• Review by Leo Mayr - February 4, 2019

The Devil We Know is an investigative documentary, focusing on health hazards related to Teflon production. The film sees Brian Tyler furthering his efforts to compose scores that don’t feature loud brass fanfares and intense action, which is a welcome change of pace.

For The Devil We Know, Brian Tyler utilizes this broad canvas to its fullest, delivering a stunning score that finds the right balance between loud and exciting moments, and the more intimate side of the movie. The score features both a stunning main theme that nicely encapsulates the film’s quite serious topic as well as a more entertaining “Main Titles” cue that, while sticking to a similar mood, does breathe a lot of excitement into the score.

While there are a lot of dark and foreboding moments, there’s also a strong sense of optimism planted throughout, most prominently in the recurring appearances of Tyler’s stunning Main Title theme. The music does rely on some fantastic orchestral sounds, but the majority of the score is dominated by sombre piano melodies, guitar and some exciting electronic textures.

The Devil We Know is a fantastic score. Ranging from stunning ambient soundscapes to exciting melodic pieces and more than a bit of gripping emotional storytelling, Brian Tyler has crafted a remarkable and memorable score that really elevates the striking images and stories told by the movie. Even on its own, the album is well worth revisiting and serves as a fantastic reminder of Tyler’s range as a musical storyteller.

• 4/5