Game of thrones came upon us again for a fifth time this year, and for a fifth time composer Ramin Djawadi has delivered superior results for a superior show.
The show itself has is in a place where story lines barley have character crossover at the moment. Most of them are relegated to places in the fictional world of Westeros. Be characters north, south, east or west – each with their own stylised decor, and each coming with often drastically different terrain and weather – it’s perhaps Djawadi’s most varied score of the show so far as each main cue on here belongs to certain places, and sometimes this includes uncharted territory.
But whilst we appreciate thematic notes to tell a viewer where they are, there is plenty of telling the audience what to feel as well. Action cues come loaded with thundering drums (a trait we are hoping will change in music SOON thanks to the Zimmer-esque overload of it in recent years).
Season 5 though delves into places the show has never gone before though. The House of Black and White in particular is a memorable and lingering eerie piece that appeals to the more mysteries elements of the show.
And of course anyone looking for the calling card of the show will be happy that the main theme does indeed open the track listing. The composition for this elegant opening number hasn’t changed much if at all since last season, but is a must have track for any fan of the show.
There isn’t much in the way of triumph at the end of this season so don’t expect any rousing climatic number in the same way that perhaps the likes of season 3. This is setting in stone the changes to happen for the uncertain future, and Djawadi plays in these grey areas so well and delivers new material worthy of the show he has been apart of since its inception on TV.
Steven Hurst