I gave this soundtrack a 10 rating because the orchestrations are just ingenious, but if you're not a Goldenthal fan, then I suggest that you make sure that you know what you're buying, because this certainly isn't your traditional film score. This is almost completely atonal, but with short thematic segments showing up in places, just to show that the composer is capable of it. In other words, it's typical Goldenthal.

I've read this described as twentieth-century classical music. I'm not familiar with the genre, but I really just can't see people getting dressed up and going to a concert hall to sit down and listen to this stuff. The thought of it just seems very odd to me. Most film score fans can and will feel that this soundtrack is nothing but noise, but I love this soundtrack. It's nice and weird, and a break from your typical thematic scores. This is basically the orchestral equivalent of industrial rock. Fans of the videogame "Silent Hill" or it's soundtrack may like this as well, a lot of it sounds similar. The second half of Wreckage and Rape sounds like something straight out of that particular game, and Death Dance is very similar as well.

With all of the atonal chaos contained on the disc, you may wonder how much thematic material that there really is. There's not that much, and when it shows up, it's all very dark and gloomy. Except for the last track, Adagio, which is one of the most impressive thematic conclusions I've ever heard in a film (although I detest the movie itself). The track plays as Ripley jumps into the furnace with the alien inside her, killing both of them (don't think I spoiled the movie for you, it's really not worth viewing).

The last thing to say about this soundtrack, is that if you're a fan of Goldenthal, or you want to hear something just plain different, then Alien³ is for you!