Conan the Barbarian serves as a crowning achievement in the impressive career of Basil Poledouris. As far as fantasy adventures go, it's a score that is on par with the best of Star Wars in my opinion and should be remembered as one of the all-timers. One step toward that remembrance is having a proper recording of Poledouris' epic work and fortunately for us, that time is now at hand, courtesy of Prometheus Records. The complete score has been masterfully re-recorded with its original orchestrations and the end result is one of the best soundtracks of all time never sounded better. The news doesn't get much better than that.

The original Conan score had a bit of charm associated with the less-than-stellar recording and performances, but the truth of the matter is, a re-recording was greatly overdue. Produced by the capable James Fitzpatrick, who knows a few things about delivering exceptional re-recordings, this offering provides a complete presentation of music from the film complete with previously unreleased material and alternate cues. With an orchestra of nearly 100 musicians and choir from the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus behind it, this 2-CD set will immerse you into the musical experience of Conan unlike any time before. Even the main title, which I have heard hundreds of times before, sounded fresh and energized with this newly minted delivery. I was just a few minutes into my listening experience and I was already certain that this release was a smashing success.

And I wasn't wrong. The previously unreleased cues alone are a huge value-add to the soundtrack, which is evident when you hear a track like, "Pit Fights" on Disc 1. The barbaric life that Conan was forced to live is represented amazingly well with this cue of brutality and it is a necessary inclusion to round out the story, musically. Likewise, the menacing drum beats heard in "Wolf Witch" and the return of the main theme heard in "Orgy Fight," truly extends this tale to an even larger, more detailed scope. Another glowing aspect about this release is that we finally get to clearly hear the subtle details that Basil had written into the score, courtesy of this pristine re-recording. The unique instrumentation and background cues are truly interesting to take note of, and in my opinion, further distinguishes this as a score that hails from some other time and age.

The soundtrack release, priced between $25 to $30 at most online soundtrack retail shops, is presented with original art not from the film but is apt nevertheless. There is also an informative booklet of track notes and background information that is great to take in, especially when you see the adoration that Basil's family had for him and his work..

Ultimately, this is a must-have release. Whether you're looking to relive the adventures with the Cimmerian in a whole new way, or if you're a newbie to this classic score, it's essential listening for any listener who is serious about film music.

Now, let's get a re-recording of Conan the Destroyer together so we can really party!