well, it provided the marketing team a good angle and we actually invited many of the press along to watch the soundtrack being recorded. It was a very exciting and tiring few days but definitely worth it!

BS: For the first part you composed a score that attracted the look of many people, making the game very popular thanks to its marvelous soundtrack. Full of big themes and action moments, Headhunter is considered one of the best soundtracks ever done for a videogame. How much did "Headhunter" change your life as composer?
RJ: Well, this is the kind of score I had been waiting to write for many years, so it was just a question of finding the right project. And Headhunter was certainly the right project for me to create a large-scale thematic action score. It has certainly attracted a great deal of attention from both the games and film industry, as well as game and film soundtrack fans. I just gave it 110% all the way, hired the best orchestra and studio I could, and tried to do the best job. Since completing this score and becoming a freelance composer, I have not stopped working and now I get offered some great projects, which are booked a long way in advance. So it certainly has garnered attention.

BS: Besides the own video game, what other professional or personal elements did motivate the composition of this magnificent theme "Jack Theme"?
RJ: That’s a very good question! We knew that the character of Jack Wade was a very rugged, bold sort of character, who doesn’t mind bending the odd rule. He also has a slightly inquisitive nature but is still a very tough guy. So we knew that the theme had to be bold above everything else, which is why I chose a lot of brass writing and syncopated rhythms. “Jack’s Theme” was actually the first track I scored for the game, and the theme came to me very quickly whilst I was on a train journey. I’m not sure how but it just came! That provided a clear direction for the rest of the score.

BS: "Headhunter" is not very far from David Arnold compositions for "James Bond" series, what motivates a clear question. Is it possible that videogames world remains small to Richard Jacques and now it is time for seeing you in big budget productions at your talent level?
RJ: David Arnold is a great composer and it is true that we are similar writers in our choice of melody, harmony and rhythm, and that we both love to write large scale thematic works. However the gaming world certainly does not seem small to me! I still play games regularly and would like to continue scoring orchestral soundtracks for games as well as to write music for more films.

Well, I'm sorry I can't offer starry-eyed outpouring of enthusiasm - only a reasoned critique of this Curate's Egg score... OK, so this is more of a rant and not a critique - I apologise, but I must get the following off my chest. As usual, no disrespect intended to anybody (except Jacques - if you're reading this, YOU'RE AN ASS!)

From that interview, I deduce the following points:

a) The interviewer is an illiterate idiot.
b) Jacques is almost at Jeremy Soule's level of being up his own arse.


Also the score needed to sound cinematic, and had to convey adrenaline-fuelled action.

The crap parts definitely sound cinematic, and the adrenaline-fuelled action parts sound like Independence Day performed by a smaller orchestra with some pre-recorded drum loops dubbed over the top! Good job, fella!


Since completing this score and becoming a freelance composer, I have not stopped working and now I get offered some great projects, which are booked a long way in advance. So it certainly has garnered attention.

Ooh, look at me! This piece of plagiarised, half-assed score-by-numbers has made me rich and famous and oh-so-in demand! In your FACE, talented composers who refuse to compromise artistic integrity for wads of cash!


BS: "Headhunter" is not very far from David Arnold compositions for "James Bond" series, what motivates a clear question. Is it possible that videogames world remains small to Richard Jacques and now it is time for seeing you in big budget productions at your talent level?

I am a brown nosing fanboy interviewer who is creaming his underpants at the thought of interviewing a real composer, so forget reality, let's just butter the guy up and maybe he'll send me some autographed pictures of himself in the shower!

First of all, aside from the plagiarism, the only thing this has in common with Arnold's Bond scores is that they're both performed by musicians of the London Session Orchestra, and that they're both orchestra/electronic hybrid scores. What makes them "not far from" Arnold's bond scores may be the fact that every other bar is lifted virtually verbatim from David Arnold!

As for "bigger budget productions at your talent level", shall we debate the evident "talent" shown by a sizable portion of the current "big budget motion picture composers" and ask if Jacques might fit in just right with Zimmer, Djawadi, Bates, Gregson-Williams, etc? Headhunter certainly has all the hallmarks - stolen melodies, derivative orchestration, lowest-common-denominator percussion, and a frightening obsession with the temp-track... ;)

AHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, man, this is SO caricatural that I can't even make comments on it.

Thanks anyway for the good laugh.

Thank you for taking my ranting in good humour. ;)

If anyone got this,http://www.en.game-ost.ru/info.php?id=133,please upload them on rapidshare.Thanks in advance.

If anyone got this,http://www.en.game-ost.ru/info.php?id=133,please upload them on rapidshare.Thanks in advance.

Here it is:






Headhunter & Headhunter:Redemption by "Richard Jacques" performed by the London Session Orchestra (320k rip & booklet scan):

Thread 64486

Thanks for the upload, I didn't play the game so I guess I missed out on hearing this soundtrack, but after all the positive reviews I'm going to have to check this music out

Headhunter performed live by VGL
=========================

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C3tk5Ykwy8

By reading the introduction I'm gonna check this out.

Woodwinds...yay! :)

Here it is:

Yeah, i see that,but mediafire doesn't work for me at all.

Thanks for the upload, I didn't play the game so I guess I missed out on hearing this soundtrack, but after all the positive reviews I'm going to have to check this music out

Actually the game is very good, IMO. Strong narrative, good story, interesting gameplay, nice graphics, and of course sweeping score, it was a superproduction at the time it was released. I recommend it.



Headhunter performed live by VGL
=========================

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C3tk5Ykwy8

Thanks for this one, first time I see it.

Yeah, i see that,but mediafire doesn't work for me at all.
New link! http://tinyurl.com/ddw5ly
Enjoy!

New link! http://tinyurl.com/ddw5ly
Enjoy!

Wow!Thanks a bunch，downloading now.

Listening and almost to the end of the CD

Great music and the symphonic elements are good.

Although I have 2 problems with it:
- mixing isn't that great. It would have been better to put brass more in the front and make it louder
- percussion: the songs would be much better without percussion. Or it would be better if they added real live performed percussion instead of this electronic percussion. While I don't have anything against percussion, it should never be the FRONT audio layer of a composition like here is the case (and in all MV productions)

Thanks for the upload and information arthier!

I already have this ost!
I recomend!
but still.....I have not listen the second cd....because i'm repeating disc 1...over and over again XD

Man this does bring back memories. I thought I would never find a replacement for my original CD copy. This will do nicely, thanks for the uploads.

Could someone re-upload this please?

So, this is not my rip, just found it while digging on the web.
https://mega.co.nz/#!DdVjTajY!OhhgLDnFX8fad8cNYfEcizqUuPILhvsct1Zvbxr _l3Q

So, this is not my rip, just found it while digging on the web.
https://mega.co.nz/#!DdVjTajY!OhhgLDnFX8fad8cNYfEcizqUuPILhvsct1Zvbxr _l3Q

Thanks!! Very appreciated!

Thank you !

So, this is not my rip, just found it while digging on the web.
https://mega.co.nz/#!DdVjTajY!OhhgLDnFX8fad8cNYfEcizqUuPILhvsct1Zvbxr _l3Q

Thank you. Still trying to find Headhunter: Redemption, however.

Edit: Nvm, found it at #gamep3s

Ah great discovery !
Here is the double album Headhunter & Headhunter Redemption from Gamemp3s
https://mega.co.nz/#!CFVlVTRY!eCgpxx1yh2NMSKjcRjTpOCM7lm4Iy4sXJL1rjl3 cu08