Gods of Egypt (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2016 film Gods of Egypt directed by Alex Proyas, starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman, Élodie Yung, Courtney Eaton, Rufus Sewell, Gerard Butler and Geoffrey Rush. The film score is composed by Marco Beltrami and was produced by Buck Sanders. It was released through Varèse Sarabande on February 26, 2016.
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Development
Marco Beltrami, who composed the film score for Proyas' I, Robot (2004) and Knowing (2009) composed the score for Gods of Egypt. Beltrami considered it to be his biggest film score ever he undertook, taking many months for the writing, conceptualization, recording and mixing. Beltrami admitted that he and Proyas researched together to find the right sound as well as borrowed influences from Black Narcissus (1947), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) to find the sensibility of its music they were approaching.
The score depended orchestral music, even though there were processed electronic elements, the score basically led as a traditional, thematic and action music. The Egyptian gods had their own music. Some of the vocal sounds were processed, along with he and Buck Sanders created few unique instruments on the hill outside his Pianella Studios in Malibu. One of them included is an outdoor piano which when recorded during a mild wind, added an open air quality to the instrumental timbre. Over two-and-a-half hours of music had been written for this film.
Reception
Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK wrote "Anyone who likes their film music turned up to eleven for an hour, or who has a special affinity for the Egyptian or Middle Eastern-tinged scores I mentioned in the second paragraph, will certainly find Gods of Egypt to their liking. Similarly, anyone who has listened to a Marco Beltrami action score in the past, and wished for him to have a project where he could really let loose with every orchestral force at his disposal, will find this score to be the culmination of those desires." Thomas Glorieux of Maintitles wrote "it doesn't mean that Gods of Egypt is without its flaws though, because as said I feel the middle part lacks something. But the power in that middle part isn't absent whatsoever. Actually, it gives you a remembrance of the good old days when music dared to make an impact, and dared to throw it in your face. In that case Gods of Egypt goes for the kill. It's large and ballsy, and it shows a style that Beltrami isn't that all known for. But it suits him and it's an overall strong score full of power, ideas and guts."
James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "There is plentiful action music of very high quality and the melodic material is memorable and magical. Great stuff." Pete Simons of Synchrotones wrote "Marco Beltrami's Gods of Egypt sure is one huge, loud and aggressive score. The composer pulls no punches, does not hold back and takes this opportunity to deliver, in his own words, his biggest score to date." Justin Chang of Variety called it an "epically tumescent score".
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes: