THE NORTHMAN

Rob wanted the world of The Northman to feel harsh and uncomfortable, and foreverything to feel like it was caked in mud and dry blood, so it was crucial for thescore to mirror that. Composers Robin Carolan (Tri-Angle Records) and SebastianGainsborough (Vessel) were given a task of epic proportions when director Rob Eggers(The VVitch, The Lighthouse) asked them to create the score for his ambitious and highlyanticipated new film The Northman, releasing on April 22nd. They needed to make ascore that both honored the immense research that had gone into the authenticity of thisViking era period piece and complimented the cinematic maximalism of the film for amodern audience. The artists stretched themselves to the depths of their creativity and theresulting album is a gorgeous sonic tableaux that places the listener right in the center ofthe film.While arranging the score the composers consulted musician and ethnographer PoulHoxbro for inspiration and insight into the history of Viking music. Having backgroundsin left field electronic music, Robin and Sebastian felt liberated by the constraint of usinga small selection of musical tools for this piece. Electronic music has almost limitlesspotential when it comes to making sounds and that's obviously an incredible thing, butyou can also go down the wormhole and get lost in it sometimes. There's no risk ofthat happening when you only have a few primary instruments to draw upon. Robinremarked.They utilized traditional instruments such as the tagelharpa, langspil, kravik lyre, andsackpip to build the cinematic world of The Northman but they also took creativefreedoms in adding instruments likes drums, which some academics believe wouldn'thave played a big part in Viking musical culture, simply due to the lack of archaeologicalevidence of actual drums. One of the pieces we wrote was intended to emulate the soundof a bullroarer; an ancient instrument used in sacred rituals or in battle to intimidateenemies. It makes a really disorienting roaring vibrato sound and low frequencies capableof traveling insane distances. Robin says when asked about one of the more uniqueaspects of the score. Everyone involved put so much effort into both their research andtheir creativity and this richness is evident in every track. The album as a whole is acinematic masterpiece of sound and ambiance, both gorgeous and disturbing, like thefilm it so beautifully accompanies.

1. Approaching Hrafnsey
2. The King
3. Entering the Temple
4. Last Teardrop
5. Blood Tree, Part I
6. Strike Brother
7. Escape
8. I Will Avenge You Father
9. The Land of the Rus
10. A Burning Barn
11. Seeress
12. Raven's Omen
13. Storm at Sea / Yggdrasill
14. Iceland
15. I Will Save You Mother
16. Slave Work
17. Gudrun
18. Follow the Vixens Tail
19. He Witch
20. Draugr
21. Mound Dweller
22. To the Games
23. Birch Woods
24. First of Many
25. Trollish Sorcery
26. Svid Night Part I
27. Svid Night Part II
28. I Am Your Death
29. Come Morning
30. I Am His Vengeance
31. Odinn
32. Valkyrie
33. Vestrahorn
34. Hidden Valley
35. Blood Tree, Part II
36. Blod Inside / I Choose Both
37. A Maiden King
38. The Wolf Has Grown
39. The Gates of Hel / Slain By Iron
40. Hekla
41. Cut the Thread of Fate
42. Make Your Passage / Valholl
43. Aettartre / End Credits