E.S. Posthumus is an independent music group that produces cinematic style music. It is a form of epic classical that fuses intertwined drum beats with orchestral and electronic sounds. Their music is inspired by the Pythagorean Philosophy which states that "music is the harmonization of opposites; the conciliation of warring elements". The E.S. is an acronym for "Experimental Sounds" while Posthumus is a word that represents "all things past". According to the group, E.S. Posthumus was formed in 2000 by brothers Helmut and Franz Vonlichten. Helmut and Franz studied piano with their mother. After graduating from high school, Franz worked in recording studios while Helmut attended and graduated from UCLA, with a degree in archaeology. E.S. Posthumus' music has been licensed by many movie and television production studios; being included in numerous movie trailers and television shows. For instance, the song "Posthumus Zone" was composed for the CBS Sports TV programs The NFL Today and The NFL on CBS. E.S. Posthumus have released one album, with a second album planned for release sometime during the first quarter of 2008. Currently, E.S. Posthumus is the only group produced by the record company Wigshop Records.
Contents |
Unearthed
| Unearthed | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Studio album by E.S. Posthumus | ||
| Released | Limited: 1st January 2001 Wide: 3rd May 2005 |
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| Recorded | ? | |
| Genre | Orchestral | |
| Length | 58:13 | |
| Label | Wigshop Records | |
| Producer | E.S. Posthumus | |
| Professional reviews | ||
Unearthed, the first album composed by E.S. Posthumus, was originally made available for purchase online through the CDBaby website in January 2001. It became the third-biggest selling album in CDBaby's history. The success of the album prompted the wide re-release to retail in May 2005 through Wigshop and 33rd Street Records/Bayside Distribution. A key piece to the distinctive sound of the music comes from working with the Seattle Symphony. In an interview with SoundtrackNet, the band said "we wanted the chance to blow an ungodly sum of cash working with a big orchestra" [2]. Other musicians performing on this CD include Pedro Eustache, Michael Landau, Matt Laug, Lance Morrison, Davy Spillane and Efrain Toro.
Track listing
In keeping with the theme of "all things past", each of the thirteen tracks on the album are named after an ancient or long-standing city.
- "Antissa"
- "Tikal"
- "Harappa"
- "Ulaid"
- "Ebla"
- "Nara"
- "Cuzco"
- "Nineveh"
- "Lepcis Magna"
- "Menouthis"
- "Estremoz"
- "Pompeii"
- "Isfahan"
Media usage
Many tracks from Unearthed have been featured in various movie trailers and television shows. It has been used in the trailers for movies such as Unfaithful and Vanity Fair thanks to its escalating structure, which makes it well-suited for the dramatic montages of those particular films. An excerpt from the track "Nara" is used as the main theme for the CBS television show Cold Case. A vocal rise performed by a female solo singer leads into the opening title, where one of the verses of "Nara" is then played for the remainder of the sequence, concluding with a short melody from a woodwind instrument. At the time Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer chose the song to be used in the show, he had never actually met the Vonlichten brothers in person. Additionally, Michael A. Levine, a musical composer for television shows and advertisements, created a reworked version of "Nara" that is played during the show's closing credits as provided by the studio (though not as shown on CBS). The list below provides details on movie trailers that have used tracks from the Unearthed album. 2001
- Planet of the Apes - "Menouthis" and "Pompeii"
- Spy Game - "Pompeii"
- The Affair of the Necklace - "Harappa"
2002
- Antwone Fisher - "Nara"
- Minority Report - "Tikal"
- Spider-Man - "Pompeii" and "Nineveh"
- The Recruit - "Menouthis"
- The Time Machine - "Tikal"
- Tuck Everlasting - "Cuzco"
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - "Nara"
- Unfaithful - "Nara"
- xXx - "Harappa" and "Tikal"
2003
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness - "Nara"
- Cold Case - "Nara"
- Daredevil - "Lepcis Magna" and "Tikal"
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - "Menouthis"
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - "Tikal"
- The Matrix Reloaded - "Ebla"
2004
- Catwoman - "Pompeii"
- National Treasure - "Menouthis" and "Nara"
- Team America: World Police - "Harappa" and "Tikal"
- The Clearing - "Nara"
- Vanity Fair - "Nara"
- SWEPT - "Menouthis"
2005
- Two for the Money - "Nineveh"
- xXx: State of the Union - "Harappa"
2006
- Curse of the Golden Flower - "Pompeii"
- Breaking and Entering - "Nara"
- The Last King of Scotland - "Tikal"
2007
- Partition - "Nara"
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - "Nineveh"
Upcoming Album
Originally proposed for release during 2006, only a minimal amount of information has so far been unveiled for the next album. Franz Vonlichten suggested in a May 2005 interview with SoundtrackNet that they are not overly concerned with deadlines, stating, in part, that "[the band has] been writing for the last couple of years, and aren't in a real hurry to just whack something out." Eventually, the title of the album, Cartographer, was unveiled in July 2007 on the official website. A preview of the song Luna Sans, a track included in Cartographer, accompanied the announcement of the new title. It is unknown if the name of the song will remain the same on the final release. It was previously confirmed that "Posthumus Zone" will also be in the next album, but is also unknown whether or not it is to be included. Although not confirmed, it is suggested that Cartographer will be released in early 2008.
Rise to Glory (Single)
Rise to Glory is a single released in September 2005 featuring the vocals of rappers DJ Quik and Bizarre. The song Rise to Glory is recognized as a sung remix and an extended version of "Posthumus Zone." It is most commonly recognized as the theme song to the NFL on CBS since the 2005-2006 season.
See also
External links
- E.S. Posthumus - Official Website
- SoundtrackNet - E.S. Posthumus Movie Trailer Usage
- SoundtrackNet - Franz Vonlichten Interview
- CBS Sports - CBS.SportsLine.com News Item
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| Aereda • Cantara • Divine Works • Elbosco • Enigma • E Nomine • Era • E.S. Posthumus • Gala • Gregorian • Industrial Monk • Lesiëm • Libera • Magna Canta • Mysteria • Nostradamus • Richard Souther (Vision and Illumination) • Solyma |
