The Underworld soundtrack is a masterpiece fit to accompany this spectacular and realistic vampire movie.
To put together the album Lakeshore Entertainment called on
Danny Lohner, bassist for
Nine Inch Nails and soundtrack writer for movies such as
Natural Born Killers. Lohner does the more ambient noise throughout the film. His band
Renholder does the tracks "Down in the Lab" and "Death Dealer's Descent," which are featured in the movie's impressive action sequences.
Most of the tracks, however, are contributions, remixes, or collaborations by the best artists around today. The first song, "Awakening," is an exhilarating rock romp by the group The Damning Well. Wes Boreland (Limp Bizkit guitarist), Richard Patrick (Filter front man), Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle's drummer), and Danny Lohner make up The Damning Well. This eclectic but promising mix delivers a solid rock song.
Other music on the disc includes "Worms of the Earth" by emo band Finch, "Hover (quiet mix)" by TRUST Company, and "Rocket Collecting," an interesting tune from actress Milla Jovovich. The soundtrack as a whole is a brooding work, abruptly changing gears between soft instrumentals, darkly melodic duets, and glaring industrial rock. The constant presence of string sections, soft piano, and breathy lyrics smoothly conveys the romantic feeling of the vampire underworld, while the simple rhythm of drum machines repeats endlessly in the background, like the exhalations of a lonely robot, bringing the dark, rainy city streets to life.
The largest influence on the album besides Lohner's vision is the input of the band A Perfect Circle. Two APC songs, "Judith (Renholder mix)" and "Weak and Powerless (Tilling My Grave Mix)," give the album a boost of driving industrial energy between softer songs. Josh Freese and Maynard James Keenan (see Tool) of APC both contribute as well to David Bowie's song "Bring me the Disco King (Loner Mix)" which is a simple and quiet masterpiece of ephemeral chanting and powerful balladeering. John Frusciante, ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper, lays down an otherworldly guitar riff.
Skinny Puppy, Dillinger Escape Plan, The Icarus Line, and others also contribute songs. Puscifier, yet another collaboration, boasts both Maynard and Lohner, with Milla and Lisa Germano on background vocals. Their song "Rev 22:20" is at once dark, beautiful, and suggestively evil.
The soundtrack probably had its origins in the lost effort The Tapeworm Project, which was similarly dark and ambient. A Perfect Circle was one of the biggest contributors to this project as well, probably because they had a similar vision: APC songwriter Billy Howerdel originally set out to write scores for horror films before he got Maynard to join the project.