My favorite soundtrack is Surface Tension 3 (The Gargantua Chase)because the Gargantua is my favorite boss and Xen Enemy and it feels so awesome and gives you the adrenaline rush. My second favorite is a tie Forget About Freeman , and Apprehension it gives you the feeling of being arrested and I love how the two grunts sound like bad ass psychopaths .
Lambda Core. Feels like a callback to the more unconventional HL1 tracks.
Lambda Core followed closely by Unforeseen Consequences. <3
hmm … Anomalous materials … Residue processing … Surface Tension (at the end of the level) …
Anomalous Materials FTW.
I kind of have mixed feelings about the Black Mesa soundtrack- it’s very well-produced and great to listen to, but it doesn’t really seem to fit the Half-Life / Black Mesa continuity.
I’d say the track I enjoy listening to the most is definitely Blast Pit 3 (what can I say, I’m a sucker for power metal), but I’d say that Anomalous Materials best fits the “feel” of the area.
Black Mesa Theme is beset for me.It really hits that feeling of the unknown.
The music that plays during the cliff side sequence in Surface Tension and the “Forget About Freeman” battle theme.
Forget about Freeman is perfection
For me, it’s the entire Inbound suite. I feel like it really captures the feel of the game and that impending dread that you get while playing the intro–considering that many of us have played Half-Life, we know that the resonance cascade is about to happen and we know how bad the world will get, all because of what happens within the next hour. And it’s all a thing that you yourself will do.
The rest of the soundtrack is really nice, with areas such as Forget about Freeman, Surface Tension 2 3 and 4, and Blast Pit 3, but Inbound just rocks me to my core.
For me, its gotta be Lambda Core (:
This is VERY hard for me…
Atmospheric: Inbound (probably part 3 because it’s the most epic one of them IMO)
Action: We’ve Got Hostiles, Forget About Freeman, Surface Tension 3 or Questionable Ethics 1, they’re all equally great, PLUS Surface Tension 2. The drums are awesome.
Sad: Blast Pit 2
Tension: Surface Tension 4 (what else?!)
Experimental: Lambda Core for sure. It’s very unique.
Honorable Mention: gamestartup_01. Unfortunately, it’s not really part of the OST, it’s more of an ambience sound that plays in the main menu and it really ties everything together. It’s just good. Here’s the link if you wanna have a listen:
OVERALL FAVOURITE: Probably Surface Tension 2. It’s really good to jam to…
I could name many, many more. I really like all of them, as mentioned above it’s incredibly hard for me to choose my favourites.
As for the soundtrack in general: I don’t think it can be compared to the original OST side-by-side. Half-Life and Black Mesa, while obviously similar (NO SHIT) have a completely different atmosphere. Black Mesa’s OST fits perfectly into Black Mesa’s atmosphere and Half-Life’s OST fits perfectly into Half-Life’s atmosphere. Both soundtracks are masterpieces in their own way.
Joel Nielsen deserves a significant amount of money for his work.After 4 years I still remember all tracks from Black Mesa and I can’t say anything bad about it.However there is my list:
Action:Questionable Etchics 1 easily my top 1 because it feels fresh if we compare it to the rest tracks.“Brightish” if you want.The 2nd one is Surface Tension 2 mostly because it was unpredictable because the original track was very diffirent from it and overall it’s a good one.The 3rd one is the new Surface Tension Uncut track that reminds me about the old one from On a Rail 2.
Sad:Apprehension is my top 1 here since I’m not fan of “sad” soundtracks but still remember it and it’s so spot on.One of the moments when you really feel what Freeman may feel,sadness and hopeless while being surrounded by HECU and xenians in the deeps of Black Mesa.Top 2 will be Blast Pit 1 because you feel that even when you “won” you are still losing because who knows how many tentacles can be around Black Mesa and you see that everyone try to survive how they can(Smithers).And my Top 3 will be On a Rail 2(Great piano play and relaxing music because you know how long it will be especially if you installed On a Rail Uncut).
Unpredictable:Residue Processing.Definitely no one could expect that track in such a peacefull location!
Honorable Mention:Forget About Freeman when you see those aircrafts and mantas and you know that it’s your last time when you see the Earth in 200x before the Combine will conquer it later.For all people who played HL2 it’s an emotional place with a good track.
in ranking
- Surface tension 3
- Forget about freeman
- On a rail
- Lambda core
- That little blurb of ambience that plays as soon as you enter through the QE doors at the start of the chapter
Lambda core is so atmospheric and slow, giving off an exploratory vibe. On a rail gives off an exploratory vibe too but with a more somber, slow and emotional atmosphere. The bumping 808s always seemed to have a heartbeat-like cadence to them. Forget about freeman is an epic soundtrack period, the chord progression being overlayed on a pent. minor riff, giving it a very solid ground for the drums. It signifies freemans final push to the lambda complex. Surface tension 3 is number one cause its emotional. Its emotional in a way that gives off a struggle, and a dramatic atmosphere. The whole song screams for urgency and resolve. Hell, it is even shown in its chord progression.
Speaking of which, the chord progression for all the songs listed are (for those who want to make a cover):
ST3 (first half): E5, F/E, D/E. Second half: E5, Em9, F/E, D/E
Alt (no slash chords): E5, Fmaj7sus2, D. Second half: E5, Em9, Fmaj7sus2, Dsus2 (final chord replace w/E5)
FaF: F#m7, D/F#, E/F#, B/F#. Alt (w/no slash chords): F#m7, Dmaj7, E5, Badd9.
OaR: Gm, Cm/G, Gm, F/G. Alt: Gm, Cm, Gm, F.
LC: Cm7, G#, Fm, Cm
I really like Xen 4.
(I made that up, by the way).[/size]
Ouch. 
The whole album + some beers, just sitting and listening on it.