If ever there were a piece of targeted marketing, Resident Evil is it. The computer game turned silver screen smash, now in its third manifestation, has been beguiling every testosterone-fuelled, WWF watching young buck from East Ham to Estonia since the turn of the Millennium.

At first glance this album risks playing as little more than a Roadrunner Records sampler. Not that this necessarily degrades its credibility, it's just that they retail at a third of the price...

However with 18 tracks, there is certainly enough variety to satisfy even the most diverse of rock fan's rabid appetite, with appearances ranging from Rammstein to Rob Zombie.

Merely two tracks in, and we are treated to the spectacle that is Robert Smith as an (apparently) revitalised The Cure show they're simply refusing to take the make up off and put an end to those vicious "he must be related to Jo Brand" rumours. Sadly their reworked goth pop vision is terribly short-sighted and dull.

However, if there is one track that stands out like a 17-year old British Olympic boxer on his way to superstardom, it is indubitably Killswitch Engage's The End Of Heartache, which will no doubt guarantee that the melodic thrashers sell truckloads more. Let's just hope it's featured in the film for more than five seconds!

Cradle of Filth contribute the "exclusive", "as yet unreleased" title track from their new album Nymphetamine. This proves to be a slight step up for the Essex lads - who knows, soon they may even be able to sell a record based upon musical prowess rather than blasphemy and make up... Then again...

Carrying on the shock rock theme but falling way, way short of even qualifying for the semi-finals of scariness is the farce that is Devildriver with the abhorrent Stories. Coal Chamber were amusing for, oh about 5 minutes (Loco. The End.) - unfortunately Devildriver don't even have the make up to giggle at.

Conversely, with their latest orchestral dissolution Mein Teil, Rammstein epitomise all that is depraved and truly twisted, and I don't even want to know what their lyrics mean.

The post punk/harcore/emo style school is also represented fairly well for all you skinny fit lads with silly fringes. Thrice and The Used both have strong tracks in the shape of Under A Killing Moon and Just A Little. 36 Crazyfists continue to be the hottest thing out of Alaska since polar bear poo with the awesome Bloodwork.

Album fillers include tail-end nu-metallers Cold with the acoustic End Of The World, an intriguing Duran Duran cover from Deftones and yet another whiny ballad from Scandinavian scallywags HIM.

The biggest disappointment for yours truly is that for reasons unbeknown to me, Finland's answer to Lacuna Coil and Theatre Of Tragedy - Nightwish - have succeeded in gazumping heavy metal's best kept secret, Demon Hunter off of the European version of the album. This is a truly criminal act, as the song in question (Nemo) doesn't even appear in the film, and is merely included under the "(Music from)....and inspired by" tag at the end of the subtitle. Songs inspired by Resident Evil 3 written 18 months before its conception? Hmm, is prophetic metal set to become the next big thing?

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