Elden Ring continues From Software's record of excellent soundtracks. In addition to the much-lauded works of Yuka Kitamura, it also brings in the talent of Shoi Miyazawa and Tsukasa Saitoh, as well as several other composers.
Unmarked spoilers are ahead.
- The main theme
composed by Tsukasa Saitoh is just straight up epic; it begins with a series of piano notes that sound similar to Gwyn's theme, before morphing into a truly heroic arrangement of drums and Ethereal Choir, almost heralding Elden Ring as The Time of Myths, and a High Fantasy adventure the player is about to embark on. Bonus points for being the very first theme heard, all the way back to the original announcement trailer. It also receives a Boss Remix for the penultimate fight against Radagon of the Golden Order. - Godrick the Grafted, (presumably) the first shardbearer you will face on your journey, has a theme bursting with orchestral bombardment. The first part of it is frantically intense and grim as the self-proclaimed "Lord of all that is Golden" attempts to swat you like a bug, but when he starts his second phase by severing his own arm and replacing it with an animated flame-belching dragon head, the orchestra explodes into a frenzied display of mad, sweeping majesty as instruments and singers rain down from the rafters, a fitting match for the grandiose and ostentatious arrogance of the insecure godling.
- Perhaps the most unique theme on display is The Song of Bats. The player can stumble upon mournful harpies singing in the overworld, and the song in question is unbearably beautiful, infused with a layer of tragedy that's hard to put into words. In a rewarding Genius Bonus, the lyrics are actually Latin and, when translated, turn into a ballad of how much the Lands Between has devolved into a Crapsack World.
- The Ancestor Spirit often catches players off guard due to the complete difference to most themes so far. It starts off with rattling percussion and a single, wailing violin melody over slowly swelling strings as the Ancestor Spirit walks towards the player through the fog, something easily mistaken for a scene from Princess Mononoke, and remains just as sorrowful and wistful throughout. This gets taken to the extreme in the second half of the piece during the Regal Ancestor Spirit fight later in the game, specifically in the second phase, the choir, strings, flutes all swelling and picking up volume in order to match the title the boss carries. The choice for a more folk oriented tone compared to the usual bombastic nature of most boss themes is also reflective of the nature of the Ancestor Spirit, a creature who existed before even the Erdtree began to influence the Lands Between.
- Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon combines the somber and regal tune with the choir of children. The result is a melancholic orchestral track which presents Rennala as the graceful sorceress and drives home the tragic fate which turned her into a Broken Bird in her boss fight.
- Starscourge Radahn composed by Shoi Miyazawa; in what amounts to an army marching piece, Radahn's theme is filled with authoritarian chanting, war-drums, and assembly of music that just screams warrior-pride, fitting for such an apex Four-Star Badass. After the abrupt crescendo and intensity of the transition to phase two, the theme mellows out into a mournful combination of choirs and drums, as if to hammer in how the fight serves as a send-off and Mercy Kill for one of the two candidates for the most celebrated warrior in the Lands Between.
- The Godskin Apostles theme is an almost nonstop choir that accurately conveys the danger of beings that once possessed the power to slay gods. Its epic chorus possesses a sort of regality that doesn't detract from the Godskin Apostles' grotesque nature, but only makes it more disturbing. A fitting soundtrack for one of the most intense and skill-based recurring bosses in the game.
- God Devouring Serpent / Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, is, simply put, infernal. An eerie piece for its first half during the fight with the God Devouring Serpent, once Rykard comes into play it turns into a cornucopia of frenzied strings, oppressive brass and satanic chanting, befitting the imagery of the boss and arena.
- The theme for the Omen King combines bells, rapid strings, punctuating brass and a vocal choir to emphasize just how agile and powerful Morgott is and cement him as leagues above what he was when he had been fought earlier in the game. When he loses control and is forced to draw on his Omen curse to fight, the transition briefly takes on a sinister tone, underlying the darkness inherent in Morgott's being, before resuming its frenetic pace to solidify just how unwaveringly fixated Morgott is on stopping you, and interludes of strings and vocals bring the tragedy of Morgott's existence to mind before the crescendo. Fittingly, as Morgott is actually Margit, and is now facing the player at full power, his first phase is a higher-intensity version of the already-excellent theme for that fight.
- Lichdragon Fortissax starts out as a solidly good bombastic dragon theme. The second phase hits and the organs go into overdrive, sounding like a perfect mixture between Champion's Gravetender and Darkeater Midir.
- Beast Clergyman initially starts off as a slow-paced, somber theme with ominous chanting and bells playing, appropriate for a creature wholly devoted to his task as guardian of Death. Then it enters the entering the second phase with a faster, more epic pace punctuated with frantic violins and mournful vocals, fitting of Maliketh's status as both The Dreaded and one who now is consumed by a desperate determination to not fail his duty again.
- Dragonlord Placidusax starts in a more subdued manner than other dragon fight soundtracks, but the opening choir perfectly captures the dread players have when they approach the titular king. Then the drums and orchestra sweep in as the players struggle to defeat him with the strings buildup foreshadowing what is to come. When the fight enters the second phase, the orchestral track becomes more frantic as the dragon king unleashes more powerful attacks. As the result, the track presents the Dragonlord as the force of nature and the tarnished as someone desperately trying to survive a natural disaster.
- Mohg, Lord of Blood, with its heavy bells, harpsichord strings, and ominous chanting really sells the tense Gothic atmosphere of battling a towering satanic warlock in a blood-soaked cathedral. After the phase transition kicks off with a crescendo, it fluctuates between these continued peaks and anxiety-inducing vocal and string buildups, as if to communicate the true horror and sadistic evil of Mohg's abilities and ambitions.
- Malenia, Blade of Miquella, from veteran FromSoftware musical composer Yuka Kitamura, begins with a calm violin theme accompanied by a One-Woman Wail reflecting said demigod's sad state, due to the Scarlet Rot ravaging her body and how much she misses her dear brother Miquella, as well as the graceful, measured, dignified, dance-like pace of her fighting style. And then it transitions into phase two, where it quickly escalates into frantic but still-mournful strings and cymbals with Ominous Latin Chanting, representing her blossoming into the Goddess of Rot and the new aggression and power her full strength entails, tempered by the tragedy of such a prideful and noble warrior's will being broken by despair and desperation after a lifetime of agonizing resistance. This second phase theme can also be heard during the story trailer when Malenia battles and then infects Radahn: fittingly, the song is synchronized to her blooming in both the trailer and the boss fight.
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord is an epic orchestral score that wouldn't sound out of place in a God of War game, fitting for a legendary warrior based on Hercules. It becomes even more frantic and fast-paced, sounding almost like tribal war music (befitting the character) when Godfrey starts to fight as Hoarah Loux, wonderfully complementing the awesomeness of him fighting the Tarnished with nothing but his bare hands.
- Once you get to the Final Boss, the title theme receives a triumphant Boss Remix, producing a theme befitting a climactic battle for the title of Elden Lord. Then, for phase 2, it changes to a reprise of the buildup of the main theme into a strikingly serene piece, using a One-Woman Wail and chorus to demonstrate the size, majesty, and otherworldiness of your final challenge.
