Belly of the Beast

Not to be confused with Into the Belly of the Beast.

Belly of the Beast is the second track in Halo 4: Original Soundtrack.

Overview
The track features a rhythmic melody by synth and piano, accompanied by heavy percussion. The melody becomes more intense and rises in pitch, creating a sense of urgency, eventually building up to a climatic ending.

Appearances
The track can be heard:
 * In the campaign level Dawn, when John-117 exits the airlock from 's interior to its missile launchers.
 * In Episode 7, Chapter 3 of Spartan Ops, when Fireteam Crimson defends one of 's hangar bay after the hangar doors failed to close. This version is somewhat lighter, only featuring the percussion and synth melody.
 * In Episode 8 of Spartan Ops, Expendable, during the Halo: Infinity cinematic, when Gabriel Thorne and Gek 'Lhar fight each other, and the Infinity crew fight against the Promethean Knights.

Production notes

 * The track was conceived as the background music in Awakening, the 2011 Halo 4 announcement trailer. Initially, composer Neil Davidge and fellow arranger/producer Andrew Morgan thought of multiple ideas, including a relentless rhythm building up in intensity, and a long rising bowed piano line with synth increasing in pitch. They eventually combined the two ideas to create the track.
 * The name is based on the common phrase, which was also the name of the seventh movement in the track Long Night of Solace in Halo: Reach's original soundtrack. Additionally, it was a part of the phrase "Into the Belly of the Beast", which was the second chapter title in the Halo: Combat Evolved campaign level The Truth and Reconciliation, and later a soundtrack in Halo 2: Anniversary Original Soundtrack.