Composed by: Steve Jablonsky

Released by: Reprise Records (June 23, 2009)

What’s interesting about this specific RC composer here is that the music he produces is sometimes actually listenable. Whilst his other colleagues mostly fail down metal oriented Zimmer-wannabe noisefests they massively produce, he manages to attract the attention of even film music listeners who aren’t used to this kind of film music. Especially with his orchestral ride for Steamboy a few years back or with his score for The Island.

The original Transformers’ score was a love it or hate it situation, pretty much just like the composer himself. With its massive “Remote Control” Studios with the trademarked powerhouse anthems , It provided a great kick that awed and excited the masses but also driven the RC-fans crazy. Contrary, via its particularly Zimmer-influenced sound it also managed to push the traditional film score fans away. This new installment here is rather a snoozer destroyed by electronically enhanced underscore of significantly darker tone which lasts forever. Gladly, there’s the exception of the typical RC anthems but which appear way less frequently than one would expect. If you’re one of those who loved the first score and would like a more matured and melodic but certainly less masculine re-take on the themes of the first one, you’ll love it for the grand opening in “The Prime”, the Fallen’s theme in “The Fallen’s Arrival”, the ethnic vocals coloring a rather beautiful new Autobots theme in “Infinite White” and for the original Autobots theme which also appears a couple of times too. However, there’s always the very simplistic way of RC writing and their typical ethnic chick vocals, all in the overall rock-influenced, edgy and synthesized atmosphere. If this last sentence I just wrote makes you sick and if either the Zimmer’s Batman Begins / The Dark Knight or even Da Vinci Code / Angels and Demons material makes you feel even worse, then you will definitely want to stir way clear away from this.