Composer and music producer Tom Salta's award-winning music soundtrack for Red Steel is now available at iTunes music stores worldwide and will also be released to retail on CD by Persist Records / Sumthing Distribution at the end of the month.

Renowned for his versatility and prolific writing styles, Salta’s highly acclaimed musical score immerses gamers in the unique gunplay and swordplay actions set in modern-day Japan. The Red Steel Original Soundtrack marks the first Ubisoft video game music score to be released as a digital download.

“We’re really happy to make this possible, especially with Tom’s spectacular work on Red Steel,” said Didier Lord, Executive Director of Ubisoft Music. “It’s an important move as it will be Ubisoft’s first soundtrack released on major digital distribution channels – the first of many to come.”

To ensure the authenticity of the game’s soundtrack, Salta arranged and recorded traditional live Japanese instrumentation such as Koto, Shamisen, Shakuhachi and Taiko performed by expert Japanese musicians including the specialist percussion group Taikoza. The score also features performances from conservatory-trained Japanese opera singers and renowned violinist Lili Haydn.

In order to reflect the diverse and Western-influenced soundtrack of fashionable Tokyo, Salta further embellished the soundtrack with a wide spectrum of music styles – such as orchestral, electronic, rock, hip hop, dance, easy listening, jazz, lounge and Japanese pop – that embrace the game’s cinematic story and vibrant locations.

The Red Steel soundtrack received numerous accollades for its unique approach and vibrant musical palette, including 2006 Best Original Score from IGN, who commented, “The selection not only has a richness and definition often lacking in video games, but the compositions are catchy and memorable, too.” In this Wii exclusive game, players master both the ancient art of the Katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms.

Tom Salta’s other video game credits include the original score for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, which features a dynamic, emotional music soundtrack recorded with the Hollywood Studio Symphony and Choir. He also penned the score for the first game, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, which was nominated for Best Video Game Score at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. Recording under the artist name Atlas Plug (www.atlasplug.com), Salta is currently working on the follow-up to his acclaimed debut solo album, 2 Days or Die.

For more information on Tom Salta, visit tomsalta.com.