Icarus had always had one of the weirder soundtracks in the Doom community wad database, but you gotta give TeamTNT credit for crafting a completely original soundtrack for the many players of Icarus. A neat way to even remember Icarus, especially specific themes that would be remixed a few more times down the road. Once again, 35 tracks to rank, personal opinion, but I try to be objective sometimes too.
35. Title track
An unnamed title track by David Shaw incorporating the main Icarus theme, which, well, title track. It's relatively slowgoing for a title track, okay composure, but still, title track.
34. Icarus Theme (text music)
Okay, apparently the text screen music IS the Icarus Theme through and through. Which means yes, this theme gets remixed several times throughout Icarus' levels. And they all do it better. Still, this is the benchmark, even though it is only used for the text screen, and speaking of, Icarus didn't really have a custom text screen, so most players will just skip right away not hearing this original theme all that much.
33. Untitled intermission theme
This one intrigues me. It's a fairly simplistic and alright intermission, driven entirely by drums and cute little piano notes. But who authored it? Even Jeremy Doyle, who revealed the complete credits for the soundtrack, doesn't know. Was it Jonathan El-Bizri? Was it Brian Kidby? It is a mystery.
32. The Art of Fugue (MAP22)
For the record, that is a Johann Sebastian Bach classical piece, midi-sequenced by El-Bizri. There's...not much to really say about it. It fits the level it's on, with its medieval graveyard and setting, but other than that, it's a lot of meh honestly.
31. Untitled MAP19 theme
None of Jonathan El-Bizri's tracks seem to have known titles. He just sort of composed them and put them into the levels and they more or less fit. Here we have ominous organs fit for a chapel section, but again, very meh when compared to the rest of the soundtrack.
30. Untitled MAP06 theme
This track is strangely long for the rather short map it's in. Freaky bells, a few xylophone notes, some weird guitar notes come in too. It's really a strange track and doesn't get a whole lot of mileage overall.
29. SUPER Slow Evil (MAP27)
Incredibly ominous and rather fitting for the ominous Starhenge level. But wow, I am surprised that this track lasts less than a minute. And that's for a non-intermission midi, title midi, or text midi.
28. Untitled MAP18 theme
Tambourine chimes, it sounds like to me. It's a track that basically builds up and feels incredibly suspenseful the more it drones. But I don't like the way it fades back down, could have been better. Peculiar little track in any case though.
27. Untitled MAP25 theme
One of the notable things about simulation levels is how wacky they are. Both in their gameplay gimmicks and also their soundtrack. Well? This isn't on a simulation level, but a planet level. If you ask me, MAP25 feels like it should have some sort of Heretic-sounding music track. Here, we get an overdose of drums and some weird music doots, plus a weird guitar solo. Geez, Jonathan.
26. Ripsnort (MAP21)
Rock out with this weirdly-titled music track in yet another case of a music track that would befit a nasty simulation level rather than...a rather tame ship level. Yeah, Engine Core wasn't really all that tough, very quick to go through. This track definitely is fun though.
25. Face of Evil (MAP30)
Every time I see a track used in an Icon of Sin map, I sort of wonder, which really is better? Is it an action-packed track that befits the nature of having to fight lots of spawned monsters as you attempt to get rid of the brain? Or something ambient, Opening to Hell-esque in other words? Face of Evil isn't a failure of a track, but like most in the Icarus soundtrack, rather strange.
24. Hell (MAP14)
Take note, there are two tracks named Hell. The other one is the MAP03 track by Jeremy Doyle. This is by Tom Mustaine. It's definitely got the Evilution feel, suspiciously sounding like Infinite which is Tom's own track of course. But Infinite is better.
23. Gresta (MAP31)
I could be wrong, but this one sounds a lot like a classical piece I remember from orchestra class called Moonlight Sonata. Maybe I don't remember much about the actual classical piece (heck I don't even remember the author) but in any case, Tom's instrumentation certainly remixes whatever classical piece I'm thinking of quite well.
22. Untitled MAP09 track
Charles Li made two music tracks for two simulation levels and given the wacky nature of the simulation levels, they certainly fit quite well. That being said, for this one, was Li a fan of disco? Certainly seems like it. Makes you want to dance the night away.
21. Slow Evil (MAP10)
The weird thing about Slow Evil to me has to be how the other "Evil" tracks were constructed. Classic Evil has an easily recognizable melody, reused in Slow Evil II, and sort of used in SUPER Slow Evil (hey, read the titles of these tracks dammit). Slow Evil though sounds a bit more unique, but the melody is a bit easier to forget in my opinion.
20. FastTrack (MAP28)
FastTrack is almost typical Tom Mustaine quality instrumentation, featuring low tuned guitars and rhythmic drums to keep the player pressured. Easily fits the level it's on. That being said, it's a lot shorter than I expected.
19. Creep Jazz (MAP32)
Here will be yet another remix of the Icarus theme. Befitting for...old timey bar music? Very awkward and interesting. Although the simulation level it's on isn't really the kind of setting, the jazziness just sort of eggs you on while you battle a bunch of cacodemons throughout. Real neat.
18. Untitled MAP26 theme
Sounds like a generally good techbase theme...WHOA WHAT'S THIS GUITAR SOLO?! Comes out of nowhere and is super fast, before it gets some of that Icarus theme near the end of its runtime. Jonathan sure knows how to surprise his listeners.
17. Slow Evil II (MAP17)
A track which has drum beats reminiscent of a better Evilution song, Horizon. But it definitely tells you you'll be dealing with evilness, and is perhaps one of the more ominous tracks overall. I enjoy, just like I enjoy anything in the Icarus soundtrack.
16. Melting (MAP04)
Here we have a jazz/disco fusion of the Icarus theme that fits its level nicely even as awkward as it sounds. You'll know when the guitar work kicks in that it's the Icarus theme, but of course, this track will still make you get down to business without a fuss.
15. Fast (MAP16)
Here's a rocking track fitting the level called Bootcamp, a simulation level rife with hitscanners and monsters all around as you loop the level for keys and such. It fits, no question about it, full of action through its music to befit the mood of the whole map.
14. Mad (MAP05)
The first track used for a simulation level, making you go mad because the whole place is flipped upside down. This has some unique instrumentation and a completely wacky melody with lots of instruments used at many intervals. Props!
13. Stomp (MAP11)
Now we're really rocking out. Pretty easy riffs to learn on your guitar at the start and in the middle, but good luck with the rest of the track which just sort of solos all over the place at times. Even I'm not sure if it fits the demonic restaurant theme that the level is in. But who really cares? Blood gets pumped in various ways with this track.
12. Brutality (MAP29)
Yep, we're keeping the blood pumping. Although this isn't actually a super rocking track, it's got perhaps the perfect instrumentation, you get the feeling a jet wooshed by at the beginning, the melody is super quirky but fits with the quirkiness of the level in general, and it just never lets up! Perfect for a penultimate level which shares its name.
11. Untitled MAP20 theme
Falling just shy of the top 10 is Charles Li's other contribution to the Icarus soundtrack. The keyword is urgency, it's an awesome techno-driven midi that just gets better and better, and of course fits the topsy-turvy gameplay of the map it's in. Charles Li certainly should have made more midis!
10. Untitled MAP13 theme
You know what? Asylum, MAP13 of Icarus, is one of the most underrated levels of all time. I swear on it. It's pretty much all gray in color, the orthogonal halls which just scream 90's design, and the generally weird-ass gameplay you deal with whenever you're not going through all those corridors. It all just makes sense. You're in an insane asylum for god's sake! And to top it off, you have this music track. Sadly not titled, but it's a track that makes you lose your thinking. You just know it will.
9. Untitled MAP23 theme
But I think this track is the most underrated, and actually the best, of the El-Bizri midis. Bass-driven, but with a surprisingly fun melody of chimes and a neat synth solo. I feel like out of all the midis, this is the one that outright deserves to be used more. Especially for brooding techbase levels, and that's saying even though it was originally used for a planet level instead. But it's great!
8. Classic Evil (MAP08)
One of Tom's best tracks, of course will get remixed into the other "Evil" tracks, but this one seems to give the biggest impression. That's partly cause of the level it's in and that one key puzzle that takes a long while to perfect, but at least the track is pretty fun to listen to while you bang your head around it. Ominous, and almost wouldn't be out of place in the Eternal Doom soundtrack if it was put there.
7. Star 2 (MAP12)
Get ready for several remixes of the Icarus theme to show up. But they are all good, that's obviously why. Star 2 definitely fits the militaristic ship setting that is MAP12, then incorporating the creepiness that wouldn't be out of place in basically any Doom midi. Fascinating work.
6. Star Theme v3 (MAP07)
And it's immediately followed up by yet another Icarus theme variation. The third time's the charm for Jeremy's variations of the Icarus theme here, as this one even sounds even more militaristic and wonderous for a ship setting. Atmospheric can easily describe it, but you can't really hate this track at all.
5. The Search (MAP02)
And another one! Of course, David Shaw carries the absolute greatest music tracks overall on the soundtrack, but whenever I think of the Icarus theme, this really is the first that comes to mind. The melody in this one is easily the most recognizable, and gives you a nice, pedestrian stroll through the level it's in, giving players the chance to really appreciate a theme they'll be hearing, and humming, for levels to come. Well done.
4. Ghost in the Machine (MAP24)
Appropriate for a level entitled "The Haunting" and does a DAMN fine job for a haunted ship where you have to deal with ghost monsters. The very urging-sounding synth really drives the point home, with some powerful guitar chords of the right volume to keep you feeling on your toes. I really have to admit, I underestimate David Shaw's Icarus tracks, he didn't make so many, but they are all bangers.
3. Hell (MAP03)
So yeah, here we have the other track named Hell. The sad thing is, this track is on a relatively short level, but you gotta listen to it, it's actually great. Ambient at first, but gets better as you go along. Then there's this one riff, "dana-naNA-naNAnananaNA-na" which actually is a fantastic melody to use. This melody would reappear in a remix of the track on THT: Threnody, but did you know this melody was also used in Hell Revealed II as well? Check out the MAP03 track Old Bones. The bass of that track has this melody. Talk about inspirational.
2. Recapture (MAP01)
David surely made MAP01 of Icarus memorable with this track. It's adventurous with a neat melody that just screams "let's explore the shuttlecraft!" with the proper instrumentation that makes it sound like it would fit Stargate/Star Trek/Star Wars/any other space-themed movie soundtrack you could think of! Feels energetic, slows down nearly perfectly, picks up the pace once again. But to keep to Doom roots, we see that the track does get a bit into the Doom territory and incorporates the memorable melody of The Demon's Dead. Fantastic stuff all around.
1. Heart of the Hive (MAP15)
While I'm not a fan of the level it is on, Heart of the Hive is the best music track in Icarus, and maybe in all of David Shaw's midis. No, really. It is yet another example of a perfect atmospheric track, and would fit like a glove in any particularly atmosperic level. Heck, Waste Processing already does fit the bill, being a ship level where you go through the bloody sewers. You just hear the driving guitars, the ominous-sounding chants, and those memorable, memorable trickles. I have nothing but praise for this one.
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