Editing Soundtrack (Blood and Chrome)

{{Album Data
| image= BnC OST.jpg
| title= ''Blood and Chrome'' soundtrack
| series=rdm
| albumno= 7
| composer= [[Bear McCreary]]
| label= La-La Land Records
| discs= 1
| prev= [[Soundtrack (The Plan/Razor)]]
| next= ''[[So Say We All: Battlestar Galactica Live]]''
| amazon= B00BWX2IIQ
| itunes=
}}
: ''For other ''Battlestar Galactica'' soundtracks, [[Soundtrack|click here]].''
: ''For a general article on the music in ''Battlestar Galactica'', see [[Music of Battlestar Galactica (RDM)]]''.

The '''''Blood and Chrome'' soundtrack''' is the official music album for the ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' prequel film ''[[Blood and Chrome]]'', composed by [[Bear McCreary]] and released by [[La-La Land Records]] as a limited edition CD in March 2013.<ref name="McCreary2013">{{cite web |last=McCreary |first=Bear |title=Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome |url=https://bearmccreary.com/battlestar-galactica-blood-chrome/ |website=Bear McCreary |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>

==Musical Innovation==
The ''Blood & Chrome'' soundtrack represents a significant departure from previous ''Battlestar Galactica'' scores through McCreary's introduction of [[w:Electronic_synthesizer|electronic synthesizers]] alongside the signature organic instrumentation of the ''BSG'' universe. For the first time in the franchise, McCreary employed heavy synthesizer bass lines, electronic textures, and distorted electric guitars to match the film's more adventurous tone and emphasis on action sequences.<ref name="McCreary2013" />

McCreary collaborated with legendary guitarist [[Mike Keneally]] (known for his work with [[w:Frank Zappa|Frank Zappa]], [[w:Steve Vai|Steve Vai]], and [[w:Dethklok|Dethklok]]) and electronic musician [[Jonathan Snipes]], who designed custom synthesizer patches for the production. The score blends these new electronic elements with the returning ensemble of ''BSG'' musicians, including [[Chris Bleth]] (woodwinds), [[MB Gordy]] (taikos and percussion), [[Paul Cartwright]] (electric violin), and [[Steve Bartek]] (electric guitars and sitar).<ref name="McCreary2013" />

==New Musical Themes==
The soundtrack introduces several new leitmotifs created specifically for ''Blood & Chrome'':
* '''[[Military Theme]]''' - Representing young [[William Adama|Adama]]'s developing relationships with fellow soldiers, particularly his bond with [[Coker Fasjovik]]
* '''[[Becca Theme]]''' - A mysterious melody for [[Becca Kelly]], performed by piano, gamelan, vibraphone and rhodes to create a "shimmering, vibrating quality"
* '''[[Coker Theme]]''' - A six-note melody reserved for Coker's emotional moments, played by solo bansuri with duduk accompaniment
* '''[[Destruction Theme]]''' - A mournful synthesizer melody inspired by [[w:Vangelis|Vangelis]]' ''[[w:Blade Runner (soundtrack)|Blade Runner]]'', doubled with duduk for human expression<ref name="McCreary2013" />

==Track Listing==
# '''Dear Dad''' (3:58)
# '''The Galactica''' (1:37)
#* Featuring [[Raya Yarbrough]], vocals
#* Contains "Theme from ''Battlestar Galactica''" by [[Stu Phillips]] and [[Glen A. Larson]]
#* Features Latin text: "Domini ducem dederunt agmen qui ducat caelorum" ("And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the Caravan of the Heavens".)<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''The Mission Begins''' (2:00)
# '''Becca's Past''' (2:42)
#* Originally contained a [[Caprica theme|''Caprica'' theme]] quote in McCreary's initial version, later removed from the final film but retained on the soundtrack<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''Archeron''' (5:37)
#* Features the Destruction Theme as characters drift through the destroyed battlestar ''[[Archeron]]''.<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''The Ghost Fleet''' (2:03)
# '''Coker and Kirby''' (1:48)
#* Introduces the Coker Theme, highlighting the tender side of [[Coker Fasjovik]]'s character.<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''The Last Battle of the ''Osiris''''' (8:39)
#* Built around a pulsing 5/8 rhythm, described by McCreary as "absolutely the largest action cue in ''Blood & Chrome''".<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''Emergency Landing''' (1:58)
# '''The Ice Cave''' (5:23)
#* Features innovative real-time orchestral conducting technique where McCreary shaped string tremolo patterns by hand while watching the scene.<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''You Will Regret This''' (5:38)
# '''Coker's Interlude''' (2:50)
#* Performed by [[Joohyun Park]]
#* Represents a classical piece by in-universe composer [[Stu Nomion]] that [[Coker Fasjovik]] learned as a child<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''Ski Lodge Battle''' (6:28)
# '''Automated Cylon Transmission Relay''' (2:58)
#* Features [[w:hurdy-gurdy|hurdy-gurdy]] performed by McCreary, the only prominent use of this instrument in the ''BSG'' universe.<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''A Cylon Spy''' (4:01)
# '''Coker's Photo''' (2:32)
#* Built from overlapping layers of the [[Coker Theme]], described by McCreary as "probably the single most beautiful piece of music I wrote for the film."<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''Husker''' (3:12)
#* Features the largest arrangement of the Military Theme ever written for any ''BSG'' series, augmented by ethnic soloists, full string orchestra, electric guitars and synthesizers.<ref name="McCreary2013" />
# '''Apocalypse: Blood & Chrome''' (4:53)
#* Featuring [[Raya Yarbrough]] and [[Brendan McCreary]], vocals
#* Lyrics by [[Raya Yarbrough]]; Music by [[Bear McCreary]]
#* Adapted from "[[Apocalypse]]" from ''[[The Plan]]'', marking the first ''BSG'' composition with English lyrics.<ref name="McCreary2013" />

Total time is 68:17

==Production Details==
McCreary described the ''Blood & Chrome'' score as "the angry, rebellious teenage son of my ''Battlestar Galactica'' music," representing an experimental fusion of the established ''BSG'' sound with new electronic elements. The recording sessions featured innovative techniques, including a 5/8 rhythm in "[[The Last Battle of the Osiris|The Last Battle of the ''Osiris'']]" that required constant mental counting from the string players due to changing subdivisions.<ref name="McCreary2013" />

The soundtrack was part of La-La Land Records' renewed engagement with the ''BSG'' musical universe, with plans announced for a comprehensive ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' [[Soundtrack (Caprica series)|soundtrack album]] to follow in April 2013.<ref name="McCreary2013" />

==Press Release==
La-La Land Records and NBC Universal proudly present the original soundtrack to the SyFy Channel special event '''[[Blood and Chrome|''BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME'']]''', composed by [[Bear McCreary]] (''[[w:The_Walking_Dead_(TV_series)|THE WALKING DEAD]]'', [[Battlestar Galactica (TRS)|''BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'']], [[w:Eureka_(TV_series)|''EUREKA'']], ''[[w:Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles|TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES]]'').

''Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome'' (a prequel to the critically acclaimed hit series, ''Battlestar Galactica'') takes place in the midst of the [[First Cylon War|First Cylon war]]. As the battle between humans and their creation, the sentient robotic [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], rages across the [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|12 colonial worlds]], a young, talented fighter pilot, [[William Adama]] ([[Luke Pasqualino]]), finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]''. Full of ambition and in pursuit of the intense action that the Cylon war promises, Adama quickly finds himself at odds with his co-pilot, the battle-weary officer [[Coker Fasjovik|Coker]] ([[Ben Cotton]]). With only 47 days left in his tour of duty, Coker desires an end to battle just as much as Adama craves the start of it. Though they clash at first, the two men forge an unlikely bond when a routine escort mission with an [[Becca Kelly|enigmatic passenger]] ([[Lili Bordan]]) turns dangerous and becomes a pivotal one for the desperate fleet.

Acclaimed composer McCreary returns to the BSG universe with his amazing musical arsenal, launching a breathtaking score that recalls his famed ''GALACTICA'' sound while energizing it in exciting new sonic directions. Produced by Bear McCreary and Ford A. Thaxton, and mastered by Patricia Sullivan, this special release is limited to 3000 units. CD Booklet contains exclusive comments from the composer.

==External Links==
*[[archive:http://lalalandrecords.com/BSGBC.html|La-La-Land Records]] announcement

==References==
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