Babylon 5: Into The Fire

Babylon 5: Into The Fire soundtrackAnother pivotal chapter in the Babylon 5 saga, this explosive episode also featured quite a bit of memorable music, particularly long stretches of doomsday dirges that accompanied the battle of the aeon which took up most of the hour. As is often the case, the series’ most important installments were imbued with the best music, making this another good investment for Babylon 5 fans.

However, as always, this recommendation comes with one major complaint attached. Many fans were struck silent by the episode’s final moments, in which the Babylon 5 theme song resolved atypically to a major key – a lovely, haunting musical moment. On this CD, that moment is destroyed because it is faded out quickly, as if Franke is saving that same piece of music so everyone will have to buy the inevitable Rising Star soundtrack (a later episode which ended on the same musical theme).

It’s bad enough that fans are being charged at least ten bucks a pop for no more than 30 or 35 minutes of music which arrives without a booklet, the most inexpensive part of CD manufacturing. It’s bad enough that 3 out of 4half a dozen discs are being turned out at once, aimed at the collectors’ market like a bunch of hideously overpriced trading cards. But when some of that very same music which is supposedly included in its original form fades out abruptly, I start to wonder if the fans are being done a great service by these CDs – or if they’re being taken for a ride.

Order this CD

  1. A Human Strategy (3:15)
    Main title / fourth season (1:29)
  2. Two Cents For Chance (0:58)
    Bad News For Morden (0:33)
    An Undignified Position (0:24)
    First Ones Philosophy (1:34)
    Londo’s Temper (1:52)
  3. The Weapon of Patience (1:09)
    Blowing Up the Island (3:37)
  4. A Wake-Up Call (2:28)
    Calling In the First Ones (2:16)
    Vorlons Spare Minbari (2:37)
  5. The Cycle of History (6:33)
    Beyond the Rim (3:33)
  6. The Dawning of the Third Age (2:09)
    End Title (0:42)

Released by: Sonic Images
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 35:05