That monk chant hits and suddenly it's 2001 again. Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori built the Halo: Combat Evolved soundtrack on a foundation that nobody expected from an Xbox launch title, mixing Gregorian vocals with rock guitar and orchestral weight like it was the most natural thing in the world.
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"Truth and Reconciliation Suite" is the one that proves this score operates on a cinematic level, building tension through layers that a first-person shooter had no business having. "Rock Anthem for Saving the World" does exactly what the title promises.
Then "Dust and Echoes" closes things out with this quiet, devastating stillness. The whole thing redefined what console game music could be. If you've somehow never actually sat down and listened to this front to back, you're overdue.