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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Johnny Cage is not afraid to die!", September 20, 2007
Beneath the familiar red and black dragon head logo on this rare CD is an "excellent" set of 10 techno tracks dedicated to the stars of the world-renowned video game, Mortal Kombat. The music sounds very much like the electronic soundtracks used in racing games like Ridge Racer and Wipeout in the late 1990's, but it's overlaid with rapping, singing, chanting, and narration to create an adrenalin-charged cacophony of awesomeness sure to make you want to either get up and dance, or put on your ninja outfit and beat up a four-armed giant!
1. Johnny Cage (Prepare Yourself) - Crowds cheer as an announcer introduces "the blue-eyed actor from California," Mr. John Carlton, better known as Johnny Cage. Synthesized beats pulse as a male voice raps: "Be tough! Shoot your green fire! The shadow kick we all admire, is strong! Fight for your life! Mortal Kombat at the speed of light!"
2. Kano (Use Your Might) - The second track starts off with the voice from the game saying "Kano wins." Then, as the fast techno beats kick in, a woman's voice sings the praises of the victorious kombatant. "I'm on your side," she tells him, "You're the bad guy, but I feel for you." She even goes on to call him a "fallen angel." She must not have seen the Mortal Kombat movie.
3. Sub-Zero (Chinese Ninja Warrior) - This ode to the blue-vested ninja starts and ends with some gentle piano notes, with the hard synth beats in the middle. Slow singing of the words, "Ooooh, Chinese ninja warrior, with your heart so cold," is interspersed with a woman's voice screeching, "Freeeeezing vibrations!" The odd combination of serious sentiments and crazy game music makes for an interesting tribute to the mysterious masked iceman.
4. Liu Kang (Born in China) - An exotic mix of Asian-flavored music and techno with chants of "heeey a-yeea" and "whoa-ohh," and occasional yelling of the words, "Fireball! Flying kick!" The song opens and closes with a deep, distorted voice declaring Liu Kang, "The youngest, but also the fastest warrior in the tournament."
5. Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat) - The theme song from the two Mortal Kombat movies begins with a gong and an invitation to, "Test your might!" Someone shouts a very enthusiastic "MORTAL KOMBAT" and the names of the principle players are recited by the game's announcer. This track alone is reason enough to buy this CD.
6. Scorpion (Lost Soul Bent on Revenge) - Amid the conga drums, bird chirps and water sounds, a high-pitched voice wails: "Aaaah ahh-ha aaaah! Aaaah ahh-ha aaaah! Lost soul bent on revenge, lost soul bent on revenge, lost soul bent on revenge..." Meanwhile, the angry voice of Scorpion himself repeatedly growls, "Come `ere!...Get over here!...Come `ere!...Get over here!" Scorpion's lost soul is, indeed, bent on revenge...and he's likely to get it!
7. Sonya (Go Go Go) - Sonya Blade's rap is the catchiest number on the disc. "Can't ya see, I'm here, it's me, the lady with the energy," sings the self-proclaimed "Coolest Chick in the USA," as the infectious "GO GO GO!" chorus intermingles with fast, electronic rhythms and periodic shouts of "WOOOOOO!" Just be sure you don't forget, Sonya can kill you with her kiss of death!
8. Rayden (Eternal Life) - The second best tune on the album offers a clever description of the "superman with eternal life." A male voice raps about the white-robed mystic who's "got no eyes," while a female voice explains: "We all know he's not afraid, 'cause Rayden can't die. He lives up in the thunderclouds and comes down from the sky. He's the thunder warrior with eternal life. He's the electric fighter, a stranger in disguise."
9. Goro (The Outworld Prince) - This salute to the 8-foot, four-armed terror is probably the weakest track of the ten. After opening with a brief story of Goro's life, the repetitive synthesized thumps are broken only by Goro's name and a woman's singing of "aaaaah aaah-ohh."
10. Hypnotic House (Mortal Kombat) - The final track is extremely similar to Techno Syndrome, but not nearly as good.
Total running time on this kollector's item clocks in at a short-but-sweet thirty-seven minutes and thirty-four seconds. Included is a groovy fold-out booklet covered with colorful illustrations of Goro, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Kano and Sonya Blade--which is really an advertisement for Malibu's Mortal Kombat comic book that premiered in July of 2004. The slogan was, "Kombat the boredom every month!" Unfortunately, it's probably too late to send away for the Special Edition first issue with the gold foil cover. It may also be too late to subscribe to The Pit II Underground Newsletter, or buy the MA-17 rated Mortal Kombat II for the ill-fated Sega CD system...a game that promised to be, "Bigger; better; louder; and meaner." Lucky for you, it's NOT too late to pick up a copy of Mortal Kombat: The Album by The Immortals! "Flawless victory!"
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~ Mortal Kombat (Related Recordings)
~ Mortal Kombat (Related Recordings)
DVD ~ Robin Shou
~ Mortal Kombat (Related Recordings)
by The Immortals 
