Earthed 4 - Death or Glory, This is the latest in the series of ‘Earthed' films from Alex Rankin. The ‘Earthed' series of DVDs have a central focus on the Downhill World Cup events which makes them stand out from the typical Canadian Freeride films we get, not that I am knocking these films!

This film is very much in the line with the rest of the series. It has the usual quality soundtrack with the likes of Jane's Addiction and The Dead Kennedy's amongst many others. The filming concentrates on actually riding the courses. It gives you a great opportunity to watch close up the styles of the top riders in the sport. How they cope with the different courses and also how they fall off!

It has a lot of typical UK downhill action from the likes of Brendan Fairclough. By typical I mean the kind of loose soil, rooty and rocky trails you find at places like Wharncliffe Woods or the Forest of Dean. I have to say I wish they would let you know where these places are but I am sure with a bit of googling and forum hunting you could find them.

There are two sections from some of the best UK trail centres. First one being at Glentress taking in Spooky Wood and the Freeride park which makes me want to go there again very soon. Also some lovely footage of the Caddon Bank descent at Innerleithen which I had the pleasure of riding earlier this year. I would seriously recommend getting yourself booked on an uplift there now they are running again.

I think I was actually at the Drop Off café in Glyncorrg when they were filming the section at the Afan trails in South Wales. Watching this made me decide I want to go back there for the Bank Holiday weekend. It really gets across the fast and flowing nature of the trails and gets you fired up to ride.

The film follows all six rounds of the world cup and the one thing that came across for me in this DVD was just how tough these courses are! There is plenty of footage of the riders falling off which is something I was not used to seeing except in outtakes footage. Some exceptionally gnarly sections in the Mont Saint Anne and New Zealand courses!

There is a lot more to this DVD than just the Downhill action with a sections with Trials and Dirt Jumping. Also a chapter devoted to the girls of the DH scene.

All in all a quality film. I don't think the music was good as that on Earthed 3 (maybe that was because they didn't have any Pendulum or Arctic Monkeys) but the actually footage was great.

If you like riding Downhill or Trails then you will love this. For me it felt more realistic as much as I love watching Bearclaw wow me with Indian Airs and 360 tailwhips most of this felt like it was attainable.