by James Christopher Monger On first listen, Alan Silvestri's score for Mummy director Stephen Sommers' vampire flick Van Helsing is an arc-less barrage of cartoon bombast that beats the listener into submission from its very first cue. It's only after repeated spins that the veteran composer's voice can be heard over the unrelenting charge of brass and timpanis, revealing a man enthralled with needle-burying decibels, hurling his baton into the air with maniacal laughter. Silvestri knows that popcorn tastes better when the walls of the theater are buckling, and his decision to omit anything remotely pastoral on the audio end of the spectrum makes for a heart-pumping -- albeit forgettable -- experience. The larger-than-life aspects of the film's monster-exterminating protagonist and his nemeses are mirrored by the gargantuan choral arrangements that appear on nearly every track, painting each frame in gothic grays and snowy whites -- even "Transylvanian Horses"' banjo appears threatening. Summer blockbusters -- and the formulaic music that accompanies them -- may be the gastronomical equivalent of fast food, but junk that's delivered this effortlessly and professionally deserves some kind of award. ■ Credits A&r [A&r Direction] – Marc Johnston, Randy Dry Art Direction [Creative Direction] – Penny Bennett Art Direction, Design – Carla Leighton Choir – Agostino Castagnola, Alvin Chea, Amick Byram, Andrea Robinson, Ann White, Bob Joyce, Carmen Twillie, Chris Saranec, Christie Lawrence, Cindy Bourquin, Clydene Jackson-Edwards, David Joyce, Debbie Hall-Gleason, Diane Frieman-Reynolds, Dick Bolks, Dick Wells, Donna Davidson Medine, Dwayne Condon, Edie Lehmann Boddicker, Eliin Carlson, Gary Stockdale, Gene Merlino, George Stern, Gerald White, Guy Maeda, Jeanine Wagner, Jenny Graham, Jerry Whitman, Joan Beal, Jody Golightly, John Beeney, John Duykers, John West, Jon Joyce, Jonathan Mack, Kenneth Knight, Kerry Katz, Kerry Walsh, Laura Bohn, Linda Harmon, Mary Hyland-Cain, Maurita Thornburg, Maxine Waters-Wellard, Melissa Mackay, Michael Geiger, Michael Mishaw, Morogan Ames, Randy Crenshaw, Reid Bruton, Rick Logan, Ron Colvard, Sally Stevens, Samela Beasom, Sandie Hall-Brooks, Sean McDermott, Sheri Izzard, Steven Grimm, Stephen Amerson, Steven Dunham, Sussan Boyd, Susie Stevens Logan, Teri Koide, Terry Harriton, Virenia Lind, Walt Harrah, Bill Edwards Composed By, Conductor – Alan Silvestri Contractor [Orchestra Contractor] – Sandy De Crescent Contractor [Vocal Contractor] – Sally Stevens Coordinator [Package Coordination] – Laura A. A. Johnson, Thanne Tangel Coordinator [Soundtrack Coordination] – Meredith Friedman Edited By [Assitant Music Editor] – Jacqueline Tager Edited By [Supervising Music Editor] – Kenneth Karman Engineer [Stage] – Pat Weber Mastered By – Patricia Sullivan Fourstar Orchestrated By – Mark McKenzie Orchestrated By [Additional] – David Slonaker, William Ross Other [Chairman, Universal Classics Group] – Chris Roberts Other [Executives In Charge Of Music For Universal Pictures] – Harry Garfield, Kathy Nelson Other [Music Business Affairs For Universal Classics Group] – Sheryl Gold Other [Music Business Affairs For Universal Pictures] – Philip M. Cohen Producer – Alan Silvestri, David Bifano Recorded By [Recordist] – Adam Michalek Recorded By, Mixed By – Dennis Sands Soloist – Deborah Dietrich Vocals – Hollywood Film Choral ■ Notes The sleeve folds out into a small poster. The enhanced section of the CD contains the following: *Interactive game trailer *Unlock the secrets of the game *Preview the Van Helsing comic book - "Van Helsing From Beneath The Rue Morgue" *Photo gallery Score recorded at Sony Pictures Scoring Stage. Album mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Music preparation by Joann Kane Music Service. Published by Universal Pictures Music. Motion picture artwork, title & photos TM & (C) 2004 Universal Studios. ℗ © 2004 Universal Classics Group, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc. Distributed by Decca Music Group Limited, London, England. CD is made in Germany/Imprimé en Allemagne, Made in Germany.