Disc 1:
1: "Session" by Linkin Park: Very un-Linkin Park; haunting, beautiful, melodic and atmospheric all at the same time.

2: "This is the New Sh*t" by Marilyn Manson: Unlike the title suggests, this is nothing new. Not impressive or very good.

3: "Reload" by Rob Zombie: Metal mixed with techno and Zombie's vocals. Very hard and rough. LOUD!

4: "Furious Angels" by Rob Dougan: Beautiful, plain and simple. Easily one of the best songs on the soundtrack. Mixing of orchestral music with techno beats results in a song that lets you close your eyes and almost feel the Matrix.

5: "Lucky You" by The Deftones: Very mellow, moody and haunting. Beautifully done and very fitting for the soundtrack.

6: "The Passportal" by Team Sleep: Techno mostly, not much to say about it. Mid tempo.

7: "Sleeping Awake" by P.O.D.: Never been a POD fan, and this song hasn't changed that fact. More of the same from them. Not sure why its on this soundtrack other than for the lyrics. Musically it doesn't fit with the rest of the songs.

8: "Bruises" by Unloco: Have never heard of the band before, but this song makes me want to listen to more of them. Good heavy song.

9: "Calm Like a Bomb" by Rage Against the Machine: Classic, a song by RATM almost seemed inevitable after the ending of the first movie.

10: "Dread Rock" by Oakenfold: The song most likely alludes to the Twins, The two men in the matrix who are dressed in white and can go all ghostly. Techno and typical Oakenfold but very good.

11: "Zion" by Fluke: More techno, although this one is less hectic and more tribal than "Dread Rock." Most likely will be used in the movie during the Zion scene.

12: "When the World Ends (Oakenfold Remix)" by Dave Matthews Band: BIGGEST surprise of the soundtrack and easily the best song on the first disc. Matthew's voice is creepy and haunting and the remix by Oakenfold fits right in with it. Should play over the end credits. Beautiful song and a big change from the original, which was featured on the DMB album "Everyday."

Disc 2: Score
1: "Main Title" by Don Davis (Pure score, sounds like the original.)
2: "Trinity Dream" by Don Davis (Pure score.)
3: "Teahouse" by Juno Reactor featuring Gocoo (Amazing track! Tribal Drums!)
4: "Chateau" by Rob Dougan (Like 'Furious Angels,' another brilliant song!)
5: "Mona Lisa Overdrive" by Juno Reactor/Don Davis (good track)
6: "Burly Brawl" by Juno Reactor vs. Don Davis (BIG, loud and fun.)
7: "Matrix Reloaded Suite" by Don Davis (more straight score)

Extras as well, including trailers and a documentary on the making of the video game that ties into the movie. If you're a fan of the first movie's soundtrack, then definitely purchase this one.


Sounds a lot like the original   May 14, 2003
 23 out of 31 found this review helpful

Okay, so who didn't love 'The Matrix Soundtrack'? THat was some seriously cool music. This comes off with the same kind of vibe, as it has some returning artists. But the returning artists don't really live up to their previous contributions.
Rage's 'Calm like a bomb' is pretty typical of their work, and it was cool that they still contributed after their 'internal diffaculties', but 'Calm' lacks the solid hook that 'Wake Up' boasted (which was borrowed from Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'). Rob Zombie's 'Reload' feels like it was written for the movie. Like it was something he did over the weekend in somebody's basement when they called him up to get a song. Rob Dougan (Rob D) gives us 'Furious Angels (Instrumental' which I like more than 'Clubbed to Death', but I think the lyrics should've stayed.

Fluke (who has made a fortune in car commercials with 'Atom Bomb' and 'Absurd') presents 'Zion', which actually feels like a much needed remix of 'Atom Bomb' with a little 'Goodnight Lover' ('Vanilla Sky' trailers) thrown in. P.O.D. seems like a way too obvious choice, but they pull through with a fitting work. I was actually surprised that Linkin Park was on the list, they seem a little too hip-pop for the regular line-up, but they a nice switchback on 'Session' that I'd liken to finding out BT wrote *Nsync's 'Pop', but with the polar oppsite response. They've created something really good here. I've only heard one Unloco song and never heard of Team Sleep, but their contributions are impressive.

The real downside is Oakenfold. Thank God, 'Dread Rock' is more 'Zoo York' than 'Starry Eyed Surprise'. But it's still Paul Chokenfold we're talking about. It's sort of like the 'Bad Blood' (by Ministry) of this album, where all the other songs are like 'Oh no, here comes Dread Rock, don't tell him what we're doing this weekend!' And I'm sorry but, Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Rage Against the Machine, Dave Matthews Band? To top it off it's got the touch of death that stinks up all of Chokenfold's new remixes. It's like putting a DJ Skribble remix of Shakira's 'Whenever, Wherever' on the 'Spider-man' soundtrack, it doesn't work.

I loved the second disc. Don Davis does a killer score on this and Juno Reactor's extra contribution is awesome. 'Chateau' by Rob Dougan isn't quite as catchy as 'Clubbed to Death', but it still rocks.


Mott Reloaded   November 3, 2003
 17 out of 26 found this review helpful

"What if tomorrow this war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?" Stirring stuff from the lips of Morpheus as he rallies the people before the final battle at the beginning of Matrix Reloaded.

`Matrix Reloaded' followed in the present trend of Hollywood movies, where the sequel is better than the original. (Although I must admit to the plot being a bit too confusing for my associates Lang Reid and Dear Hilary, both of whom had their feathers thoroughly ruffled in the confusion of who was what, and where and when, Hilary kept on swooning over Neo though.) Harry Potter's magical second movie certainly outstripped it's predecessor; the Lord of The Ring movies just get better and better; Charlie's Angels get sexier and sexier, and Terminator gets more rowdy by the minute. Perhaps the only one not managing to keep up with the trend is the Star Wars pre-quells, but then that was quite a hard act to follow. `Matrix Reloaded' was a huge seminal step forward from the first movie, setting the bar even higher for the others to follow. The same can be said for the double C.D. collection that goes under the collective title 'Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'. Knocking the soundtrack from the previous movie into a cocked hat.

The music is split between the two discs into inspired by and actual soundtrack. The first coming under the various artist category and the second mainly coming from the pen of the wonderful Don Davis.

Opening song is `Session' by 'Linkin Park', one of those bands that perhaps us old metal dogs have been a bit sniffy about in the past, because of their cross overuse of sampling and rap vocals. But this short little burst fits in very well here giving off just the right amount of vibes to set the Matrix groove, opening the door to the experience if you like. Certainly a band worth further inspection.

Next song has a lovely quiet beginning with tinkling keyboards before slamming in with an almighty `More' and a kick like Agent Smith X 20 smacking right into the pit of your stomach. The guitars slam and the vocals go from choirboy-like to full blooded roar. It is, of course, the magnificent new champion of shock/rock 'Marilyn Manson'. By the end of this song you are right back in the Matrix.

Marilyn Manson is the perfect artist to have on this collection with his song titled 'This Is The New `Stuff''. (It's not actually called that, but the Pattaya Mail is after all a family newspaper. Hilary went all peculiar when she saw what the real title was).

Fitting in perfectly with all these new young artists is that old codger of heavy metal 'Rob Zombie', who lets go with both barrels on the third song of the opening trio on 'Reload', affected vocals and sledge hammer guitars. It is music that Morpheus would of approved of in his youth. (Do they have youth in Zion or are you just there?)

Things are then slowed way down for three relatively forgettable tracks by 'Rob Dougan' - 'Deftones' and 'Teamsleep'. Probably something for Trinity to relax to when she is not racing a motorbike the wrong way up the highway.

Things are brought back with a bang to a more hard-edged sound with a couple of songs from 'P. O. D.' and 'Unloco', before 'Rage Against The Machine' weigh in with a slab of `Calm Like A Bomb'. 'Oekenfold' gives us `Dreadrock', which sounds like an outtake from a bad seventies disco movie and doesn't fit in at all well here.
'Fluke' then gives us `Zion', which at least keeps the theme going. The remix version of 'Dave Matthews Band' `When The World Ends' is appalling and would of been better left off the album.

As the albino twins said: "We are aggravated. Yes, we are."

The second disc is pure class, the actual music written for the movie. Three pieces of music from Don Davis, two from the pen of Ben Watkins, and one co-written by the pair. Plus the pulsating `Chateau' from Rob Dougan. This music lives and breathes Matrix.

The `Main Title' sets the scene; `Trinity Dream' is the stuff nightmares are made of; and `Teahouse' is the music from the dance ritual in the movie, where Neo and Trinity get it on, while Link and Zee give it the Hoochie Choochie. (Let's hope we get more of Zee in the future.) `Chateau' has the heaviest bass line ever, almost knocking you out of your seat as Neo does his Superman thing. Then with over ten minutes of `Mona Lisa Overdrive' you can almost feel the Keymaker hanging on for dear life as Trinity weaves through the oncoming traffic. The `Burly Brawl' brings out the best of Neo as he battles two, twenty, two hundred Agent Smiths. Any Army marching to battle with this as their battle cry would turn into a bunch of berserkers.

Then to finish off the music is the `Matrix Reloaded Suite', where Don Davis is able to bring all the threads that musically tie the Matrix together during its nearly 18-minute length. Very impressive it is too, bringing out all the best parts from the related music, sometimes slow, some times loud, but always dramatic. A very impressive way to end this collection of songs.

The second C.D. also includes extras that you can view on your computer.
We now wait with great anticipation for the third and concluding part of this trilogy Matrix Revolutions. The movie should be great. Let's hope the soundtrack is too.
Mott the Dog.


An Incredible Score (who cares about the soundtrack?)   May 25, 2003
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

With The Matrix Reloaded - The Album, for the price of 1 CD you get 2 - both the soundtrack and the score. The soundtrack is "just ok" for the most part, featuring some songs that were played during the film and 10 minutes of credits, and some that were not. The CD gets off to a pretty good start with the wordless Session by Linkin Park. Marilyn Manson's track is aptly titled, as indeed it is Sh**. Reload by Rob Zombie is OK, but nothing we haven't heard from him a hundred times before. Next is the instrumental version of Furious Angels by Rob Dougan. This is my favorite track on the soundtrack, even though it really belongs on the score CD (and probably would be if not for all the CD-ROM material on the 2nd disc). Lucky You by Deftones sounds like it has potential, but it never really goes anywhere. The Passportal by Team Sleep (never heard of them) isn't terrible, but it sure isn't very exciting. The soundtrack would be greatly improved if instead of featuring the 3:23 Sleeping Awake by P.O.D., there was 3:23 of silence (EOD). Bruises by Unloco (never heard of them) is OK, but again, nothing special. Calm Like A Bomb by Rage Against The Machine is great, like most everything by RATM, but I've heard it a hundred times before. Dread Rock by Oakenfold isn't bad, but it's not great either. Zion by Fluke sounds similar to the previous track. I was kind of surprised by When The World Ends (Oakenfold Remix) by DMB came on when I was sitting through the credits of Reloaded waiting for the Revolutions preview. The vocals are normal enough, but it's coupled with techno music, making for a track that's interesting, anyway.

The 2nd CD, in contrast, is just pure greatness from beginning to end. The first two tracks, Main Title and Trinity Dream by Don Davis sound like they're straight off Davis's great score for the original film. Teahouse by Juno Reactor & Gocoo is a short but good drumming track. Chateau by Rob Dougan is very good. Next is the music from the car chase, Mona Lisa Overdrive by Juno Reactor & Don Davis. This is simply a great track. Burly Brawl is another excellent Juno Reactor & Don Davis collaboration. The score ends with the "Matrix Reloaded" Suite by Don Davis, and harkens back to Davis's score for the first film. It doesn't feature the hard-hitting beats of the rest of the tracks on this score, but it is still good. The score CD also features some CD-ROM material, including previews for Reloaded, the Animatrix shorts (inc. Flight Of The Osiris), and the Enter The Matrix video game. These previews are worth watching once, but they're all available at the official Matrix site.

The soundtrack CD is probably 2.5/5, but the score CD is definitely 5/5. Since you're basically paying full price for the score CD (well worth it) and getting the soundtrack for free (you get what you pay for), I give The Matrix Reloaded - The Album 5 stars.


Blew me away!   May 9, 2003
 11 out of 12 found this review helpful

This CD is beyond description. Dipping through multiple genres, the tracks are relentless, industrial/house/rock masterpieces that more than convey the mood of the Matrix. The first CD starts and continues strong with the tracks by Linkin Park, Mariyn Manson, and POD, and ends on Oakie's and Fluke's pounding decks. Could do without the track by Rob Dougan (but that's me).
The second CD is insane for an original film score. Gets you thinking of green code in the first two tracks, and then hits you between the eyes with the tribal "Teahouse" and wrings you out in "Mona Lisa Overdrive". It's really an experience that gets your heart slamming in your chest.
Overall, a great way to get stoked for the movie, drive fast, or just listen to some great, textural(electro/metal) music.