After considerable demand, Invincible by Two Steps From Hell (TSFH) is available for purchase.
Founded by composers Nick Phoenix and Thomas Bergersen in 2006, TSFH is renowned for producing quality compositions that appear on a variety of movie trailers. Until now, their music was not for sale to the public and samples could only be heard from the trailers themselves and album demos provided on the official website. A quick look through Bergersen’s blog shows that fans are in awe of what they create, so it is no surprise that the company has fostered a following.
For eager listeners that have respected copyright law, Invincible marks a proper chance to hear the cues in decent quality.
The album features 22 songs, mostly derived from their recent releases such as Nemesis, Legend, and Power of Darkness. There doesn’t seem to be a cohesive theme in Invincible and is likely a testing ground to see public reaction.
Highlights include the bold opening track Freedom Fighters (used in the Star Trek theatrical trailer), the excitingly electric Am I Not Human? (featuring vocals by Phoenix), Enigmatic Soul, Fire Nation, and Hypnotica. The penultimate track, To Glory, is one of the best not only because it’s incredibly enjoyable, but has the longest length on the track listing, allowing the composers to fully explore the musical motifs that drive this song.
This is perhaps the album’s weakness; the majority of songs are less than three minutes in length, typical of most trailer music cues. While trailer music purists won’t mind, it may put off listeners looking for lingering tunes. However, the overall experience is solid and definitely worth the purchase.
At the time of this article, Invincible is a digital purchase only. The pair is looking to push a CD release soon.
I applaud Bergersen for stating that they are “doing this purely to please our fans“, but in reality it is a business and the money does the talking. Support the release and deliver the money they deserve!
The objective of these Music Satchel articles is to provide my personal recommendations, releases from other artists that rival the listening experience that is E.S. Posthumus.