Dark Side of the Ring is a TV documentary series produced by American cable channel Vice on TV that first aired in 2019. The subject of the show is professional wrestling and each episode revisits some of the sport’s most notable stories. Part nostalgia trip, part investigative documentary and part tabloid exposé, the series is built around interviews with those in the industry, and archival as well as recreated footage. The episodes are put together with an energy that makes for an entertaining package, and the music adds to the energetic, testosterone-fueled atmosphere. Written by Canadian composers Wade MacNeil and Andrew Gordon MacPherson, the music certainly fits with the whole feel of the series and is centred around catchy synths, pounding drums and powerful electric guitars all played at a fast tempo; music that is perhaps influenced by MacNeil’s background in genres such as post-hardcore and alternative rock. The score fits the visuals very well but by the end of the 90-minute album you do feel as though you have gone a few rounds in the ring yourself.
The opening few tracks (e.g., “Brothers Rising” and “Bravo Main Event”) sum up most of the rest of the album well. One thing I found particularly appealing was the composers’ choice of synths: heavy bass patterns form a solid foundation for drums and guitars to ramp up the adrenaline. Each track seems to be a self-contained composition with little connection between cues save for the reliance on the synth/drum/guitar triad; also, there is not really a recurring musical theme. This probably reflects the independent episode subject matters and but does offer the opportunity for the music editor to cut-and-paste segments of the tracks into each episode with little regard for thematic continuity. And not being restricted by story development or thematic considerations, the composers are free to experiment with numerous sounds and tones. For example, after focusing on the low-end heavy synth sounds early on, they change the feel of the music with much more ‘sharp’-sounding synths later on (“Kerry vs. Flair”). Halfway through the album the tempo slows down markedly and there’s the introduction of a more reflective aspect to the music: tracks such as “Platinum Casket”, “Let Them Hate Me” and “Erased” offer a more human take on the sport, highlighting that a lot of the stories told have a darker and emotional side to them that affects the show’s subjects. As I mentioned earlier, the music works well within the context of the show and, as a stand-alone listen, does have many highlights. As it stands though, the album is far too long, and I would recommend finding a shorter playlist of favourite tracks. Once you have a shorter playlist Dark Side of the Ring would become a more entertaining listen.
Rating: **½
- Brothers Rising (2:17)
- Brody Title Theme (1:31)
- Bravo Main Event (3:22)
- Invader (1:27)
- Liz New Haircut (1:46)
- Powers Explode (2:23)
- Night Club Acid Trip (2:26)
- Kerry vs. Flair (1:51)
- Wendy and Victoria (2:28)
- Whatever It Takes (2:26)
- Prayers (1:15)
- The Look (2:11)
- Live Hard (3:19)
- Caught Him (2:06)
- Fight Night (2:15)
- Descent (1:27)
- Squad (1:41)
- Not Playing (2:02)
- The Protector (2:23)
- Las Vegas (2:12)
- Platinum Casket (3:19)
- Battle of The Bite (2:38)
- Bad Dudes (1:56)
- Contraband Cigarettes (3:44)
- Looking For Connections (2:13)
- Energy In The Room (2:39)
- Thrown To Wolves (2:23)
- Sweet Georgia Brown (2:21)
- Kauai (1:57)
- Trains (2:53)
- Let Them Hate Me (3:38)
- Eddie The Flamingo (2:59)
- Erased (3:49)
- They’re All Gone (5:52)
- Denial (2:26)
- David’s Idol (3:41)
Running Time: 91:32
Vice Music Publishing LLC (2020)
Reel Music 