So, now we know that Game of Thrones will end after its eighth season, a fact that may be both a source of joy and sadness for composer Ramin Djawadi. Sadness: As he has created a very singular and recognisable soundtrack for the show, especially what is easily the most iconic title track. Joy: Because as they have added locations the title track has been stretched to near breaking.

Game of Thrones: Music from the HBO Series Season Six, once again composed by Djawadi, is the season which left, for the most part, the novels behind. Like all of the soundtracks before, it opens with the show’s title track. This time, given the number of bonus tracks the whole thing runs to around ninety minutes, which is not a bad bang for your buck.

Season 6 was different from the preceding five in that the characters had gone through too much to allow Djawadi to produce anything too light. There are softer tracks, and tracks which build, but the melancholy is never far behind, especially in tracks like 'Hold the Door', which brings back the emotional trauma of Holdor’s demise, not just because he was an innocent but that he must have known all his life how he was to die and yet still serves the Starks.

Daenerys Targaryen is finally getting her finger out and her greater importance in the story is reflected in the number of themes written. 'Blood of my Blood' accompanies her dramatic destruction of the Khals and the expansion of her army. It’s all bold bombast and choir, best played loud. We get a further reminder of her progress through 'Khaleesi' back to full choir and strident drums and 'Reign'.

Each season has its epic moments and season six’s Battle of the Bastards is accompanied by a number of pieces, including 'My Watch Has Ended' with a melancholic cello and the epic 'Let’s Play a Game' and 'Bastard'.

It’s difficult to pick a favourite track as there is a lot of light and shade available, tonally you have everything from quiet and soulful music to balls out epic fantasy music. But if I had to pick a track it would the ten minute opus of Light of the seven for its opening serenity. The full listing is :-

Main Tracks:

Main Titles
Blood of My Blood
Light of the Seven
Needle
Coronation
Feed the Hounds
My Watch Has Ended
The Red Woman
Hold the Door
Khaleesi
Maester
A Painless Death
Reign
Let’s Play a Game
Bastard
Trust Each Other
Winter Has Come
Hear Me Roar
The Winds of Winter

Bonus Tracks:

Lord of Light
Service of the Gods
I Need You by My Side
The Tower
Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
I Choose Violence
Holdor

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Charles Packer