Greetings, Adventurers!

Relive your favorite moments from New World: Aeternum through the official soundtrack, available now on Spotify and Amazon Music. Whether you want to feel that sense of discovery from the new in-game cinematics, the thrill of challenging the Hive of Gorgons, or the mystique of previously unreleased Expedition themes, there’s over an hour of music for every kind of Adventurer. We also caught up with some of the composers, including indie composer Joel Schoch from Switzerland, to learn how they brought the iconic sounds of Aeternum to life.

Behind the Scenes

Hive of Gorgons

Michael Finley: “We wanted to explore a fresh take on the music that was different from what we’ve done in the game before. To capture the essence of the Hercyne, we wanted primal, animalistic sounds that felt raw and authentic. I’ve been a fan of Joel Schoch for a while, so I knew his unique style would lead us into some exciting musical territory. Joel has a real gift for bringing music to life in unconventional ways, using everyday objects like a steam cleaner, kitchen oven, and weed cutter to create captivating sounds.”

Joel Schoch: “An important inspiration for me was my exchange with Sound Designer Michael Finley about the physical nature of the bosses. What material are they made of? How do they move? The great concept art also helped, of course. From this, I first thought about how I could creatively design the instrumentation of the percussive elements. Every element that can be heard in the soundtrack was recorded for real. This is a bit of my trademark, as I prefer to work this way and am convinced of the organic quality.”

Michael: “I set a few creative constraints to help shape our direction. I wanted Joel to save the percussive drum intensity for the big boss moments, creating a clearer contrast between the ambient and boss tracks. For the ambient tracks, I aimed to dial back the combat feel. So rather than using heavy percussion all the time, I wanted players to soak in a different kind of tension. We sought to create a gradual build-up of tension across all the ambient tracks, ensuring that it didn’t hit you over the head but instead swelled and surged.”

“Joel worked his magic by applying granular swarm-like audio processing and echo to some of his musical props, such as trumpets and string instruments, combined with non-tonal sounds like pebbles and gravel. This approach also emphasized the visual dichotomy represented in the raid, highlighting the purity of the baths and architecture versus the impurity of the Hercyne that tainted them.”

Echidna

Joel: “The orchestration of the Echidna is a fascinating blend of everyday sounds—foot pegs, ovens, and the snorting steam of an iron—all coming together to breathe musical life into the piece. This is beautifully complemented by the incredible talent of my guest musicians, like Erkyah Rzepka on violin, Jo Flüeler on cello, and Tillman Ostendarp on trombone. One of my favorite moments is the melody at the end of the Echidna track. My brain gifted it to me an hour before the crucial trombone session!”

Michael: “For the voice of the Echidna, I wanted to avoid using human or animal sounds altogether. This great creature is composed of tough rock and thick, gnarled wood, so I aimed to source sounds that felt even more fundamental in nature. I used the sound of bowing plants heavily processed and distorted, so that they became unrecognizable from the original source. This approach perfectly captured the essence of a being made from thick wood and rugged rock. The bowed plants provided emotive sound material with expressive tones that really resonated. My goal was for the voice to cut through the music without overpowering it, functioning almost like an additional musical layer on top of the score.”

The Wolf

Joel: “For the ‘Wolf boss,’ the sharp, bared teeth reminded me of the scythe in my parents' cellar — a tool that embodies both danger and precision. To capture that essence, I visited them and began rhythmically sharpening the scythe, letting the sound resonate and inspire me. In my creative process, I strive to approach music with the curiosity and playfulness of a small child. I keep my ears open to the world around me, allowing everyday sounds to spark ideas and ignite my imagination.”

Brood Mother

Michael: “I mapped out the emotional arc of the raid to give Joel a clear understanding of how to build and weave the music to reflect the characters' feelings. The Brood Mother was our biggest challenge from this perspective. Her backstory is that she was Medusa, transformed into a monster against her will, and her identity has been forever changed. She is trying to recover from her tragedy, but her intentions have become warped. I wanted the Brood Mother to sound horrifying yet troubled and filled with remorse. My favorite part of the track that captures this is the middle section where all the heavy drums drop out. In that moment, a cacophony of sad, remorseful-sounding violins takes over, and it’s fantastic.”

Joel: “Creating the music for the final boss, the ‘Brood Mother,’ was a big challenge for me. On one hand, she is the largest and most powerful boss, while on the other, she embodies a tragic figure who attacks out of motherly feelings. My task was to convey both the size and weight of this character through countless recordings, capturing the deep, resonant sounds of tightening strings. At the same time, I aimed to weave in that second, more tragic dimension, which added a layer of complexity to the composition. One of my favorite moments in the track is when the totally chaotic and crazy sounds of the flutes and cello unleash, reflecting the Brood Mother's wild emotional state and creating an intense atmosphere.”

Revamped Edengrove Settlement

Matthew Carl Earl: “When I first saw Caliburne, I immediately knew I wanted to go for a slightly somber folk sound. Something that hints at a long, proud history of the people that settled here. Using transverse flute and Irish whistles backed up by guitars and harp, I thought this should help sell the intimacy of the small settlement. While the subtle orchestra and choir places the sound into the atmosphere of Edengrove.”

Brimstone Sands Arena

Matthew: “The Brimstone Sands Arena was a ton of fun. We really went wild tossing out ideas about how to make the arena really feel like a brutal gladiatorial battle. Jean-Edouard and I got a bunch of the folks from our studio to come in and record these chants from the Brimstone Sands theme in time with the music so it sounds like a huge sports crowd pumping you up at the beginning of each round. We also recorded a bunch of interesting melodies from detuned guitars, zourna, baglama saz, various flutes, and even bagpipe chanters to give this zone its own unique ethnic flavor.”

Mount Races

Matthew: “I viewed the mount races as a way to quickly showcase each zone’s musical tone. As you quickly run between the checkpoints, you can’t help but notice the beautiful visuals that give you so much of what you need to know about each zone in a sort of ‘show-don’t-tell’ kinda way. I wanted the music to further increase this effect by immediately letting you know the emotional atmosphere of the zone during a short race, while at the same time giving players a fun, fast paced track to encourage them to the next checkpoint.“

Grace O’Malley

Obadiah Brown-Beach: “Grace O’Malley was such a joy to score. I wanted to capture her bold entrance and pirate-like flare with some pounding clavichord and staccato strings. And then on top of that, craft a more jig-like melodic motif through the mandolin, uillean pipes, bodhran, and Irish whistle to capture her whimsical, adventurous nature. This melody shifts from solo instruments in Dorian mode to give sense of lightness, and later moves to the strings and into a minor key to depict a greater sense of epicness as she sails off into the sunset.“

Empty Throne Cinematic

Obadiah: “In the Empty Throne cinematic, I wanted to convey a sense of solemnity by using a piano reverberating in the emptiness of the throne room along with some sparse solo strings. This same theme is used throughout, but continuously morphs into varying instrumentation, ensemble size, and keys in order to convey the changes in the story. For example, I used much bigger orchestral ensembles, substituted major chords into the otherwise minor scale, and made use of brass as the main instruments to convey the sense of regal pride, and hope of Arturius, his knights, as well as Jin Jae’s arrival. I also added more moving woodwinds, string arpeggios, choir, percussion, and some subtle distorted synth into the mix to portray the epic conflict and danger of the corrupted and Myrddin.“

Medea, the Soul Wardens, and more

Sterling Maffe: “My approach mainly consisted of a traditional orchestra, but with emphasis on some instruments that could capture both a sophisticated and folklike, rustic tone. A solo cello, with its strings loosened (nearly to the point of falling off) produced a deep, rumbling, and groaning sound that seemed to perfectly complement some of the ancient and spiritual moments in the game. The visually stunning artwork for the cutscenes was also incredibly inspiring. It enabled moments of seamless marriage between the visuals and the music, elevating the storytelling and inspiring fresh themes and melodies for Medea, the island of Aeternum, and the Soul Wardens.“

Trouble with Oxboro

Steven Grove: “When I began composing for Trouble with Oxboro, I envisioned a musical backdrop that would evoke the Renaissance period, blending historical authenticity with a sense of drive to keep the player engaged. To create this, I used the hurdy-gurdy alongside solo strings, which serve as a rhythmic "motor," providing the necessary momentum to propel the player through the narrative. As Grace’s story unfolds, the music mirrors her journey, growing in intensity and complexity to reflect the emotional peaks and pivotal moments of her narrative."

Winter Rune Forge Trial

Steven: “The icy environments of the Winter Rune Forge demanded a sound palette that captured the chilling and ethereal atmosphere of a frozen landscape. To achieve this, I incorporated waterphone recordings, bowed cymbals, airy string tremolos, and glassy effects, all working together to evoke a sense of cold isolation. For the encounter with the ancient Ice Boss, we experimented with a heavily processed solo violin, which weaved in and out of the score, adding to the tension. The violin’s melody shifts between major and minor intervals, creating an unsettling, yet mesmerizing sound that conjures an exotic and otherworldly ambience, complementing the boss’s formidable and menacing aura.”

Grace and Nessa Argue

Robert Wolf: “I scored the scene between Grace and Nessa where they discuss what should happen to the gemstone. I wanted to give Nessa’s arguments more weight. The calm string textures paired with a flute melody indicate that the gemstone should be returned to its rightful place instead of getting sold off for money.”

Mount Music

Ramin Djawadi and Brandon Campbell: "The vast landscapes and regions in New World have always been very inspiring. We particularly enjoyed writing music for the mounts. Whether it was the lion, wolf, or horse, it allowed us to play with new melodies and experiment with different colors. We tried to give each animal a unique sound to encourage players to explore Aeternum on their animal friends.“

Which songs from our latest soundtrack are your favorites? Look forward to even more immersive music alongside your future adventures on the Eternal Isle.

Thanks for your support!

We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Dec 18 2024

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