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Title
 All Monsters Attack (Perfect Collection 2)
International Title
 Destroy All Monsters
Music By: Akira Ifukube
Record Label: Toho Music
 
Running Time: 50:33 Discs: 1
Release: December 2004 CD Number: G-009 (Set)
Comments
Anthony Romero
After a two movie break from the franchise, Akira Ifukube returns to score another entry in the Godzilla series. The movie itself covers familiar ground and to that point it's not surprising to see Ifukube bring back familiar cues, like the ever popular Rodan theme. The composer also constructs some new ones that hark back to older cues, such as the theme for the Kilaakian which sounds vaguely reminiscent of the eerie music created for the Xilien. Despite this, Ifukube does bring some great themes to the fold for this picture, including the very rousing march for the SY-3 and the great music for the final conflict at Mount Fuji, although the latter is a reworking of another cue from Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965). Outside of the more attention grabbing cues, Ifukube also brings some nice subtle motifs to the score, such as the excellent "Monster Land" theme and the often overlooked "Monster Control Instrument", which features an odd tribal-like beat but is none the less a great cue. Unfortunately, despite how much praise one might like to endow the score, it does falter in overall repetitiveness. It's a common pitfall of Ifukube's work of the 1960's and 1970's, and Destroy All Monsters is no exception. Motifs like the SY-3 Sortie and the updated Rodan theme are heard again and again throughout the score, as are other cues like the Kilaakian theme. The music is good enough to withstand this, but there are certainly times when one wishes for just a few more distinct cues to be added to the mix.

As for what's new on the "Perfect" edition of this soundtrack, there is a fair bit of stuff, although none of it is particularly show stopping. Tracks 31 through 37 is all music already heard in the movie, although cut to the appropriate length as to where it was placed in a different scene. For example, "Tokyo Defense Strategy" is the start of "The Great Decisive Battle at Fuji I" cue and is located in the movie right before the military begins their counterattack against the monsters in Tokyo. Why these tracks weren't integrated into chronological order with the main score is beyond me. The last four tracks on the disc are outtakes, which were also found on the Dogora CD (TYCY-5503).

Overall, this is arguably one of Ifukube's better offerings, and works well as a stand alone experience despite all of the repetition. As for this release in particular, it's the best out there to date, but doesn't offer anything substantial to make "upgrading" from a previous release very tempting.
Rating:
Tracks
  1. Main Title (M1)
  2. Title Credits (M2-T4)
  3. Monster Land (M3)
  4. Moon Base I (M4)
  5. Incident at Monster Land (M5)
  6. Moon Base II (M6)
  7. SY-3 (M7)
  8. An Uninhabited Monster Land (M8)
  9. Kilaakian I (M9)
  10. Escape from Monster Land (M10)
  11. Strange Metal (M11-T2)
  12. Monster Control Instrument (M12)
  13. Rodan Attacks (M13)
  14. Giant Attack on Tokyo (M14)
  15. Battle to Repel the Monsters (M15)
  16. Headquarters in Ruins (M15A)
  17. Monster Defense Line (M16)
  18. Rodan in Pursuit (M17)
  19. Kilaakian II (M18)
  20. The Moon Base and SY-3 (M19)
  21. SY-3 Sortie (M20)
  22. The Exploration Car Breaks Through (M21)
  23. The Kilaakian Entity (M22)
  24. Remote Control Destruction (M23)
  25. All Monsters Attack (M24)
  26. The Great Decisive Battle at Fuji I (M25)
  27. The Great Decisive Battle at Fuji II (M26)
  28. Base Annihilation (M27)
  29. Fire Dragon Pursuit (M28)
  30. Ending (M29)

    Bonus Tracks
  31. The Mysterious UFO on the Moon (M7)
  32. The SY-3 Goes to Earth (M7A)
  33. Tokyo Defense Strategy (M14A)
  34. Self Defense Force Attack Preparation (M15B)
  35. Godzilla in the Foliage (M17A)
  36. The Kilaak Appear (M18)
  37. SY-3 Escapes (M23A)
  38. Title Credits (M2-T1)
  39. Title Credits (M2-T2)
  40. Title Credits (M2-T3)
  41. Strange Metal (M11-T1)
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