FSM Board: Angels and Demons Score: First thoughts (2025)

If you're expecting a reprise of the Da Vince Code score in tone then you're going to be disappointed. Angels and Demons is a high paced thriller involving the destruction of the heart of the Catholic church by one of it's arch enemies. The score reflects this.

We do have the religious overtones of the Da Vince Code score but married to a more energetic approach. To give an example, the opening track, "160 BPM" is the main action track of the album. We have a tenor male choir singing in urgent counterpoint to a female choir, fast paced action scoring with what sounds like the tubular bells used in the Exorcist in frantic accompaniement. The first 10 seconds of the track actually made me think of the Tubular Bells theme from the Exorcist but cranked up to 11, with choir.

From 2 listens of the album, I heard a reprise of the main themes from the Da Vinci Code but in vastly different arrangements, don't expect an exact repeat of the themes as they appeared on the previous album. At one point, two of these themes, the main theme and what I call the "dark" theme (Malleus Malificarum on the Da Vinci Code album) are actually overlaid on top of each in the same track, quite complex work.

160 BPM, the action track (5+ minutes long) opens the album but fortunately it isn't action music all the way through. There is a good variation of energetic stuff and more subdued music, usually accompanied by some fantastic solo violin work by someone called Joshua Bell.

I'm quite used to Hans Zimmer albums ending with a really long dramatic track. Not this time. The longest track on the album, track 6 out of 9, "Science and Religion" runs over 11 minutes long, and is one of the more interesting tracks on the album, not an action track. By contrast, the last three tracks are each less than 4 minutes and, again, are not action tracks.

I think after a few more listens i'll have a more definite picture of what I think of the album but for now this is my concise view:

At 54 minutes long, I find the whole album too difficult to listen to all the way through. I do like most of the tracks individually and I can see myself frequently programming say 4 or 5 when the mood takes me. Mind you, that's what I do with the Da Vinci Code album. Angels and Demons maintains the religious tones with the use of bells, lots of interesting male and female choir work (not standard Hans Zimmer stuff) but overall the album is more "energetic" and less solemn than the Da Vinci Code. The album re-uses many of the themes from the Da Vinci Code but in different arrangements letting you know that Angels and Demons is related to the previous film, a sequel, but is not a repeat of the Da Vinci Code, a different beast.

I personally give it 3 out of 5, interesting but a tough listen all the way through. Mind you i'm a fan of Hans Zimmer so I could be biased.

Very true! It's Tubular Bells meet Ave Satani with two choirs. It's over 6 minutes long as well. I'm guessing it comes near the climax of the film although it makes a scorching album opener.

160 BPM is one of the best action tracks i've heard in a long time.

I do like the album but I just can't take it all in one go. I recently read the novel so i'm guessing there are tracks in the film which relate to "Earth" and "Water." I thought all four elements would have made a good suite on CD.

Yes. It's a 1:51 minute track called "H2O." It's nothing terribly exciting and the same thematic material is already on the CD so you're not missing too much.

My complaint with the score (on CD) is that it just sort of peters out at the end.

James

I didn't bother as it's not even 2 minutes long and i've got the score on CD.

I'm interested to hear what the scoring is like for "Earth" in the film as it's the first of the elements that Langdon tracks down although not as dramatic as "Air" or "Fire" (Crucified, burning Cardinals. In a church!)

I noticed how the last few tracks on the CD are short compared to the first part of the album. I didn't feel as though the score "petered" out (considering where parts of the story takes place, that's a good pun) but it did feel strange compared to the storming opening track.

Also like the final track, the main theme was the standout from the original score for me, again similar in style to "Journey to the Line".

"Science and Religion" is a lovely track. can't hold to the excellent "Rose of Arimathea" from the first soundtrack but it's still an amazing track

Maybe not that far. But I too didn't think Star Trek was all that, but was captivated by Angels and Demons (though I know some will /hate/ it. It's very...Zimmer).

It's the best Zimmer score in ages, but it does have that very annoying business where all the music sounds very distant-miked so you can't really appreciate much in the way of orchestration.

I do wish it were better balanced. As it is with all the action at the beginning and all the drama at the end it's lopsided. Get those shorter cues in between the lengthy more aggressive stuff and close the album on a stronger note and it would be a much more satisfying listen.

Still, good score.