I got the 2-disc version of the Matrix Reloaded soundtrack from Borders on recommendation from Carmen. After listening to the album several times, I must say it is an excellent soundtrack. It is as good, if not better, than the original Matrix soundtrack. I am listening to it even now as I write this review.
Disc 1
Session - Linkin Park - Excellent driving techno/industrial instrumental
This Is The New Shit - Marilyn Manson - Very good
Reload - Rob Zombie - Pretty good but not nearly as good as his track in the Matrix.
Furious Angels - Rob Dougan - This is my favorite track on Disc 1. A new take on “Rob D’s” track #4 from the Matrix soundtrack. For those who do not remember, track 4 is played in the first movie when the “Woman in the Red Dress” is introduced to Neo. At 5:29 this song is a perfect addition to your playlist for going running or working out. Perfect for pacing out a mile. Yeahhhhh!
Lucky You - Deftones - Not bad but not good either. Of course this is not my style of music. Too slow and a bit on the depressing side.
The Passportal - Team Sleep - Good ethereal track. Very reminiscent of the Bladerunner soundtrack with a few industrial loops added in.
Sleeping Awake - P.O.D. - Heavy metal and not my favorite track.
Bruises - Unloco - Heavy metal again but better. Good underlying bass line. Some good screaming going on in there. The kind of song I listen to when I go rock climbing. True that.
Calm Like a Bomb - Rage Against the Machine - If you like Rage, this is your track. If you are not into them, it will annoy you.
Dread Rock - Oakenfold - Awesome. You will remember this track from the incredible Reloaded car chase. It’s no surprise Paul Oakenfold is the most sought-after DJ on earth. As Carmen pointed out, this is a good CD to go driving with and especially so with this song. Car chase, good driving song, go figure.
Zion - Fluke - Perfect follow up to Dread Rock. I do believe this is the rave song from Zion that is played after Morpheus gives his speech. If you like hardcode trance music, this is your track. I imagine that since this album was released, this song has been mixed and remixed in clubs the world over.
When the World Ends [Oakenfold Remix] - Dave Matthews Band - I had to read the CD cover twice on this one. One does not often see “Dave Matthews Band” and “Oakenfold” on the same line. It has a dark ambience about it and an excellent rhythm. Could eventually be my favorite track. It grows on you.
Disc 2
Main Title - Don Davis - Instead of release a separate score for the movie this time, the memorable scores are included on Disc 2. This is THE Matrix theme and should be recognizable by anyone who has seen the movie. It is one of the better scores done for Hollywood in recent years. It conveys all of the tension and intensity of the Matrix perfectly.
Trinity Dream - Don Davis - A variation on the Main Theme.
Teahouse - Juno Reactor Featuring Gocoo - Very tribal with a driving rampage of drums.
Chateau - Rob Dougan - Oh yeah, yet another remix of the Red Woman track. This one is shorter than the one on Disc 2 but just as great. You should remember it from the awesome Chateau fight scene. In my view, this was the coolest scene in the movie and perfectly executed. Couldn’t pick a better song to underline the kung fu orchestration than an instrumental techno track that relies on strings.
Mona Lisa Overdrive - Juno Reactor with Don Davis - They start to mix things up by merging these two artists. Mona List Overdrive is a great reference to the excellent cyberpunk book by Willian Gibson. Still tribal but with a subtle but pleasurable mating to the Main Theme. Stick with this at least to the 2:25 mark where it completely morphs into a hardcore techno rave mix while still keeping the Main Theme intact. Awesome.
Burly Brawl - Juno Reactor vs. Don Davis - Please note the “vs.” part. The Burly Brawl is the nickname for the megafight between Neo and the 100s of Agent Smiths. Just like the kung fu in the fight scene, this song is fast, hard driving, and keeps coming with a neverending, increasing tempo. Occasionally, this track gets a flash of the “Matrix Light” as a sort of transition. If you want to hear that which I call the Matrix Light, pay attention to the song at exactly 0:37 - 0:43. There are elements of Carmina Burana in this track also at the 1:22 mark. The best part comes after 3:00 into the track.
“Matrix Reloaded” Suite - Don Davis - This track is 17:34 long and can feel like it. It’s just good to have this track as a summary of all of Davis’ material but not for regular listening.
I should also point out that Disc 2 includes some enhanced material you can view on your computer, including previews of The Matrix Reloaded, The Final Flight of the Osiris, and The Animatrix. A documentary on the making of the Enter The Matrix video game is also included.