In the Gathering Dark is the first installment of an unofficial "Lord of the Rings" triptych. The title refers to a moment in the second film where, as two massive armies brace for a cataclysmic battle, a narrator reminds the audience that "in the gathering dark, the Ring’s power continues to grow." This struck me as a particularly vivid image: the gradual descent of darkness and dread. The music is largely minimalist (a pulse-based style developed by John Adams, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and others), with explosive moments. – Kimberly K. Archer