Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 9

Not all zombie music has to be serious.

Jonathon Coulton's 'Re: Your Brains' is pleasant little ditty that I'm rather fond of. Not necessarily the tune you want to hear in the scenario critical moment that one decision or dice roll means that your favourite character either saves the day or is doomed to walk the earth as a flesh-hungry ghoul, but great when you're playg a something quick, easy and fun.

This song became the unofficial anthem of ZombieLarp when they were running thier events regularly and was used in the 'Behind the Scenes' Player Room video we made back in 2010.

 

It's a fun song and quite a welcome respite from all the hardcore techno, metal, haunting strings and discordant piano melodies that the genre is so well known for.

Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 8

No Zombie Gaming playlist would be complete without the Resident Evil Soundtracks.

The score form the first Resident Evil movie features an awesome blend of orchestral work and industrial techno and Metal, a theme that continues through all of the Resident Evil movies.

However you feel about the transfer of Alice from video game to the big screen, the film's soundtracks stand alone as an epic background to any Zombie Gaming night.

Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 7

Bear McCreary is a name that has popped up quite a bit in recently years, if you're a bit of a nerd. The American born composer and musician lives in Los Angeles California. Not only does he have an awesomely manly name, he is also responsible for the soundtracks for the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead and Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. among other things.

He also composed the theatrical film score to Step Up 3D... which is actually rather good... but less talked about, certainly by most Walking Dead fans.

Although he studied under the legendary Elmer Bernstein he has undoubtedly created his own sound which, whilst clearly versatile, shows a superb understanding of pace and timing and is quite distinctive.

Bear McCreary normally works with a limited pool of musicians, typically around 10, often using less traditional instruments, with a considerable emphasis on percussion and the deliberate inclusion of discordant counter harmonies, his themes are subtle and build into considerable crescendos.

Bear McCreary's instantly recognisable opening theme to The Walking Dead is a great example of how this works and is a perfect mood-enhancer for any Zombie Board Game, Card Game or  Zombie Miniatures game.

Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 6

The video game itself was kinda Marmite, some loved it, and some really couldn't get along with it.

I was in the former camp and from a score perspective it set the scene perfectly.

The Walking Dead Video Game's score is full on small town America gone sour, slow lilting melodies, minor key strings with hints of mournful bluegrass guitar reminiscent of Ennio Moricone's spaghetti western years.

Jarred Emmerson-Johnson's accompaniment to the game is a slow burner and is far less dramatic than many other zombie themes but it's great for game build up and those character driven moments where you're just not sure if one of your favourite characters is going to make it. I've painted to is numerous times, just don't expect it to leave you feeling happy, hopeful or in any way good about surviving the apocalypse.

Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 4

Zombies were human once... they just went and got a little bit bitten by another zombie.

For the most part my zombie gaming playlist is pretty serious, full of dark, brooding soundtracks and ambient incidental music. If I was playing a 'serious' tabletop rpg, I'd keep this out of the list, otherwise, it's all good.

So without further ado, we present 'In the heart of every zombie is a man', by Chris Pickenpaugh.

Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 3

There seems to me to be, for the most part, three typical styles of music when it comes to zombie movies or games in recent years.

Techno/Industrial, Rock/Metal and creepy sinister and often discordant orchestral

He's something from the first category from two rather clever chaps... Tomandandy that finds a firm place in my zombie gaming playlist.

I wasn't so exactly sold on Resident Evil when it I first encountered it, it was the sci-fi element that kinda put me off.

It's certainly not that I don't like sci-fi, I love it, I just prefer my zombies in the more classic sense, even if I don't mind the running 'infected'.

Now... the whole franchise has really grown on me and despite the purist roots, for me the likes of Resident Evil, Left4Dead and Zombicide have created a firm place for 'mutant' undead.

Here's a track from Resident Evil: Afterlife



Music for Zombie Gaming - Part 1

I don't know about you, but when I get into something, I REALLY get into something.

You know; watch the movie, read the book, wear the t-shirt and listen to the theme tune... whilst drinking a cup of tea from a mug with a bio-hazard logo on it... that kind of thing.

Music has been a massive part of my life for years. Before I got a real job I was a working musician. Click on the EP cover below and you can listen to one of our tracks from 1997.Yes, that's me on bass and lead vocal. Sheesh, 97 feels like a long time ago these days!

When I'm playing a game miniatures game, board game or working on a hobby project, I usually gravitate towards film, television and video game soundtracks.

So for a bit of variety, I'll be posting some of my favourite zombie gaming tracks.

Johnny Cash is not who I naturally think of when it comes to the Zombie Apocalypse in musical form but the use of 'The Man Comes Around' during the closing credits of the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead nailed it for me. This track made the playlist pretty early on.