Vampire soundtrack a dark, electronic compilation

After becoming a hit television series on The CW, The Vampire Diaries has returned for a highly anticipated second season. Sure, the show has vampires, a witch and the newest addition of werewolves, but don’t consider it your typical Twilight-esque television series.

The show has young adults across the nation glued to their television screens, hesitant to blink in fear of missing a key part of the drama. Though the story of two handsome vampire brothers trying to maintain peace in a town even though they are both madly obsessed with the same girl is already intense, the music takes the feeling to a different level.

Past music on the show has included songs from Silversun Pickups, Katy Perry, Vampire Weekend, The Fray, Metric and 3OH!3. The diversity of the tracks in each episode helps make the show unique, allowing it to reach a wide audience with different tastes in music. The Vampire Diaries: Original Television Soundtrack is a 16-track compilation of songs from the show’s first two seasons and includes songs by Bat for Lashes, Gorillaz and Placebo’s cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).”

The mix of trance-like melodies and upbeat electro-rock tunes fluidly represents the dark, complex themes of the show. After pressing play, the first track, “Stefan’s Theme” by composer Michael Suby, pulsates into a calming, orchestral instrumental. The syncopation creates an atmosphere that makes listeners feel as if they stepped through their television screens into the forest setting of the show.

“Bloodstream,” a remix by Stateless, continues with a solemn disposition, though drawn-out vocals and vivid lyrics such as, They can cut you open / And the silence surrounds you and You’ve gotten into my bloodstream.

The addition of a synthesized groove in “Bloodstream” is a pleasing surprise element to segue into Goldfrapp’s “We Radiate” and “Obsession” by 18-year-old Sky Ferreira.

Ferreira’s dance-worthy, power-driven pop song is a great contrast to the somberness of the rest of the album, however it still plays into the storyline of the show. One of the lines, Here’s my confession / Don’t want you to love me / I want to be your attention, shows thematic similarities to the story arcs of the show’s characters.

The core themes of lust, obsession and longing show up in the songs “Head Over Heels” by Digital Daggers, “Down” by Jason Walker and “All You Wanted” by Sounds Under Radio, featuring Alison Sudol. The heaviness of the topic is emphasized through the deep-toned chords of the piano, strings and guitars floating in the background to support the heartfelt lyrics about sorrow, desire and fear.

The iconic rock band Smashing Pumpkins even makes an appearance on the soundtrack with “The Fellowship.” Deviating from the band’s usual alternative rock sound, the song has a touch of techno, giving it a futuristic feel.

There could not have been a better closing song to the soundtrack than Michael Suby’s instrumental, “1864.” It is exceptionally theatrical and expressive in a way that could make someone feel as if they were in a horror movie, where the killer is expected to pop out of the shadows. It will provide listeners with a haunting afterthought, leaving both fans and non-fans, craving more.

For a show as dark and romantic as The Vampire Diaries, the soundtrack is a fitting compliment. The tracks are not the cliché organ pieces of older horror works, but rather a modern take on dark music. It captures the tone of the show and is a great way to enhance its viewing.