‘Tron: Ares’ Soundtrack Is Another Impressive Display Of​Trent Reznor’s Talents

By: Philip Sayblack

This coming Tuesday, Walt Disney Studios will release the latest entry in its Tron movie franchise to digital outlets in the form of Tron: Ares.  Ever since making its theatrical debut in mid-October, the movie has been met with mixed reviews among critics and audiences alike.  This critic having not yet seen the movie will avoid discussing either side at this point.  Instead, this critic will examine one thing on which all audiences can agree about the movie, its soundtrack.  Also considered an official Nine Inch Nails release, the 24-track recording was composed entirely by Nine Inch Nails founder Trent Reznor and offers so much to appreciate beginning with the fact that the songs featured throughout the 67-minute record.  This will be discussed shortly.  While the songs featured throughout this soundtrack do plenty to make it appealing, the presentation is not perfect, as its packaging shows.  This will be discussed a little later.  The concerns raised by the packaging are not enough to doom the record.  Knowing that, there is one more positive to note, that being the recording’s sequencing.  The sequencing works directly with the songs featured throughout the record.  Keeping that in mind, the impact of those two items together make for plenty of reason for audiences to own this soundtrack.
Nine Inch Nails’ soundtrack to Disney’s new Tron film, Tron: Ares is the one aspect of the studios’ recently released movie on which all audiences can agree is a definite positive.  That is due in no small part to its featured musical content.  Throughout the course of the album’s hour-plus run time, the songs composed by Trent Reznor throw back to Nine Inch Nails’ 1999 album, The Fragile, at points.  This includes both the songs with lyrics and the instrumental tracks. ‘Echoes’ is one of those songs. One could argue that ‘I Know You Can Feel It’ is another of those works, as is ‘Still Remains.’  At other points, Reznor throws back to the sounds that made up the soundtrack to this movie’s predecessor, Tron: Legacy.  That should make Daft Punk’s fans happy.  That is because Reznor did not try to outdo them but rather pay tribute to them and their work.  ‘Infiltrator’ is one of those songs that clearly throws back to Daft Punk’s work on the aforementioned soundtrack. An argument could also be made for ‘Daemonize’ as one of those throwbacks as well as ‘A Question of Trust.’  At still other points, the songs also sound like they are better fits to the soundtrack to the original Tron movie.  Case in point are songs, such as ‘Forked Reality,’ ‘In The Image Of,’ and ‘100% Expendable.’  Simply put, what Trent Reznor has done here is compose a series of songs that will reach a wide range of audiences while continuing to put his talents as a modern music composer on full display. 
The overall musical body presented in the Tron: Ares sound track more than gives audiences plenty to appreciate.  As much as its musical body does to make it appealing, this soundtrack is not perfect.  The soundtrack’s gatefold packaging for its CD presentation is horrendous.  That is because there is absolutely no way to secure the CD inside the cardstock sleeve as one opens the packaging.  It is so easy for the disc to slide right out, fall and potentially get marred.  The result is that the possible scratching could result in a drastically shortened life span for the record.  Why the people at Interscope and The Null Corporation went this route with this packaging is anyone’s guess.  It definitely detracts from the record’s appeal but thankfully is not enough to doom the presentation.
Knowing that as concerning as the packaging is for the Tron: Ares soundtrack, it is not enough to doom the presentation, there is one more positive.  That positive is the record’s sequencing.  As noted, Trent Reznor has composed here such a wide range of compositions; songs that will appeal to established Nine Inch Nails fans, those of Daft Punk’s work on the previous Tron movie soundtrack, and even those that feel like such a better fit in the soundtrack to the original movie.  Throughout the course of this soundtrack’s 67-minuterun time the sequencing ensures those arrangements change up just enough from one to the next to keep things interesting.  Not only do the sounds and styles change from one song to the next but so do the moods within the songs.  What this means is that audiences who want to truly appreciate the soundtrack absolutely must actively take in this record not just passively have it on as background music.  It is a presentation that like so many Nine Inch Nails music, requires audiences to immerse themselves in the record.  Keeping in mind the appeal that results from the thought and time that went into the soundtrack’s sequencing, the whole therein makes for its own powerful presentation.  When the unquestionably positive impact of the sequencing is considered along with the diverse range of sounds and styles featured throughout the album, the whole makes the Tron: Ares soundtrack (which is also a full, new Nine Inch Nails album) one more of this year’s top new albums overall.  This is the case even with the concern raised by the soundtrack’s packaging.
Nine Inch Nails’ soundtrack to Walt Disney Studios’ movie, Tron: Ares is a powerful new presentation from the act and its founder, Trent Reznor.  It is so impressive in part because of its general musical presentation.  From track 1 to 24, the sounds, styles and moods are so diverse.  There are songs that throw back to the music from the original Tron movie, some that would fit just as well into the soundtrack to Tron: Legacy and even some that are just as familiar for established Nine Inch Nails fans.  The sequencing of that diverse range of songs works with the arrangements to ensure audiences’ engagement and appeal even more.  While the overall presentation is solid, as noted, it is not perfect.  As noted, the album’s CD packaging is a cardstock gatefold offering.  There is no security for the disc, leaving it so easy for the CD to fall out of the package and get damaged.  This is very much a concern but not enough to doom the recording.  To that end, the soundtrack is still among the best of this year’s new overall albums.
Nine Inch Nails’ Tron: Ares soundtrack is available now.  More information on the record is available along with all of the latest Nine Inch Nails news at:
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