Low, grinding synths. A literal skull used as a percussion instrument. It’s heavy. It's weirdly ancient. When Bethesda and ID Software dropped the trailer for Doom: The Dark Ages, the internet didn’t just look at the shield saw; they heard the sound of a new era. People immediately started asking the same question: Who is the Doom Dark Ages music composer, and why does this feel like a medieval war drum mixed with a chainsaw?
Music is the soul of Doom. Without that rhythmic, violent pulse, you’re just a guy in green armor jumping around. But the transition from the industrial metal of Eternal to the "Dark Ages" vibe is a massive creative pivot. It’s not just about being loud anymore. It’s about being old.
Who is actually scoring the Doom Dark Ages soundtrack?
The industry was shook when Mick Gordon and ID Software had their very public, very messy fallout over the Doom Eternal OST. It was a tragedy for fans. Gordon’s work on the 2016 reboot basically invented a new genre of "Argent Metal." After the drama, Andrew Hulshult and David Levy stepped in for the Ancient Gods DLCs. They did a killer job. Hulshult, specifically, is a legend in the "boomer shooter" scene, having worked on Dusk and Quake Champions.
But for The Dark Ages, the credits have a specific name leading the charge: Andrew Hulshult.
Hulshult isn’t just a "composer" in the corporate sense. The guy is a metalhead who understands the specific "crunch" Doom requires. However, the sound we're hearing in the previews suggests a collaborative effort or at least a massive shift in his personal toolkit. It’s less "computer glitching in hell" and more "barbarian horde at the gates."
Honestly, the pressure on the Doom Dark Ages music composer is astronomical. You aren't just writing songs; you're competing with the ghost of Mick Gordon while trying to define a prequel aesthetic. It’s a tightrope walk over a pit of fire.
The shift from Industrial to "Stone and Bone"
The 2016 soundtrack was all about "sine waves through a distortion pedal." It was techy. The Dark Ages is the opposite. Based on the reveal footage, the sonic palette is heavily organic. You can hear deep, resonant chanting. There are thudding, acoustic drums that sound like they were recorded in a cathedral made of ribs.
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What’s fascinating is how the music mimics the gameplay. In The Dark Ages, the Slayer is slower, more deliberate. He has a cape. He has a flail. The music reflects this by leaning into slower tempos but higher "weight."
Why the "Dark Ages" sound matters
If you look at the history of game scoring, sequels usually just go "bigger." Louder drums, more violins. But ID Software is doing something different here. They are going backwards in time to find something more aggressive.
- Ancient Instruments: Rumors and early audio analysis suggest the use of hurdy-gurdies, but heavily processed.
- The Choir: Unlike the "Heavy Metal Choir" of Eternal, this sounds more like Gregorian chants gone wrong.
- Percussion: There is a distinct lack of "clicky" modern metal kicks. It’s all "thump."
It’s kind of brilliant. By changing the instruments, the Doom Dark Ages music composer forces the player to feel like they are in a different time period, even if they are still shooting plasma bolts. It’s world-building through frequency.
The Andrew Hulshult Factor
Andrew Hulshult is basically the king of modern retro-shooter music. If you’ve played Amid Evil or Blood Fresh Supply, you know his work. He has this uncanny ability to take 90s MIDI vibes and turn them into modern wall-of-sound masterpieces.
But Doom: The Dark Ages is his biggest stage yet.
Some fans were worried that without Gordon’s "special sauce" (the complex modular synth routing), Doom would lose its edge. But Hulshult is a guitar player at heart. He brings a rhythmic stability that The Dark Ages needs. The gameplay we've seen shows a Slayer who is more of a tank than a ninja. Hulshult’s riffs are thick. They have a "swing" to them that feels like a heavy mace hitting a shield.
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There’s also the David Levy element. Levy’s work on The Ancient Gods was incredibly cinematic. If the two are collaborating again, you get a mix of Hulshult’s raw aggression and Levy’s atmospheric, "big-screen" texture.
Technical challenges of the "Prequel" sound
How do you make a soundtrack sound like it’s from the "Dark Ages" without it sounding like a boring Renaissance fair? That’s the puzzle.
The Doom Dark Ages music composer has to avoid the clichés of fantasy music. No tinkly harps. No soaring, heroic trumpets. It has to stay "Doom." This means taking medieval sounds—pipes, bells, animal skin drums—and putting them through the same meat grinder of distortion that the series is known for.
Basically, it's "Medieval Industrial."
It’s about the "brown sound." In music production, that’s often used to describe a warm, gritty guitar tone. For this game, the sound is earthy. It’s the sound of dirt, blood, and rusted iron. You can hear it in the way the bass interacts with the kick drum in the trailer. It doesn't sound digital. It sounds like something being dragged across a stone floor.
Misconceptions about the soundtrack
A lot of people think that because it's a "Dark Ages" game, the metal is gone. That’s just wrong. If anything, the metal is more "Doom Metal" (the genre) than ever.
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- "It’s just orchestral now." Nope. The guitars are still there, they just sound more "fuzzy" and "sludgy" rather than "sharp" and "mechanical."
- "Mick Gordon is secretly back." He isn't. As much as we love his work, the bridge is burnt. It’s time to move on and appreciate what the new blood is bringing to the table.
- "It’ll sound like Skyrim." Absolutely not. This isn't "Dragonborn" music. This is "I’m going to beat a demon to death with its own leg" music.
What to expect when the game drops
When you finally get your hands on the game, pay attention to the dynamic music system. Doom uses a "layered" approach where the intensity of the music scales with your "glory kills" and combat flow.
For the Doom Dark Ages music composer, this is a nightmare to program but a dream to listen to. You’ll likely hear the "ancient" elements—the chanting and the bells—during the exploration phases. But the moment you rev up that shield-saw? The heavy 8-string guitars will likely drop in, filtered to sound like they are coming from the bottom of a well.
It’s about the contrast. The beauty of the Argent D'Nur architecture mixed with the absolute filth of the combat.
Actionable insights for fans and creators
If you’re a fan or a budding composer inspired by this specific sound, here is how you can dig deeper into the "Doom Dark Ages" aesthetic:
- Listen to the "Dungeon Synth" genre: It’s a niche underground movement that uses old-school synth sounds to create medieval atmospheres. It’s a huge influence on this style.
- Study "War Metal" bands: Look at bands like Bolt Thrower. They have that "heavy machinery in a muddy field" sound that The Dark Ages seems to be channeling.
- Watch Andrew Hulshult’s YouTube channel: He often breaks down how he gets his guitar tones. It’s a masterclass in modern metal production.
- Focus on "Low-End" clarity: If you’re making your own music, notice how the Doom Dark Ages music composer leaves room for the sound effects. The music "ducks" when the Slayer fires a weapon, making the whole experience feel like one cohesive machine.
The transition to a medieval setting isn't just a visual gimmick. It’s a total sonic overhaul. While we miss the pioneers of the past, the future of Doom’s sound is in hands that clearly respect the source material while being unafraid to get a little mud on their boots. Andrew Hulshult and the team at ID are carving out a new identity—one skull-drum at a time.