Horizon Forbidden West Vinyl OST Review By Britt "An album that has a world-building vibe to it" 💿 #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl #VGM

I’ve just covered another Sony Entertainment release – the God of War: Ragnarök OST – and the difference in presentation (visuals, not quality) is quite staggering. Whereas God of War: Ragnarök was filled with freezing blues and expansive whites, here Horizon Forbidden West is instead rich with almost alien tropical landscapes, and hot shades of orange. 

This is also a more ‘meat and potatoes’ release, on heavyweight black vinyl - but with no inserts such as art cards or the like – although there is a collector’s edition deluxe version of this release that is available on vinyl, but it’s the standard version that I’ll be covering today.The cover hits you straight away. Featuring series protagonist Aloy standing proud, with weaponry in hand and gazing upwards at some unseen threat. Behind here is a rising island of luscious green – it’s a powerful and vivid image that quite frankly makes me want to book a holiday to a more temperate climate! 

The rear of the cover continues across the gatefold image and shows a beastly denizen of the island lurching out of the forest and roaring at Aloy – again, this deepens the sense of a wild, untamed jungle.

Opening up the gatefold shows a full three-page battle-scene, as well as a side-on portrait of Aloy, with a steely, determined glint in her eye as below her, various creatures and tribesmen rush to the attack below a dusty, orange light that bathes the entire area. 

It all adds up to compose an overall image of natural beauty and deadly threat. Also on the centre image are the credits and track listing of the album, the composers involved as well as noting the guest artists that bring their talents to specific tracks.

SUMMARY

An album that has a world-building vibe to it, recreating Aloy’s world and the beauty -and threat! – that lies within it, this is an album that conjures up a narrative in your mind as you listen.

From The Website:

'Horizon Forbidden West' re-joins machine hunter Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier. As Aloy seeks out a means to cure the Earth's dying lands, she defeats deadly machines, helps allies old and new, and uncovers ancient mysteries. These epic moments are all elevated by the game's impactful and beautiful soundtrack, featuring music composed by Niels van der Leest, The Flight, Oleksa Lozowchuk and Joris De Man. From heart-thumping beats that accompany tense battles with colossal machines to the moving score that complements Aloy's intriguing world, this essential LP collection brings together 'Horizon Forbidden West''s most iconic tracks in beautiful vinyl format. This release comes with two vinyl discs, each with a custom sleeve, presented beautifully in a single trifold case.

Track Listing:

Disc 1

TRACK NAME | ARTIST

1.Whatever Comes (Feat. Julie Elven and Melissa R. Kaplan)

Various Performers

2.Aloy's Theme (Feat. Julie Elven)

Various Performers

3.In the Flood (Feat. Ariana Gillis)

Various Performers

4.The World On Her Shoulders (Feat. Julie Elven)

Various Performers

5.Echo of You (Feat. Melissa R. Kaplan)

Various Performers

6.Unity

Various Performers

7.No Footfalls to Follow

Various Performers

8.These Stones Unturned

Various Performers

9.Riddles in Ruins

Various Performers

10.Wither and Ache

Various Performers

11.The Chorus

Various Performers

12.A Scattered Reflection

Various Performers

Disc 2

TRACK NAME | ARTIST

1.Shelter from the Storm

Various Performers

2.Restricted Access

Various Performers

3.A Promise to Uphold (Feat. Julie Elven)

Various Performers

4.The Sky Remade

Various Performers

5.Edge of the Sundom

Various Performers

6.Rusted Sands

Various Performers

7.Machine Made

Various Performers

8.Trinity (Feat. Julie Elven and Melissa R. Kaplan)

Various Performers

9.The Wings of the Ten (Feat. Julie Elven)

Various Performers

10.Resilience to Rise (Feat. Julie Elvan and Melissa R. Kaplan)

Various Performers

11.In the Flood (Feat. Lovisa Bergdahl)

Various Performers

Composers:

Joris De Man, Oleksa Lozowchuk, The Flight, Niels Van Der Leest, & Lovisa Bergdahl