Normally, the only reason a score like Terror Tract garners any attention is if its composer later goes on to become famous, and Tyler officially broke into the mainstream in 2003. While some learned film score collectors contend that his two best known scores by that time, Children of Dune and Timeline, were full of cliches and indicated only average capabilities, the work that you hear in a score like Terror Tract is a better indication of talent and hustle in adverse conditions. While Tyler was indeed primarily a horror score composer when introduced to the masses, Terror Tract is different from his other works in that it is both smaller and zanier. With a touch of derangement shared between the composer and directors, the score masks its size by being outrageously conceived and masterfully layered. The "Main Title" and "End Title" cues are fine examples of both these techniques together; Tyler takes a rather overblown gothic horror theme (seemingly devised on the chord progressions of Toto's title theme for Dune) and lets it rip into a rhythmic crescendo of superhero proportions. While he does this, he makes sure that each instrument has something to perform at every moment, remarkable counterpoint lines on brass a highlight of the entire work. The flute plays a funny role in that theme, fluttering around and making noise nearly uselessly while the brass players blare in the foreground while doing their best to emulate Elliot Goldenthal techniques. And yet, that kind of activity causes the score to become deceptively large in stature, and faux choral effects are added as among the only outwardly synthetic contributions to an otherwise organic sum. A madly thumping piano is also a noteworthy contributor. The majority of the underscore in between these performances, meanwhile, relies upon Tyler's consistently interesting and often tonal drama to keep it listenable. The stories all have some sort of pleasant situation gone horribly wrong, so you encounter cues like "Bobo" and "The Lake" which offer a break from the horror with soothing piano and guitar work. Likewise, the translation of the theme into romantic, sappy string and harp tones in "Animal Farm" is almost sickeningly effective, and it, like much of the score, is reminiscent of early Danny Elfman horror music as it degenerates into typical genre fare. On album, Tyler's Terror Tract is more of a curiosity than anything else, a glimpse at a score that probably did not warrant a widespread release if not for the newfound name recognition of the composer. That said, the title theme performances are worthy of inclusion on a compilation of guilty pleasure moments in the composer's career.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download