25 Greatest Musical Tracks From The Halo Series

23. Sacred Icon Suite - Halo 2

Straight from the archives of Halo 2 at #23 comes the "Sacred Icon Suite". Now there is a lot to be said about this wonderful piece of Halo audio. Not only does it come from one of my personal favorite levels in Halo 2, it audibly describes the Covenant as one singular force of power. Just by listening to the first several minutes we get a clear understanding that what they do, and why they do it, is for the will of the Gods and for their "Great Journey". The chorus gives off this feeling of a magnificent exodus that the Covenant are embarking on that shows off that grandeur element that makes Halo 2 such a memorable game. While it's visually compelling on all fronts, it's the audio in the end that truly shows off that spectacle, and the "Sacred Icon Suite" reveals that to the listener. The second half of the track takes a 180 degree turn and, instead of focusing on the plight of the Covenant, shifts to a mysterious, confined, and often times wondrous approach to Forerunner territory. The level for which this track plays on, "Sacred Icon" by no surprise), takes place on Installation 05, a Halo no doubt. So there will undoubtedly be Forerunner relics and foundations that will be explored by the player. The remaining audio for the "Sacred Icon Suite" takes on the challenge of building off the sounds used for Halo: Combat Evolved, where significant changes in pace and tone took place during the players' voyages through Forerunner monuments. In Halo 2 the audio seems to have taken a much more radical approach, revealing a much more digital and compressed sound than in the first game. When presented with gameplay that has the player fighting Forerunner creations, all of it makes perfect sense. And it makes it all the more compelling to play through.