The award-winning composer collective Finishing Move, comprised of Brian Trifon, Brian Lee White, Jay Wiltzen, and Alex Klingle announced today the release of the DOOM: The Dark Ages (Original Game Soundtrack) will arrive worldwide on May 14, 2025, coinciding with the launch of the highly anticipated new chapter in the DOOM video game franchise.
Developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks, DOOM: The Dark Ages lets players explore never-before-seen worlds, take flight atop a fierce Mecha Dragon, pulverize Titans in a massive Atlan mech, and beat demons to a pulp in a cinematic action story worthy of the Slayer's legend. Finishing Move's original score delivers an intense and facemelting soundscape, blending metal electronic, and ultra-heavy, guitar-driven elements to match the game's dark new world, while staying true to DOOM's core themes of empowerment, aggression, and relentless momentum.
In celebration of the release, a private soundtrack launch event will be held, sponsored by BMI and Defiant Talent Management, honoring the composers behind one of the year's most anticipated video game scores.
To create a sound authentic to DOOM: The Dark Ages, Finishing Move blended early heavy metal influences, traditional folk instrumentation, modern production techniques, and creative organic sound design. Ancient instruments such as the Nordic bass tagelharpa, animal-hide drums, balalaika, and mandolin were layered with distorted guitars, mangled cello textures, and handcrafted rhythmic pulses. The result is a raw, primal sound that still delivers the heavy, adrenaline-fueled power fantasy fans expect from DOOM.
The music also mirrors DOOM: The Dark Ages "stand and fight" combat philosophy. The soundtrack leans into deliberate, steady grooves, evoking an unstoppable force marching through the armies of Hell. The score amplifies the sensation of dread, swagger, and empowerment that defines the Slayer's latest journey.
Recorded and mixed across Finishing Move's studios in Los Angeles, Vancouver, BC, and Edmonton, AB, the soundtrack was mastered by Shawn Hatfield at Audible Oddities in Colorado.
Standout tracks from the soundtrack that we're excited for fans to hear include "From the Ashes," which fuses classic '70s metal influences with apocalyptic fury, and "Into the Void," where Lovecraftian horror-inspired sound design brings the cosmic realms of DOOM to life. The heaviest track, "Divine Retribution," reimagines the Slayer motif in a lower tuning, delivering a brutal, high-intensity anthem as the Slayer fights back against Hell's seemingly endless hordes.
Said White, "We hope fans are going to love the combination of sounds we've cooked up for DOOM: The Dark Ages. Driving guitar riffs that harken back to the glory days of classic metal, set against a backdrop of gothic inspired orchestral beds and unconventional folk instrumentation, all wrapped up into a modern production aesthetic that matches the game's medieval yet technically futuristic settings. Also, you get to ride a freaking cybernetic Dragon to blast beats, need I say more? "
Klingle states, "It was an honor to help shape the sound of DOOM: The Dark Ages and contribute to the legacy the creative masterminds at id Software have built! Reimagining DOOM in a raw, medieval setting gave us the chance to explore wild textures, classic metal riff writing, and push organic sounds to their limit. Sometimes even playing instruments so aggressively to the point of breaking. It was all about capturing the Slayer's power in a world that feels ancient, brutal, and unmistakably DOOM."
Trifon added, "Working with Hugo Martin [Game Director], Marty Stratton [Studio Director] and the entire team at id software on this project has been an incredibly fulfilling experience for us. Hugo was such a cheerleader for our team as we came up with sketches and ideas, always pushing us just the right amount to match the unique vision for this project. We are so proud of the work we've done and think fans are going to love where we've taken the franchise."
Said Wiltzen, "It's been an incredible honor to take up the torch and compose music for DOOM: The Dark Ages; a legendary franchise we all grew up with. We had an absolute blast crafting the score, digging deep into the roots of metal and its many subgenres to forge thunderous riffs that fuse seamlessly with modern metal flavors. Blending that raw power with unorthodox folk instruments like the Tagelharpa, brutal synths, and horror-inspired strings, we aimed to create a visceral soundscape that mirrors the game's core duality—a brutal fusion of medieval savagery and galactic futurism."
"DOOM games have always had fantastic music, and I'm proud to say that the DOOM: The Dark Ages score stands on its own as another stellar entry into this historic franchise," said Hugo Martin, Game Director at id Software on DOOM: The Dark Ages. "Finishing Move is an enormously talented group. They brought energy and inspiration to our project and throughout development, I looked forward to every submission - as did the rest of the team. I think they captured the perfect tone for our game – sinister, cinematic and aggressive. Their work elevates the experience - those killer cinematic, dark-metal riffs pushing you to that next kill – seek and destroy. It was a pleasure working with them, and everyone at id Software thanks them for their collaboration."