Halo 2 Soundtrack Announced

 

(Press Release)

 

New York - October 11th, 2004 - Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with Microsoft Game Studios, proudly presents Halo® 2: Original Soundtrack Volume One. The highly anticipated soundtrack will be released on November 9 to US retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works label www.sumthing.com.

 

The bulk of the Halo 2: Original Soundtrack CD features the new symphonic compositions by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, the composers behind the best-selling Halo®: Combat Evolved soundtrack. Nile Rodgers, the album’s producer said, "Visualize a giant orchestra with Martin O’Donnell as the composer and all the artists and musicians contributing as players in the grand symphony that is called Halo."

 

The soundtrack also includes all new compositions from some of today’s most exciting rock bands, including "Blow Me Away" by Breaking Benjamin, "Connected" by Hoobastank and "The Odyssey" by Incubus; which serve to fulfill the ultimate vision of Marty O’Donnell’s epic orchestral score.

 

Commenting on their music for Halo 2, Ben Burnley of Breaking Benjamin said, "Halo is my favorite all-time game. As a band we play it all the time while on tour. It's like a dream being able to contribute music to the game and soundtrack." "Blow Me Away" is now available on www.nilerodgers.com and the new MSN Music site, www.music.msn.com. MSN Music provides music fans with an easy, comprehensive service for discovering and downloading legal, digital music.

 

Incubus’ Guitarist Mike Einziger added, "Halo is the only video game that ever inspired us to write a song. Now if we could only stop playing Halo, we might actually be able to write another one!"

 

Producer Nile Rodgers has also contributed by writing, performing and co-producing the track "Never Surrender" in collaboration with renowned songwriter, artist and remixer, Nataraj. This exclusive cut as well as the “Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix” includes masterful guitar work by acclaimed rock guitarist Steve Vai.

 

"These players each have the unique ability to improvise and embellish Martin O’Donnell's ideas," stated Rodgers. "Therefore we are all ‘Connected’ - hence the original composition provided by Hoobastank as the bonus track - because they are contributors to the overall Halo symphony repertoire."

 

About Bungie

 

Bungie was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and then sell enough of those games to achieve the real goal of total world domination. Over the past 10 years it produced games like the "Marathon Trilogy" and the first two "Myth" games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. "Halo: Combat Evolved," its latest game, has achieved phenomenal success on the Microsoft Xbox video game system. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.bungie.net.

 

About Xbox

 

Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in North America, Japan, Europe and Australia.

 

About Nile Rodgers

 

Award winning record producer Nile Rodgers is one of the most prolific music producers in history. Nile’s production accomplishments include such diverse artists as Diana Ross, Madonna, David Bowie, Duran Duran, The B-52’s, David Lee Roth, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger and many more. Records produced by Nile Rodgers have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. As a founding member of the perennial Rhythm & Blues dance band Chic, Nile co-wrote many of their big hits including "Le Freak" and "Good Times", as well as "We Are Family" for Sister Sledge. In addition to records, he has also scored or produced music for numerous films including "Coming to America", "Thelma and Louise", "The Flintstones", "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Rush Hour II" as well as a variety of television shows and commercials. Nile is a board member of several organizations including the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).

About Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc.

Nile Rodgers started Sumthing Else Music Works (SEMW) as a nationwide record label and creative outlet for independent artists and unique musical projects. Through its affiliated company, Sumthing Distribution, SEMW prides itself on its ability to rapidly and effectively deliver to the marketplace many innovative products. In view of the successes of its previous game soundtrack releases, the Company is now considered the leader in this newly emerging musical genre. Accordingly, SEMW has bolstered its commitment to enhancing game players’ overall experience by acquiring many new titles to complement its current catalog of releases.