The power of an immortal. The soul of a human. The heart of a hero.

Varèse Sarabande Records has released a Deluxe Edition of their 1998 soundtrack to BLADE, composed by Mark Isham. Varèse had released the original BLADE soundtrack in 1998 as a 7-track, 33-minute album. This Deluxe Edition vastly expands that 1998 edition sequence into a 45-track, 72-minute program, with new liner notes by Daniel Schweiger. BLADE was the first installment in the BLADE film series, starring Wesley Snipes in his signature role as the iconic vampire hunter. Directed by Stephen Norrington, the film kicked off not only the BLADE franchise, but Marvel’s incredible run translating their iconic stories to the big screen.

Mark Isham was asked to score BLADE with a combination of influences from hip-hop (Snipes’ preference) to English electronica (favored by the director). A jazz trumpeter who excelled in film due to his uncanny sense of cinematic mood, Isham blended those genres with synthesizers, orchestra, and choir into what is, by comic book film standards, an unusually subtle yet powerful and dramatic score.

Also available from the label is a new Deluxe Edition of the 2002 sequel BLADE II, was helmed by the genre maestro Guillermo del Toro. This film finds Wesley Snipes’ title character teaming up with his former vampire enemies, the Bloodpack, against a new strain of mutant vampires who are hunting humans and vampires alike. Joining Kris Kristofferson in the supporting cast were Ron Perlman, Norman Reedus and Donnie Yen. BLADE II is a tour-de-force for Marco Beltrami’s aggressive action-horror style, with symphonic thrills, scares and chases galore. It also incorporates a strong Asian element, given that del Toro was influenced by anime, with taiko drums and shakuhachi adding to the full orchestra and choir. There’s even an electronica aspect, as Beltrami collaborated with DJ Danny Saber on several cues. BLADE II was released as a 33-minute program by Varèse Sarabande in 2002, which has been nearly tripled in length for this 38-track, 97-minute 2-CD Deluxe Edition; liner notes by Daniel Schweiger incorporatenew interview comments by the composer.

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