The thing in October (part II).

When I'm curious about a potential CD purchase, I listen to the soundclips at the label's website. Sometimes, I'm not interested in the CD, and sometimes, I hear something that forces me to check the CD out, such as with Wrong Turn 2: Dead End.

Six contestants vie for the top prize on the reality show "Ultimate Survivalist". Unfortunately, the backwoods of West Virginia where the show is being shot are crawling with psychotic, deformed and territorial inbred mutants. I'm sure you can figure out the rest. As far as direct-to-DVD sequels go, this isn't half-bad. The gore is impressive and Henry Rollins is terrific as the show's former drill sargeant host.

The music is by Bear McCreary, and given how enjoyable this score is (and how nice he was when I met him), I ought to consider getting more of his work.

As with Crank: High Voltage, there is nothing like a simple main theme to hook in a listener. When I heard the whistled theme with strummed string backing in the "Main Title" at La La Land Records' website, I just had to get this score. Of course, theres two minutes of the theme on atmospheric synths and percussion to get through first. The "'Ultimate Survivalist' Theme Song" is a thumping techno cue that McCreary cannily adapts into a theme for Rollins' Dale that seems to get more drawn out with each successive track ("Dale Vigilante", "Into the Mill", "Dale to the Rescue").

McCreary's orchestrations are something to cherish, such as the furious mandolin playing in "Birth of Baby Splooge" and the bouncing banjos and squealing guitars of "Dale for Dinner". And then, there are cues like "Mutant Cannibal Incest", "Rescuing Nina" and the "End Credits" that mainly want to riff on the main theme. It is a cool theme, so I won't judge.

In a nice respite from the more raucous scoring, "Nina's Theme" showcases the piano and synth-driven melody for the film's nominal heroine. "Under Your Bones" is a thrashing rock song adapted from the main theme. I'm not sure what place it has in the film, but it's listenable enough.

It all builds nicely to a frantic, rocking finale ("The Meat Grinder") as the main mutants get turned into dog food. However, in "Baby Splooge Lives", the ironic use of Nina's theme leads to a reprise of the main theme as an ugly little baby is treated to a bottle of sludge.

The score is still available from La La Land Records (a literal steal at $5.98) and is well worth getting.