The Top 10 Rock And Heavy Metal Soundtracks From Video Games
January 3, 2023, a year ago
There is a good reason why many of us consider music to be medicine to the soul. Some of us enjoy playing music as we perform complex tasks or day-to-day chores, to calm down, for inspiration, and much more.
But for gamers, soundtracks offer a lot more. Like in movies and TV shows, great video game soundtracks are magical and can transform a decent game into a classic. They boost engagement and ultimately build a game’s popularity.
The special relationship between video games and heavy metal or rock soundtracks began in the eighties. These genres have been incorporated into different games to get gamers riled up. We cannot forget the rock and metal soundtracks that have given life to mentionable video games which you can download it for free on Romspedia.com. Here are our ten choices that have made their mark.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
When Metal Gear Rising was released in 2013, video game fanatics were astounded. The quality and touch were what gamers needed. This soundtrack was more than the typical background noise gamers had been accustomed to and delivered an enjoyable experience. It offered a metal feel fused with a somewhat rock style with heavy drum attributes and a bass that made you just keep going.
Jamie Christopherson and Konami composed and produced this soundtrack without missing the game’s combat touch. Despite the game having focused on action, gamers talked highly about how its sophisticated cutting system and stealth mission paired nicely with the soundtrack.
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto was one of the most critically acclaimed and prominent video game series hits. But that was not all. The series served gamers with great soundtracks.
The plot of Grand Theft Auto 5 was a lot more than you could gather from an initial glance. The colorful characters and the notable heist tied up the game’s main events, but the rock soundtrackdid it more justice. Featuring a complete library stack, GTA included various rock bands and big names such as FIDLAR, Tyler, Wavves, and The Creator, just to name a few.
Fortnite
Just the other day, Metallica’s Master of Puppets earned massive popularity for being a soundtrack in the Stranger Things season finale. But once again, the band has proved that 2022 has been huge for them.
The same soundtrack has now gotten an additional boost, having been featured in the highly acclaimed battle-style video game Fortnite. This is an excellent thing for metal and obviously very cool. Master of Puppets is a purchasable emote in Fortnite that allows up to four gamers to emulate Metallica.
Many Fortnite fans were probably not yet born when Master of Puppets was released, and the song may be unheard of to them. However, this song has now opened doors for new Fortnite and metal fans.
Splatterhouse
If you were a fan of horror games in the 80s, you definitely loved Splatterhouse. This hit arcade game got you into the company of zombies and different nasty creatures. The slicing and dicing in this horrific game were just what metalhead gamers needed.
There was no better way to complement the plot than adding music from metal bands like Mastodon, Lamb of God, The Accused, The Haunted, and Five Finger Death Punch.
Tony Hawk, Pro Skater
Most entries into this series have given gamers absolute rock bangers. Tony Hawk has been popular when it comes togaming matters throughout his career. Hisfirst two games were considered part of the series' best games from their kickflips and grind rails.
The series’ games introduced a punk feel in gaming while showcasing bands like Bad Religion, The Offspring, and Rage Against the Machine.
Unfortunately, not all songs returned in later series entries, but the remakes gave you the fun you needed while gaming.
Brütal Legend
Tim Chafer designed Brütal Legend with the idea of the game’s landscape having an 80s metal record feel. The game featured some of the most incredible voices ever heard from metal artists like Rob Halford, Lita Ford, Ozzy Osbourne, and Lemmy Kilmister, elevating Brutal legend to its status.
Tim made sure that the music in Brütal Legend had a touch of his previous musical experience. This was his main inspiration for incorporating a massive collection of metal songs in this video game.
The game had more than seventy metal bands, and each track was made for metalhead gamers. Symptom of the Universe, Painkiller, Mr Crowley, and Goliaths Disarm Their Davids were just some of the legendary tracks in this game.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty was one of the most popular FPS games that featured some of the best metal songs. Avenged Sevenfold, a heavy metal band hailing from Florida, had several songs in the Call of Duty franchise. Songs like Not Ready to Die, Nightmare, and Carry On were part of the COD Black Ops and Black Ops 2.
Black Ops3 and 4 didn’t go without some metal, and again Avenged Sevenfold composed Jade Helm and Mad Hate for the games, respectively. Honestly, with the metal history Call of Duty has given us, we expect to hear more metal songs in games to come.
Doom
The Doom series was known for its gritty and raw metal soundtrack. It perfectly complemented the violent and gore-packed gameplay.
Mick Gordon composed Doom Eternal to start things off and also took part in Doom 2016’s and the Wolfenstein series soundtracks. Doom’s soundtracks really amped up your adrenaline as you proceeded to the next level.
This video game may not have had a flourishing artist attached to it compared to many on this list. Nevertheless, the soundtrack was very strong. The MIDI form and downright metal music made the game catchy and highly impressive.
Quake
Trent Reznor composed Quake, and it was released to the world in 1996. This was a collaboration between Nine Inch Nails and Id Software.
As per Reznor, the soundtrack mixed music, ambiences and textures that were meant to evoke a frightening mood and an adrenaline-fueled shootout. This was a fun and excellent buildup of the game’s atmosphere- the twisted creatures, blasting ogres, and lava dungeons.
If you listen to the Quake soundtrack today, you will confirm that Reznor outdid himself. The same taste it came with still lingers.
Halo 2
Halo was defined by an aesthetic packed with endless vibrance and an organic scene marked with shocking alien architecture. This continued in Halo 2, a legendary video game title that had a lot of heavy music to offer alongside its unforgettable intro theme.
The music was perfectly paired with Michael Salvatori and Martin O’Donnell’s orchestras. It drummed the artists’ iconic scores while giving gamers ghostly choirs and electric guitars that soaked up the spotlight. The game also contained original songs and input from legendary bands like Breaking Benjamin, Hoobastank and Incubus.
Even to this date, it is almost impossible to imagine a differently-sounding galactic warfront.
Final Thoughts
Video game soundtracks have always been crucial, even with the massive evolution they have undergone. Many decades ago, video game soundtracks departed from being the typical calm orchestras and string quartets into more emotion-encapsulating rock and heavy metal creations.
If you are a metalhead gamer, spice up your gaming sessions with the games' soundtracks on our list. Some go way back.