Greetings, Striver!
In the last dev diary, we delved deep into the combat of the game. This month, we will hear about the music. Simo Talasranta, the court composer of Still Running, has written and produced the fully orchestrated original soundtrack of Morbid: The Lords of Ire. Hear from him, how the score of the game has more to it than meets the ear.
Watch the brand new feature video, "The Music of Morbid: The Lords of Ire", where Simo talks about his craft below:
Morbid Motifs
The soundtrack of Morbid: The Lords of Ire has been composed using an interconnected network of leit motifs (musical themes). In addition to the Acolytes having their own themes, the game has three main motifs that present themselves in various rhythmic, harmonic, and instrumental combinations throughout your journey.
Musical Journey
A good example of the interconnected themes is the music in Hall of Redemption, which not only introduces all three main motifs, but also hides within its melody a phrase from each of the Acolytes’ themes. In other words, the music of the hub area subliminally sets up your entire journey, before you’ve barely embarked on it.
Instrumentation
For the most part, the soundtrack utilizes the instrumentation of a traditional symphonic orchestra accompanied by a choir. However, since the game is set across several realms with different cultures, some tracks take a steady step into the domain of fusion music, combining oriental, tribal, and even electric instruments into the mix.
The Acolytes
In Morbid games, the epic boss tracks have always been—and are still—the most prominent part of the score. They draw a stark contrast between the haunting desolation of the world, and the sudden piercing terror of the ungodly encounters therein.
Additionally, each Acolyte’s theme is carefully foreshadowed throughout the preceding level, so that once you reach the ruler of the realm, the thematic power of the boss music hits you that much harder.
The Culmination
Throughout the game, the three main motifs are prevalent, hidden in almost all the tracks. But only at the very end do they reach their full potential. In the final battle of the game, the three main motifs collide, playing perfectly on top of eachother, concluding your journey in a fierce storm of the three melodies.
Morbid: The Lords of Ire Original Soundtrack will be released on Spotify and other music platforms together with the game’s release on May 17th 2024.
If you haven't tried the demo yet be sure to play it now!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2171560/Morbid_The_Lords_of_Ire/
Keep up to date on all-things Morbid by checking out our Linktr.ee!