Because A History of Violence is story about the internal fight between good and evil, the job of Howard Shore is a bit more complicated than in the majority of the ten films on which he had worked with Cronenberg. The battle in the diner owner's personality, as well its effects on his family, provide a sense of pure heroicism not often heard in Shore's scores for these films, and yet the ominous shadows of the past life also have to be omnipresent. The resulting fully orchestral score from Shore is therefore both characteristic of his Cronenberg entries while also being more listenable for the average collector. Even so, A History of Violence has no extroverted forward melodies or motifs to retain after its running time has past; it's an exercise in close study and the appreciation of the battle between a constant rumble at the lower ranges of the orchestra and the occasional exploration of a single lofty element representing the aspirations of a new life. The struggle between high and low ranges in the orchestra is never in doubt; the deep bass strings, bass woodwinds, and timpani are dominant. The opening sections of the score are ambiguous and understated, leaving the visuals to speak for themselves by providing simple extended notes without any context. The first violent scene that serves as the ignition source for the film leads into the heroism that follows, and this music is best compared to the sequences of deep bass timpani and strings that represented the rumbling of distant armies in The Lord of the Rings.

The brooding music that follows is a strong reminder of Gollum's treatment during his deep bass string accompaniment, and while certainly not a positive listening experience, it does resonate nicely. In the few action sequences, such as "Run," striking blasts from brass will raise memories of The Aviator, though these moments are rare. An effective drum rhythm sets a satisfying confrontational tone in "The Road," accompanied by harmoniously melodic ideas for strings. In the second half of the score, Shore introduces a theme of redemption that begins to form in "The Staircase" and culminates in a touching solo woodwind performance of resolution in "The Return" and "Ending." The rising nature of this dramatic, but understated theme has been accurately compared to the more memorable thematic/adagio material in Hans Zimmer's The Thin Red Line. While redeeming in its more upbeat performances, the consistently minor-key structure is a constant reminder that the events unfolding in the story will not only affect the primary character, but especially the future of his son as well. If you own several of the Shore/Cronenberg film scores already, A History of Violence will be a strong and downright positive entry in your collection. But casual listeners should be aware that there's only so much happiness that can come on a rainy day, and it seems to rain every day in Cronenberg's world.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download