This is a fine disc to slide into the player in that interplanetary orbiter you're driving around these days, and crank to bang-your-head decibels just as you go all afterburner into the Forbidden Zone. The
Matrix movie soundtrack is a loud, awesomely wild ride that brilliantly illuminates real links among hard rock, hip-hop, and electronica with a hi-sci-fi flair (and flare) for fusion. These sounds are deep, dark, and resonant, as is the tone of the film, with the blackest moments provided by
Meat Beat Manifesto in "Prime Audio Soup,"
Rob D. with "Clubbed to Death," and
Propellerheads' "Spybreak! (Short One)." The brimstone burbles on with super-scale performances by
Rage Against the Machine and "Wake Up,"
Marilyn Manson's "Rock Is Dead," and
Monster Magnet's absolutely otherworldly "Look Into Your Orb for the Wanring," guaranteed to punch a hole in your wall if
Ministry's "Bad Blood" hasn't done so already. The album's mega-cut, however, is no doubt Hot Rod Herman's outlandish remix of
Rob Zombie's Halloween rave anthem, "Dragula," which would be worth the price of admission alone even if the entire effect were not the hardest-core theme park sonic extravaganza around. A rockin' ear-blaster for this world as well as the next. ~ Becky Byrkit, All Music Guide