Crow files high third time around

Grade: B+

The Crow: Salvation

Original Soundtrack

Koch Records

Reviewed by

David Reamer

Daily Arts Writer

Just when you thought there were enough stupid sequels (and prequels) in theaters to last you a lifetime, along comes "The Crow: Salvation," a movie destined to have the exact same plot as its two predecessors. Fortunately, another "Crow" movie also means another "Crow" soundtrack, and the series' five million record sales say something about quality.

The first "Crow" soundtrack was a landmark heavy metal compilation, showcasing contemporary and future megastars like Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails, just to name a few. "The Crow: Salvation," the third album in the series, promises to live up to that tradition with music from the likes of Filter, Rob Zombie, Kid Rock and more.

Following the recent trend, "The Crow: Salvation" is chock full of

exclusive tracks from big name artists. The album's first track (first single and first video too) is a remix of Filter's "The Best Things," and the soundtrack takes off from there. Remixes of Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl," Tricky's "Antihistamine," The Crystal Method's "Now is the Time," and Danzig's "Belly of the Beast" set the tone of the album, while Monster Magnet, Hole, Kid Rock and Days of the New all contribute original songs.

This newest compilation is fairly consistent in terms of sound and quality, sticking for the most part to modern hard rock, with a hint of dance in the techo offerings from The Crystal Method and Sin. Some of the tracks, notably Hole's cover of the Bob Dylan track "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and Days of the New's "Independent Slaves" don't quite match the somber, heavy sound of the rest of the album, but could conceivably be linked to important scenes in the movie.

The album is at its best when it sticks to the dark, ominous sound that defines the mood of the film. Tracks like Glenn Danzig's "underBELLY of the Beast" and Tricky's "Antihistamine" go a long way toward establishing that menacing, apocalyptic atmosphere. Industrial tracks like "Burning Inside" from Static-X (which features Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory) and Stabbing Westward's "Waking Up Beside You" enhance the gloomy ambience, adding speed to depressing lyrics.

"The Crow: Salvation" lives up to the legacy created by its predecessors, and manages to offer up a bit of diversity as well. From Hole to Danzig to French dance act Sin, the soundtrack offers a wide range of talent and a large selection of exclusive music. Regardless of the film's success, the soundtrack's drawing power will surely lead to commercial prosperity and legions of satisfied music fans. If the "Crow" soundtrack series can keep up this level of performance, bring on number 4.