No film would be complete without a killer soundtrack. Back Lot Music has just released a chilling new track, “Wynter Waxeth“. This original song accompanies Focus Features’ upcoming film Werwulf. Ethel Cain and composer Robin Carolan perform the haunting ballad. Furthermore, Cain, Carolan, and director Robert Eggers co-wrote the lyrics. Fans can watch the official video below.
Cain posted the stunning video directly to her YouTube page. Meanwhile, Sacred Bones Records is offering a special vinyl release. Serious collectors can preorder the seven-inch record now. This physical edition officially drops on January 29th. Naturally, the vinyl includes Carolan’s chilling score track, Cold Moone.
Crafting a Gruesome Sonic Nightmare
Admittedly, Cain always dreamed of scoring a dark horror film. Collaborating with Eggers provided the perfect creative opportunity. She felt immediate alignment with the talented filmmaking team. As a result, the songwriting process felt intuitive and natural. Initially, Carolan sent Cain several ancient medieval music tracks. This gesture introduced the talented singer to the traditional psaltery. Soon after, Cain bought the historic instrument online. Then, she plucked a simple harp line to begin writing.
Meanwhile, Carolan knew the lyrics needed precise period accuracy. Thus, the duo consulted Eggers regarding specific language choices. Ultimately, the words had to match the grim medieval story.
“It’s always been my dream to score a horror film in some way, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect first opportunity than getting to work with Rob and Robin on a song for Werwulf,” Cain notes. “We were immediately creatively aligned so the entire process felt very intuitive and natural. It felt like I was back in the heart of the music I started off making at the beginning of my career, which felt really good to return to. Robin sent me a bunch of old medieval music at the beginning and was very into the psaltery, which introduced me to the traditional instrument. I bought one online and wound up plucking out this simple little harp line on it and that’s where the song began.”
Elevating the Haunting Cinematic Scope
Cain crafted a gorgeous, folk-inspired musical tune. Unsurprisingly, her haunting vocal melodies gave Carolan immediate goosebumps. Carolan produced cinematic sounds around her delicate harp instrumentation. Specifically, he intentionally incorporated dark elements from his movie score. These sounds represent family bonds, mysticism, and terrible curses. Previously, the duo established a strong musical language together. Cain provided experimental vocal textures for the main film score. Carolan proudly calls his work with Cain a dream.
“Given how immersive and period accurate Robert’s films are, I knew the only way the song would work within the film was if Ethel and I consulted with Rob about the language and the words we use, as they not only needed to sound right, they also had to tie directly in with the story he was telling,” Carolan says. “Once we had his input, Ethel went away and put together this gorgeous, medieval folk inspired demo, composed of harp and the most haunting vocal melodies that on first listen gave me genuine goosebumps. Immediately, it felt we were in the world. I then produced and composed around what she’d come up with in order to make the song feel more cinematic and wider in scope, something that felt fitting for the ending, and we went back and forth until we felt we’d nailed it.”
Carolan continues, “I was very intentional with the sounds I used as it was important to me to incorporate elements of the score that are synonymous with different aspects of the story: the family bond, the curse and the mysticism. Before we started working on the song, Ethel and I had already established a musical language as we’d been working together on score tracks where her vocals are more experimental and textured. This proved to be massively helpful considering we barely had any time left to do the song. It was a real sprint to the finish line. I’m genuinely so happy and proud we were able to make it happen as I honestly couldn’t imagine the film without it, and getting to work with Ethel has been a dream.”
Brilliant Artists Enter the Darkness
Florida native Hayden Anhedönia created the brilliant Ethel Cain persona. Furthermore, she single-handedly produced her acclaimed records inside a church. Today, she dominates massive music festivals worldwide. Meanwhile, Carolan builds an incredible resume scoring major Hollywood films. Previously, he scored Eggers’ brutal Viking epic The Northman. Later, he earned a BAFTA nomination for scoring Nosferatu. Now, they both elevate this terrifying thirteenth-century werewolf nightmare starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp.
This brutal folklore adaptation promises pure holiday cinematic terror. Audiences will undoubtedly witness a terrifying apex predator hunting humans. Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson bring incredible supporting performances. Rising talent Bodhi Rae Breathnach rounds out the cast. Together, they guarantee an unforgettable descent into pure cinematic madness.
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A Lycanthrope’s Perfect Christmas Gift
Looking for a perfect gift for the horror fan in your life? Gift your loved one tickets to see Werwulf in theaters, and Pre-order the soundtrack now. Grab your silver bullets and prepare for absolute carnage. Robert Eggers will not show audiences any festive mercy.
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