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Bad seed, good harvest

This is the music review of
Operation Eagle (2021).

One game I've been looking forward to for a long time is Iron Harvest. A fresh, unused setting with mechs in World War 1? Plus a good solo campaign and tactical action à la Company of Heroes? What more could I want? That's why the game is right at the top of my "I'll play it when it's cheaper" list. To shorten the waiting time, I've already listened to the soundtrack. It comes from the experienced Polish composers Adam Skorupa (The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings), Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz (The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings) & Michal Cielecki (Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2), who in my opinion have always delivered solid music so far. I will now explain why this is also the case this time, but why I was still disappointed.

Visually, the soundtrack is already very neat: 22 tracks, short catchy names and multilingual titles, sometimes in English, rarely in Polish, already give an idea of the game's setting. Names like The Price We Pay or The Fog of War signalize both conflict and strategy; leaving me expecting fast action tracks, ambient music and the occasional sad tune. It's all very familiar from the big brothers Command & Conquer or Company of Heroes, which isn't a bad thing.

The OST gets off to a brilliant start. Overture for a New World lives up to its name, the music conveys an image of grandeur, vastness and adventure. The steady beat of the strings and percussion suggests mechanical uniformity, a tight march accompanied by wind instruments and creates atmosphere in an almost Blizzard-like manner - great! An overture reminiscent of Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (Sogno di Volare (The Dream of Flight)), which has replaced the hopeful outlook on humanity with military epics in the style of Empire Earth . This is what the start of a brutal strategy game should sound like!

My expectations are therefore at a high level and are fulfilled for the most part by the OST: Sometimes there are solemn, string-emphasizing tracks like Polania Victrix or Butterfly, which are pleasantly reminiscent of John Williams' work in Schindler's List . Then we have brute-force action inIron Flood or the aforementioned The Fog of War and somehow we always get the feeling of familiarity. The soundtrack to Iron Harvest fits seamlessly into the tropes and, to put it nastily, clichés of (world) war scores, such as 1917 by Thomas Newman, or, on the other hand, sits firmly alongside the much-cited Company of Heroes-series by star composers Jeremy Soule, Inon Zur and Cris Velasco.

The fact that classic motifs are used narratively is less bothersome: What the bagpipes are to the Scots, the male voice choir is to the Russians. And so it comes as no surprise that in Iron Harvest , too, robust male voices roar out at us in Mother Rusviet . The scoring of certain themes with learned instrumentation is not a point of criticism for me here. A Red Army Rising (Company of Heroes 2) is a fantastic ode to communist warmongers, as is the Russian Theme from Call of Duty: World at War. They all represent a stereotypical depiction, an exaggerated idealization.

This can be criticized; after all, entire nations and ethnic groups cannot be broken down to one instrument (with the exception of the Greeks, of course - bouzouki!). Nevertheless, using practiced tropes for composers is a right and cheap way of worldbuilding, which is especially practical in a fictional scenario that is nevertheless based on reality. The factions in the game correspond to their historical role models, which could have existed in this form. That's why it doesn't bother me when Pride of Saxony sounds like German military culture à la the Radetzky March, or when the Y chromosome roars when it comes to Mother Russia.

What bothers me, however, is that the bold approaches of the actual game, a fictional timeline with steampunk elements, seem to have hardly been used in the compositions. This is because the score's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. It is the expected design of the content, which places it in the same league as thematically congruent games due to its high quality, but at the same time stands in stark contrast to the actual narrative of Iron Harvest : "Imagine it's World War 1, but with mechs!" That's the USP of the game, that's what makes it extraordinary and exciting. And in my opinion, especially when you're trying to create a fictional scenario, you can't fall into the comfort trap, you have to turn away from the path of convention and be a bit braver.

To be honest, I had expected more steampunk influences, like in the hit Thief I was expecting more steampunk influences, more aspects of foreign objects. In the game, these are the giant mechs, awe-inspiring, steam-powered war machines. Now, of course, you can argue about how these should have been realized musically. Just because it sounds like music from the future, for example, doesn't make everything better or more futuristic. And Iron Harvest 's scenario is not so antichronistic that it needs to be. Examples such as Tesla’s Nightmare or Project Icarus with their slight distortions, on the other hand, show what would have been possible. A touch less classic, a little more courage and Iron Harvest could have stood out from the crowd acoustically. As it is, however, it remains 'just' a good, sometimes very good soundtrack that, in contrast to the game, doesn't dare to do enough.

Iron Harvest

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Overture for a New World	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
02	Mother Rusviet	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
03	Call to Arms	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
04	Polania Victrix	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
05	Iron and Oil	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
06	Butterfly	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
07	The Price We Pay	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
08	Iron Flood	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
09	Intermezzo for a New World	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
10	Pride of Saxony	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
11	The Fog of War	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
12	Old Sins	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
13	Memorial	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
14	Obituary	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
15	Tesla's Nightmare	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
16	Last Days of the Tzar	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
17	Desertion	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
18	Reunion	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
19	Heerschau, the Kaiser's Parade	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
20	Coda for a New World	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
21	Project - Icarus	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
22	Piosenka Poci / Gowa, the Train Song	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3

Iron Harvest [Extended Edition]

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Overture for a New World*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
02	Mother Rusviet*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
03	Call to Arms*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
04	Polania Victrix*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
05	Iron and Oil*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
06	Butterfly*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
07	The Price We Pay*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
08	Iron Flood*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
09	Intermezzo for a New World*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
10	Pride of Saxony*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
11	The Fog of War*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
12	Old Sins*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
13	Memorial*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
14	Obituary*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
15	Tesla's Nightmare*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
16	Last Days of the Tzar*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
17	Desertion*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
18	Reunion*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
19	Heerschau, the Kaiser's Parade*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
20	Coda for a New World*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
21	Project - Icarus*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	5
22	Piosenka Poci / Gowa, the Train Song*	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
23	Mothers Fall [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
24	Step by Step [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
25	March of the Saxons [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
26	Patricide [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
27	From the Shadows [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
28	Thoughtful Strategy [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
29	Icarus Rising [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
30	Flight of the Icarus [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
31	Face the Abyss [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
32	The Resistance [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
33	Haunted Trenches [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
34	Relief [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
35	Tesla Coil [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
36	Refugees [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
37	Here Comes the Cavalry [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
38	A Great View [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
39	Ambush [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
40	On the Run [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
41	State of Emergency [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
42	The Only Truth [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
43	A Loyal Friend [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
44	The End, Part 1 [Bonus]	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4

*Track contained in the Original Soundtrack

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Operation Eagle

The fact that the music of the Iron Harvest add-on Iron Harvest-addons Operation Eagle would be tonally oriental was a surprise to me, given the snowy cover image. I hadn't expected instruments such as the saz or kanun to dominate. That wouldn't be a bad thing in itself if the soundtrack didn't differ so fundamentally from that of the main game. Because the latter appeals to me with its heroic/epochal motifs, which are firmly anchored in the Eurocentric musical canon and create an atmosphere of conflict and, ultimately, world war - this does not.

To avoid any misunderstandings as to why this aspect is important to me - especially in view of the current situation in world affairs - I would like to briefly explain what I mean by this. When I say that this form of musicality appeals to me more, it has to do not only with my personal preferences, but also with the question of how the actual game deals with the subject matter. Are we looking at a deadpan shooter drama à la Call of Duty , or a humorous team shooter of the Team Fortress 2? Do we explore the suffering and individual fates of a few people, as in the tragically sad Valiant Hearts, or do we command soldiers and war machines on a macro level, as in Company of Heroes or Iron Harvest. These views dictate the nature of the music to a certain extent - or at least my expectations.

Now, I have absolutely no problem with conventions and especially tropes being broken. A wonderful example of this from the world of TV series is The Last Agni Kai from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Instead of the expected action fireworks, the final confrontation between brother and sister is accompanied by a subliminal, almost sad theme. What is irritating at first, however, has an effect within a few seconds. This gives the music a narrative element, it tells its own story parallel to what is shown. In terms of content, it is clear what is happening: two people are having a duel. In the music, however, the story of the two comes to the fore, the tragedy of this avoidable conflict: brother against sister. If they had gone down the action route, we would probably have got a cool fight track, but this is a memorable one.

So there is nothing wrong per se with deliberately subverting expectations. Sometimes this is even desirable. Only recently, in my review of Company of Heroes: Eastern Front , I was annoyed that it featured a male choir singing fervently, as this is a frequently used motif for Middle Eastern culture. Personally, I don't need that every time a game has anything remotely to do with Russia. Conversely, it doesn't bother me either, as long as it's done well. All you have to do is listen to Mother Rusviet from the original Iron Harvest-soundtrack. And that's the point: the quality. So what am I getting at here? After all, the addon seems to be set in warm desert regions. So the choice of instruments is absolutely logical and not really something I should comment on? And there are no noticeable compromises in terms of quality either; if you restrict yourself purely to the soundscape.

The music of Operation Eagle sounds like the Middle East. What it sounds less like, unfortunately, is Iron Harvest. The tone of the series was set in the music of the main game, this authoritarian, totalitarian, broad-shouldered self-image of the fictional world powers. Ironically, it is missing in this score, in which the US american counterpart enters the stage. Instead, we get an almost ironically exaggerated theme (Ode to the Union), which for me does not fit in with the serious nature of the game. The soundtrack is therefore by no means a total failure, but unfortunately there isn't a one real pearl among the twelve tracks.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Shadow of the Dune	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
02	Oasis	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
03	Mission Briefing	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
04	A Path to Choose	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
05	Ode to the Union	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
06	Want to See the Desert	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
07	Sons of Usonia	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
08	Operation Eagle	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	3
09	Flight of the Falcon	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
10	The Free Tribe	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	2
11	Freedom Calls	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4
12	The End, Part 2	Adam Skorupa; Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz; Michal Cielecki	4