Thanks for stopping by! Wayne and myself are equally happy we found Chris and Tyler at Red Hook. We just love the aesthetic of the game and it inspires us to do great work in return.
One detail I really like about this soundtrack: The Cove soundtrack in DDI was creepy, Lovecraftian, and haunting - because the Cove had more of an emphasis on the fish-people and less of an emphasis on undead pirates. And now in DDII, the shroud sounds far more human, intent, and tragic - because the Shroud has more of an emphasis on corrupted humans a-la-POTC than it is about ancient Fish-People. To put it another way, the Cove was more about the Siren, the Shroud is more about the Drowned Crew - and the music perfectly reflects that! The level of quality and detail in this music is a gift from the heavens! (or, I suppose, from the Shroud of the Deep?)
Right? I always loved this, both sides going appreciated; dd1 being about a celebration of cosmic forces beyond comprehension, while dd2 is more focused on human virtues and “the true splendor of a world - those who live within it” and so on.
New Music from the latest update to the Early Access version of Darkest Dungeon II. "The Shroud of the Deep" This new track will be added to the Epic Games Store OST and the Bandcamp OST shortly. In the meantime, if you have been playing the Early Access edition of the new game, go and download the Experimental build featuring the new area. I'll be here tomorrow for a quick chat in advance! See you then.
So here's the thing, I don't play Darkest Dungeon because it's way too unforgiving for me and the stress is too much, but I like watching various UA-camrs play it. I watch at 2x so the music doesn't really hit for me but literally EVERY SINGLE person playing this game comments on the shroud music so I had to search around to see what the fuss was about....and holy shit this was excellent. All of the different layers of instruments including the hurdy-gurdy/squeezebox-esque opening....chef's kiss. Bravo!!
Darkest Dungeon's gameplay is great and all, but what really makes DD so special is the talent of people like Wayne, Trudi, and Stuart. Mechanics are important, but mood made it memorable.
The only way I could describe this song to my friends is that it sounds like how it feels to be on a ship in the midst of a storm. Cresting over a wave only to be thrown to the deck as you come crashing down, constantly being tossed around, everyone around you scrambling both to hang on for dear life and to hold the ship together all at once. Genuinely incredible.
Thank you for writing the best naval theme in all of gaming, because this song is the reason why I am making an entire group of pirate themed enemies in my dnd campaign
Your work on DD has been very influential on my life for the past year. Of all the music in my library of 2300+ MP3s yours has been the most listened-to. Lengthy as this comment is, I feel I owe it to write this down as a testament to how deeply the music appeals to me with everything I've gone through as of late. For the past year I've worked as a sushi chef, running a bar by myself (Under the direction of my boss who works a 2nd bar in another location). Life is intense as I worked 50-60 hours a week, on 30-40 hours of sleep a week, with no overtime, vacation days, benefits, or paid breaks (breaks mean no work is getting done and thus I have to spend more time at work instead of going home), all for... less than minimum wage, I made $85/day (It's a strange story.) I could elaborate, but for brevity's sake, I won't. Rest assured I lived in near-sweatshop conditions and almost my entire life has been consumed in the maddening monotony of rolling sushi for hours on end, for little reward or purpose. There are numerous other negative happenings in my life, but the unending, mind numbing work makes seconds feel like days and days feel like seconds, driving me insane. All of the combat (and some non combat) tracks of DD1, DD2, and the DLC have been the soundtrack of my life for the past 11 months. All of the 6+ minute tracks are my favorite as they serve as the perfect background to my grueling workhours due to their length; they seem like symphonies to me that tell a story almost. Here's the value I see in some of the DD2 tracks (using Bandcamp timestamps): "Foetor Fight" The song overall has a theme of exhaustion, which resonates with me as I work tirelessly; the slow, constant beating of the drums like the pounding of a tired and weary heart, coupled with the vocals and the brass give a feeling of slow, agonizing suffering. I see some accents of melancholy in the strings and melody, as though the victim is lamenting its pain. My favorite part is 02:14 when the melody picks up, and the violin seems to cry out in pain, but only gently; as though it wants to scream, but is so exhausted it only comes out as a strained, poor whimper. Its cries are immediately cut off as the drums come in, and the suffering resumes. The song grows more tense until the strings are reintroduced near the end, and the song seems to become more peaceful as it winds down, with the final brass notes signifying what could be described as a "peaceful" end before the cycle restarts at 08:07. "Sprawl Battle" People have commented on the melancholic tone of the song, and the somber, ringing notes testify this. Fitting that this is the track that plays as cities are consumed by both fire and hysterical mania; as chaos and destruction is ultimately depressing to witness. This song forces me to reflect on the sad state of my circumstances, watching myself as I suffer and waste away, for almost no gain. My favorite part is 04:20 as the melody crescendos in a very tortured way, with the ringing at 04:35 suddenly becoming very panicked, frenzied in what I would describe as a mental breakdown from trauma-inducing pain, whether physical or psychological (in the case of DD, both). The song becomes more dramatic from this point, and picks up at0 6:04 when the strings become lighter, giving an inspiring feeling. It ends satisfyingly with the strings, which conclude the roller coaster with a more calm tone. "Conflict in the Tangle" My appreciation for this song is a bit different, as the song feels more "antagonistic" than the rest, this is emphasized mostly at 03:07 where the melody seems particularly sinister, combined with the chanting/shouting which feel only as though they accentuate the negative forces acting upon me. The slow, droning notes of the brass evokes madness. The song has a very dizzying feeling to me, which is perhaps why it hits the hardest at the beginning of the day; 5:50 AM, mind in a complete haze from 4 hours of sleep, rushing to get as much work done in 2 hours (Ingredient prep phase), having to fight my own muscles which want to give up. At 02:05 the rapid, shocking notes which are interrupted by near-silence contrast very well with the song's slow tempo, furthering these feelings. The way you can hear chanting in almost every note in the 2nd cycle excellently give off the feel of a slow burning, ever-looming sense of dread. "The Sluice" This track is the most unique as it's the fastest, most aggressive, most violent. They say music's rhythm corresponds with and enhances the performance of the body, in which case it makes sense that this song's heavy emphasis on drums makes it so powerful. My absolute favorite part is 05:15 in the second cycle, with the violent and unceasing slamming of the drums and chords. My mind's eye conjures a scene of a battle with combatants covered in mud and blood alike, flashing images of fist and weapon slamming with ferocious rage. The song instills in me an almost primal stubbornness toward adversity, a rage-induced unwillingness to cave in to the grim odds surrounding you. As though your frustration from insurmountable stress bears in you a desperate urge to fight back, to dominate the stress in retaliation.
"Battle of the Mountain" This track is my "favorite" inasmuch as I have the most emotional attachment to it, with its climactic and dramatic themes. It makes sense that this song plays in the shrine of reflection, as the characters are forced to confront their past traumatic burdens - their mistakes, their failures, their wrongdoings, flaws, weaknesses, afflictions, losses, sufferings, everything that makes life horrible. The song opens with the shriek of the violins at 00:50 which sound pained, terrified, along with the singular petrifying strike of the drum every 1/8th beat (if I understand time signatures correctly,) setting the tone for how tense, how high stakes, how desperate, despaired, panicked, agonized, the song wants you to feel. My favorite part is any part that has the choirs singing, as for me high-pitched choir singing signifies nobility, goodness, positivity, the light amidst the darkness, the only instrument which cheers you on. The entirety of 01:00-04:00 would be the best example. This deeply resonates me as I personally have been forced to confront the worst parts of my life every single day of work - I've made a good deal of mistakes earlier in life, and you reap what you sow: my own cowardice and sloth of years past have directly and indirectly caused all of the suffering under this job. I will not go into detail - as my intention with this post is not to display how much of a drama queen I am, but to express my gratitude and appreciation for your work - but my family has a lot of personal issues and I feel I've failed to help them in the past years, letting these problems fester. And now, during most workhours those deeply rooted problems began to rear their ugliest faces toward me, haunting me in the back of my head as I am tormented under the nihilistic hopelessness of my fruitless job. It is as though I am being punished or put through purgation for my failures, as though I cast myself into this hell and now I must desperately claw my way out of it lest everything I care for fall to ruin. It is for this reason that this song's rollercoaster of climaxxing melodies, its shocking notes, its progression from horror to hope to desperation, feel so real to me. It instills in me a feeling destiny, as though I must confront the worst horrors in life, I must stare despair in the face, I must endure the fire I am being put through, to find any semblance of salvation. Perhaps this is why I resonate with the themes of Darkest Dungeon as a whole, as it tells a story of flawed heroes, burdened not only with the weight of the world, or the suffering of their journey, but also with themselves, their failures, their desire to give up, to cave in to their fear, despair, and sorrow - these things they must fight against if they are to have any peace. Every second of this song is packed with meaning, with context, with setting, and numerous emotions, the dimmest but most noticeable being hope. The only issue I have with the song is that it ends a bit anti-climactically, but this is justified with how the song is structured and I supplement it by listening to "All Things Must Come" immediately after. I could drone on for many more songs in the DD1+2 soundtrack, but these are the most influential in how I've developed in these chaotic months. I wish I could say something artful about "The Shroud of the Deep", but it was not on my phone's MP3 at the time. When the song was released in May, I was going through immense personal fallout with my friends who were being torn apart by particular drama and infighting, to the point that I lost them all, so the song has a feeling tragedy, of fighting against stomach-churning despair and death which seek to claim everything you care for. I love the melody and the instruments used in this song, it's one of my favorites as of late. As of writing this post it's officially been a full year since I got this sushi chef job, and a full month since I got fired from it - for wearing headphones, nonetheless. They (poorly) claim it was an OSHA violation + it interfered with customers, but I digress. I could've taken them off, I could've gotten wireless earphones, but I chose not to. This soundtrack added so much meaning to my life, contextualized and helped me to understand and appreciate the suffering that permeates life so infinitely. It helped me to stay sane. If there is anything to take away from this post it is that I consider every song to be deeply cathartic (Save for "Conflict in the Tangle", I appreciate that one a bit differently.) to use very dramatic language, its themes of grim darkness, uncertainty, despair, danger, suffering, etc serve to accentuate those same feelings I had during the job. It feels as though the music "sympathizes" with my misfortune and plights, understands them. This is the reason it felt insulting, humiliating, demoralizing even to listen to the supermarket radio while I slaved away - pop music does not make a good background for suffering. I may be a drama queen but the music helped me to feel how "real" everything is, the severity of my situation, my stress, everything. I enjoy living every moment of life to its fullest, including the moments of fear, anger, sorrow, and pain. In this sense my dramatic and existential language is not inappropriate or unrealistic - I merely desire to experience every facet of life completely, the good and the bad. My life is very unusual (I'm a special snowflake btw) and misfortunate, but I genuinely do love life. I don't know what's in store for me, but I am a Christian and I do have a strong sense of destiny, which is both a reason why I add so much meaning to these songs + another vector of suffering the past year, as my spiritual life had fallen into disarray, causing much emotional distress and alarm internally. I also had to deal with the stress of moving whilst working 10 hours a day, but I digress. My only hope is that not all of the suffering I had gone through this past year was in vain, that it at least had profited me something worthwhile. I've certainly changed a lot as a person, and I think this is due at least a little in part to your music and its unique feelings of both hope and suffering combined in most of the songs. I wish I had wrote this earlier when the chances of you reading this were higher, in any case I thank you for your work on this franchise. It may seem embarrassing that I pour so shamelessly all of my emotions into a single comment on a videogame soundtrack video, but that's exactly why I did it. I'm generally a stoic man, and I do not express my emotion often if at all. This is likely why I was able to stomach the suffering so long, and why the music affects me on such a deep level. I had to express what the music means to me, personally. God bless you and anyone reading this, I hope things go well in your life, and that should any suffering happen upon you, that you are able to turn it into something good.
@@StuartChatwood For a long time I was using your music almost exclusively for my home game. Have since branched the playlist out but I often come back to your stuff, espcially for tense situations and monster combat.
Best negative quirk: blundering fool (you don't want to move anyway) Worst character: jester (stop the barnacles damnit) Cauterize: better than usual here
I'm in love with the Valtz'y notes in this song, making me think that the fight im having is a dance for survival. Atleast I think that Dismas thinks so with him dancing around Baristan with Duelist's Advance + Point Blank combo
Stuart, you've once again given me an idea for a DnD character. The son of a fisherman, never expected to amount to anything, after an unfortunate incident out at sea, he trips over the deck of his father's little fishing boat, covered in all manner of rope and lures, struggling to escape, he gently sinks to the bottom of the sea, when suddenly, a Cthulian figure emerges in his mind, "I'll free you, for a price." Desperate to live, he regrettably accepts. While he was freed from his entanglement, his price was a dangerous one. He will gradually become a Mind Flayer. (Music's wonderful as always)
Hearing this watching people play the new update, such a banger as always, Stuart. I don't know how you can keep creating awesome track after awesome track but DD wouldn't be the same without you!
Stuart's music rides the fine line between making you feel like you're the one in charge of decimating these fiends, yet you can never escape that all consuming feeling you're very much in over your head to think you have any chance of overwhelming this great evil. Wonderful job man :)
@@StuartChatwood I just found out you also did the Prince of Persia soundtracks. It's been so long but I still go back to listening the Warrior Within OST from time to time. Thank you for your great work!
When I first listened to this my leg was already tapping alongside it, love the instruments as well as the rhythm. The way the song goes up and down like waves of a storm and relentlessly pours down on you feels perfect for the setting. Even more fittingly, the calmest part is when the violins foreshadow the darkness that lies below the surface. The sea was always unforgiving but now its outright malicious. The brass is so powerfull that it takes my breath away, near the end ,like a fog horn it pierces the soul. Amazing work, if only i could comprehend music more i would be able to appreciate your work even more!
i think my favourite detail of the fisherfolk is how they are slowly appearing more human like, they went from pure fish and slight man to a 50/50 mix, as if they are trying to blend in more
If you're talking about the change from the Coves enemies to this game, then I think you got the lore backwards. In the first game, they were more or less just creatures of the Sea, mixed in with the drowned here and there. This one, the people of the town gave themselves to the Sea, and are being converted/taken over which is why they're more humanlike. I believe the Academic gives lore about it in-game. I agree though. These are much more interesting appearing than the enemies of the Cove.
Alright, after a while I got back in DD2 and played through the shroud for the first time, not having heard the music before. And let me tell you, the shroud took foetor's place for my favorite region due to the music alone. I am not exaggerating when I'm saying that it reminded me of Hans Zimmer's style in PotC.
I played The Shroud yesterday while streaming for my friends for the first time, and needless to say we all got hyped up for this outstanding soundtrack, as usual.
Fantastic work as usual! What a fun deviation from the Cove’s theme invoking loud and bombastic nautical battles while still keeping the atmosphere of seriousness and danger!
I honestly just love the entire darkest dungeon team. You can tell through to the amazing music (there isn’t a single track that I don’t love) to the detail they put into their art to even the way the deliver the patch notes to us players that they are so so passionate about their game
Me and my party where sailing on a 3 day trip to another island on our campaign. At 0:00 we were ambushed by undead pirates when their ship rose up nose first from the water. DM: Roll for initiative It also counted as an ambush.
You know after getting hit by enemies that were all crit boosted by one guy and getting vide checked by a giant sea monster. The cove back at the hamlet doesn’t seem to bad
And then you get critted on the pincer and get 18 bleed for 5 turns and remember exactly why you hated it. Oh, and also a platoon of regular dudes reduce your only healer to Death's Door in one rotation with obscene crit odds.
I missed the stream by a few minutes unfortunately. But this track, once again. Absolutely slaps! Favorite track so far, and that's saying a lot. Greetings from the Netherlands Stuart, thanks for the amazing work
I like to imagine a giant sea battle between all the region-specific enemies from darkest dungeon 1 & 2 (with the heroes having their own boat) while listening to this.
The going up and down in the song like a tide, the plates like the waves crushing against the rocks, the vibe like an adventure with danger, calling to bravery. For me mr Chatwood is a great artist since the first time i heard the PoP Warrior Within OST. Thanks for your music.
Excellent work Stuart, you and the people at Redhook continue to amaze me. Also I can’t wait for that Korean orchestra you mentioned in the live chat to play this one day.
I was looking for more Darkest Dungeon music to serve as a backdrop to the dnd campaign I'm running, and happened upon your channel. Only now I realize that you were responsible for some tracks from Prince of Persia that have been stuck with me for over a decade! Thanks for the nice memories!
2:28 is the theme that recalls in my brain each time I hear something rhythmic. I think im obsessed with dd2 ost but cant play it because im currently playing the original game and getting masochistic pleasure from it.
One of my favorite parts (if not favorite) of both Darkest Dungeon games, is your music. You seriously kill it with every track. Somehow, you make each track better than the last. I didn't think you'd make a song I like more than the Warrens combat and The Final Combat, but here is this. Great work man, I am so stoked to hear more from you in the future!!
I love this track so much, I go to the shroud for the sole purpose of being able to listen to it! I hope more awesome tracks come out for the game or dlc in the future ☺
In the second novel I'm currently working on I am trying to write a massive fight between dragons and a underground alien creature and this music helps so much trying to write what's happening. All your music is always been very inspirational thank you so much. Another wonderful song for the playlist :)
In this song, I feel the emotions I felt when I heard about her haenyeo(wonen diver) from my grandmother. Like the time I heard her story, I feel like I'm drowning in a dark but mysterious sea. Thank you for the grateful music.
I think this is your best one yet. The rest of the songs are also incredibly impressive but this one takes the cake. Thank you for providing quality music for all these years!
Holy Hellion! I am continually amazed at the quality and complexity of your music, some of my favourite tracks of any video game, I look forward to what comes next for this game and the deeply enjoyable music that comes with it!
I don't know... quality-wise, I think Bloodletting、Blasted Hearth or Town in Chaos are better songs, but this one, I have been playing this for nearly a week now, and every time it feels just as good as the first time hearing it, and it's very, very addictive to me I tell you, and it's good!
Absolutely love the Shroud OST! Amazing to see such a dedicated composer like Stuart Chatwood surpass our expectations again and again. Keep up the great work :)
What can I say man, another masterpiece. Really gives the shroud a unique feel. And despite how often I get my shit kicked in my its enemies, this track always keeps me going :D Great work as always man, the game would NOT be the same without you!!
You know a OST is good when you look for it in YT after playing the game... what's more, I haven't played DD 2 at all! i'm just here for the tunes. Thanks for this masterpiece
That dissonant violin at the start is just such a great addition. Have you ever through of composing a piece inspired by the "The Music of Erich Zann"?
Darkest Dungeon music,perfect for the darker sections of my D&D setting. While music from other series may be more common tracks any time a Darkest Dungeon track is played the party knows greater and darker dangers abound ahead,and the looks of fear on some players while others look defiant is something I love. For they face the true test,stand fast or expire.
You can clearly hear the sea shanty inspiration, but it still manages to feel ominous and threatening, without losing the jollyness of sea shanties. Mr. Chatwood, do you have plans on taking apprentices, so someone can continue composing in this signature style, when you have to retire? The thought of losing this style of composing is more horrifying than everything Darkest Dungeon could offer....
With that soundtrack, you are a Stuart "Chad"wood in my dictionary... I don't know how you come up with that kind of inspiration when making music but... dude let me tell you that you are a legend
The Shroud very quickly became my favourite region, in part because of your splendid music, keep up the good work and keep these bangers coming!
I second this notion.
Me2 dude
CSGO Profile Picture
So Long untill you go to the lair
Yes, shroud is just cool
Stuart Chatwood more like Stuart Chad-wood
more like Stuart Driftwood
Chadstuard chad-wood
me : "i promise honey i won't go on pirate mode after drinking"
also me after a glass of rhum :
Darkest Dungeon(s) are nothing without you and Wayne June. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by! Wayne and myself are equally happy we found Chris and Tyler at Red Hook. We just love the aesthetic of the game and it inspires us to do great work in return.
@@StuartChatwood Do you two ever coordinate, so your works compliment eachother?
Imagine a Ballad or Shanty made with you two! You guys are amazing and I love your work immensely!
Straight up. Chartwood's and June's Talent - probably the best 2 aquisitions Red Hook ever made. They carry the game's atmosphere.
This literally sounds like the scenario of a ship lost in the middle of a storm. The waves risng and falling, the crew holding on for dear life
That's exactly what I've imagined myself
''They must be made to see that their monstrous god is mortal.''
*Dismas proceeds to PBS it for 50 damage*
Seems mortal enough.
One detail I really like about this soundtrack:
The Cove soundtrack in DDI was creepy, Lovecraftian, and haunting - because the Cove had more of an emphasis on the fish-people and less of an emphasis on undead pirates.
And now in DDII, the shroud sounds far more human, intent, and tragic - because the Shroud has more of an emphasis on corrupted humans a-la-POTC than it is about ancient Fish-People.
To put it another way, the Cove was more about the Siren, the Shroud is more about the Drowned Crew - and the music perfectly reflects that! The level of quality and detail in this music is a gift from the heavens! (or, I suppose, from the Shroud of the Deep?)
Right? I always loved this, both sides going appreciated; dd1 being about a celebration of cosmic forces beyond comprehension, while dd2 is more focused on human virtues and “the true splendor of a world - those who live within it” and so on.
This song could have ended at 3:15 but it's like he just decided to take two more victory laps and it gets even better
New Music from the latest update to the Early Access version of Darkest Dungeon II. "The Shroud of the Deep"
This new track will be added to the Epic Games Store OST and the Bandcamp OST shortly.
In the meantime, if you have been playing the Early Access edition of the new game, go and download the Experimental build featuring the new area.
I'll be here tomorrow for a quick chat in advance! See you then.
I like how it captures the tension of the high seas! Unknown and unfathomable, only the brave and foolish embark on such a journey!
still not on epic 😔
Hey there Stuart! Any chance that the soundtrack will be uploaded to Spotify? I'd love to listen to it there 🙏
Red Hook is so lucky to have you. You play such a huge role in the aesthetic of the world. Another master piece!
Aren't we all lucky to have him ❤️
5:35
This part hits so goddamn hard bro
My favourite part!
3:56 That callback to The Chloroplast of Cosmarium is outstanding
God it feels otherworldly to listen to music composers this good
Why no one's talking about 2:13? The buildup is sooooo good
OK, so can we talk about how awesome 7:45 is? Everyone talks about earlier parts of the track, but the ending is just magnificent!
So here's the thing, I don't play Darkest Dungeon because it's way too unforgiving for me and the stress is too much, but I like watching various UA-camrs play it. I watch at 2x so the music doesn't really hit for me but literally EVERY SINGLE person playing this game comments on the shroud music so I had to search around to see what the fuss was about....and holy shit this was excellent. All of the different layers of instruments including the hurdy-gurdy/squeezebox-esque opening....chef's kiss. Bravo!!
Thanks for hunting down the music. Glad you are enjoying it!
Darkest Dungeon's gameplay is great and all, but what really makes DD so special is the talent of people like Wayne, Trudi, and Stuart. Mechanics are important, but mood made it memorable.
The only way I could describe this song to my friends is that it sounds like how it feels to be on a ship in the midst of a storm. Cresting over a wave only to be thrown to the deck as you come crashing down, constantly being tossed around, everyone around you scrambling both to hang on for dear life and to hold the ship together all at once. Genuinely incredible.
Thanks for the kind words.
Thank you for writing the best naval theme in all of gaming, because this song is the reason why I am making an entire group of pirate themed enemies in my dnd campaign
Your work on DD has been very influential on my life for the past year. Of all the music in my library of 2300+ MP3s yours has been the most listened-to. Lengthy as this comment is, I feel I owe it to write this down as a testament to how deeply the music appeals to me with everything I've gone through as of late.
For the past year I've worked as a sushi chef, running a bar by myself (Under the direction of my boss who works a 2nd bar in another location). Life is intense as I worked 50-60 hours a week, on 30-40 hours of sleep a week, with no overtime, vacation days, benefits, or paid breaks (breaks mean no work is getting done and thus I have to spend more time at work instead of going home), all for... less than minimum wage, I made $85/day (It's a strange story.) I could elaborate, but for brevity's sake, I won't. Rest assured I lived in near-sweatshop conditions and almost my entire life has been consumed in the maddening monotony of rolling sushi for hours on end, for little reward or purpose. There are numerous other negative happenings in my life, but the unending, mind numbing work makes seconds feel like days and days feel like seconds, driving me insane.
All of the combat (and some non combat) tracks of DD1, DD2, and the DLC have been the soundtrack of my life for the past 11 months. All of the 6+ minute tracks are my favorite as they serve as the perfect background to my grueling workhours due to their length; they seem like symphonies to me that tell a story almost. Here's the value I see in some of the DD2 tracks (using Bandcamp timestamps):
"Foetor Fight"
The song overall has a theme of exhaustion, which resonates with me as I work tirelessly; the slow, constant beating of the drums like the pounding of a tired and weary heart, coupled with the vocals and the brass give a feeling of slow, agonizing suffering. I see some accents of melancholy in the strings and melody, as though the victim is lamenting its pain.
My favorite part is 02:14 when the melody picks up, and the violin seems to cry out in pain, but only gently; as though it wants to scream, but is so exhausted it only comes out as a strained, poor whimper. Its cries are immediately cut off as the drums come in, and the suffering resumes. The song grows more tense until the strings are reintroduced near the end, and the song seems to become more peaceful as it winds down, with the final brass notes signifying what could be described as a "peaceful" end before the cycle restarts at 08:07.
"Sprawl Battle"
People have commented on the melancholic tone of the song, and the somber, ringing notes testify this. Fitting that this is the track that plays as cities are consumed by both fire and hysterical mania; as chaos and destruction is ultimately depressing to witness. This song forces me to reflect on the sad state of my circumstances, watching myself as I suffer and waste away, for almost no gain. My favorite part is 04:20 as the melody crescendos in a very tortured way, with the ringing at 04:35 suddenly becoming very panicked, frenzied in what I would describe as a mental breakdown from trauma-inducing pain, whether physical or psychological (in the case of DD, both). The song becomes more dramatic from this point, and picks up at0 6:04 when the strings become lighter, giving an inspiring feeling. It ends satisfyingly with the strings, which conclude the roller coaster with a more calm tone.
"Conflict in the Tangle"
My appreciation for this song is a bit different, as the song feels more "antagonistic" than the rest, this is emphasized mostly at 03:07 where the melody seems particularly sinister, combined with the chanting/shouting which feel only as though they accentuate the negative forces acting upon me.
The slow, droning notes of the brass evokes madness. The song has a very dizzying feeling to me, which is perhaps why it hits the hardest at the beginning of the day; 5:50 AM, mind in a complete haze from 4 hours of sleep, rushing to get as much work done in 2 hours (Ingredient prep phase), having to fight my own muscles which want to give up. At 02:05 the rapid, shocking notes which are interrupted by near-silence contrast very well with the song's slow tempo, furthering these feelings. The way you can hear chanting in almost every note in the 2nd cycle excellently give off the feel of a slow burning, ever-looming sense of dread.
"The Sluice"
This track is the most unique as it's the fastest, most aggressive, most violent. They say music's rhythm corresponds with and enhances the performance of the body, in which case it makes sense that this song's heavy emphasis on drums makes it so powerful. My absolute favorite part is 05:15 in the second cycle, with the violent and unceasing slamming of the drums and chords. My mind's eye conjures a scene of a battle with combatants covered in mud and blood alike, flashing images of fist and weapon slamming with ferocious rage. The song instills in me an almost primal stubbornness toward adversity, a rage-induced unwillingness to cave in to the grim odds surrounding you. As though your frustration from insurmountable stress bears in you a desperate urge to fight back, to dominate the stress in retaliation.
"Battle of the Mountain"
This track is my "favorite" inasmuch as I have the most emotional attachment to it, with its climactic and dramatic themes. It makes sense that this song plays in the shrine of reflection, as the characters are forced to confront their past traumatic burdens - their mistakes, their failures, their wrongdoings, flaws, weaknesses, afflictions, losses, sufferings, everything that makes life horrible. The song opens with the shriek of the violins at 00:50 which sound pained, terrified, along with the singular petrifying strike of the drum every 1/8th beat (if I understand time signatures correctly,) setting the tone for how tense, how high stakes, how desperate, despaired, panicked, agonized, the song wants you to feel.
My favorite part is any part that has the choirs singing, as for me high-pitched choir singing signifies nobility, goodness, positivity, the light amidst the darkness, the only instrument which cheers you on. The entirety of 01:00-04:00 would be the best example. This deeply resonates me as I personally have been forced to confront the worst parts of my life every single day of work - I've made a good deal of mistakes earlier in life, and you reap what you sow: my own cowardice and sloth of years past have directly and indirectly caused all of the suffering under this job.
I will not go into detail - as my intention with this post is not to display how much of a drama queen I am, but to express my gratitude and appreciation for your work - but my family has a lot of personal issues and I feel I've failed to help them in the past years, letting these problems fester. And now, during most workhours those deeply rooted problems began to rear their ugliest faces toward me, haunting me in the back of my head as I am tormented under the nihilistic hopelessness of my fruitless job. It is as though I am being punished or put through purgation for my failures, as though I cast myself into this hell and now I must desperately claw my way out of it lest everything I care for fall to ruin.
It is for this reason that this song's rollercoaster of climaxxing melodies, its shocking notes, its progression from horror to hope to desperation, feel so real to me. It instills in me a feeling destiny, as though I must confront the worst horrors in life, I must stare despair in the face, I must endure the fire I am being put through, to find any semblance of salvation.
Perhaps this is why I resonate with the themes of Darkest Dungeon as a whole, as it tells a story of flawed heroes, burdened not only with the weight of the world, or the suffering of their journey, but also with themselves, their failures, their desire to give up, to cave in to their fear, despair, and sorrow - these things they must fight against if they are to have any peace.
Every second of this song is packed with meaning, with context, with setting, and numerous emotions, the dimmest but most noticeable being hope.
The only issue I have with the song is that it ends a bit anti-climactically, but this is justified with how the song is structured and I supplement it by listening to "All Things Must Come" immediately after.
I could drone on for many more songs in the DD1+2 soundtrack, but these are the most influential in how I've developed in these chaotic months. I wish I could say something artful about "The Shroud of the Deep", but it was not on my phone's MP3 at the time. When the song was released in May, I was going through immense personal fallout with my friends who were being torn apart by particular drama and infighting, to the point that I lost them all, so the song has a feeling tragedy, of fighting against stomach-churning despair and death which seek to claim everything you care for. I love the melody and the instruments used in this song, it's one of my favorites as of late.
As of writing this post it's officially been a full year since I got this sushi chef job, and a full month since I got fired from it - for wearing headphones, nonetheless. They (poorly) claim it was an OSHA violation + it interfered with customers, but I digress. I could've taken them off, I could've gotten wireless earphones, but I chose not to. This soundtrack added so much meaning to my life, contextualized and helped me to understand and appreciate the suffering that permeates life so infinitely. It helped me to stay sane.
If there is anything to take away from this post it is that I consider every song to be deeply cathartic (Save for "Conflict in the Tangle", I appreciate that one a bit differently.) to use very dramatic language, its themes of grim darkness, uncertainty, despair, danger, suffering, etc serve to accentuate those same feelings I had during the job. It feels as though the music "sympathizes" with my misfortune and plights, understands them. This is the reason it felt insulting, humiliating, demoralizing even to listen to the supermarket radio while I slaved away - pop music does not make a good background for suffering.
I may be a drama queen but the music helped me to feel how "real" everything is, the severity of my situation, my stress, everything. I enjoy living every moment of life to its fullest, including the moments of fear, anger, sorrow, and pain. In this sense my dramatic and existential language is not inappropriate or unrealistic - I merely desire to experience every facet of life completely, the good and the bad.
My life is very unusual (I'm a special snowflake btw) and misfortunate, but I genuinely do love life. I don't know what's in store for me, but I am a Christian and I do have a strong sense of destiny, which is both a reason why I add so much meaning to these songs + another vector of suffering the past year, as my spiritual life had fallen into disarray, causing much emotional distress and alarm internally. I also had to deal with the stress of moving whilst working 10 hours a day, but I digress. My only hope is that not all of the suffering I had gone through this past year was in vain, that it at least had profited me something worthwhile. I've certainly changed a lot as a person, and I think this is due at least a little in part to your music and its unique feelings of both hope and suffering combined in most of the songs.
I wish I had wrote this earlier when the chances of you reading this were higher, in any case I thank you for your work on this franchise. It may seem embarrassing that I pour so shamelessly all of my emotions into a single comment on a videogame soundtrack video, but that's exactly why I did it. I'm generally a stoic man, and I do not express my emotion often if at all. This is likely why I was able to stomach the suffering so long, and why the music affects me on such a deep level. I had to express what the music means to me, personally.
God bless you and anyone reading this, I hope things go well in your life, and that should any suffering happen upon you, that you are able to turn it into something good.
Great stuff, Stuart. I play a lot of your music for my D&D games I run.
I love hearing about tabletop and RPG gamers using the music while playing.
Same (in TDE). Amazing music for combat.
@@StuartChatwood Of course we use it, your pieces are perfect for these occasions!!!
@@StuartChatwood For a long time I was using your music almost exclusively for my home game. Have since branched the playlist out but I often come back to your stuff, espcially for tense situations and monster combat.
Same in Wfrp4e
Best negative quirk: blundering fool (you don't want to move anyway)
Worst character: jester (stop the barnacles damnit)
Cauterize: better than usual here
I'm in love with the Valtz'y notes in this song, making me think that the fight im having is a dance for survival. Atleast I think that Dismas thinks so with him dancing around Baristan with Duelist's Advance + Point Blank combo
Stuart, you've once again given me an idea for a DnD character. The son of a fisherman, never expected to amount to anything, after an unfortunate incident out at sea, he trips over the deck of his father's little fishing boat, covered in all manner of rope and lures, struggling to escape, he gently sinks to the bottom of the sea, when suddenly, a Cthulian figure emerges in his mind, "I'll free you, for a price." Desperate to live, he regrettably accepts. While he was freed from his entanglement, his price was a dangerous one. He will gradually become a Mind Flayer. (Music's wonderful as always)
4:25 I love the addition of the bells from The Cove Battle! Such a wonderful piece of music, Stuart! Can’t wait for the full OST to be finished!
Love how all the music in this game sounds like the heroes really are fighting for their lives
There is no easy confrontation against the eldritch evil of this world...
Love how this leaned fully into shanty territory, loved the ship bells in the cove music but this blows that out of the water pun intended
Hearing this watching people play the new update, such a banger as always, Stuart. I don't know how you can keep creating awesome track after awesome track but DD wouldn't be the same without you!
Stuart Chatwood delivers yet another eargasm
Stuart's music rides the fine line between making you feel like you're the one in charge of decimating these fiends, yet you can never escape that all consuming feeling you're very much in over your head to think you have any chance of overwhelming this great evil. Wonderful job man :)
Xzibit z ZZZ
This track is the only reason why I select the Shroud path whenever I can.
Thanks for playing the game and supporting my music.
@@StuartChatwood I just found out you also did the Prince of Persia soundtracks. It's been so long but I still go back to listening the Warrior Within OST from time to time. Thank you for your great work!
4:38 is soooooooo good
Happy Darkest Dungeon II release day.
I'll be here, waiting for all the new OSTs.
The music in the first game was amazing - melancholy & evocative, it built such a perfect atmosphere.
When I first listened to this my leg was already tapping alongside it, love the instruments as well as the rhythm. The way the song goes up and down like waves of a storm and relentlessly pours down on you feels perfect for the setting. Even more fittingly, the calmest part is when the violins foreshadow the darkness that lies below the surface. The sea was always unforgiving but now its outright malicious. The brass is so powerfull that it takes my breath away, near the end ,like a fog horn it pierces the soul. Amazing work, if only i could comprehend music more i would be able to appreciate your work even more!
i think my favourite detail of the fisherfolk is how they are slowly appearing more human like, they went from pure fish and slight man to a 50/50 mix, as if they are trying to blend in more
If you're talking about the change from the Coves enemies to this game, then I think you got the lore backwards. In the first game, they were more or less just creatures of the Sea, mixed in with the drowned here and there. This one, the people of the town gave themselves to the Sea, and are being converted/taken over which is why they're more humanlike. I believe the Academic gives lore about it in-game.
I agree though. These are much more interesting appearing than the enemies of the Cove.
"Masterfully executed!"
Alright, after a while I got back in DD2 and played through the shroud for the first time, not having heard the music before. And let me tell you, the shroud took foetor's place for my favorite region due to the music alone. I am not exaggerating when I'm saying that it reminded me of Hans Zimmer's style in PotC.
Your music ,picture of captain doing All Hands on Deck!, and memory of Hull Breaker is whats make Shrous so manecing😂. I love it.
yup im using this for my dnd campaign, stuart chatwood, the narrator and what makes half the game so much fun to play
I played The Shroud yesterday while streaming for my friends for the first time, and needless to say we all got hyped up for this outstanding soundtrack, as usual.
You really nailed this theme. The music sways like the ocean waves on a stormy night.
Fantastic work as usual! What a fun deviation from the Cove’s theme invoking loud and bombastic nautical battles while still keeping the atmosphere of seriousness and danger!
I honestly just love the entire darkest dungeon team. You can tell through to the amazing music (there isn’t a single track that I don’t love) to the detail they put into their art to even the way the deliver the patch notes to us players that they are so so passionate about their game
Sir Stuart, you are such an amzing composer! Your compositions are Enough to get the Internet's title Stuart CHADwood.
Me and my party where sailing on a 3 day trip to another island on our campaign. At 0:00 we were ambushed by undead pirates when their ship rose up nose first from the water.
DM: Roll for initiative
It also counted as an ambush.
this came up when I searched for "pirate music"
The biggest thing I look forward to in these DD updates is the soundtrack and man does Chatwood NEVER dissapoint. Beyond amazing music as always!!
I love your music. It's crazy how well your music builds the atmosphere.
You know after getting hit by enemies that were all crit boosted by one guy and getting vide checked by a giant sea monster. The cove back at the hamlet doesn’t seem to bad
And then you get critted on the pincer and get 18 bleed for 5 turns and remember exactly why you hated it.
Oh, and also a platoon of regular dudes reduce your only healer to Death's Door in one rotation with obscene crit odds.
Ah.... Cove Lepers and KRAB
I missed the stream by a few minutes unfortunately. But this track, once again. Absolutely slaps! Favorite track so far, and that's saying a lot. Greetings from the Netherlands Stuart, thanks for the amazing work
I like to imagine a giant sea battle between all the region-specific enemies from darkest dungeon 1 & 2 (with the heroes having their own boat) while listening to this.
You truly never miss. It ain't DD without your stuff man
The going up and down in the song like a tide, the plates like the waves crushing against the rocks, the vibe like an adventure with danger, calling to bravery. For me mr Chatwood is a great artist since the first time i heard the PoP Warrior Within OST. Thanks for your music.
Excellent work Stuart, you and the people at Redhook continue to amaze me. Also I can’t wait for that Korean orchestra you mentioned in the live chat to play this one day.
What a powerful track! I cant stop listening. I absolutely adore your work and admire your talent since 2003.
Thanks for listening
I was looking for more Darkest Dungeon music to serve as a backdrop to the dnd campaign I'm running, and happened upon your channel. Only now I realize that you were responsible for some tracks from Prince of Persia that have been stuck with me for over a decade! Thanks for the nice memories!
2:28 is the theme that recalls in my brain each time I hear something rhythmic. I think im obsessed with dd2 ost but cant play it because im currently playing the original game and getting masochistic pleasure from it.
One of my favorite parts (if not favorite) of both Darkest Dungeon games, is your music. You seriously kill it with every track. Somehow, you make each track better than the last. I didn't think you'd make a song I like more than the Warrens combat and The Final Combat, but here is this. Great work man, I am so stoked to hear more from you in the future!!
Certified and absolute banger, you don’t mind if I use this for an undead pirate battle on the River Styx in one of my D&D campaigns do you?
I think that heart means "no I don't".
He also loves hearing about tabletop users using his music
make sure to relentlessly harass them about the creator of the music tho
@@Artameful what ?
@@Artameful My players will know the greatness that is Stuart Chatwood
I love this track so much, I go to the shroud for the sole purpose of being able to listen to it! I hope more awesome tracks come out for the game or dlc in the future ☺
Glad you enjoy it!
In the second novel I'm currently working on I am trying to write a massive fight between dragons and a underground alien creature and this music helps so much trying to write what's happening. All your music is always been very inspirational thank you so much. Another wonderful song for the playlist :)
You are so incredibly talented. Listened with my eyes closed - brilliant! Congratulations.
Another fine addition to my collection of things that make my tabletop group prepare to meet God.
As always amazing job Stuart.
I've been running my dnd game for a little over 2yrs now and 70% of that game has been your music for boss fights and arenas
In this song, I feel the emotions I felt when I heard about her haenyeo(wonen diver) from my grandmother.
Like the time I heard her story, I feel like I'm drowning in a dark but mysterious sea.
Thank you for the grateful music.
You never fail to bring exactly what this game needs!
Absolute banger as per usual, Mr.Chatwood!
That was so good. Always love your soundtracks! Great music to get eviscerated to.
You did it again, good sir! Another masterpiece.
I think this is your best one yet. The rest of the songs are also incredibly impressive but this one takes the cake. Thank you for providing quality music for all these years!
Holy Hellion! I am continually amazed at the quality and complexity of your music, some of my favourite tracks of any video game, I look forward to what comes next for this game and the deeply enjoyable music that comes with it!
I really want to listen this on spoty, amazing job as always Stuart!
Good news. I have a release date - Oct 22nd
Yet another masterpiece! I bet that Stuart can make pure silence sound good.
Absolutely incredible work!
7:05 best part
Always a great day when I get to hear new music from you, Stuart. So glad to soak in your work :)
I don't know... quality-wise, I think Bloodletting、Blasted Hearth or Town in Chaos are better songs, but this one, I have been playing this for nearly a week now, and every time it feels just as good as the first time hearing it, and it's very, very addictive to me I tell you, and it's good!
Probably my favorite track
The streak of amazing music in DD games continues.
PHENOMENAL. It's literally stuck in my head for the past week please help
Absolutely love the Shroud OST! Amazing to see such a dedicated composer like Stuart Chatwood surpass our expectations again and again. Keep up the great work :)
Love your music Stuart you are incredibly talented
Volumetric, Majestic and powerful, it cannot be described in simple words. Bravo!
Great Effort for Great Triumph!
What can I say man, another masterpiece. Really gives the shroud a unique feel. And despite how often I get my shit kicked in my its enemies, this track always keeps me going :D Great work as always man, the game would NOT be the same without you!!
I will always love water areas in games be they peaceful or absolutely hellish and this song just fits perfect, great job!
You know a OST is good when you look for it in YT after playing the game... what's more, I haven't played DD 2 at all! i'm just here for the tunes. Thanks for this masterpiece
Glad you enjoy it!
@@StuartChatwood Finally I played the game and the rest of the music is so good. Altar of hope Act 1 and 2 are so powerful together
Thank you... for everything 💔
My hearts always fills with joy and chills when I hear your music Stuart, your music is just awesome
That dissonant violin at the start is just such a great addition. Have you ever through of composing a piece inspired by the "The Music of Erich Zann"?
Interesting story by Lovecraft. I think Chris Bourassa might create a cutscene influenced by this one day and I'll be ready to write a cue.
@@StuartChatwood I can't wait for that! Listening to your music while reading H.P. Lovecraft has become a favourite of mine.
I can hear snippets of the Jester’s story skills in here
You always surpass my expectations with your music, man. I love each and every part of the DD2 soundtrack.
You know, this song truly conveys that "Fuck you, go back into the ocean." Energy combat in the Shroud ought to have.
love it! cant wait to have new runs get to this area to hear this song!
Absolute masterpiece, definetaly my favourite track from dd2 music tells the story of how powerful the sea and its creature are, love it
I hope you can still talk to the rest of the team about the Crusader returning in a DLC, Stuart Man! You're the best and the DD fans love you!
Darkest Dungeon music,perfect for the darker sections of my D&D setting. While music from other series may be more common tracks any time a Darkest Dungeon track is played the party knows greater and darker dangers abound ahead,and the looks of fear on some players while others look defiant is something I love. For they face the true test,stand fast or expire.
You can clearly hear the sea shanty inspiration, but it still manages to feel ominous and threatening, without losing the jollyness of sea shanties. Mr. Chatwood, do you have plans on taking apprentices, so someone can continue composing in this signature style, when you have to retire? The thought of losing this style of composing is more horrifying than everything Darkest Dungeon could offer....
1:30
"Prepare to board from the right starboard!!!
Give them no mercy!!!"
Darkest Dungeon would be so unnoticed without its amazing soundtrack and its flawless narration !
With that soundtrack, you are a Stuart "Chad"wood in my dictionary... I don't know how you come up with that kind of inspiration when making music but... dude let me tell you that you are a legend