THE DEEP ONES - Original Soundtrack by Richard Band

(CD comes with Digital Download/Digital booklet)
Click here for Digital-Only Download.

Dragon’s Domain Records presents the original motion picture soundrack release of THE DEEP ONES, to be distributed through buysoundtrax.com. THE DEEP ONES features music composed by Richard Band for the 2020 horror film directed by Chad Ferrin, based on the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and starring Gina La Plana, Robert Miano, Johann Urb, Silvia Spross, Jackie Debatin, Kellie Maroney and Nicolas Coster.

After suffering an untimely loss, Alex (La Piana) and her husband Petri (Urb) visit California for a much-needed break from reality. At an unassuming AirBnB rental near Ventura Beach, they meet the mysterious Russell Marsh (Miano). Marsh introduces them to the oddly enthusiastic locals, fixes them a lavish meal and invites them out on his luxury boat. Little do they know that beneath Mr. Marsh’s thin veneer of avuncular charm lurks a dark devotion to an archaic evil.

After a successful collaboration on the horror comedy EXORCISM AT 60,000 FEET in 2019, director Chad Ferrin knew there was only person to score THE DEEP ONES. Only one composer holds the record for scoring the most H.P. Lovecraft projects and it’s Richard Band, which includes his music for RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, THE RESURRECTED and a memorable episode of MASTERS OF HORROR.

Richard Band was born in Los Angeles on December 28, 1953. He is the son of film producer-director-writer Albert Band (THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE – screen adaptation), brother to producer-distributor Charles Band and uncle to young rock star Alex Band of the rock group ‘The Calling’. Shortly after his brother Charles had formed his first movie company, Richard decided to take a break from music and began to work as an assistant director on some of his films. He then went from assistant director to production manager, to associate producer and finally producer on over 13 films. Richard has since gone on to score over 75 feature films and many television productions including multiple episodes of STARGATE SG-1, WALKER: TEXAS RANGER and Disney's SING ME A STORY series.

Richard has composed the music for more than 10 interactive computer/video games over the years and has had many soundtracks that have been released of his film works. Richard has also scored many documentaries including the award-winning series’ MOST DECORATED, BRUTE FORCE and WEAPONS OF WAR and has also contributed much music to other series’ like THE REAL WEST, CIVIL WAR JOURNALS and BIOGRAPHIES. His experience over the years has brought him to record over 22 film scores with internationally renowned orchestras such as THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, THE LONDON SYMPHONY and THE ROME PHILHARMONIC. He has also had his music recorded in Prague, Romania, Croatia and Munich. In more recent years, Richard has also enjoyed scoring a variety of family and comedy films for Viacom and Paramount Pictures as well as hundreds of animated vignettes for the WB kid's network all of which were scored with orchestra. His musical talents can also be heard on several amusement park rides including ALIENS - THE RIDE as well as several Vegas venues. Among the many interactive games Richard has scored the music for STAR TREK, WATERWORLD, CASPER, STONEKEEP, DECENT UNDER MOUNTAIN, CLAYFIGHTER and INVICTUS: THE SHADOW OF OLYMPUS.

Dragon’s Domain Records presents the original motion picture soundtrack to THE DEEP ONES, digitally mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland, featuring liner notes written by composer and author Brian Satterwhite.

THE DEEP ONES is a limited edition release of 500 units. The first 50 copies ordered through the buysoundtrax.com website will be autographed by the composer at no extra charge.

1. The Deep Ones - Main Title (2:30)
2. The Drive / The Colony / Alex’s Bad Dream (3:17)
3. Finley Calls Doc / Petri’s Hypnotized (3:47)
4. Below Deck / Pittle Time / Mom Surprises Alex (2:59)
5. Mom’s Run (6:39)
6. Party A (2:28)
7. It’s Cuban Time (2:41)
8. Hypnotized Again / Leaving Party / Little Girl (5:33)
9. Deb’s Death (4:56)
10. Alex / Kitchen (6:02)
11. Alex Runs (3:54)
12. The Ritual (1:45)
13. The Deep Ones - End Title (3:25)

BONUS TRACKS
14. Party Source #1 (1:45)
15. Party B (2:40)
Total Time: 54:57

Visit Richard Band's Website Here:
https://www.richardbandmusic.com/

Review

The Deep Ones *** 1/2
RICHARD BAND
Dragon’s Domain 749
15 tracks - 54:18

Writer-director Chad Ferrin (The Ghouls, Parasites) enters the Lovecraftian universe with this loose adaptation of the author’s 1931 novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth. The Deep Ones (2020) tells the story of a couple’s Airbnb vacation that sends them into the realm of a cult that worships an ancient sea god. Richard Band, no stranger to B-horror films or Lovecraft adaptations (Re-Animator, From Beyond) worked with Ferrin on his 2019 film Exorcism at 60,000 Feet. Here, the composer is in good form, offering up some solid horror scoring.

After the main title gets the album off to a mysterious start, “Alex’s Bad Dream” hits the ground running with striking electronic design elements that blend effectively with atonal acoustic material. A hollow, ghastly sound moves through the texture, only adding to the tension. “Below Deck” contrasts with predominantly orchestral writing and a brief but effective lyrical moment, before the darkness rises to overwhelm it.

There’s some solid action writing in the score, as in “Mom’s Run” and “Alex Runs.” “Party A” borders on Band’s earlier Lovecraft stylings, with an eerie, melancholy theme. “It’s Cuban Time” offers a change of pace with a little Caribbean-flavored horror music driven by island percussion, material that recurs in “Hypnotized Again.”

“Deb’s Death” is an effects-heavy cue, full of horror tropes including sudden metallic thrashes. “Alex/Kitchen,” meanwhile, is at the opposite end of the spooky spectrum, presenting an obligatory music box/celesta tune bolstered by wordless choral fare. Everything comes to a conclusion with a satisfying end title track that summarizes the proceedings.

The Deep Ones features superb writing that shows Richard Band remains a force to be reckoned with when he’s in his element—and this score is most definitely his element. Dragon’s Domain fills out the album with a handful of bonuses: a party “source” cue borrowing heavily from Ravel’s Bolero, and another “Party B” track. The release is a limited edition of 500 units, as is custom with the label. —Steven A. Kennedy

Comments regarding this review can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.