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There's really no narrative flow in Eden outside of its somber themes, the brutality conveyed in the opening cue roughly the same as that which you hear at the very end. While this score may put some listeners into a moody trance, it will repel others with its consistently unfriendly gloom. The ensemble isn't very dynamic, but it is effective at accomplishing its purpose. No orchestration or conducting is credited, suggesting possible synthetic alternates aside from two female vocalists, soloists on each size of strings, and piano and (rare, tribal) percussion that round out the soundscape. The vocals barely heard in the mix at times and are therefore neither obvious nor impactful, and piano crashes in the second half of the score remind of early 1990's James Horner suspense stingers. The composer's synthetics round out the soundscape and offer a dreamy haze not unlike parts of The Creator when moderately pleasant but are otherwise highly metallic, groaning, and nightmarish during most of the work. At the very least, the synths establish a bludgeoned feeling of endless suffering beneath the solo layers mixed atop them. There is some straight, unlikable, atmospheric muck in cues like "Jealousy and Fire" and "The Lunch Table," but listeners might find merit in minimal, quartet-styled ambience in "Beachsome" and a stylization of that sound with more manipulated flair in "Stolen Supplies." To his credit, Zimmer does apply a consistent set of themes to Eden, the work anchored by a main identity for Margret Wittmer. Built upon a seven-note phrase repeated twice and sometimes truncated to five notes or elongated into a rhythm, this theme is elusive but effective. A supporting rhythm rambles underneath, itself a meandering progression with no real end or beginning, and it's easily recognizable because every other note exists on key at the lowest end of the phrasing while harmonies shift with the other notes above. The Margret melody is heard immediately on sickly solo strings at the outset of "Voyage to Floreana," slurring upwards at the end of each phrase. This idea returns at 1:06 in that cue with more depth underneath and shifts from whiny high to low strings. The rhythm debuts at 0:23 on piano as a aimless foundation of hazy despair. That rhythm struggles to get going on piano at 0:39 into "Our New Home" over dissonant drones and stutters throughout "Letters Home" on keyboards with vague female vocal support.

In the middle portions of the story, the main theme for Eden turns to grim, stoic, processional action in "Cabin Raid," the score's one true moment of heightened terror. Its most cohesive moment comes on keyboards and mournful vocal at 0:53 into "Margaret's Testament," dominating the rest of the cue with increasing resonance and, ultimately, some semblance of peace. Among the secondary themes, the most impactful is the despair or "Paradise Lost" motif, which is quite effective at the task despite being simplistic. Its repeated downward slurring duo is first heard at 2:13 into "Voyage to Floreana" and opens "Our New Home" a few times on synths. Elongated in fear during the midsections of "Claims of Paradise" and "Grab What You Can," the motif is incorporated into the main theme at 2:12 into "Margaret's Testament." Its dominant performances come repeatedly in "Paradise Lost," espousing the same format it started with but varied in harmony; Zimmer emphasizes its usage to occupy almost the entire cue with melodrama. A theme for the obnoxious baroness contains its own rhythm akin to the Margret one as plucked at the start of "The Baroness" while its ascending theme of exotic but off-kilter allure commences at 0:22 over the top of the plucking. This ascension is faintly suggested early in "Beneath the Finery," perhaps directed at new purpose, and it's tormented in "Drought" on piano and synths before a wretched crescendo of dissonance. A vaguely elegant but troubled rendition on solo cello in the middle of "Her Final Act" yields to only hinted fragments during the stewing throbbing of "Baroness Missing." Another secondary character theme uses ominous three-note phrases of mystery that are eventually shortened to two notes. This idea enters at 0:17 into "Eccentric Neighbors" on solo low strings and keyboard over thumping percussion and returns in "Poisoned by His Plate" on piano for a coda. Listeners seeking the best concentrations of these melodic portions are best served by the final two tracks on the album presentation. This five-minute block of music provides the only really palatable renditions of the two top identities at their most poignant and least dissonant. The remainder of the album, which does not contain the film's performance of Georges Bizet's "Habanera" from "Carmen," is a depressingly oppressive expression of minimal artistry that is subsumed by the sheer weight of the composer's gloomy droning. If you need a downer, Eden will partner with Zimmer's contributions to Blitz as equal measures of restrained agony.  **   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Hans Zimmer reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 2.84 (in 129 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 2.95 (in 299,870 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.

Total Time: 50:06