SOCOM 4 Game Released Today

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SOCOM 4 has been a long musical journey for me.  I first began writing music for this game in 2008 and now, almost three years later to the day, the game is finally released on SONY Playstation 3.  My soundtrack is simultaneously available for download from iTunes and Playstation Network.  Next month, La La Land Records will release an exciting expanded edition two-disc set, which will include nearly an hour of additional music, as well as a hidden surprise for fans!

I’m a gamer myself, and had played all the previous games in the SOCOM series.  So, I was familiar with the traditional military orchestral sound that accompanied them.  However, when I first met with the developers at Sony and Zipper Interactive, I realized they were eager to take the franchise in a more cinematic direction.  This story focuses on two dynamic central characters, including the first playable female character in the franchise’s history.  Here, the line between heroes and enemies blurs.  And the entire story takes place in Southeast Asia, opening the door to explore exotic local instrumentation.  There was a lot for me to be excited about.

I’m very curious to know what you guys think of my score for SOCOM 4.  Personally, I think it ended up  as ethnicly diverse as “Battlestar Galactica,” as exhilarating as “Dark Void” and as heroic as “Human Target.”

Enjoy the game, available at all major retailers, and listen for yourself.  Check back here soon for updates on the expanded CD soundtrack.  In the coming weeks, I will blog in detail about the game’s exotic instrumentation, thematic development, hectic recording sessions, and my general philosophy towards approaching videogame scoring.  If you have any specific questions about the music, leave them here in the comments, and I’ll address them in the big blog post.

In the meantime, check out a few in-depth interviews with me regarding SOCOM 4, from MSNBC, Square Enix Music Online and Blast Magazine.

-Bear