Underworld Soundtrack: Composers and Songs for Every Film

Three composers scored the five Underworld films: Paul Haslinger scored Underworld (2003), Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and Underworld: Awakening, Marco Beltrami scored Underworld: Evolution, and Michael Wandmacher scored Underworld: Blood Wars. Haslinger holds three of the five credits, more than anyone else in the saga, and Lakeshore Records released the albums for every film.

Haslinger's first score, for Underworld (2003), directed by Len Wiseman, came out as "Underworld: Original Score" on October 14, 2003, a 19 track album that includes the cues "The End of an Era (Opening)", "Deathdealers Deploy", "Darkness Deep Within", "Transformation", "Bloodlines" and "Metamorphosis". The song compilation, "Underworld: Music From the Motion Picture", arrived earlier, on September 2, 2003. It carries "Bring Me the Disco King (Loner mix)" with David Bowie among the credited artists (the same song also appears as the Danny Lohner Mix), "Judith (Renholder mix)" by A Perfect Circle, "Optimissed" by Skinny Puppy and "Awakening" by The Damning Well.

Beltrami took over for Underworld: Evolution (2006), which Wiseman directed again. Its song album, "Underworld: Evolution", was released on January 10, 2006, and includes "Vermillion, Part 2 (Bloodstone mix)" by Slipknot and "Morning After" by Chester Bennington with Julien-K. The 30 track score album, "Underworld: Evolution (Original Score)", followed on February 21, 2006, with cues such as "The Crawl", "William Captured", "Safehouse 2 Crypt" and "Morgue Medallion".

Haslinger came back for the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009), directed by Patrick Tatopoulos. The soundtrack album was released on January 13, 2009, and "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans: Original Score" on February 10, 2009. Its 11 tracks include "The Rise of the Lycans", "Lucian and Sonja’s Love Theme", "Court Battle Suite", "Sonja’s Trial and Execution" and "Storming the Castle".

For Underworld: Awakening (2012), directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, Haslinger's "Underworld: Awakening: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" came out on January 17, 2012 and "Underworld: Awakening: Original Motion Picture Score" on January 24, 2012. The score album opens with "The Purge" and "Underworld: Awakening Main Titles" and also holds "Raiding the Army Surplus Store" and "Arriving At the Coven".

Wandmacher scored Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), directed by Anna Foerster. Lakeshore released "Underworld: Blood Wars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" on January 6, 2017, a 23 track album with cues such as "What Came Before", "Marius", "Nightshade", "The Nordic Coven" and "David Rescues Selene".

Our guide to underworld movies in order and the underworld timeline show where each film falls. For the actors, see the underworld cast, and for the full series start at underworld movies.

The signature songs of the Underworld films come mostly from the 2003 and 2006 soundtrack albums and from the remix heavy albums that followed, all released through Lakeshore Records. Four of the five films have a soundtrack album of licensed songs, and Underworld: Blood Wars has a single credited song.

Underworld (2003). The album "Underworld: Music From the Motion Picture" arrived on September 2, 2003, and opens with "Awakening" by The Damning Well. The headline credit is "Bring Me the Disco King (Danny Lohner Mix)", credited to David Bowie, Maynard James Keenan and John Frusciante. A Perfect Circle appear twice, with "Judith (Renholder Mix)" and "Weak and Powerless (Tilling My Grave Mix)", and Puscifer contribute "Rev 22:20". Skinny Puppy supply "Optimissed", Finch "Worms of the Earth", Trust Company "Hover (Quiet Mix)" and The Dillinger Escape Plan "Baby's First Coffin". Lisa Germano, The Icarus Line and Sarah Bettens round out the credits with "From a Shell", "On the Lash" and "All of This Past". The music sheet does not tie any of these to a specific scene.

Underworld: Evolution (2006). The album came out on January 10, 2006. It includes "The Undertaker (Renholdër mix)" by Puscifer, "To the End (RnR Cheryl mix)" by My Chemical Romance, "Her Portrait in Black" by Atreyu, "Our Truth" by Lacuna Coil and "Washing Away Me in the Tides" by Trivium. Slipknot are credited on "Vermillion, Part 2 (Bloodstone mix)", and "Morning After" is credited to Chester Bennington and Julien-K. Alkaline Trio, Aiden, Senses Fail, Hawthorne Heights and Cradle of Filth ("Halloween 2") also appear.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009). The album "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" is built from remixes. Puscifer have "Lighten Up Francis (JLE dub mix)", Deftones "Hole in the Earth (Renholdër remix)", AFI "Miss Murder (VNV Nation remix)" and Thrice "Broken Lungs (Legion of Doom remix)". "Underneath the Stars (Renholdër remix)" is credited to The Cure, Maynard James Keenan, Puscifer and Milla. Combichrist, Perry Farrell, Blaqk Audio, Genghis Tron and From First to Last complete the list.

Underworld: Awakening (2012). The album "Underworld: Awakening: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" was released on January 17, 2012. It features Evanescence with "Made of Stone (Renholdër remix)", Linkin Park with "Blackout (Renholdër remix)", The Cure with "Apart (Renholdër remix)" and Ministry with "Watch Yourself (Renholdër remix)". Lacey Mosley and Geno Lenardo are credited on "Heavy Prey", and Stella Katsoudas and Geno Lenardo on "Killer & a Queen".

Underworld: Blood Wars (2016). The only song on the sheet is "Sound of Your Scream" by Brain and Melissa.

Our picks: the best songs in the Underworld films (opinion)

• "Bring Me the Disco King (Danny Lohner Mix)": in my opinion, the most striking credit in the series, with David Bowie, Maynard James Keenan and John Frusciante on one track.
• "Judith (Renholder Mix)": A Perfect Circle fit the saga's dark, industrial tone, and this is the pick I would play first.
• "Rev 22:20": a Puscifer track that sits well beside the 2003 film's gothic image.
• "Optimissed": Skinny Puppy bring the harshest industrial edge on that album.
• "Vermillion, Part 2 (Bloodstone mix)": Slipknot give Evolution its heaviest name.
• "Morning After": Chester Bennington's credit makes this a standout for fans of his voice.
• "Made of Stone (Renholdër remix)": Evanescence suit Awakening's moody, gothic side.
• "Blackout (Renholdër remix)": Linkin Park add the biggest mainstream rock name to the later albums.

To hear them in context, where to watch underworld lists the services for each film, and the underworld box office page shows how each one performed.