Tip of the Spear (music)

Tip of the Spear is the fifth track (Disc 1 Track 5) included in Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack, and plays mainly in the Halo: Reach campaign level Tip of the Spear. It is composed of Unreconciled (0:00-3:09), Any Means Necessary (3:09-3:59), Eyes on the Prize (3:59-5:11), and Breaking Point (5:11-6:05).

Unreconciled (3:09) opens with low strings invoking the triplet rhythms from the Halo Theme. High strings join in, building up to a triplet rhythm, accompanied by percussion. High strings transition into the main melody, slowing down briefly before entering a trembling solo. Percussion returns, followed by low strings and chorus singing the Halo Gregorian chant, and then the melody of high strings from the second section of Truth and Reconciliation Suite (from Halo: Original Soundtrack). Low strings continue, accompanied by high strings playing the melody. Together the two build up to a climatic ending in which all instruments played the triplet rhythm of the Halo theme, ending with a single note. The first section plays in the opening cinematic of the level Tip of the Spear. A percussion-only version plays when Noble Six commandeers the M12R Rocket Warthog and drives to the first Type-38 Tyrant. A strings-only version with low percussion plays when Jorge-052 and Noble Six ride the UH-144 Falcon to Spire One. The first section plays again in the opening cinematic of the level The Pillar of Autumn. The piece plays in full during the credits of Halo: Reach.

Any Means Necessary (0:50) features synth notes and digital effects, accompanied by percussion which takes over for the second half. The piece plays when Noble Six moves southwards after destroying the first Tyrant.

Eyes on the Prize (1:12) opens with ambient synth, joined by percussion and brass. It ends with synth notes. A version without percussion plays when Noble Six arrives at the BXR mining facility. The full version plays when Noble Six attacks the second Tyrant.

Breaking Point (0:54) features low tempo heavy percussive beats. It fades out for an ending. The piece plays when Noble Six enters Spire One.

Production notes

 * Unreconciled was composed as a "big heroic piece". O'Donnell maintained the use of major, minor, and atonal harmonies from the music in the Halo trilogy, but also incorporated Phrygian mode into its melody, particularly using the notes G-A♭-G-F-G (1-2-1-7-1 on the key of G) from the scale as the signature motive for Halo: Reach. During its initial composition on the piano, O'Donnell struggled to find an ending for the piece until during an attempt titled "Unreconciled2".
 * Structurally, Unreconciled bears resemblance to Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, a piece from Finale in the Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack.
 * Both pieces start with strong melodies. Usually it is a theme already played from the soundtrack, or reminiscences froam the other soundtracks.
 * The pieces relax toward the middle, and the climax is based on other music from the Halo series, including the Halo Theme and the arpeggios in Truth and Reconciliation Suite in Unreconciled, and the alto saxophone theme most evident in Overture, Rain (from Deference for Darkness), and Street Sweeper (from Traffic Jam) in Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack.
 * Finally, as the piece end, a modified version of its opening plays again, both pieces have piano arpeggios at this section, and the music finally closes to a big finale.
 * The name Unreconciled is a reference to the track Truth and Reconciliation Suite. It likely also alludes to UNSC forces and the Covenant forces being "unreconciled". Incidentally, the similarly-named piece Reconciled (from Behold a Pale Horse in Halo 3: Original soundtrack) is a rearrangement of the first section of Truth and Reconciliation Suite.
 * The names Any Means Necessary and Eyes on the Prize are direct quotes from Carter-A259 during the level.