Music composed by Daniel Pemberton
Orchestra conducted by Andrew Skeet, Edward Farmer
Orchestrated by Andrew Skeet, Edward Farmer, Cameron Smith, Andy Kyte, Danny Ryan
Score recorded at Abbey Road Studios, AIR Studios Lyndhurst Hall
Album running time: 72 minutes
Available on Lakeshore Records
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe make it back onto the big screen. A staple of 80s toy marketing and television, He-Man appeared in the cheesy 1987 Masters of the Universe. There are been other attempts to revitalize the brand, with newer waves of toys and a Netflix cartoon series in 2021. This film captures the ridiculous nature of the characters, over-the-top scenarios mixed with humor and 80s nostalgia. The music also fits into the 80s nostalgia, with Queen guitarist Brian May performing and co-composing on several tracks. Here, Pemberton populates his score with major themes for Eternia, Sword of Power, He-Man, and villain Skeletor.
The album begins with Eternia, the main theme for the film. It's an overly fun track full of choir, May's electric guitar solos, rock drums and synths. Later in the cue we hear the Sword of Power motif, a descending pattern that fits into the rock anthem style. Young Adam begins with the Eternia theme in a lighter style with medieval recorder, choir and a timpani motif for Man-At-Arms joining in later. The Battle for Eternos brings in Skeletor's growling electronics facing against the heroic side with nostalgic electric guitars underscoring his fight with Trap Jaw. You Failed contains the choir and eerie electronics of the villains. The dramatic electronic villain buzz continues in Skeletor and King Randor before a choir interlude with the Sword of Power motif. Portal to Earth repeats the Sword of Power motif growing in intensity as Adam is sent to Earth, ending the flashback section of the film.
Boys Don't Cry is an instrumental of the pop song. Comic Store Heist mixes the fun caper sounds with the Sword of Power motif while a folk guitar and rock mix of the Sword of Power continues in Freeway Escape. Folding Space (Eternia) brings the thunderous rock reprise of the Eternia track and theme as Adam returns home. The theme is transformed into minor with some darker strings and choir in Eternos in Ruins, continuing in the solemn hints of the theme in What’s Left of Us.
Prison Break, sounding like a Queen hit or "Eye of the Tiger" has plenty of guitar shredding solos that use bits of the Eternia and Sword of Power themes with a soft interlude featuring Man-At-Arms. Conflict Territory continues the Sword motif among a driving rhythm. Finally using the sword, Adam becomes He-Man in The Power of Grayskull. In the biggest statements yet, the Sword theme blasts forward with Brian May's featured guitar solo. He-Man vs. Trap-Jaw adds a powerful He-Man variation to the Eternia theme featuring more brass and electric guitar. Get the Sword crescendos with the rumbles of Skeletor's theme.
Sky Fight, a standout action cue with thematic callbacks among the pounding rhythms, pulsing electronics and string ostinatos with the He-Man variation appearing late in the cue. As Skeletor tortures his captives, Mulched uses the electronic buzz of Skeletor's theme. The camping sequence features the shorter cues You Are He, See Another Morning and Such Good Friends, with the first using a lovely choral rendition of the Eternia theme as the Sorceress appears to him.
The album begins with Eternia, the main theme for the film. It's an overly fun track full of choir, May's electric guitar solos, rock drums and synths. Later in the cue we hear the Sword of Power motif, a descending pattern that fits into the rock anthem style. Young Adam begins with the Eternia theme in a lighter style with medieval recorder, choir and a timpani motif for Man-At-Arms joining in later. The Battle for Eternos brings in Skeletor's growling electronics facing against the heroic side with nostalgic electric guitars underscoring his fight with Trap Jaw. You Failed contains the choir and eerie electronics of the villains. The dramatic electronic villain buzz continues in Skeletor and King Randor before a choir interlude with the Sword of Power motif. Portal to Earth repeats the Sword of Power motif growing in intensity as Adam is sent to Earth, ending the flashback section of the film.
Boys Don't Cry is an instrumental of the pop song. Comic Store Heist mixes the fun caper sounds with the Sword of Power motif while a folk guitar and rock mix of the Sword of Power continues in Freeway Escape. Folding Space (Eternia) brings the thunderous rock reprise of the Eternia track and theme as Adam returns home. The theme is transformed into minor with some darker strings and choir in Eternos in Ruins, continuing in the solemn hints of the theme in What’s Left of Us.
Prison Break, sounding like a Queen hit or "Eye of the Tiger" has plenty of guitar shredding solos that use bits of the Eternia and Sword of Power themes with a soft interlude featuring Man-At-Arms. Conflict Territory continues the Sword motif among a driving rhythm. Finally using the sword, Adam becomes He-Man in The Power of Grayskull. In the biggest statements yet, the Sword theme blasts forward with Brian May's featured guitar solo. He-Man vs. Trap-Jaw adds a powerful He-Man variation to the Eternia theme featuring more brass and electric guitar. Get the Sword crescendos with the rumbles of Skeletor's theme.
Sky Fight, a standout action cue with thematic callbacks among the pounding rhythms, pulsing electronics and string ostinatos with the He-Man variation appearing late in the cue. As Skeletor tortures his captives, Mulched uses the electronic buzz of Skeletor's theme. The camping sequence features the shorter cues You Are He, See Another Morning and Such Good Friends, with the first using a lovely choral rendition of the Eternia theme as the Sorceress appears to him.
The Snake Mountain sequence drives forward with Journey to Snake Mountain with the powerful Sword theme taking charge. Enter Snake Mountain has eerie textures and Skeletor's theme. Fight for Snake Mountain gives out all the electric guitar and orchestral energy, with large statements of his themes. The moment quiets with a string version of Eternia's theme in I Wanted to Protect You. The Universe Shall Quake in My Shadow builds with a light rock version of Sword of Power theme.
Battle Cat and He-Man roars back into action territory blending He-Man and Sword of Power theme with quick bits of Skeletor's theme. The ladies begin their side fight in The Witch and the Warrior Goddess containing more rock and underused motifs for Teela and Evil-Lyn. Skeletor material continues in Let's Have a Look. The Sword of Power begins with the saddened choir at the broken sword before building back up with He-Man's theme to a thunderous climax.
We hear both themes naturally in Skeletor vs. He-Man, with Skeletor's eerie aggressive sounds taking most of the track until the Sword of Power theme appears and bombastically takes over. Return to Eternia returns us to the grand choral/electric guitar-led Eternia theme as heard in the opening. Pemberton saves one surprise to the end - the iconic animated theme (Shuki Levy, Haim Saban, Erika Lane) used in A Job for He-Man, blending in with the original score nicely for a nostalgic moment. [There is another animated surprise in the end credit scene as well] The album ends with the credits song Masters of the Universe (performed by The Darkness).
In the era of rebooting everything, this film doesn't take itself seriously, and either does Daniel Pemberton's score. Full of over-the-top orchestral, percussion and guitar moments, it keeps the bold melodies front and center - something that isn't done that often. Whether you're new to the characters or spent time playing with the action figures, the score is a throwback to thrilling action/adventure scoring.
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