Music can soothe the soul, and it can be a wonderful respite from the trappings of everyday life. And these albums in particular are a wonderful way to escape for an hour and experience something more.
Note; as we’re focusing on orchestral pieces, we’ll be leaving out movie and TV soundtracks for a later list!
Magnus – Audiomachine
You’d know Audiomachine from several Marvel movie trailers. Including this incredible piece featured in the Avengers: Endgame reveal trailer.
While that album does have some great songs, Magnusis chock full of them! For everything from working out to inspiration, Magnus is Audiomachine at their best!
Standout songs: Rise of the Black Curtain, When it All Falls Down
Miraculum – Really Slow Motion
Featuring some of the best songs for pick me ups, inspirational reading and daydreaming. Really Slow Motion is a masterclass at capturing emotion with powerful vocals, immense percussion and stellar composition.
If you have not listened to any of their work before this list, give Miraculum a shot!
Standout songs: Galaxy Falling, Edge of Eternity, End of an Era
Satellite – Twelve Titans Music
Best SciFi oriented music since the Interstellar soundtrack. Satellite is a masterful composition of powerful synths, awe inspiring vocals and horns.
Evoking a strong mix of euphoria, mysticism and the ethereal wandering of deep space. Satellite is a phenomenal imagining.
Standout Songs: Satellite, Evening Fog, Dreaming in Technicolor
Big Sky – Mark Petrie
Best described as some of the best pump up and can do anything inspirational songs. Mark Petrie is often unrecognized in the vast sea of amazing orchestral performers.
Unfortunate for those who don’t know of him because Petrie is incredible at invoking a strong sense of urgency in his pieces.
Standout Songs: Against All Odds, Fragments
Divinus – City of the Fallen
Boasting only two albums to their name, CotF quickly rose up the ranks to become of the best artists for ‘trailer style’ music.
Divinus lives up to its name with amazing tracks for everything from working out to just losing yourself in its melodies for an hour.
Standout Songs: Eye of the Beholder, As Wings Blot out the Sun
Unleashed – Two Steps From Hell
You were probably wondering when TSFH was going to appear on this list.
Known the world over for their work in too many trailers to count, TSFH has made a name for being one of the best orchestral composers in any medium.
Suitably, Unleashed is them at their most unrestrained and most passionate. One of my personal favorites and soon to be one of yours as well!
Standout Songs: Never Give up on Your Dreams, Westward, Step Into the Light
Epicon – Globus
Honestly, Globus deserves an entry on this list for Preliator alone. One of the absolute greatest pump up and fight songs of any generation ever.
Powerful vocals backed up by intensely strong chords and horns, aggressive percussion and masterful composition all around.
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Standout Songs: Preliator, Preliator Again and did I mention Preliator?
Unearthed – E.S. Posthumus
One of the original groups to popularize this style of orchestral music, E.S. Posthumus will go down as one of the best.
Unearthed is filled to the brim with talent from every section of the musical composition and vocals. While their best (arguably) song is Unstoppable, and not featured in this album, Unearthed is still one of the best albums out of this list.
Standout Songs: Unstoppable, Nineveh
Orbit – Immediate Music
Second only to Satellite for the best SciFi compositions of this style, Orbit is ethereal, mysterious and epic all in one sitting.
While some songs may come as a bit of tonal whiplash from one entry to the other, it doesn’t deter from their quality. Focusing more on simplistic usages of synths, wind chimes and electronics. Orbit is more SciFi action than Satellite’s more introspective beats.
Standout Songs: The Day Never After
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The Way – Zack Hemsey
Combining epic orchestral music with Rap may sound like an odd combo, but Hemsey pulls it off with beauty and aggression.
While his songs do linger on the longer side of compositions on this list, his work speaks for itself. Featured in several trailers and often considered one of the most underrated artists in this style, Hemsey is a gem.
Standout Songs: Vengeance, The Way, Waiting Between Worlds
Ultimately this list is about escaping from the world for a little bit at a time. Anything from needing some workout songs to just wanting to sit outside and day dream for a little bit. Although here in Colorado we just went from 65f weather to two inches of snow so no daydreaming for us.
What selections were your favorites? How many of these composers have you heard before this list? Be sure to let us know in the comments and follow us on social media for more lists like these and more!
