Text from article with Top Dollar PR.
New York (June 13, 2013) – MTV VMA nominated composer Tom Salta, one of the most versatile and prolific music artists/producers working in film, television, advertising and video games, provides the original score for 343 Industries’ first mobile title “Halo: Spartan Assault,” an epic “Halo” experience for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 launching in July 2013.
Tom Salta provides an authentic “Halo” original score for “Spartan Assault,” featuring ethereal choral arrangements, piano motifs, rock guitars, synth ambience and sweeping sci-fi orchestral compositions that are distinctly representative of the franchise. Salta also expands the “Halo” universe with original sounds to complement the musical blueprint of the first trilogy and beyond, combined with a full modern sound production to create a contemporary and classic “Halo” soundtrack.
Paul Lipson, Music/Audio Director for “Halo: Spartan Assault” at 343 Industries: “Tom has been a great partner, and his core understanding of the ‘Halo’ universe and related musical language was essential in crafting the sound of ‘Halo: Spartan Assault.’ Drawing on our experience working together on ‘Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary,’ we’ve been able to create a new musical score that is both fresh and familiar for ‘Halo’ fans around the globe.”
Renowned for crafting emotionally engaging music for interactive media, Tom Salta has received widespread industry acclaim for his world-class produced scores featured in video game titles such as “Galactic Reign,” “Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary,” “Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands,” “Red Steel,” “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon,” and “Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X” series. Intimately familiar with the “Halo” universe, Salta previously created synthesis, drums, and percussion for “Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary” in collaboration with Pyramind Studios and 343 Industries.
“Having been involved in the re-creation of the original ‘Halo’ score for ‘Halo Anniversary,’ I gained a very deep understanding of the DNA of the ‘Halo’ sound, which I drew inspiration from when creating a completely new and authentic original score for ‘Halo: Spartan Assault,'” said Salta. “As a huge fan of the ‘Halo’ series, I wanted to be sure that the music I created felt true to what franchise fans around the world would identify as the ‘Halo’ sound, while still feeling new.”
Prior to his composing career, Salta toured with and worked on releases by a diverse array of popular artists such as Peter Gabriel, Everything But The Girl, Deep Forest and Sinead O’Connor. After several years of touring, he became more immersed in studio work including producing, remixing and songwriting. When “Halo: Combat Evolved” was released on the original Xbox, his passion for writing music and the interactive art form of video games collided. “I was so impressed by the use of music while playing ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ back in 2001,” says Salta. “It created such a rich and immersive experience, and that’s one of the many aspects I wanted to capture in my quest to create an authentic ‘Halo’ score for ‘Spartan Assault.'”
Inspired by gaming’s unique musical challenges and growing potential for creative opportunities, Salta embraced this exciting new medium. Recording under the artist name “Atlas Plug,” Salta released the critically acclaimed electronic / orchestral music album “2 Days or Die” which quickly caught the attention of major video game developers and publishers. His album introduced a new hybrid sound to the visual entertainment industry at large, garnering high-profile placements on numerous television shows on ABC, CBS, MTV, NBC as well as national commercials and movie trailers, and simultaneously launched his music career in video games.
“‘Halo’ is what inspired me more than any other to pursue scoring games,” enthuses Tom Salta. “This has been a long-time dream of mine that has finally come true and I was not going to settle for anything that didn’t feel exactly right; I wanted to ensure that the music truly felt like a ‘Halo’ game. I am grateful to Music/Audio Director Paul Lipson, Microsoft and 343 for giving me the opportunity to score ‘Halo: Spartan Assault.'”
HFFL: Sounds like Spartan Assault may have a good soundtrack. Can’t wait to hear it!
-Sal
