Soundtracks generally fit into three categories; an entire album of incidental music – composed by someone to fit in with the mood of the film, an entire album of previously recorded songs - chosen by the director or person responsible for sound production or a mixture of the two.

Matrix Reloaded falls in to the latter, but thankfully it’s not one of those soundtracks that boast two or three key tracks from the film and then topped up with incidental music and (worse still) ‘songs inspired by the film’.

This album is literally crammed to bursting point with kicking rock tracks, some of which have been specially recorded for the film. Linkin Park’s sharp instrumental, ‘Session’, taken from Meteora sets things in motion and from thereon it doesn’t let up for a moment.

Marilyn Manson’s ‘This Is The New Shit’ (taken from new album The Golden Age Of Grotesque), Rob Zombie’s ‘Reload’ and Deftones’ ‘Lucky You’ are key songs, though there are few dull moments here and tracks from Rage Against The Machine, Rob Dougan and Dave Matthews Band are also highly entertaining.

A second disc separates the instrumental tracks, which make up the rest of the film’s backdrop and there’s even the added bonus of multimedia footage for your computer, including trailers and a documentary.

It’s not long to wait now before the actual film is here, but until that time you do a lot worse than check out this top notch soundtrack.
(4½/5)

Release Date: 05 May 2003

Matrix Reloaded