10 Best Bear McCreary Scores, From ‘Outlander’ to ‘The Walking Dead’

Bear McCreary is an Emmy-winning rating producer and composer whose work attracts parallels to Howard Shore, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, and different up to date classical orchestrators. From the unsettling to the epic, he has showcased his potential to compose music for a wide range of atmospheres, enhancing the viewer expertise throughout the board. Here is our record of McCreary’s greatest soundtracks from a choice of video video games, reveals, and films.

The Walking Dead (2010-)

This AMC present is a darkish story concerning the zombie apocalypse, and McCreary composes the proper haunting backdrop. Some might imagine the present’s physique horror is its most vital asset; nevertheless, for scenes the place grotesque visuals are hidden by darkish lighting and shadows, sound is important to stability all the pieces out. The songs aren’t restricted to the hair-raising abrasiveness of the opening title. Softer moments reminiscent of Rick studying Carl’s letter in Season 8 are met with a delicate guitar and piano. Yet McCreary additionally evokes intense feelings in intimate, heart-wrenching scenes, reminiscent of within the penultimate episode of Season 9, the place every drum beat and key change alerts a devastating divulge to the viewers.

Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

As you face the tip of World War II on this first-person shooter sport, you’ll be accompanied by a gorgeous string-heavy rating all through quiet moments and large-scale motion sequences. During these grand combating scenes, the orchestrations might resemble the traits of a Hollywood motion movie, drawing similarities to Hans Zimmer’s epic crescendos in scores like Inception.

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Child’s Play (2019)

The rating for a movie a few homicidal robotic doll is clearly imagined to be creepy, however the brilliance of McCreary’s work is his use of noises from actual youngsters’s toys all through the soundtrack. Using toys reminiscent of xylophones and otomatones, he provides the soundtrack chirpy, childlike sounds that add to its unsettling nature. “The Buddi Song” and the primary theme function vocals from the sensible Mark Hamill, creating an ambiance as disconcerting as Chucky himself.

God of War (2018)

Since 2018’s God of War strikes away from Ancient Greek to Norse mythology, McCreary incorporates low, ominous Norse vocals into the 2018 soundtrack. Kratos’ theme, layered with a repeating three notes dominated by low male vocals, is featured all through the soundtrack each melodically and in deeper, heavier interpretations. Though it represents a extra brass, harsh tone, songs like “A Giant’s Prayer” function stunning, mild strings that evoke passionate feelings. “The Summit” is a shocking orchestration with sorrowful vocals to replicate the melancholia of a devastating scene between Kratos and Atreus.

Outlander (2014-)

This soundtrack could also be greatest identified for its predominant title theme, sung by Raya Yarbrough, McCreary’s spouse. Many have revered Outlander for its implausible depictions of historical past, and McCreary’s use of conventional Scottish devices, together with bagpipes and accordions, assist to immerse viewers into the setting. In reality, he revamped the rating over the seasons to incorporate totally different devices because the setting modified. Along with the folk-style Scottish fiddle, McCreary additionally contains lush orchestrations that replicate the calm tranquility of Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. He was nominated for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series on the 2015 Emmy Awards for his work on the sequence.

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

This soundtrack accommodates a various array of sounds all strung collectively by McCreary’s use of leitmotifs. One of essentially the most notable melodies is in “Wander My Friends,” set to stunning Gaelic lyrics. The theme might be heard all through the sequence, starting from a grand orchestration to a one-instrument tune. The angelic strings in “Passacaglia,” duduk melody in “Kobol’s Last Gleaming,” and hanging electrical guitar in “Kara Remembers” are only a few examples of Battlestar Galactica’s heterogeneous music.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

McCreary included components of Akira Ifukube’s unique rating into the King of the Monsters soundtrack. His composition supplies a satisfying fashionable tackle the basic Japanese movies. No doubt an epic orchestration, it contains songs paying homage to heroic themes by John Williams, whereas songs like “Battle in Boston” mimic the howling horns and pounding drums of Hans Zimmer’s most intense songs. McCreary composes a rating greater than worthy to face amongst its predecessors.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020)

McCreary’s work on Marvel’s longest-running TV Show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., must be a testomony to how deserving he’s to work on larger-scale MCU initiatives. Tracks like “Rocket Launch” showcase how a pleasing tone can swiftly flip ominous, including to the sense of betrayal the viewer feels when Skye secretly reveals loyalty to an enemy group of S.H.I.E.L.D. Another instance of McCreary’s versatility, this rating contains digital rhythms that symbolize S.H.I.E.L.D.’s upper-class know-how whereas the sweeping strings present the epic really feel of heroism.

The Rings of Power (2022-)

The Rings of Power soundtrack accommodates the highly effective and kooky components of the unique by Howard Shore. Some might discover callbacks to Shore’s earlier works within the songs “Khazad-dûm” and “Galadriel.” Tracks like “Khazad-dûm” sweep you into the magic of the sequence because the waterfalls and plush greenery of the dwarves’ realm are accompanied by hanging strings and haunting vocals. Though Shore composed the primary title, McCreary holds his personal in making a soundtrack that enhances the story, and we will’t wait to see how the music is utilized in upcoming episodes.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

The second movie within the Cloverfield franchise, this soundtrack proves a worthy successor to Michael Giacchino’s work within the first movie. McCreary makes use of distinctive devices such because the blaster beam and yayli tanbur (which McCreary had beforehand utilized in Da Vinci’s Demons) to present the movie its distinct sound. The opening tune, “Michelle,” is the place the tanbur might be heard extra predominantly. It supplies a foreboding tone that units up the remainder of the film and consists of a harmonic development that’s positive to replay in your head lengthy after the movie ends. The blaster beam is an instrument featured in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and isn’t heard typically in movie scores, but McCreary makes use of it to use a deep, unsettling digital sound, an individualistic method that illustrates his inventive imaginative and prescient.