The Newton Brothers deliver another tremendously entertaining effort with their score for season two of X-Men ’97, with Magneto’s theme once again being the star of the show alongside a stellar new one for Rogue, and a determinedly malevolent new theme for villain Apocalypse!
While I do absolutely adore Ron Wasserman’s iconic returning theme for X-Men: The Animated Series, what took me by surprise with the score for the first season of revival X-Men ’97 wasn’t actually that, but instead composers the Newton Brothers’ brand new and absolutely spellbinding themes for the series. Whether its their fantastically grandiose motif for Storm (“Give Them The Forecast”), the gently romantic piece for the love between Scott Summers and Jean Grey (“The Summers”) or indeed my personal favourite, the stirringly noble theme for Magneto (“Magnus The Savior”), they’re all very well crafted, memorable and in the case of Storm and Magneto particularly – impeccably triumphant. As such, it was with keen ears as well as eyes that I watched the second season of the excellent show, and I have to say – the Newton Brothers’ didn’t disappoint with this one either. Let’s start with “En Sabah Nur”, the opening track of the season two soundtrack and as it happens – the main theme of it too, for titular villain Apocalypse. It doesn’t start out that way though, with shrill vocals giving off a rather Egyptian vibe at first with emphatic brass bursting into frame alongside chanting choir for a curiously heroic start overall.
As the cue continues however, the brassy grandiosity gradually fades in favour of darker, more ominous and foreboding drums and strings, with a malevolent motif for Apocalypse emerging and then building to an emphatically villainous crescendo to close out the three minute track. “Survival Of The Fittest” then continues in a similar vein with ominous echoes of Egyptian-styled instrumentation lurking alongside Apocalypse’s eerie motif on strings and choir, before a standout moment arrives in “Your Father’s Daughter” as Magneto’s theme emphatically returns. For four utterly glorious orchestral minutes the titular Master Of Magnetism motif utterly soars, starting solemnly with a tinge of strings-focused regret before building into tremendously bombastic action flair with breathtaking vocals and grand brass in centre stage. This theme was one of the absolute highlights of the season one album, and this tremendous new cue might be its strongest showcase yet. After some beautifully ethereal vocal and strings work in “Celestial Dunes”, a new theme then shines through “You’re The One Who Will”, twinkling with string and percussion-focused hope throughout its two minute runtime.
The dramatically aggressive theme for Apocalypse returns for “The Horsemen Of Apocalypse” with imposing vocal chanting and anxious strings joining forces with Egyptian flair throughout, before “The Whims Of Time” then soars into ethereal territory with rousing vocals and strings in centre stage. “The Weight Of Your Destiny” then takes this slowly rising hope and runs with it, introducing a new and sublimely upbeat motif that surges with proud brass and a twanging electric guitar until heroically crescendoing. A rather spectacular sequence of action cues then begins with “Journey To The Cursed Temple”, with triumphant vocals and pounding drums leading the way for most of this first entry until a darker sound emerges towards the end with hints toward Apocalypse’s theme. “Vessel” then continues this newly moodier style with anxious bursts of brass, simmering drums and increasingly horror-like vocal chants all pointing thematically toward Apocalypse. After “Fated Ruin” builds with similar orchestral tension, Standout Cue “Pushing Sinners To Embrace The Saint” then practically explodes with orchestral majesty as Magneto’s theme soars heroically back to the forefront, making for a truly epic few minutes as grandiose bursts of brass, percussion and choir all hold the theme emphatically high.
Frenetically dissonant, electronics-focused action occupies much of “I Am The Danger” before another new theme then debuts in the powerfully bombastic “Polaris”; with hints toward Magneto’s motif echoing serenely in-between (clever considering Polaris is his daughter), this triumphant new theme for the Mistress of Magnetism absolutely soars throughout its orchestral debut here. Ominous murmurs towards Apocalypse’s theme then start to rear their head again in “Let Us Begin” as low-pitched brass and vocals chant out notes from the malevolent motif on a backdrop of tense synth and high pitched, horror-like strings. After a solemn, vocal-led rendition of Magneto’s theme plays through the short “Fail To See”, dramatically horror-like strings and brass are then centre stage for the five minute “Where Are We Anyway” alongside screeching electronics, all driving an intensely ominous tone throughout the track. The shorter “Wolverine” then briefly brings brassy determination back into the fray before eerie twinkles of percussion then build into a dramatically heartfelt rendition of Magneto’s theme on strings in “Acolytes”. A brief and rather triumphant action rendition of the X-Men theme then surges through the minute-long “Turn The Power On” before slinking piano and strings evoke simmering villainy in “Emma Frost”.
Proudly emphatic brass introduces “X-Factor x X-Force”, with thudding electronics, shrill vocals and pounding drums ushering frenetic action along for two rather intense minutes. “Skybound Heist” then dials up the tension with a further minute of action before some rather lovely strings build to a happily romantic crescendo in “Mon Cheri” and “Second Chance” (for the love of Rogue and Gambit), though hints toward Apocalypse’s theme do hamper the optimism somewhat in the latter cue. The X-Men theme then briefly rears its head on grandiose brass and vocals in the short “Summon Forth” before the Gambit and Rogue material comes to a twinkling, goosebump-inducing finale in “Saved By Love” – though that story’s not over yet, as eerily whispering vocals build to a thunderously heroic new theme for Rogue in “Your Life For His” with grand swathes of electronics, drums and brass all abound. Desperate flurries of strings then crash action along in the ferocious “How Much Longer”, though they don’t have to hold out for long as Rogue’s twinkling new optimism returns in “How We Survive” on soaring choir and synth. Final cue “Always To The Rescue” then ends the album rather serenely with floating electronics, ethereal vocals and wistful piano occupying its thirty second runtime until the ensemble simply fades away.
Overall, the Newton Brother’s score for season two of X-Men ’97 is an excellent continuation of the first, and in some ways – particularly in its leading use of Magneto’s theme – it’s even better. The aforementioned Master Of Magnetism’s motif really shines throughout this album, particularly in some absolutely jaw-dropping setpieces like the lengthy “Your Father’s Daughter” that expands on the theme’s grandiose presentation from the first season, and “Pushing Sinners To Embrace The Saint” that thunders it into centre stage for a genuinely incredible action sequence. Outside of Magneto, Ron Wasserman’s iconic X-Men theme from the original cartoon also returns, though I will say it’s a lot less present than in the first season (the X-Men do spend a significant portion of the new series fragmented, so that’s probably why) and that’s a shame, but some exquisite new themes do help to make up for its absence. Polaris for example gets a delightfully thunderous piece through “Polaris”, and the twinkling hope of Rogue’s new theme (“Your Life For His”) is another highlight, as is the romantic material for her and Gambit (“Saved By Love”). Lurking ominously throughout as well is an enjoyably malevolent piece for villain Apocalypse (“En Sabah Nur”), and altogether these themes combined with the Newton Brothers’ usual orchestral excellence make for an album you don’t want to miss, especially if you liked the first.
From my side, I can’t wait for season three next year!
Score: 8/10
Standout Cues: Your Father’s Daughter, Pushing Sinners To Embrace The Saint
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