Ranking All The Songs from the Doom Eternal Soundtrack

Doom Eternal

The video game, Doom Eternal, serves as a sequel to the original first-person shooter game, Doom. It is actually the fifth game released in the Doom series, all published by Bethesda Softworks. Doom Eternal was released on March 20, 2020, as a multi-platform game that can be accessed by PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One, and Windows. There are also versions for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S and Series X. As was the case from the original 2016 game, the Doomguy is determined to rescue Earth from Maykr’s plans to exterminate humanity. Maykr’s character is depicted as an alien whose home happens to be Hell. This game comes in different gaming modes, namely Battlemode, multiplayer and single-player. As a single-player, it’s a campaign featuring a storyline. In Battlemode and multiplayer, it’s set up like a player versus player (PVP) format. In Battlemode, players have the option to either play as a demon or as a Doom Slayer. There is also Horde mode, which tests how long a player can fend off a horde of enemies before becoming defeated. In addition to this game, which received positive reviews, also has a soundtrack. This award-winning game still remains a heavily played favorite by Doom fans, as well as enthusiasts of the first-person shooter gaming genres.

About the Soundtrack

Doom Eternal’s soundtrack saw Mick Gordon, the returning composer from previous Doom-related music works, put a call out in 2019 for metal screamers to participate in a recording session. Answering the call were James Rivera from Helstar, Tony Campos from Static-X, Sven de Caluwe from Aborted, James Dorton from Black Crown Initiate, and Nature Ganganbaigal from Tengger Cavalry. However, Ganganbaigal died between the time of recording and the game’s official release. Vocalist Eric Holloway from Oktavist also contributed to the soundtrack. When it was ready for download on April 19, 2020, fans of Doom observed the differences between the music from the soundtrack and what was in the game. On Twitter, Gordon confirmed he only mixed a smaller number of tracks. Then in May 2020, Marty Stratton released a statement on Reddit, commenting Gorden was given extensive time to mix the tracks. When it was clear this was not about to happen, Chad Mossholder was brought in by Gordon so that the tracks could be mixed and edited. In September 2020, composer Andrew Hulshult became involved and wrote music for the single-player The Ancient Gods campaign expansion. Hulshult was the composer for Quake Champions. In total, Doom Eternal’s Original Soundtrack has a tracklisting complement of fifty-nine tracks. Designed as an ancient, alien-style metal album, some of the songs feature lyrics performed in fictional languages that also featured a choir. The heavy metal vocalists involved in the choir served as backup to Eric Holloway, who led the lyrical content. The original game soundtrack was released to Collector’s Edition owners of Doom Eternal on April 18, 2020, with plans for additional streaming and downloading opportunities in the future. The total run time of the entire soundtrack is four hours, thirteen minutes, and forty seconds. From the collection of fifty-nine tunes featured on the soundtrack, the full list of those songs can be heard on SoundCloud and its streaming service. On that site, the list is arranged in chronological order, exactly as it is laid out on the soundtrack.

31. Maykr Drones (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb7aC6QwGqU

 

The (Maykr Drones) and their theme music are here to do what they’re designed to do, which is get the adrenaline going, just like a good versus evil game should. It incorporated bits from “Residual,” which came from the Doom 2016 release. With the help of his nu-metal orchestra, Mike Gordon brought forth a Doom-worthy cult favorite into Doom Eternal. As for the soundtrack version that Chad Mossholder edited at the request of corporate executives, it wasn’t as well-received by a number of Doom fans, who also happen to be nu-metal fans and intensely protective of Mike Gordon’s work. As good as Mossholder is, even recommended by Gordon himself, his style isn’t an exact copy to Gordon’s, which critics wasted no time pointing out the moment they could hear the differences.

30. Asteroids and Rockets (composed by Mike Gordon and Chass Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15vGkwzTKlI

 

Spacy, dramatic, and rocket-fueled. That’s (Asteroids and Rockets), presenting itself as a tune exactly how it should. Like so many tracks, the Mike Gordon in-game original saw a slight alteration in the Chad Mossholder soundtrack version.

29. Deag Nilox – First Priest Death (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idNv9Xnum48

 

(Deag Nilox – First Priest Death) delivers a sense of urgency in its musical delivery, which is usually how fight scenes go in a game or any other situation that has a kill-or-be-killed feel to it. Mike Gordon’s in-game influence was heavier-hitting as opposed to Chadd Mossholder’s soundtrack influence.

28. Mars Core (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

 

(Mars Core) builds into a fast-paced, sense of urgency tune that has all the elements of heavy-hitting metal music do what they’re designed to do. The in-game version and the soundtrack version are different from each other, which players of Doom Eternal are quick to notice. Most of them are also heavy-metal music fans, each of them knowing the difference between the two styles. Although it always boils down to preferences, the in-game version has better overall reviews than the soundtrack version. There are metal fans that are fiercely loyal to Mike Gordon, so when his in-game influence wasn’t perfectly mirrored by Chad Mossholder’s soundtrack influence, this became a source of discussion between fans and their musical preferences.

27. Doom Eternal – The Grand Cinema X: Dystopia (performed by JS aka The Best)

 

Futuristic sounding, (Doom Eternal – The Grand Cinema X: Dystopia) features a haunting mix of instrumentation with off-beat vocals that are sometimes difficult to understand, but that’s the point. There are made-up languages in the dialogue of the enemy horde that are referred to in the game as demons. Dystopia’s 2020 album, The Grand Cinema X: Dystopia, was composed and released by JS aka The Best, which features theme music from a number of favorite games, including Doom Eternal. This was included in the game’s soundtrack, Doom Eternal.

26. A Slayer City (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYpAAZ8czEc

 

A city is supposed to come across as busy. (A Slayer City) does this, but with the pulsating Doom Eternal influence to let the gamer, as well as the listener, know that the situation at hand is about to get real. Composer Mike Gordon has excelled as a dramatic deliverer of solid, theme-based music, both for the Doom series and Wolfenstein. When he brought in a team of nu-metal performers as instrumentalists and lyricists, the team put forth what fans will agree was a stellar in-game track list. However, not all the fans were as impressed with the official soundtrack that was released, feeling the editing arrangements made by Chad Mossholder was not as impressive as it should have been.

25. Blood Sacrifice (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmY-i75gVug

 

(Blood Sacrifice) starts off ghostly, dramatically building into the wonderment of what is to come next. For audible theatrics, this song does precisely what it’s supposed to do for the listener that’s caught up in the moment, which is precisely what Mike Gordon strove for. In the soundtrack version, Chad Mossholder finished the editing requirements, picking up where Mike Gordon left off, according to the executive decisions carried out by the game developers and publishers.

24. Blood Harvesting (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iboGtYLZkHY

 

(Blood Harvesting) is designed, as a tune, to feel a sense of urgency and desperation as the gamer, or listener, gets caught up in this heavy-hitting, musical moment. For the soundtrack, Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder are credited as the artists responsible for putting this track together.

23. Demonic Corruption (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E79NQFMG7Qk

 

Heavy guitar riffs going into (Demonic Corruption) soon mellow down to a dramatic stretch, serving as a buildup of what’s to come. As an instrumental piece, it does exactly as it’s supposed to, is set the tone that it’s a human versus alien fight that literally boils down to good against evil. Mike Gordon’s nu-metal musical influencers definitely rose to the occasion for this piece, which Chad Mossholder edited for the Doom Eternal soundtrack.

22. Phobos Space (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqby_CLx6mg

 

With organ music in the background, the ominous (Phobos Space) also adds a futuristic feel to this dramatic instrumental. With wonderment and urgency, the tune feels like an acid meets metal experience that does feel like it’s out of this world. Chad Mossholder picked up where Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra started, which sees the soundtrack version differ slightly from the in-game version.

21. Infiltrate the Cult (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq2k3g0WygI

 

At first, a script from the game, then a burst into the riffs of (Infiltrate the Cult). Dramatic build-ups, leading into a mix of soft and heavy riffs, serve as an alien-like encounter in what feels like a do-or-die situation. As a tune, it does exactly what it’s designed to do. Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra delivered a strong, musical delivery that did Doom Eternal justice. For the soundtrack, Chad Mossholder’s contribution sees a slightly different version that still works, although it is somewhat different from the in-game original.

20. Soul Extraction (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

 

(Soul Extraction) starts off with the narrative coming from the game before breaking into song, laying out the purpose behind the game, Doom Eternal, and what needs to be done as a player. When simply sitting and listening to the soundtrack, the familiarity of the Doom theme music since the beginning is obvious. And, as it should be, dramatic. With Mike Gordon as the original composer, Chad Mossholder finished off the composition for this nu-metal track.

19. Deag Ranak (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

 

When dealing with a boss, like (Deag Ranak), the more dramatic the music score is the better. Whether it’s the in-game version of this tune or the soundtrack version, it does the job to psyche up that one needs to be ready to put up a fight when going up against a really big and bad enemy. The original Mike Gordon and nu-metal orchestra were featured in the Doom Eternal game, which was a heavier-hitting version to the soundtrack version that Chad Mossholder’s work was featured. In Mossholder’s defense, he was brought in while most of the musical work had already been completed by Gordon and his collection of contributing artists. As good as Mossholder is in his own right, he is not Gordon, who actually recommended Mossholder to finish what he started. Again in Mossholder’s defense, he had to answer to executive decision-makers who seemed to undervalue just how valuable Mike Gordon really is as a genius composer in the style of music Doom fans had come to love so much.

18. DOOM Hunted (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDezC0qNfDo

 

Fast and heavy, (DOOM Hunted) on this soundtrack is a carryover from the original game, which is designed to keep in theme what this series is about. In Doom Eternal’s game, it’s a heavier delivery, thanks to Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra. On the soundtrack, the slightly softened version was arranged by Chad Mossholder, which is a hit for some fans, and a miss among others.

17. Prayer of The Diminished (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2kXC0VipFw

 

The familiar (Prayer of The Diminished) is what Doom’s dark portrayal of a futuristically demonic threat is all about. In the games and in the movies, the storyline revolves around the desperate fight to save humankind from the ominous threats imposed upon them by an alien horde otherwise known as demons. It used the choral remix from Doom II’s “Countdown to Death.” This is a Mike Gordon genius, carrying over from his previous work, along with the help of his nu-metal friends that served as his orchestra.

16. You Just Can’t Shoot a Hole Into the Surface of Mars (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OQyVo5mciM

 

According to the song, (You Just Can’t Shoot a Hole Into the Surface of Mars). As heavy-hitting and dramatic as the riffs of this tune suggest, one can try, but how it will turn out depends on how far the imagination goes when listening to the riffs of this hard-hitting instrumental. Using dialogue from the Doom Eternal game, this tune was first composed by Mike Gorden and his nu-metal orchestra, which is the in-game original. For the soundtrack version saw the influence of Chad Mossholder, completing the work, which illustrates enough difference between the two versions the fans noticed.

15. The Khan Maykr (composed by Mike Gordon, remixed by Chad Mossholder)

 

When in the middle of a boss fight, dramatic music makes it so much better. Even in the soundtrack, the beauty of the dramatic build-up, then the surge into a sense of urgency, is what makes (The Khan Makyr) do exactly what it’s designed to do, which is psyche up for a good fight. This tune brought in bits from the theme, “Residual,” from Doom 2016. The in-game version is strictly Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra. The soundtrack saw a remix by Chad Mossholder that made these two music scores differ enough from each other for the fans to notice. For some, they hated the remix while others didn’t seem to mind.

14. A Cultist Prayer (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni1eni0PKzU

 

(A Cultist Prayer) serves as an eerie portrayal of almost hypnotic metal that does exactly as it’s designed to do. The lyrical involvement in this song brilliantly illustrates prayer rituals that are barely audible at times, but distinct enough to fully understand what’s going on. The percussion used from “Countdown to Death” from Doom II was incorporated into this tune, which loyalists of the Doom series will recognize. Mike Gordon’s nu-metal orchestra was instrumental, both lyrically and melodically, to deliver that needed ambiance that is truly Doom-worthy.

13. BFG Division 2020 (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecj9LhqHtu0

 

Fast and heavy, (BFG Division 2020) plays out the very familiar original Doom music, as it was designed to do. This is a remastered version of the Doom 2016 BFG Division. Composers Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder collaborated in the production of this track, along with the collection of artists that were rounded up to perform this nu-metal orchestral instrumental that perfectly fits with Doom’s impact, both as a game and as a soundtrack.

12. The DOOM Hunter (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKCqo0Vdiig

 

Arguably, the in-game version of (The DOOM Hunter) seems to be a preferred favorite over the soundtrack version. Screechy and futuristic-sounding, it still serves the purpose that this first-person shooter game is not for the meek and mild. In the game, it’s all Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra. On the soundtrack, Chad Mossholder’s influence comes into play to finish it off.

11. Welcome Home Great Slayer (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdhGBoSPM2I

 

Eerily, (Welcome Home Great Slayer) does the job of saying hello and welcoming back to the world of Doom, or rather in this case, Doom Eternal. Mike Gordon, as usual, rises to the occasion with his brilliant music composition, using his impressive collection of nu-metal orchestra members to hammer home what makes the Doom series one of the most popular in the gaming industry, especially among first-person shooter fans.

10. Metal Hell (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

 

Heavy-hitting straight from the get-go, if there’s any doubt the listener is in the brilliance of (Metal Hell), then maybe turn the volume up to reach a better understanding. At one point in the music, it even sounds like a swarm of flies are adding something to the music, which adds a touch of uniqueness to this metal melody. Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder were both credited as the composition artists responsible for this tune, along with the nu-metal orchestra that was assembled to perform this cult favorite.

9. Doom Eternal Theme (composed by Mike Gordon)

 

Fans of the Doom series will recognize (Doom Eternal Theme) with ease. The build-up of this song is dramatic, as is the rest of the riffs and brilliant toying of the instruments to tell a tale without having to put any real words into it. This is a Mike Gordon-composed classic, which was the reason why he’s a highly favored artist in the entertainment industry. In addition to his contribution to the Doom series, he’s also known for his work with Wolfenstein.

8. The Icon of Sin (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKWAR1h0A2k

 

Ghostly, which fits the tune, (The Icon of Sin), lays out a beautifully haunting instrumental that perfectly suits an ambiance that is designed to be dark. It’s dramatic, which is exactly how this tune should be. Mike Gordon, plus his impressive collection of nu-metal contributors that summed up his orchestra, definitely hit the message home with this cultist-style wave of music that definitely fit the Doom Eternal theme, as well as the rest of the series.

7. Gladiator Boss (composed by Mike Gordon and Chass Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml_JQjBLtTg

 

(Gladiator Boss) as a tune in the game is much harder hitting the soundtrack, something of which fans of Doom Eternal was quick to notice and talk about. Mick Gordon, the original composer behind the music, admitted openly that the work on the soundtrack was not all him as the powers-that-be made executive decisions that were beyond his control. This resulted in the sequel soundtrack not being as well-favored as the original 2016 Doom soundtrack that had come out previously. However, for metal fans that haven’t played the game and heard this for the first time, it does the job to get into a heavy-hitting frame of mind to simply listen and enjoy. Chad Mossholder came in by request to finish off what Mike Gordon started.

6. Urdak (composed by Mike Gordon and Chass Mossholder)

 

The ambient (Urdak) is eerie, but it suits the game, as well as the overall theme of the Doom Eternal soundtrack. The in-game version is definitely harder-hitting, but the soundtrack version is no slouch, either. When the collection of nu-metal artists answered Mike Gordon’s call to contribute to the musical sounds of Doom Eternal, both its game music scores and the soundtrack, they did so in number and with impressive names previously mentioned in this article. Mike Gordon is solely credited, along with his nu-metal orchestra, for the in-game music while the soundtrack sees the finishing touches Chass Mossholder put in as Gordon’s replacement.

5. BFG 10k (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YIO1KNciV4

 

Among Doom Eternal fans, the in-game version of (BFG 10k) is better than the soundtrack version. The diversity within this instrumental demonstration of heavy metal certainly has its perks, regardless of which version is listened to. When the deadline became too close for comfort, Mike Gordon received assistance from Chass Mossholder to ensure the soundtrack was released in a timely manner. In an interview, when fans of the Doom series complained about the soundtrack, Gordon admitted he wasn’t fully responsible for how all the music turned out. The in-game music he composed is considered superior to the soundtrack versions by most of the Doom Eternal fans who liked the heavier style the game version produced. In Chad Mossholder’s defense, he was asked by Gordon to contribute and there were timeline issues involved, as well as executive decisions. This by no means takes away the musical impact this tune had on the listener as it does reflect upon the universe of Doom, plus all the storylines its best known for.

4. Meathook (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Dm8Nz9iP4

 

For some Doom Eternal fans, (Meathook) is one of the best battle music scores going to get into the groove of the game. It definitely serves its purpose. Among metal fans that simply enjoy a good, heavy-hitting riff of guitar and a stylish wave of heavy-hitting music, this is worth listening to. Working with composer Mike Gordon, the nu-metal orchestra was at their finest when bringing forth this wall-to-wall monster hit that may not have been chart-worthy but definitely earns a place in the hearts of metal music fans.

3. The Super Gore Nest (composed by Mike Gordon and Chad Mossholder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWlUGqxCtXU

 

The soundtrack version of (The Super Gore Nest) is quite different from the in-game version, which is one of the tracks fans of Doom Eternal noticed. In the game, it’s heavier while on the soundtrack not so much. Which version simply boils down to a matter of preference between the fans. The in-game version is considerably more favored than the soundtrack version, but this one isn’t really a slouch, either. With Mike Gordon starting this project, leaving Chad Mossholder to finish, this tune illustrates Doom Eternal for the dark, demonic-like alien ambiance it has been orchestrated to do.

2. Cultist Base (composed by Mike Gordon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVbWFAelfPk

 

For five and a half minutes, this heavy-hitting, grind-out metal track should leave little to the image that, yes, you’re at the (Cultist Base) and you need to be ready to play the game as a Doom Slayer. Mike Gordon served as the sole composer of this dark and methodical tune, along with the collection of heavy metal and nu-metal talents that answered his call to rise to the occasion and make Doom Eternal the award-winning game hit that still has fans addicted to it, as well as the music that’s either in it or the soundtrack.

1. The Only Thing They Fear is You (composed by Mike Gordon)

 

Mike Gordon and his nu-metal orchestra’s seven-and-a-half-minute (The Only Thing They Fear is You) is heavy from start to finish and features trademark DOOM riffs clean through the song that leaves zero doubt which game this track belongs to. The YouTube link featured here leads to a remastered remix, which seems to be the big favorite among the players enjoying Doom Eternal. The themes from “Into Sandy’s City” from Doom II and “Dr. Samuel Hayden” from Doom 2016 were used in this tune, which long-term Doom fans will recognize with ease.

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