Debuting right after Godzilla (2014) was hitting theaters, this self-published release features rearrangements to three different themes by artist Dominik Hauser and one by artist Joohyun Park.

The disc features three tracks in total, each from a different film. It makes the interesting choice of having each represent a different studio's work on the character. It leads off with the main theme to the Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros. film Godzilla (2014). Hauser does a fairly good job recreating Alexandre Desplat's music using a synthetic approach. In fact it sounds remarkably spot on in segments. It gives itself away, though, when the track picks up pace and the percussion kicks up on the original theme. It's serviceable, but makes you just want to listen the original tune.

The best track from this release, though, is the second one for the main theme to the original Godzilla (1954). Given that it's a stereo versus mono presentation, the track sounds much more alive than the original cue from Akira Ifukube's 1954 score. That's a modern synthetic orchestra, though, versus a monaural recorded orchestra from the 1950's. If we compare it to the 1986 version that was recorded for Ostinato, and later used in Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), the track doesn't measure up. Regardless, it's an enjoyable track, iPod worthy in fact, and the star attraction from this release.

The final theme is a piano solo version of the main theme from the Tristar / Centropolis GODZILLA (1998). This is a version of the "Album theme", as its the shortened one versus the longer one used in the film. Done by Joohyun Park, the track is unlike the others as its not trying to replicate the original sound. Instead it's trying do something different by transforming the theme into a piano solo. Going into this release, I figured this would be my favorite track. The idea of the title to the 1998 film turned into a soothing and haunting piano tune sounded great in my head. In practice, though, its the weakest of the three tracks as the tune just doesn't transition well to a piano experience. It's not a fault of the artist, but more that the material doesn't lend itself the way I thought it would.

As a side disclaimer, I actually purchased this as a series of a WAVs online. In fact it's primarily available through digital, online means. However, Amazon does sell a physical version, although they note they are pressed on demand onto CD-Rs. The above cover is the one that was included with the ordered WAV files, and is the original 600x600 dimensions.

Bottom line, it's an amusing if forgettable release. With the digital version being a little less than $3, it's at the quick, disposable income level to give it a test. The CD copy runs for almost three times that, and given it's a CD-R probably not as wise an investment versus burning your own.

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