The original score composed and produced by guitarist SLASH for for Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” maze, “Universal Monsters” has been released for streaming on Spotify.
“Halloween Horror Nights” pays homage to iconic classic Monsters in this new maze by underscoring each of their unique attributes and reimagining them into terrifying modern day characters. The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula’s Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy are among those featured in the maze, to which SLASH composed a unique, complex composition that added a haunting dimension to the experience.
“This maze is the ultimate melding of two great icons, the Universal Classic Monsters and one of the greatest guitarists of all time,” said John Murdy, Executive Producer of “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood. “SLASH has great love and respect for these legendary characters, and we knew his unique musical genius would be the perfect ingredient to help bring the Universal Monsters to life as a ‘Living Horror Movie’ for modern day audiences.”
The six original tracks that SLASH composed for the “Universal Monsters” maze, as well as the original track he previously composed for the “Halloween Horror Nights” “Clowns 3D” maze, can be heard here on Spotify and include:
- “We Belong Dead” – inspired by Frankenstein Monster’s immortal line from the explosive finale of The Bride of Frankenstein, this track fuses Gothic themes with a contemporary EDM/Dubstep feel to set the tone for the horrific experience to come.
- “The Danse of the Dead” – inspired by “Danse Macabre,” the late medieval art movement that celebrated “the universality of death” and influenced the famous masquerade ball scene from The Phantom of the Opera, this track sets the stage for the Monster’s Masquerade sequence in the maze.
- “The Final Scare” – this guitar-driven, up-tempo track combines an old school Punk Rock feel with modern electronic sounds to drive the adrenaline-fueled finale of the maze, where multiple monsters attack.
- “Universal Monsters Rising” – SLASH’s signature lead guitar joins with the mournful sound of a tolling church and the sharp, staccato stabs of violins to call guests to the graveyard, where the Universal Monsters are waiting to rise again.
- “The Collection Room/Dracula’s Lair” – composed to accompany The Mummy and Dracula sections of the maze, this track transitions between Middle Eastern and Eastern European instrumentation to help bring to life these two Classic Monsters.
- “Monsters, Maniacs and Madmen (Universal Monsters Maze Medley)” – this compilation track, encompassing several scenes within the maze, takes a single haunting melody and transforms it throughout the arrangement, handing off from piano to guitar, violin, pipe organ and even the synthesized/sampled Opera singer’s voice to create a series of sinister moods.
- “Sweet Licks (music from “Clowns 3D”) – composed for 2014’s “Clowns 3D” maze, “Halloween Horror Night’s” first collaboration with SLASH, this track creates a creepy carnival vibe to help tell the story of a diabolical family of clowns who run a twisted ice cream factory.
“As a fan of horror movies and of ‘Halloween Horror Nights,’ I jumped at the chance to once again collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to produce what can be interpreted as a soundtrack for the maze,” said SLASH. “Similar to the way music affects a film, I wanted to compose a score for the legions of infamous characters featured in the maze to elicit a greater sense of terror for the guests. In the end, the goal was to ultimately make the guests feel as if they are playing an integral role in a classic Monster movie.”
Want to hear the score in person in the setting they were intended? Tickets are still available for the remeaning Halloween Horror Nights dates, October 18-21, 25-28, and 31 and November 1-3, 2018.
