Issue #45: End of Days OST

Released:  November 2nd, 1999

Genre:  Various, including alternative metal, nu-metal, and industrial rock/metal

Record Label:  Geffen

Duration:  53:54

Producer:  ?

Track Listing

Why the End of Days OST is One of My Favorites

I’ll be the first to admit that End of Days was not a great film.  I remember being both confused and bored by the whole thing, and I don’t think I’ve watched it since.  However, the soundtrack always stuck with me for one reason or another, long after the memory of the movie had faded.  We’ve got a nice grouping of industrial rock and metal here, and overall it’s a compilation of tracks that I enjoy having all together.

Korn starts things off with a strong “Camel Song,” sounding a lot like something that could’ve been on their first album.  Slap bass carries the verses, and is one of the coolest uses of the technique I’ve ever heard.  “So Long” is typical Everlast, with a bit more electric guitar than usual and a slightly darker tone.  “Slow” is the soundtrack’s hidden gem, with dense riffing throughout and a fuzzy industrial sound.

“Oh My God” sees Guns “N Roses take a sharp turn in style, sounding very much like something with Reznor’s fingerprints all over it.  It’s not an amazing piece of industrial metal, but its quick tempo and Axl’s distorted, shriek-ish vocals do count for something.  It’s unfortunately that the song decides to wander all over the place and never picks up the intensity of its first verse.  Charlie Clouser’s “Girl on a Motorcycle Mix” of Zombie’s “Superbeast” is fantastic, really amping up the electronic and industrial elements of the original while still preserving its unmistakable rhythm and without compromising any of its heaviness.

“Bad Influence” is classic Eminem: offensive, hilarious, and Vicodin.  This is a must-listen for fans of Eminem’s first couple of major releases.  For all his talent in the rap industry, he’s always had a very “rock attitude,” and “Bad Influence” is the perfect example.  Somehow this doesn’t sound out of place at all amid the other hard rock and metal artists on the OST.  Powerman 5000 (fronted by Rob Zombie’s brother) caught some attention with their blend of nu-metal and industrial rock, and “Nobody’s Real,” from the only album of theirs worth hearing (Tonight the Stars Revolt!) is included on End of Days for good measure.

Creed was at the beginning of their ascension in 1999, and personally, I think “Wrong Way” is a pretty decent 2nd wave post-grunge track; Scott Stapp seems to be doing more with his voice here than the standard “Creed croon” and the music has a nice heaviness to it.  I heard this long before I was exposed to endless hours of “With Arms Wide Open” and “Higher,” so it helped that I wasn’t already sick of his voice when I first heard “Wrong Way.”  Unfortunately, “Wrong Way” can be found on Human Clay, which everyone already had in ’99 anyway.

Ends of Days has its ups and downs, maybe moreso than the other soundtracks I’ve covered, but I still loved having this around as a guilty pleasure if nothing else.  The OST is worth having for the “Superbeast” remix, “Bad Influence,” Korn’s “Camel Song,” and “Slow” alone, but in a way, “End of Days” is somewhat fitting for the entire compilation.  It came out just a couple of months prior to the year 2000, and offers us one last snippet of the 90’s hard rock scene.

Written by The Cubist

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Written by The Cubist

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Find out what these ratings mean and how I rate video games.

I collect as much video gaming paraphernalia as I can get my hands on, especially when it comes to hardware. With over 40 systems including oldies like the ColecoVision and Intellivision, obscurities like the CD-i and 3DO, and the latest and greatest including the Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, and PS Vita, I get easily overwhelmed. Most of the time you can find me firmly nestled sometime between 1985 and 1995 when it comes to my games of choice, but I’m also having a great time seeing what the 8th generation has to offer.

Currently in love with: Mortal Kombat

Email me anytime, about anything: thecubist@butthole.nerdbacon.com