{"id":2093479,"date":"2026-08-14T11:25:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T08:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2093479"},"modified":"2026-08-14T11:25:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T08:25:12","slug":"how-diablo-continues-to-provide-the-definitive-dark-fantasy-game-soundtrack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2093479","title":{"rendered":"How \u2018Diablo\u2019 continues to provide the definitive dark-fantasy game soundtrack"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-4-Lord-Of-Hatred.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2947849\" class=\"post-2947849 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>Features<\/span><span>Gaming Features<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">How \u2018Diablo\u2019 continues to provide the definitive dark-fantasy game soundtrack<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>From Matt Uelmen&#8217;s instantly recognisable original theme to the dungeon crawler&#8217;s spine-chilling modern hellscapes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Ali Shutler<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-08-14T12:25:12+01:00\">14th August 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-4-Lord-Of-Hatred-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"&apos;Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred&apos;.\" title=\"Diablo 4 Lord Of Hatred\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">&#8216;Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred&#8217;. CREDIT: Blizzard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap big-read-dropcap\">F<\/strong>or the past 30 years, gamers have been going up against the forces of darkness in <em>Diablo<\/em>. Set in the fictional Kingdom Of Khanduras, the original game had late \u201890s computer addicts battling through 16 randomly-generated dungeons to save the market town of Tristram from the titular Lord Of Terror. It didn\u2019t matter whether you were a hulking warrior, an agile, bow-wielding rogue or a sorcerer who could tap into the mystic arts to vanquish hell beasts, each descent had you flirting with death as Matt Uelmen\u2019s haunting \u2018Tristram Theme\u2019 was ringing in your ears.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: AI, vinyl and indie supremacy: what\u2019s shaping video game music in 2026?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Three sequels and several expansions later, <em>Diablo<\/em> has evolved into one of gaming\u2019s biggest fantasy franchises with a complex lore and intricate history. Released in 2000, <em>Diablo 2<\/em> took players beyond the nightmarish underbelly of Tristram to lands inspired by the Middle East, Mesoamerican jungles, lost Mayan civilisations and ancient deserts before 2012\u2019s <em>Diablo 3<\/em> featured hugely-improved graphics, a wider range of plucky heroes to choose from and a twisting story that blurred the lines between good and evil. \u201cEvery time we make a new iteration of <em>Diablo<\/em>, we\u2019re always looking to take things to the next level,\u201d says Derek Duke, music director for longtime <em>Diablo<\/em> producers Blizzard Entertainment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>And that includes the music \u2013 which has come a long way in three decades. While the original <em>Diablo<\/em> soundtrack had just six guitar-driven bangers, <em>Diablo 4<\/em> boasts a three-hour collection of delicate folk, furious metal and eerie orchestral noises. Two further expansions (2024\u2019s <em>Vessel Of Hatred<\/em> and the recently released <em>Lord Of Hatred<\/em>) bumped that up with a whopping 65 more tracks in the mix, proving there was still plenty of room for exploration and evolution in this devilish saga.<\/p>\n<h2>The influences are wild \u2013 from Scandi-folk to Batman<\/h2>\n<p>For <em>Diablo 4<\/em>, lead composer Ted Reedy took influence from the classic game and movie soundtracks he grew up on. That\u2019s Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard\u2019s \u201cimmersive, atmospheric\u201d score for 2005\u2019s <em>Batman Begins<\/em> \u2013 and early Nintendo button blaster <em>Super Metroid<\/em>, which has fired his imagination since childhood. \u201cYou take those [inspirations] and combine them with whatever story is being told in the game,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>To ensure they were crafting songs that served the narrative, Reedy and fellow Blizzard composer Leo Kaliski (who usually works on mammoth online game <em>World Of Warcraft<\/em>) made time one busy Friday afternoon halfway through <em>Diablo 4<\/em>\u2019s development to watch all 56 cutscene cinematics that feature mammoth battles, personal losses, savage betrayals and a whole lot of hellish horror as powerful demon Lilith tries to take control of the fantasy realm Sanctuary.\u00a0 \u201cWe want to create an emotive musical soundscape that blends in as seamlessly as possible with the game to draw you in even further,\u201d says Reedy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3962489\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3962489\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3962489\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-4-Lilith.jpg\" alt=\"Diablo 4 artwork\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3962489\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u2018Diablo 4\u2019 artwork. CREDIT: Blizzard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And that means making sure each area has its own sonic personality. The music that guides adventurers through the frigid wasteland of Fractured Peaks was inspired by minimalist Estonian composer Arvo P\u00e4rt, Kaliski combed Spotify for Scandinavian folk to shape the soundtrack for the untamed wilderness of Scosglen while the treacherous swamps of Hawezar make use of experimental drone choir NXY.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Later, <em>The Lord Of Hatred<\/em> expansion introduced the ancient Greek and Roman-inspired land of Skovos to <em>Diablo 4<\/em>, so the team incorporated instruments from the era such as the lyre \u2013 and scoured YouTube to find someone who could play the vintage double-piped aulos to give the fantasy region some authenticity. Taking influence from Lisa Gerrard\u2019s haunting vocal work on the <em>Gladiator<\/em> score, there are even songs in a made-up language to reflect Skovos\u2019 two rulers \u2013 The Oracle Queen and The Amazon Queen. \u201cThey drive a lot of what happens in the story and we wanted to represent that in the music,\u201d says Reedy. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want your typical choral \u2018oohs\u2019 and \u2018aahs\u2019, we wanted something more interesting,\u201d so they reached out to the narrative team to invent a language that they then turned into song.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3962491\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3962491\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3962491\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-concert-2026.jpg\" alt=\"Diablo: The Infernal Symphony concert.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3962491\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u2018Diablo: The Infernal Symphony\u2019 concert. CREDIT: Blizzard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Famous fans include Halsey, KoRn and more<\/h2>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter where you are in <em>Diablo 4<\/em> though, the soundtrack is a celebration of human creatives carefully crafted by expert guitarists, woodwind players and even bagpipers. \u201cWhat those instruments can do versus what I can recreate on a keyboard is just totally different,\u201d explains Kaliski. \u201cIt gives you an interesting creative constraint that helps produce more inspired music than we would otherwise come up with on our own,\u201d adds Reedy.<\/p>\n<p>The Diablo series has plenty of famous fans \u2013 including Halsey, members of Architects, Bury Tomorrow, Lacuna Coil and Cradle Of Filth \u2013 all publicly confessing their love for the series. In April, nu-metal titans KoRn teamed up with Blizzard for new track \u2018Reward The Scars\u2019 to celebrate the launch of <em>Lord Of Hatred<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019ve played <em>Diablo<\/em> for years, so getting to step into that world creatively felt natural,\u201d said KoRn\u2019s vocalist Jonathan Davis. \u201cI\u2019ve always connected to the darkness in the game and the idea of confronting what lives beneath the surface \u2013 that\u2019s something KoRn has explored in our music from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Korn - Reward The Scars | Official Music Video for Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sHmnnNxu6Ww?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cIf they\u2019re anything like us, it\u2019s because playing <em>Diablo<\/em> as kids made such a huge impact on them,\u201d says Reedy. \u201cI grew up in the late \u201880s and \u201890s playing games where a lot of the music was electronic and synthesiser-based. But I can still remember booting up <em>Diablo<\/em> for the first time and hearing a real guitar. Matt Uelmen didn\u2019t score things in a typical horror way either. It was this weird mix of electric guitar, strange percussion and other sounds like babies crying. It created this unique, immersive thing that was so effective at drawing you in.\u201d How could you not be inspired?<\/p>\n<p>At a time where so many gaming franchises are focusing on reboots or remakes to appeal to a new generation, how does <em>Diablo<\/em> move forward without betraying that legacy? \u201cIt\u2019s something I think about every day,\u201d admits Reedy. \u201cThe first <em>Diablo<\/em> had such iconic music and that\u2019s a lot to live up to. But it\u2019s also a powerful through-line to whatever new iterations we create.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not the original composers, so trying to recreate what came before is not going to [result in] good music\u2026 Instead, we\u2019ll be inspired by that work while trying to create a new experience, just like <em>Diablo 1<\/em> was when it was released 30 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred\u2019 is out now<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Diablo<\/li>\n<li>Diablo IV<\/li>\n<li>Video game music<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_content td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row tdc-element-style\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-block td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-custom-spot tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_94  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_96  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_98  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_100  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_102 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_103 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_103\">\n<div id=\"tdi_103\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy\u2019 soundtrack is coming to streaming next week<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Helldivers 2\u2019 expanded soundtrack hits streaming<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Bring Me The Horizon\u2019s Oli Sykes and Spiritbox\u2019s Courtney LaPlante team up for \u2018Valorant\u2019 anthem<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Pok\u00e9mon\u2019 fan-favourite tracks get emo reworking for new covers album<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">EsDeeKid, Sombr, A$AP Rocky and more for \u2018NBA 2K27\u2019 launch soundtrack<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018High On Life 2\u2019 soundtrack gets 4LP vinyl release<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_104\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_105  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_107  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_109 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap big-read-dropcap\">F<\/strong>or the past 30 years, gamers have been going up against the forces of darkness in <em>Diablo<\/em>. Set in the fictional Kingdom Of Khanduras, the original game had late \u201890s computer addicts battling through 16 randomly-generated dungeons to save the market town of Tristram from the titular Lord Of Terror. It didn\u2019t matter whether you were a hulking warrior, an agile, bow-wielding rogue or a sorcerer who could tap into the mystic arts to vanquish hell beasts, each descent had you flirting with death as Matt Uelmen\u2019s haunting \u2018Tristram Theme\u2019 was ringing in your ears.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: AI, vinyl and indie supremacy: what\u2019s shaping video game music in 2026?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Three sequels and several expansions later, <em>Diablo<\/em> has evolved into one of gaming\u2019s biggest fantasy franchises with a complex lore and intricate history. Released in 2000, <em>Diablo 2<\/em> took players beyond the nightmarish underbelly of Tristram to lands inspired by the Middle East, Mesoamerican jungles, lost Mayan civilisations and ancient deserts before 2012\u2019s <em>Diablo 3<\/em> featured hugely-improved graphics, a wider range of plucky heroes to choose from and a twisting story that blurred the lines between good and evil. \u201cEvery time we make a new iteration of <em>Diablo<\/em>, we\u2019re always looking to take things to the next level,\u201d says Derek Duke, music director for longtime <em>Diablo<\/em> producers Blizzard Entertainment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>And that includes the music \u2013 which has come a long way in three decades. While the original <em>Diablo<\/em> soundtrack had just six guitar-driven bangers, <em>Diablo 4<\/em> boasts a three-hour collection of delicate folk, furious metal and eerie orchestral noises. Two further expansions (2024\u2019s <em>Vessel Of Hatred<\/em> and the recently released <em>Lord Of Hatred<\/em>) bumped that up with a whopping 65 more tracks in the mix, proving there was still plenty of room for exploration and evolution in this devilish saga.<\/p>\n<h2>The influences are wild \u2013 from Scandi-folk to Batman<\/h2>\n<p>For <em>Diablo 4<\/em>, lead composer Ted Reedy took influence from the classic game and movie soundtracks he grew up on. That\u2019s Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard\u2019s \u201cimmersive, atmospheric\u201d score for 2005\u2019s <em>Batman Begins<\/em> \u2013 and early Nintendo button blaster <em>Super Metroid<\/em>, which has fired his imagination since childhood. \u201cYou take those [inspirations] and combine them with whatever story is being told in the game,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>To ensure they were crafting songs that served the narrative, Reedy and fellow Blizzard composer Leo Kaliski (who usually works on mammoth online game <em>World Of Warcraft<\/em>) made time one busy Friday afternoon halfway through <em>Diablo 4<\/em>\u2019s development to watch all 56 cutscene cinematics that feature mammoth battles, personal losses, savage betrayals and a whole lot of hellish horror as powerful demon Lilith tries to take control of the fantasy realm Sanctuary.\u00a0 \u201cWe want to create an emotive musical soundscape that blends in as seamlessly as possible with the game to draw you in even further,\u201d says Reedy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3962489\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3962489\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3962489\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-4-Lilith.jpg\" alt=\"Diablo 4 artwork\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3962489\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u2018Diablo 4\u2019 artwork. CREDIT: Blizzard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And that means making sure each area has its own sonic personality. The music that guides adventurers through the frigid wasteland of Fractured Peaks was inspired by minimalist Estonian composer Arvo P\u00e4rt, Kaliski combed Spotify for Scandinavian folk to shape the soundtrack for the untamed wilderness of Scosglen while the treacherous swamps of Hawezar make use of experimental drone choir NXY.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Later, <em>The Lord Of Hatred<\/em> expansion introduced the ancient Greek and Roman-inspired land of Skovos to <em>Diablo 4<\/em>, so the team incorporated instruments from the era such as the lyre \u2013 and scoured YouTube to find someone who could play the vintage double-piped aulos to give the fantasy region some authenticity. Taking influence from Lisa Gerrard\u2019s haunting vocal work on the <em>Gladiator<\/em> score, there are even songs in a made-up language to reflect Skovos\u2019 two rulers \u2013 The Oracle Queen and The Amazon Queen. \u201cThey drive a lot of what happens in the story and we wanted to represent that in the music,\u201d says Reedy. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want your typical choral \u2018oohs\u2019 and \u2018aahs\u2019, we wanted something more interesting,\u201d so they reached out to the narrative team to invent a language that they then turned into song.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3962491\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3962491\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3962491\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-concert-2026.jpg\" alt=\"Diablo: The Infernal Symphony concert.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3962491\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u2018Diablo: The Infernal Symphony\u2019 concert. CREDIT: Blizzard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Famous fans include Halsey, KoRn and more<\/h2>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter where you are in <em>Diablo 4<\/em> though, the soundtrack is a celebration of human creatives carefully crafted by expert guitarists, woodwind players and even bagpipers. \u201cWhat those instruments can do versus what I can recreate on a keyboard is just totally different,\u201d explains Kaliski. \u201cIt gives you an interesting creative constraint that helps produce more inspired music than we would otherwise come up with on our own,\u201d adds Reedy.<\/p>\n<p>The Diablo series has plenty of famous fans \u2013 including Halsey, members of Architects, Bury Tomorrow, Lacuna Coil and Cradle Of Filth \u2013 all publicly confessing their love for the series. In April, nu-metal titans KoRn teamed up with Blizzard for new track \u2018Reward The Scars\u2019 to celebrate the launch of <em>Lord Of Hatred<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019ve played <em>Diablo<\/em> for years, so getting to step into that world creatively felt natural,\u201d said KoRn\u2019s vocalist Jonathan Davis. \u201cI\u2019ve always connected to the darkness in the game and the idea of confronting what lives beneath the surface \u2013 that\u2019s something KoRn has explored in our music from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Korn - Reward The Scars | Official Music Video for Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sHmnnNxu6Ww?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cIf they\u2019re anything like us, it\u2019s because playing <em>Diablo<\/em> as kids made such a huge impact on them,\u201d says Reedy. \u201cI grew up in the late \u201880s and \u201890s playing games where a lot of the music was electronic and synthesiser-based. But I can still remember booting up <em>Diablo<\/em> for the first time and hearing a real guitar. Matt Uelmen didn\u2019t score things in a typical horror way either. It was this weird mix of electric guitar, strange percussion and other sounds like babies crying. It created this unique, immersive thing that was so effective at drawing you in.\u201d How could you not be inspired?<\/p>\n<p>At a time where so many gaming franchises are focusing on reboots or remakes to appeal to a new generation, how does <em>Diablo<\/em> move forward without betraying that legacy? \u201cIt\u2019s something I think about every day,\u201d admits Reedy. \u201cThe first <em>Diablo<\/em> had such iconic music and that\u2019s a lot to live up to. But it\u2019s also a powerful through-line to whatever new iterations we create.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not the original composers, so trying to recreate what came before is not going to [result in] good music\u2026 Instead, we\u2019ll be inspired by that work while trying to create a new experience, just like <em>Diablo 1<\/em> was when it was released 30 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred\u2019 is out now<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/features\/gaming-features\/diablo-soundtrack-game-music-interview-lord-of-hatred-lilith-duke-derek-ted-reedy-matt-uelmen-3962488&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Diablo-4-Lord-Of-Hatred.jpg&#8221;] FeaturesGaming Features How \u2018Diablo\u2019 continues to provide the definitive dark-fantasy game soundtrack From Matt Uelmen&#8217;s instantly recognisable original theme to the dungeon crawler&#8217;s spine-chilling modern hellscapes By Ali Shutler 14th August 2026 &#8216;Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred&#8217;. CREDIT: Blizzard For the past 30 years, gamers have been going up against the forces [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2093479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2093479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2093479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2093479\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2093479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2093479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2093479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}