History AwesomeMusic / DarkSouls

* The [[https://youtu.be/PFYV-OwVU7M Old Demon King]] gets a rather bombastic, albeit also very ominous, terrifying piece that perfectly suits his role as a demonic warlord; and yet also has a demented piano section accompanied by ethereal chorus, signaling that the poor king is also one of the very LastOfHisKind. It even has a case of BookEnds, incorporating a snippet of "Bed of Chaos"!

* "[[https://youtu.be/d9hNS7JTbMQ Bell Gargoyle]]", making for a climactic fight against giant, fire-breathing gargoyles atop a church's roof. It also [[https://youtu.be/AqNpq0BgZBU gets remastered]] in ''Dark Souls II'' as part of the Bellfry Gargoyle BonusBoss fight.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMWTyxrBgRU The main menu theme]] makes selecting and creating your character very worthwhile.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEBm3IUYvbU Prologue]]" is obviously used in the game's opening sequence, introducing you to Lordran's backstory and an epic ActionPrologue pitting Gwyn and the other Lord Soul bearers against the Everlasting Dragons.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Xv9Dbk3e4 Taurus Demon]]" plays on your encounter with the game's very first boss, [[WarmUpBoss the Asylum Demon]], the Undead Burg's titular Taurus Demon and the Firesage Demon. Makes you want to run away for dear life.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2llS87avh2w Firelink Shrine]]", which is about the ''only'' place that you can consider as a safe ground in [[CrapsackWorld Lordran]], aggro-ing [=NPC=]s notwithstanding.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9hNS7JTbMQ Bell Gargoyle]]", making for a climactic fight against giant, fire-breathing gargoyles atop a church's roof. It also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqNpq0BgZBU gets remastered]] in ''Dark Souls II'' as part of the Bellfry Gargoyle BonusBoss fight.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R61VWtpP1c Centipede Demon]]" goes in hand with the dread that will build up on players as they die repeatedly against [[ThatOneBoss/DarkSouls the Capra Demon and Centipede Demon]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZyo2gcHOVc Gaping Dragon]]"; fighting a mutant dragon with [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily nightmarish]] [[BodyHorror features]] has never sounded more epic than when this track plays.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZgFykJ8oY Chaos Witch Quelaag]]" is an ominous tune filled with a ''lot'' of OneWomanWail, suiting a hideous drider-like being like the Chaos Witch herself.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM41wzJyviU Daughters of Chaos]]", a fragile lullaby that whispers to your ears as you discover Quelaag's sister.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC1N-1SMAXQ Iron Golem]]", featured in the climactic battle atop Sen's Fortress against the boss of the same name, or the Stray Demon upon your return to the Northern Undead Asylum.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX51T-EipOo Ornstein and Smough]]" incorporates [[OrchestralBombing an entire orchestra]] and makes an EarlyBirdCameo as a RegionalRiff when you finally arrive at Anor Londo. If anything, it's what makes this boss fight [[AwesomeBosses/DarkSouls so damn fun]], even if you die repeatedly to [[ThatOneBoss/DarkSouls these bastards]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-cVcJKBRiY Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight]]", an epic orchestral piece that captures the radiance of said character's status as the BigGood. [[DecoyLeader Of course, it's a lie]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZB4CzX8BbU Dark Sun Gwyndolin]]", an eerie track which features OneWomanWail after another, reflecting [[MasterOfIllusion Gwyndolin]]'s enigmatic presence. It is also shared by the Moonlight Butterfly's boss fight."
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enkEiD8PC5o The Ancient Dragon]]", a stern, foreboding EtherealChoir which plays as soon as you set foot in the Ash Lake, perhaps symbolizing the Everlasting Dragons' sorrow in their defeat aeons ago.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lqk8QIdRF4 Ceaseless Discharge]]" plays as soon as you provoke this fiery abomination, unleashing the might of a volcano in the process.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJuO6RYCcpw Great Grey Wolf Sif]]", a tragic piece that resonates within every ''Dark Souls'' fan, never forgetting [[PlayerPunch the pain that hurt them]] while battling this righteous NobleWolf who protected the grave of his late master Artorias.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2-1hhIgZUw Crossbreed Priscilla]]", a mysterious track that blends in with [[HalfHumanHybrid Priscilla]]'s {{Mystical Waif}}-ish qualities.
* While leaning towards the creepy side of things, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_35zPoY38g Pinwheel]]" perfectly conveys the distress of the necromancer Pinwheel, whom the fandom gave a very tragic background.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X39HV_s0RdI Gravelord Nito]]", a haunting piece which features an equally foreboding chorus and and eerie wail that imitates the wind.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRuvdP3qjUM Seath the Scaleless]]", a bizarre track which reflects the blind dragon's [[SanitySlippage insane]] [[MadScientist state]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70g3exQxR28 Bed of Chaos]]" is unhinged and strange, but is by all means frighteningly sinister, perfectly encapsulating the player's probable confusion and failure to comprehend ''[[EldritchAbomination what the hell they're even fighting]]''.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xpreRWuUWo Four Kings]]", a nerve-wrecking theme which features a deep male chorus, oppressive brass and panic-inducing violins. It's one of the most nightmarish pieces in the entire soundtrack, which translates into an equally scary boss fight against [[NightmareFuel/DarkSouls what are essentially corrupt spectres from beyond]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLBybw-IJ5U Gwyn, Lord of Cinder]]", a melancholic piano piece that initially doesn't sound fitting for a FinalBoss, but makes sense once you learn about [[DefiantToTheEnd what motivates him still]] [[AndIMustScream despite his age-long suffering]].

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i6y0qcxLwg Sanctuary Guardian]]" is the first piece you'll hear upon accessing the DownloadableContent. Want to hear the other tracks? [[BeefGate Beat this boss first]]!
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns8sjLttxCc Knight Artorias]]", a somber piece alluding to the [[FallenHero fallen]] [[TheCorruption state]] you meet the titular knight in.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CscZ9feUW3s Manus, Father of the Abyss]]", a chaotic track consisting of oppressive drum beats and chorus, well in tune with his [[AxCrazy savage nature]] and [[EldritchAbomination Lovecraftian parallels]].
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UXX-TL1bxc Black Dragon Kalameet]]", where the chorus pulls out all the stops and perfectly conveys this boss' nature as TheDreaded.
* Last, but not least, is the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvvFnR0kJFw Nameless Song]]", a soothing OneWomanWail which congratulates you upon finishing the game.

* The game's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQ3aIPP7-0 main menu theme]] makes for a chillingly good CallBack to ''Videogame/DemonsSouls''.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK4nEALewsE Fire Keepers]]" is a peaceful and cozy serenade befitting a harmless starting area for the game.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quj5eR1v7Ms Majula]]", the theme of the place you will be often returning to, akin to [[HubLevel the Nexus]] of ''Videogame/DemonsSouls'' and Firelink Shrine from ''Dark Souls''.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0SNu7vO1BA The Last Giant]]" is a hell of a start for the boss themes, being imposing and threatening even when the Giant is the LastOfHisKind. This theme was so good that you can hear it ''twice'', specifically when you fight his past self known as the Giant Lord later on.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4V8Qn-hHF8 The Pursuer]]". which befits the Terminator-like knight who hunts you relentlessly through Drangleic.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAyPu_3ym_c The Dragonrider]]" is a hectic theme filled with many PsychoStrings, suiting one of the most physically imposing knights in the whole game.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPEp8-8RyaU The Old Dragonslayer]]" heralds [[LegacyBossBattle the return of a familiar face]] who proceeds to engage you in an epic church brawl.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmpqBuwdiXc Ruins Sentinels]]", the boss theme for the eponymous bosses and the Smelter Demon. You gotta ''love'' when the piece picks up at 1:12 with an epic chorus, raising the stakes for an already hard boss fight.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYjd7y9MfZE Skeleton Lord]]", a frenzied track fitting with the numerous enemies you'll be facing during the Skeleton Lords boss fight.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n40e77xioCI Executioner's Chariot]]" keeps you on the edge as you frantically try to avoid getting crushed by the chariot and its two-headed horse.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYy533AKVo8 Old Iron King]]", an intimidating theme for an intimidating BigRedDevil that makes [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings the Balrog blush]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAkyoXnu_PI Royal Rat Authority]]". Yes, really - a track for an empire of killer rats is one of the most ominous and sinister themes in the game, complete with choir and a slow drum beat.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwAFbJMxTqc The Duke's Dear Freja]]" begins slowly, before turning into a reprise of Dragonrider's theme with extra quiet interludes, sounding even ''better'' than last time with how even more menacing it sounds.

* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMJpocp7rtg Royal Rat Vanguard]]", a ridiculously epic track for a fight against... [[KillerRabbit giant rats]] who ZergRush you. [[note]][[WhatCouldHaveBeen This was actually planned to be the Executioner Chariot's theme before it got its own leitmotif]].[[/note]]
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpxauXRvN8c Looking Glass Knight]]" goes extremely well with the unbelievably awesome BattleInTheRain against King Vendrick's lieutenant.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_U3QZmygTA Milfanito]]" resonates throughout your trip in the Shrine of Amana. It's sung by the eponymous Milfanito shrine maiden, but later in the level you learn it's also a mimicry devised by the Demon of Song, which sports [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaHO225Gjdo its own creepy theme]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EIiSMDCfmo Velstadt, the Royal Aegis]]", a sinister symphonic piece, complete with tragic violin bouts, oppressive brass and a frightful EtherealChoir; all of these elements lead the player to think Velstadt is protecting an unbelievably dark secret.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4tXzOSqLIc King Vendrick]]", an eerie track that goes with the baffling atmosphere when you find what's left of Vendrick, mindlessly strolling around naked and Hollow.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bbpe3NEmy8 Guardian Dragon]]" is among one of the most threatening tracks in the game, with oppressive drums and blaring horns that are best suited for such a mighty dragon.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag19zVGk5iQ The Ancient Dragon]]", otherwise known as OhCrap in musical form. Jumped in scare after [[NiceJobBreakingItHero unwittingly provoking the godly Ancient Dragon into a fight]]? We don't blame you.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hySWItNZE60 Darklurker]]", a dissonant EtherealChoir which fits with the terrifyingly powerful HumanoidAbomination you find in the depths of the Dark Chasm of Old.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHuXy98_ixM Throne Defender, Throne Watcher]]" has an ethereal and tense feel to it, but nonetheless stacks up to other threatening tunes in the game very well and suits the DualBoss fantastically.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjjhR0wWtt0 Nashandra]]"; while the 25 first seconds are a gentle piano piece referencing the unused {{Leitmotif}} "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km9IlEv3L-w Queen of Drangleic]]", it quickly plunges into a sinister chorus worthy of a nightmarish FinalBoss.
* Once again, the ending credits reward you with a soothing melody in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjs-5qLquI Longing]]". In ''Scholar of the First Sin'', after "Longing", the longer credits are accompanied by a haunting piano piece called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqr0s-28_CI Remains]]". In regards to "Longing", as one Website/YouTube comment aptly put it: "60 hours of hell for 6 minutes of heaven".

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r37tTTEjjUo Elana, Squalid Queen]]". A degenerate and frantic theme that draws parallels to Nashandra's BossRemix, indicating that this Child of Dark is someone who is ''far'' more powerful than the FinalBoss we're presented with in the vanilla game. Dissonant as it is, you can make out infrequent soothing lullabies amidst the rest of the song, which can only be described as savage.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4OITJLeQg Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon]]", incorporating en entire orchestral suite that embodies the grandeur of Shulva's past glory and the creature that the citizen once worshipped.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz9wHlaGxxw Graverobber, Varg and Cerah]]", a fast-paced piece that goes well with your mindset for the boss, which means trying to outsmart the terrifying trio of adventurers.

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dnfeUICQUs Raime, the Fume Knight]]". This boss' haunting darkness takes physical shape as the brass and male choir mercilessly oppress you with a frantic beat while you're on the receiving end of a beatdown by the FallenHero that springs forward to defend his beloved dark lady.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVxMcRv0dw8 Sir Alonne]]" is a straight-up display of ''pride'' that imperiously calls you forward to duel with the most badass katana user in the ''Souls'' franchise. It's frequently considered the most memorable boss song in the game by players thanks to its grandiose EtherealChoir.

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thX_5miEWVQ Aava, the King's Pet]]". Solemn and filled with depressing vocals and melancholic violin bouts that would make ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' proud, this track represents the ice tiger's duty-bound nature as Alsanna's protector, despite knowing that its master, the Ivory King, is gone. The message of this song is clear: you are not welcome in Eleum Loyce, [[GetOut and Alsanna will warn you one last time]].
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X9Ox8Bnr9M Lud and Zallen, the King's Pets]]". You've been trekking in the Frigid Outskirts for so long that you lost track of where you are headed, and then suddenly you enter an arena where two vicious shadow tigers come down on you, with this song blaring in the background.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-FC4OPhkU Burnt Ivory King]]". From the gates of the Old Chaos, he, the former ruler of Forossa, emerges, carrying with him the hellish inferno of this track's chorus, with a small respite around the 1:15 minute mark before coming back to a ferocious beat.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLZ18bLK0EA Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin]]". A melancholic piece, fitting for the finale of your journey, as Aldia himself becomes your final test of courage, allowing you to decide the fate of Drangleic.

* Just the theme of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqyi3JuhthM Main Menu]] is enough to send chills down many players' spines with the gradual build of its haunting vocals and solemn strings.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7XfKAx9jGQ Iudex Gundyr]] is a perfect theme for the first boss you encounter, capturing the intensity that awaits you beyond him. It also has a somber and tragic feel to it, reflecting Gundyr's failure to protect the world from the Dark.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxXcuDAv7Ss Vordt of the Boreal Valley]], an incredibly bombastic and chaotic theme that perfectly accents Vordt's animalistic and crazed nature with its frantic strings, imposing brass and oppressive choir.
* While the Curse-Rotted Greatwood as a boss is not very memorable, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lr77NmgwEg its theme certainly is]]. It's one of the most intimidating themes in the entire game.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LtczrHHZ0A Deacons of the Deep]] may also be rather unremarkable of a boss, yet their theme is absolutely bonechilling. OminousLatinChanting and organ drones abound to fill you with dread as you battle a chorus of regenerating "holy" undead. The chanting only gets stronger in the second phase to herald the Archdeacon's arrival into the battle, creating a truly unnerving piece.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV2uFgIrklk Abyss Watchers' theme]] is a beautiful, sad piece that really hammers in how far the knights have fallen to the Abyss they swore to defeat. The song features a OneWomanWail by Kokia that's akin to a lone wolf's howl, as well as the sporadic bell ringing that hints at their founder, Knight Artorias.
* The oppressive and frightening [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uckqtnvr6GA High Lord Wolnir]], brimming with horror and evil that only suits an absolutely gigantic skeleton king.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Cp8fsIWhM Pontiff Sulyvahn]] starts out quiet and slow, but quickly picks up to match the intensity of the fight. The booming and downright majestic sounds of the second half were used to great effect in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX0cvtjKt9E Accursed Trailer]], where it matched perfectly with the intense visuals and action.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DrXqzkW6fE Aldrich, Devourer of Gods]], a terrifying, ethereal theme befitting one of the most vile {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in Soulsborne history. It also has a somber, haunting feel to it, incorporating elements of Dark Sun Gwyndolin, perfectly reflecting his FateWorseThanDeath.
* Say what you will about the boss fight itself, but the theme of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsWLnMhyNnM Yhorm the Giant]] is one of the most grandiose and epic themes featured for the Lords of Cinder. For starters, it comes off as the original track featured in the glorious end of the announcement trailer; then, with an imposing male choir supported by female vocals throughout, intense string motifs and heavy on-and-off brass beats, the fight comes off not as challenging, but as one of the most thematically impressive battles seen in the series.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52UWVKOwE6A Ancient Wyvern]], while the boss itself is hugely disappointing, the music certainly lives up to the appereance of a massive drake, being a bombastic battle theme that perfectly represents fighting a huge dragon.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNCgUSpaTbQ The Dancer of the Boreal Valley]] perfectly accents the mysterious nature of the boss and the fight by being composed mostly of a long ethereal OneWomanWail, accented with hollow beats that sound suspiciously like the Dancer's footsteps. Definitely a change of pace from the normal bombastic orchestral pieces and it absolutely works.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egsPHLWe-dk Oceiros, the Consumed King]], a very sad track filled with bizarre melodies and dissonance, perfectly accentuating Oceiros' mental state.
* The Dragonslayer Armour may be a throwaway boss with little lore relevance, but that doesn't stop the battle being a truly amazing spectacle, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOii1jYWRqM the accompanying theme]] perfectly reflects the dramatic showdown on the bridge.
* The theme for the climactic showdown against the twin princes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6sFp6pG6_w Lorian and Lothric]] captures both the nobility and tragedy of the brothers' backstory while still being fast enough for a frantic boss fight that only gets more so when Lothric joins the fight in the second phase.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFYV-OwVU7M Old Demon King]] gets a rather bombastic, albeit also very ominous, terrifying piece that perfectly suits his role as a demonic warlord; and yet also has a demented piano section accompanied by ethereal chorus, signaling that the poor king is also one of the very LastOfHisKind. It even has a case of BookEnds, incorporating a snippet of "Bed of Chaos"!
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mUrIeteNvY The Nameless King]]: a badass theme song for a badass dragon rider, containing what is possibly the most epic use of a harpsichord in a boss fight theme. The second phase contains hints of Gwyn's theme, which hints at their relation.
* Three piano notes. That's all it takes for the final boss, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW9XCFHfa5k Soul of Cinder]], to clue you in [[ThemeSongReveal to exactly who you're fighting]], with [[TearJerker all the emotional weight it entails]] for series veterans. But as powerful as that moment is, the first phase perfectly conveys the idea of an epic showdown at the end of the world, with an adversary who is more a final trial than an evil antagonist.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQoEzKIVQcc Champion's Gravetender & Greatwolf]]: An epic choir of chanting, that heralds a fun, fast-paced if somewhat more simple fight, which later picks up pace to be a frantic overtune reflecting the savagery of the greatwolf.
* The main boss theme of the DLC Ashes of Ariandel: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGetAkax1E Father Ariandel and Sister Friede]]. It starts very calmly for the first phase with Sister Friede alone, with a beautiful touch of piano and a haunting wail by Kitamura herself, reflecting the relatively peaceful area with the snow. Then at the second phase, it really bumps up when Father Ariandel joining the fight when they will give all they're got to kill the Ashen One, with epic violins and ominous chants, reflecting one again the boss arena which is now covered with fire by Father Ariandel. The second phase theme will restart at the third phase with Blackflame Friede (yes, there is a ''third'' phase for this boss) who will be even more frantic than the preceding phases and will not stop until the Ashen One is dead.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CopBDYMr7wg The Demon Prince]] begins frantic and sinister, albeit tragic and pained which perfectly symbolizes how these are the last demons of ''Dark Souls''. A long OneWomanWail erupts between phases, and the track becomes ''downright epic'' for the second phase. The demons may be doomed to extinction, but their Prince will try their damnedest to take the Ashen One with them.
* While it's a brief fight, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpj4rnZXB-Y Halflight, Spear of the Church]] starts with low, quiet organ tones as Judicator Argo scolds you for trespassing on the Ringed City's darkest secrets, and its second half explodes in a booming OrchestralBombing as the boss himself enters.
* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase; the first phase is slow yet triumphant, as if it's congratulating the player that you've reached the end, the second phase comes ''roaring'' with mighty chorus and intense orchestra, befitting Gael's amazing new form, and the third phase dials everything up, becoming a desperate and tragic, yet even more epic finale cementing that you're now a hair's breadth away from victory or death. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.
* Finally, there's [[https://youtu.be/MTBOOZxZKnI Epilogue]], which plays during the end credits. As if mirroring the tragedies in its storyline and characters, the farewell to ''Dark Souls'', like the last two games, is lonely singing amidst an overbearingly beautiful backdrop of sad music. Epilogue became even more haunting and beautiful with an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzoh43oPUVE updated version]] patched in alongside the pre-patch for ''The Ringed City'', adding a piano that complements the singing perfectly.
* This stunning [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLb5rPPXpcY unused track]] manages to cycle between sounding nightmarish and hauntingly angelic, would have been perfect for a tragic, desperate boss fight.
* ''The Ringed City'' also gives us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4IMtnD7K4g Darkeater Midir]] for the boss of the same name. Starting with mournful violins reflecting the FallenHero you are trying to MercyKill before he is fully consumed by the Dark, it captures the sadness of the battle perfectly before bursting into ominous chanting as Midir embraces the darkness and uses its power against you. The piece perfectly captures both Midir's nobility and the terrifying experience of facing an archdragon in its prime.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ6PBHTgChA For the dark soul]], a melancholic piano rearrangement of Slave Knight Gael's 3rd phase only heard in the Transitory Lands [=PS4=] dyanmic theme. Though unused in the game, it is symbolically the final song in the entire series before Epilogue, and it fully encapsulates that feeling, being the polar opposite of Gwyn's theme. After all your struggles throughout the series, you've finally reached the end. And at the end of all things, there is nothing. There is no fire. There is no light. Only emptiness. Only darkness.

** The Silent Comedy's song, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93LFz_j5fQA Bartholomew]] rather fits the theme of the game.

** Joining it is another trailer featuring a song by The Silent Comedy, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psG3VxBR7jg All Saint's Day]]. Considering the premise of playing as undying warriors, slowly going mad and losing their humanity, the lyrics eerily match.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbG0dbKHs4M The Lordvessel Song]], performed by fan artist Tanooki Suit, truly embraces the lore of ''Dark Souls'' as a whole.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZxrWMilec4 Solaire's Sun]], a jaunty song about everyone's favorite [[FanNickname Sunbro]] and the benefits of jolly co-operation. From the same author, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR2_7ghaBrI A Hollow's Home]], an uplifting, heartstring-tugging song in honor of all those who have endured the hellish trials of Lordran.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-dcwB3qTMA The debut trailer "Of Masks and Dragons"]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHgUuhOsHoA The "I am undone" trailer]] by Nitzer Ebb ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pME7jtLph_c full song here]]), and the very first one to feature ''Dark Souls II'''s signature TagLine, "Go Beyond Death".

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJqRpvebCY The "Cursed" trailer]] actually uses some scenes of the game's prologue.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-tl-pJAR4 The "Locomotive Breath" trailer]] uses the eponymous Music/JethroTull song to superb effect.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVtIb8lkAxc The "Aching Bones" trailer]], the title of which suggests the pain you will go through in playing the game, but the song by Nadine Shah used by the trailer actually, almost hauntingly, echoes the in-game relationship between King Vendrick and Nashandra.

* ''Dark Souls III'' has a cover of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcOxqNvrvwQ the 80s hit "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper.]] remixed with a sinister beginning that builds to an intense gothic theme. The lyrics seem made for the tragic, doomed world of ''Dark Souls'', emphasizing a refusal to give up despite overwhelming adversity.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J4u1FD87FM The Fire Fades]] trailer, using a heavily [[MickeyMousing Mickey Moused]] remix of Agnes Obel's 'Familiar' to deliver a chilling view of the entire ''VideoGame/DarkSouls3'' experience, which, [[RunningTheme again]], features incredibly appropriate lyrics.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grJ_6d-y9cU&feature=youtu.be Ash Seeketh Embers]] features none other than Hozier’s “In The Woods Somewhere,” infamous for his blend of NightmareFuel set to folk-inspired music.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/user/ashelynsummers Ashelyn Summers]]' professional singing brings us "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBNOV29Y-VU The End]]". Like Tanooki Suit before her, her lyrics encompass [[PlayerCharacter the Cursed Undead]]'s epic struggle against fate in Drangleic.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9D2mvoMKLE YOU DIED]] is the one he made for the first one. It is a perfect representation of what happens to most players within the first hours they spend playing.

** And [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-8vp4akcPc Fires Far]] is the one he made for the second one. This one does a good job of giving the viewer an idea of ''Dark Souls II''[='=]s lore, and is an awesome tribute.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAQMJZeYSe8 Fires Fade]], for ''Dark Souls III'', is an epic orchestral send-off to the franchise.

** ''Dark Souls: Remastered'' inspired [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r_MswKouiI Embers Rise]], with the general theme of always coming back despite repeated failure.

* Inspired by fans' pleas to make a secret boss in ''Dark Souls'', [=HellkiteDrake=] replaced Artorias with [[MemeticBadass the Legend, Father of the Giants]], complete with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-etFHSySu4g his customized boss theme]] (in turn inspired from Excision's memetic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS_EjaslTcg&t=35s Bass Cannon]]").
* Games We Play created "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_h-NvMJK-c Don't Wanna Go Down To Blighttown]]" as a homage to the biggest ThatOneLevel in the franchise. It lays out in great detail why Blighttown is so infamous. (NSFW Lyrics)

* Alex Roe, the man responsible for ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Bloodborne}} Undone by the Blood]]'', created notable melancholic remixes of boss themes and an entire album based on ''Bloodborne's'' own soundtrack. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LpnUfnNqm8 Kodoku]] is a ''Dark Souls II'' remix of one of the ''Old Iron King'' DLC's boss themes. In this case, the {{Leitmotif}} of the Samurai-esque knight, Sir Alonne. This remix gives a more eastern vibe and fits him quite nicely.
* The music in the announcement trailer for ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' is quite gorgeous, as is the music from the second trailer, which was later used as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI3e1ERQWQI the main menu music for the network stress test demo.]] The game's soundtrack upon release has received overwhelming praise, with many calling it the best soundtrack in a Soulsborne game ''period''.

* This [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4Fz_qZGs3A Epic Rock Remix]] of "Gwyn, Lord of Cinder" by [=LittleVMills=] manages to make it even more tragic. His [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK2crs1tUz4 Epic Metal Cover]] of the ''Dark Souls 3'' Theme, however, sounds suitable for a boss battle.
* Smooth [=McGroove=]'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdxAXAHIag Abyss Watchers Acapella]] perfectly captures the solemn feel of the original piece. Smooth's voice is hauntingly effective, and it really drives home the sheer tragedy of the fight against Abyss Watchers.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jGAT-LjbV0 I Had A Name]], a remix of the Nameless Song, which captures the sheer sadness and tragedy of the Chosen Undead.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz1a_rZVHt4 Journey's End]]. By the flames it is a fitting end theme to the series. How? Well, it is basically a remix of every game that is a part of the Souls series... and Gwyn's theme is in there as well.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El3ARM2jXlU Fading Light]] by Music/{{Aviators}}. A chilling and tearjerking summation of the horrible cycle of death, rebirth and death again that has defined the entire Age of Fire and the ''Dark Souls'' series. From the discovery of the First Flame, to the [[VideoGame/DarkSouls1 Undead Asylum]] to the Ashen One's duel with Gael at the end of time.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH0ewuSL4gs Let There Be Fire]], by Music/{{Aviators}} and Music/MiracleOfSound. It is symphonic rock, and it is meaningful and epic from start to finish.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS2jLLnVMy8 Incandescent]] by Music/{{Aviators}}. An uplifting synthpop tribute to Solaire of Astora and all the other Warriors of Sunlight who followed in his footsteps to aid newcomers and veterans in dire straits alike. With a chorus sung by over 70 people, this song informs the listener that no challenge - even in ''Dark Souls'' - is too tough to bear with the help of a shining comrade or two.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMNiC8zK8xU The Red Hood]] by Music/{{Aviators}}. An ominous but uplifting symphonic rock song sung from [[VillainSong Slave Knight Gael's perspective]] reflecting on his past and reaffirming his purpose before his final battle with the Ashen One.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzB2cN-AU8w Summon in the Sunlight]] by Jameserton, the {{Leitmotif}} of the fan video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kr7KDCsIws Happy Souls]], is a perfect fit for the most hilarious and relatable depiction of the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' co-op experience. (It's also instrumentally based off "Living in the Sunlight, Loving in the Moonlight" by Music/TinyTim.)
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JY5bBMj5kw Undead Lullaby]] by Music/JTMusic is sung from the player character's point of view about how he [[BadassBoast always comes back from the grave]], [[{{Determinator}} no matter what's thrown at him.]]

* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase; the first phase is slow yet triumphant, as if it's congratulating the player that you've reached the end, the second phase comes ''roaring'' with mighty chorus and intense orchestra, befitting Gael's amazing new form, and the third phase dials everything UpToEleven, becoming a desperate and tragic, yet even more epic finale cementing that you're now a hair's breadth away from victory or death. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.

* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase; the first phase is slow yet triumphant, as if it's congratulating the player that you've reached the end - the second phase comes ''roaring'' with mighty chorus and intense symphonies, befitting Gael's amazing new form - and the third phase dials everything UpToEleven, becoming a desperate and tragic, yet even more epic finale cementing that you're now a hair's breadth away from victory or death. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.

* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase; the first phase is slow yet triumphant, as if it's congratulating the player that you've reached the end - the second phase comes ''roaring'' with mighty chorus and intense symphonies befitting a final fight at the end of the world - and the third phase dials everything UpToEleven, cementing that you're now a hair's breadth away from victory or death. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.

* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.

** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ns8sjLttxCc Knight Artorias]]", a somber piece alluding to the [[FallenHero fallen]] [[TheCorruption state]] you meet the titular knight in.

* The game's [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQ3aIPP7-0 main menu theme]] makes for a chillingly good CallBack to ''Videogame/DemonsSouls''.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PK4nEALewsE Fire Keepers]]" is a peaceful and cozy serenade befitting a harmless starting area for the game.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=quj5eR1v7Ms Majula]]", the theme of the place you will be often returning to, akin to [[HubLevel the Nexus]] of ''Videogame/DemonsSouls'' and Firelink Shrine from ''Dark Souls''.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P0SNu7vO1BA The Last Giant]]" is a hell of a start for the boss themes, being imposing and threatening even when the Giant is the LastOfHisKind. This theme was so good that you can hear it ''twice'', specifically when you fight his past self known as the Giant Lord later on.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t4V8Qn-hHF8 The Pursuer]]". which befits the Terminator-like knight who hunts you relentlessly through Drangleic.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAyPu_3ym_c The Dragonrider]]" is a hectic theme filled with many PsychoStrings, suiting one of the most physically imposing knights in the whole game.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PPEp8-8RyaU The Old Dragonslayer]]" heralds [[LegacyBossBattle the return of a familiar face]] who proceeds to engage you in an epic church brawl.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rmpqBuwdiXc Ruins Sentinels]]", the boss theme for the eponymous bosses and the Smelter Demon. You gotta ''love'' when the piece picks up at 1:12 with an epic chorus, raising the stakes for an already hard boss fight.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aYjd7y9MfZE Skeleton Lord]]", a frenzied track fitting with the numerous enemies you'll be facing during the Skeleton Lords boss fight.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n40e77xioCI Executioner's Chariot]]" keeps you on the edge as you frantically try to avoid getting crushed by the chariot and its two-headed horse.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pYy533AKVo8 Old Iron King]]", an intimidating theme for an intimidating BigRedDevil that makes [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings the Balrog blush]].
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HAkyoXnu_PI Royal Rat Authority]]". Yes, really - a track for an empire of killer rats is one of the most ominous and sinister themes in the game, complete with choir and a slow drum beat.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MwAFbJMxTqc The Duke's Dear Freja]]" begins slowly, before turning into a reprise of Dragonrider's theme with extra quiet interludes, sounding even ''better'' than last time with how even more menacing it sounds.

* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMJpocp7rtg Royal Rat Vanguard]]", a ridiculously epic track for a fight against... [[KillerRabbit giant rats]] who ZergRush you. [[note]][[WhatCouldHaveBeen This was actually planned to be the Executioner Chariot's theme before it got its own leitmotif]].[[/note]]
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EpxauXRvN8c Looking Glass Knight]]" goes extremely well with the unbelievably awesome BattleInTheRain against King Vendrick's lieutenant.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_U3QZmygTA Milfanito]]" resonates throughout your trip in the Shrine of Amana. It's sung by the eponymous Milfanito shrine maiden, but later in the level you learn it's also a mimicry devised by the Demon of Song, which sports [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RaHO225Gjdo its own creepy theme]].
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0EIiSMDCfmo Velstadt, the Royal Aegis]]", a sinister symphonic piece, complete with tragic violin bouts, oppressive brass and a frightful EtherealChoir; all of these elements lead the player to think Velstadt is protecting an unbelievably dark secret.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a4tXzOSqLIc King Vendrick]]", an eerie track that goes with the baffling atmosphere when you find what's left of Vendrick, mindlessly strolling around naked and Hollow.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bbpe3NEmy8 Guardian Dragon]]" is among one of the most threatening tracks in the game, with oppressive drums and blaring horns that are best suited for such a mighty dragon.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag19zVGk5iQ The Ancient Dragon]]", otherwise known as OhCrap in musical form. Jumped in scare after [[NiceJobBreakingItHero unwittingly provoking the godly Ancient Dragon into a fight]]? We don't blame you.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hySWItNZE60 Darklurker]]", a dissonant EtherealChoir which fits with the terrifyingly powerful HumanoidAbomination you find in the depths of the Dark Chasm of Old.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oHuXy98_ixM Throne Defender, Throne Watcher]]" has an ethereal and tense feel to it, but nonetheless stacks up to other threatening tunes in the game very well and suits the DualBoss fantastically.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xjjhR0wWtt0 Nashandra]]"; while the 25 first seconds are a gentle piano piece referencing the unused {{Leitmotif}} "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=km9IlEv3L-w Queen of Drangleic]]", it quickly plunges into a sinister chorus worthy of a nightmarish FinalBoss.
* Once again, the ending credits reward you with a soothing melody in "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=arjs-5qLquI Longing]]". In ''Scholar of the First Sin'', after "Longing", the longer credits are accompanied by a haunting piano piece called "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqr0s-28_CI Remains]]". In regards to "Longing", as one Website/YouTube comment aptly put it: "60 hours of hell for 6 minutes of heaven".

** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r37tTTEjjUo Elana, Squalid Queen]]". A degenerate and frantic theme that draws parallels to Nashandra's BossRemix, indicating that this Child of Dark is someone who is ''far'' more powerful than the FinalBoss we're presented with in the vanilla game. Dissonant as it is, you can make out infrequent soothing lullabies amidst the rest of the song, which can only be described as savage.
** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4OITJLeQg Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon]]", incorporating en entire orchestral suite that embodies the grandeur of Shulva's past glory and the creature that the citizen once worshipped.
** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz9wHlaGxxw Graverobber, Varg and Cerah]]", a fast-paced piece that goes well with your mindset for the boss, which means trying to outsmart the terrifying trio of adventurers.

** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_dnfeUICQUs Raime, the Fume Knight]]". This boss' haunting darkness takes physical shape as the brass and male choir mercilessly oppress you with a frantic beat while you're on the receiving end of a beatdown by the FallenHero that springs forward to defend his beloved dark lady.
** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cVxMcRv0dw8 Sir Alonne]]" is a straight-up display of ''pride'' that imperiously calls you forward to duel with the most badass katana user in the ''Souls'' franchise. It's frequently considered the most memorable boss song in the game by players thanks to its grandiose EtherealChoir.

** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=thX_5miEWVQ Aava, the King's Pet]]". Solemn and filled with depressing vocals and melancholic violin bouts that would make ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' proud, this track represents the ice tiger's duty-bound nature as Alsanna's protector, despite knowing that its master, the Ivory King, is gone. The message of this song is clear: you are not welcome in Eleum Loyce, [[GetOut and Alsanna will warn you one last time]].
** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8X9Ox8Bnr9M Lud and Zallen, the King's Pets]]". You've been trekking in the Frigid Outskirts for so long that you lost track of where you are headed, and then suddenly you enter an arena where two vicious shadow tigers come down on you, with this song blaring in the background.
** "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-FC4OPhkU Burnt Ivory King]]". From the gates of the Old Chaos, he, the former ruler of Forossa, emerges, carrying with him the hellish inferno of this track's chorus, with a small respite around the 1:15 minute mark before coming back to a ferocious beat.
* "[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jLZ18bLK0EA Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin]]". A melancholic piece, fitting for the finale of your journey, as Aldia himself becomes your final test of courage, allowing you to decide the fate of Drangleic.

* Just the theme of the [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pqyi3JuhthM Main Menu]] is enough to send chills down many players' spines with the gradual build of its haunting vocals and solemn strings.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S7XfKAx9jGQ Iudex Gundyr]] is a perfect theme for the first boss you encounter, capturing the intensity that awaits you beyond him. It also has a somber and tragic feel to it, reflecting Gundyr's failure to protect the world from the Dark.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nxXcuDAv7Ss Vordt of the Boreal Valley]], an incredibly bombastic and chaotic theme that perfectly accents Vordt's animalistic and crazed nature with its frantic strings, imposing brass and oppressive choir.
* While the Curse-Rotted Greatwood as a boss is not very memorable, [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lr77NmgwEg its theme certainly is]]. It's one of the most intimidating themes in the entire game.
* The [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8LtczrHHZ0A Deacons of the Deep]] may also be rather unremarkable of a boss, yet their theme is absolutely bonechilling. OminousLatinChanting and organ drones abound to fill you with dread as you battle a chorus of regenerating "holy" undead. The chanting only gets stronger in the second phase to herald the Archdeacon's arrival into the battle, creating a truly unnerving piece.
* The [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QV2uFgIrklk Abyss Watchers' theme]] is a beautiful, sad piece that really hammers in how far the knights have fallen to the Abyss they swore to defeat. The song features a OneWomanWail by Kokia that's akin to a lone wolf's howl, as well as the sporadic bell ringing that hints at their founder, Knight Artorias.
* The oppressive and frightening [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uckqtnvr6GA High Lord Wolnir]], brimming with horror and evil that only suits an absolutely gigantic skeleton king.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Cp8fsIWhM Pontiff Sulyvahn]] starts out quiet and slow, but quickly picks up to match the intensity of the fight. The booming and downright majestic sounds of the second half were used to great effect in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX0cvtjKt9E Accursed Trailer]], where it matched perfectly with the intense visuals and action.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0DrXqzkW6fE Aldrich, Devourer of Gods]], a terrifying, ethereal theme befitting one of the most vile {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in Soulsborne history. It also has a somber, haunting feel to it, incorporating elements of Dark Sun Gwyndolin, perfectly reflecting his FateWorseThanDeath.
* Say what you will about the boss fight itself, but the theme of [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YsWLnMhyNnM Yhorm the Giant]] is one of the most grandiose and epic themes featured for the Lords of Cinder. For starters, it comes off as the original track featured in the glorious end of the announcement trailer; then, with an imposing male choir supported by female vocals throughout, intense string motifs and heavy on-and-off brass beats, the fight comes off not as challenging, but as one of the most thematically impressive battles seen in the series.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=52UWVKOwE6A Ancient Wyvern]], while the boss itself is hugely disappointing, the music certainly lives up to the appereance of a massive drake, being a bombastic battle theme that perfectly represents fighting a huge dragon.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WNCgUSpaTbQ The Dancer of the Boreal Valley]] perfectly accents the mysterious nature of the boss and the fight by being composed mostly of a long ethereal OneWomanWail, accented with hollow beats that sound suspiciously like the Dancer's footsteps. Definitely a change of pace from the normal bombastic orchestral pieces and it absolutely works.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=egsPHLWe-dk Oceiros, the Consumed King]], a very sad track filled with bizarre melodies and dissonance, perfectly accentuating Oceiros' mental state.
* The Dragonslayer Armour may be a throwaway boss with little lore relevance, but that doesn't stop the battle being a truly amazing spectacle, and [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOii1jYWRqM the accompanying theme]] perfectly reflects the dramatic showdown on the bridge.
* The theme for the climactic showdown against the twin princes [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L6sFp6pG6_w Lorian and Lothric]] captures both the nobility and tragedy of the brothers' backstory while still being fast enough for a frantic boss fight that only gets more so when Lothric joins the fight in the second phase.
* The [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PFYV-OwVU7M Old Demon King]] gets a rather bombastic, albeit also very ominous, terrifying piece that perfectly suits his role as a demonic warlord; and yet also has a demented piano section accompanied by ethereal chorus, signaling that the poor king is also one of the very LastOfHisKind. It even has a case of BookEnds, incorporating a snippet of "Bed of Chaos"!
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3mUrIeteNvY The Nameless King]]: a badass theme song for a badass dragon rider, containing what is possibly the most epic use of a harpsichord in a boss fight theme. The second phase contains hints of Gwyn's theme, which hints at their relation.
* Three piano notes. That's all it takes for the final boss, the [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HW9XCFHfa5k Soul of Cinder]], to clue you in [[ThemeSongReveal to exactly who you're fighting]], with [[TearJerker all the emotional weight it entails]] for series veterans. But as powerful as that moment is, the first phase perfectly conveys the idea of an epic showdown at the end of the world, with an adversary who is more a final trial than an evil antagonist.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qQoEzKIVQcc Champion's Gravetender & Greatwolf]]: An epic choir of chanting, that heralds a fun, fast-paced if somewhat more simple fight, which later picks up pace to be a frantic overtune reflecting the savagery of the greatwolf.
* The main boss theme of the DLC Ashes of Ariandel: [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGetAkax1E Father Ariandel and Sister Friede]]. It starts very calmly for the first phase with Sister Friede alone, with a beautiful touch of piano and a haunting wail by Kitamura herself, reflecting the relatively peaceful area with the snow. Then at the second phase, it really bumps up when Father Ariandel joining the fight when they will give all they're got to kill the Ashen One, with epic violins and ominous chants, reflecting one again the boss arena which is now covered with fire by Father Ariandel. The second phase theme will restart at the third phase with Blackflame Friede (yes, there is a ''third'' phase for this boss) who will be even more frantic than the preceding phases and will not stop until the Ashen One is dead.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CopBDYMr7wg The Demon Prince]] begins frantic and sinister, albeit tragic and pained which perfectly symbolizes how these are the last demons of ''Dark Souls''. A long OneWomanWail erupts between phases, and the track becomes ''downright epic'' for the second phase. The demons may be doomed to extinction, but their Prince will try their damnedest to take the Ashen One with them.
* While it's a brief fight, [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpj4rnZXB-Y Halflight, Spear of the Church]] starts with low, quiet organ tones as Judicator Argo scolds you for trespassing on the Ringed City's darkest secrets, and its second half explodes in a booming OrchestralBombing as the boss himself enters.
* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lr62Lth_I Slave Knight Gael]]. 5 minutes and 39 seconds of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself.
* Finally, there's [[https://youtu.be/MTBOOZxZKnI Epilogue]], which plays during the end credits. As if mirroring the tragedies in its storyline and characters, the farewell to ''Dark Souls'', like the last two games, is lonely singing amidst an overbearingly beautiful backdrop of sad music. Epilogue became even more haunting and beautiful with an [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zzoh43oPUVE updated version]] patched in alongside the pre-patch for ''The Ringed City'', adding a piano that complements the singing perfectly.
* This stunning [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qLb5rPPXpcY unused track]] manages to cycle between sounding nightmarish and hauntingly angelic, would have been perfect for a tragic, desperate boss fight.
* ''The Ringed City'' also gives us [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p4IMtnD7K4g Darkeater Midir]] for the boss of the same name. Starting with mournful violins reflecting the FallenHero you are trying to MercyKill before he is fully consumed by the Dark, it captures the sadness of the battle perfectly before bursting into ominous chanting as Midir embraces the darkness and uses its power against you. The piece perfectly captures both Midir's nobility and the terrifying experience of facing an archdragon in its prime.
* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ6PBHTgChA For the dark soul]], a melancholic piano rearrangement of Slave Knight Gael's 3rd phase only heard in the Transitory Lands [=PS4=] dyanmic theme. Though unused in the game, it is symbolically the final song in the entire series before Epilogue, and it fully encapsulates that feeling, being the polar opposite of Gwyn's theme. After all your struggles throughout the series, you've finally reached the end. And at the end of all things, there is nothing. There is no fire. There is no light. Only emptiness. Only darkness.

* [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=grJ_6d-y9cU&feature=youtu.be Ash Seeketh Embers]] features none other than Hozier’s “In The Woods Somewhere,” infamous for his blend of NightmareFuel set to folk-inspired music.

* The [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8LtczrHHZ0A Deacons of the Deep]] may also be rather unremarkable of a boss, their theme is absolutely bonechilling. OminousLatinChanting and organ drones abound to fill you with dread as you battle a chorus of regenerating "holy" undead. The chanting only gets stronger in the second phase to herald the Archdeacon's arrival into the battle, creating a truly unnerving piece.

* [[spoiler: Three piano notes.]] That's all it takes for the final boss, the [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HW9XCFHfa5k Soul of Cinder]], to clue you in [[ThemeSongReveal to exactly who you're fighting]], with [[TearJerker all the emotional weight it entails]] for series veterans. But as powerful as that moment is, the first phase perfectly conveys the idea of an epic showdown at the end of the world, with an adversary who is more a final trial than an evil antagonist.

* ''The Ringed City'' also gives us [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p4IMtnD7K4g Darkeater Midir]] for the boss of the same name. Starting with mournful violins [[spoiler: reflecting the FallenHero you are trying to MercyKill before he is fully consumed by the Dark]], it captures the sadness of the battle perfectly before bursting into ominous chanting as Midir embraces the darkness and uses its power against you. The piece perfectly captures both Midir's nobility and the terrifying experience of facing an archdragon in its prime.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVtIb8lkAxc The "Aching Bones" trailer]], the title of which suggests the pain you will go through in playing the game, but the song by Nadine Shah used by the trailer actually, almost hauntingly, echoes the [[spoiler:in-game relationship between King Vendrick and Nashandra.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El3ARM2jXlU Fading Light]] by Music/{{Aviators}}. A chilling and tearjerking summation of the horrible cycle of death, rebirth and death again that has defined the entire Age of Fire and the ''Dark Souls'' series. From the discovery of the First Flame, to the [[VideoGame/DarkSouls1 Undead Asylum]] to [[spoiler: the Ashen One's duel with Gael at the end of time.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJSiaf9m55s Pontiff Sulyvahn]] starts out quiet and slow, but quickly picks up to match the intensity of the fight. The booming and downright majestic sounds of the second half were used to great effect in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX0cvtjKt9E Accursed Trailer]], where it matched perfectly with the intense visuals and action.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4cdfRrRWf4 Aldrich, Devourer of Gods]], a terrifying, ethereal theme befitting one of the most vile {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in Soulsborne history. It also has a somber, haunting feel to it, [[spoiler: incorporating elements of Dark Sun's Gwyndolin, perfectly reflecting his FateWorseThanDeath]].
* Say what you will about the boss fight itself, but the theme of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrbZc-J0-Z4 Yhorm the Giant]] is one of the most grandiose and epic themes featured for the Lords of Cinder. For starters, it comes off as the original track featured in the glorious end of the announcement trailer; then, with an imposing male choir supported by female vocals throughout, intense string motifs and heavy on-and-off brass beats, the fight comes off not as challenging, but as one of the most thematically impressive battles seen in the series.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfWNxsegbiM Ancient Wyvern]], while the boss itself is hugely disappointing, the music certainly lives up to the appereance of a massive drake, being a bombastic battle theme that perfectly represents fighting a huge dragon.
* [[https://youtu.be/Q3xQga-2LX4 The Dancer of the Boreal Valley]] perfectly accents the mysterious nature of the boss and the fight by being composed mostly of a long ethereal OneWomanWail, accented with hollow beats that sound suspiciously like the Dancer's footsteps. Definitely a change of pace from the normal bombastic orchestral pieces and it absolutely works.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVHpOHQum5o Oceiros, the Consumed King]], a very sad track filled with bizarre melodies and dissonance, perfectly accentuating Oceiros' mental state.
* The Dragonslayer Armour may be a throwaway boss with little lore relevance, but that doesn't stop the battle being a truly amazing spectacle, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy2OCRmxVAY the accompanying theme]] perfectly reflects the dramatic showdown on the bridge.
* The theme for the climactic showdown against the twin princes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmnXEoocAy8 Lorian and Lothric]] captures both the nobility and tragedy of the brothers' backstory while still being fast enough for a frantic boss fight that only gets more so when Lothric joins the fight in the second phase.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DiNveGB5Bk Old Demon King]] gets a rather bombastic, albeit also very ominous, terrifying piece that perfectly suits his role as a demonic warlord; and yet also has a demented piano section accompanied by ethereal chorus, signaling that the poor king is also one of the very LastOfHisKind. It even has a case of BookEnds, incorporating a snippet of "Bed of Chaos"!
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajq6MFS_ysM The Nameless King]]: a badass theme song for a badass dragon rider, containing what is possibly the most epic use of a harpsichord in a boss fight theme. [[spoiler:The second phase contains hints of Gwyn's theme, which hints at their relation.]]
* [[spoiler: Three piano notes.]] That's all it takes for the final boss, the [[https://youtu.be/Z9dNrmGD7mU?t=134 Soul of Cinder]], to clue you in [[ThemeSongReveal to exactly who you're fighting]], with [[TearJerker all the emotional weight it entails]] for series veterans. But as powerful as that moment is, the first phase perfectly conveys the idea of an epic showdown at the end of the world, with an adversary who is more a final trial than an evil antagonist.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN8dCyG-Pqo Champion's Gravetender & Greatwolf]]: An epic choir of chanting, that heralds a fun, fast-paced if somewhat more simple fight, which later picks up pace to be a frantic overtune reflecting the savagery of the greatwolf.
* The main boss theme of the DLC Ashes of Ariandel: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAuIY58nv_k Father Ariandel and Sister Friede]]. It starts very calmly for the first phase with Sister Friede alone, with a beautiful touch of piano and a haunting wail by Kitamura herself, reflecting the relatively peaceful area with the snow. Then at the second phase, it really bumps up when Father Ariandel joining the fight when they will give all they're got to kill the Ashen One, with epic violins and ominous chants, reflecting one again the boss arena which is now covered with fire by Father Ariandel. [[spoiler: The second phase theme will restart at the third phase with Blackflame Friede (yes, there is ''third'' phase for this boss) who will be even more frantic than the preceding phases and will not stop until the Ashen One is dead.]]
* While it's a brief fight, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O31_IyWhDso Halflight, Spear of the Church]] starts with low, quiet organ tones as Judicator Argo scolds you for trespassing on the Ringed City's darkest secrets, and its second half explodes in a booming OrchestralBombing as the boss himself enters.
* Ladies and gents, we present you the very last boss theme in the ''Dark Souls'' series: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGatenT0ypg Slave Knight Gael]]. 9 minutes of pure, unlimited, seamless ''glory'', which not only has a sense of sadness and finality, but also befits the [[EvilFormerFriend situation.]] And since Gael is a three-phase boss, the music only grows even more powerful with each phase. Fitting that the final battle of the series culminates in a duel against [[spoiler: a man that has become the very embodiment of the Dark Soul itself]].
* Finally, there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1kvgxgBexU Epilogue]], which plays during the end credits. As if mirroring the tragedies in its storyline and characters, the farewell to ''Dark Souls'', like the last two games, is lonely singing amidst an overbearingly beautiful backdrop of sad music. Epilogue became even more haunting and beautiful with an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJKgS2J9m9I updated version]] patched in alongside the pre-patch for ''The Ringed City'', adding a piano that complements the singing perfectly.
* This stunning [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtHDsw4FioQ unused track]] manages to cycle between sounding nightmarish and hauntingly angelic, would have been perfect for a tragic, desperate boss fight.
* ''The Ringed City'' also gives us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiOo56N0Om4 Darkeater Midir]] for the boss of the same name. Starting with mournful violins [[spoiler: reflecting the FallenHero you are trying to MercyKill before he is fully consumed by the Dark]], it captures the sadness of the battle perfectly before bursting into ominous chanting as Midir [[spoiler: embraces the darkness and uses its power against you]]. The piece perfectly captures both Midir's nobility and the terrifying experience of facing an archdragon in its prime.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBvdme-HvdE For the dark soul]], a melancholic piano rearrangement of Slave Knight Gael's 3rd phase only heard in the Transitory Lands [=PS4=] dyanmic theme. Though unused in the game, it is symbolically the final song in the entire series before Epilogue, and it fully encapsulates that feeling, being the polar opposite of Gwyn's theme. After all your struggles throughout the series, you've finally reached the end. And at the end of all things, there is nothing. There is no fire. There is no light. Only emptiness. Only darkness.

%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n4EavKs1K4 Throne Defender, Throne Watcher]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHjdSM3nHo Nashandra]]"; while the 25 first seconds are a gentle piano piece referencing the unused {{Leitmotif}} "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjaYBPlHiu8 Queen of Drangleic]]", it quickly plunges into a sinister chorus worthy of a nightmarish FinalBoss.
* Once again, the ending credits reward you with a soothing melody in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oDmA17o5ys Longing]]". In ''Scholar of the First Sin'', after "Longing", the longer credits are accompanied by a haunting piano piece called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7fYikkFr_I Remains]]". In regards to "Longing", as one Website/YouTube comment aptly put it: "60 hours of hell for 6 minutes of heaven".

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckGyYWowMgc Elana, Squalid Queen]]". A degenerate and frantic theme that draws parallels to Nashandra's BossRemix, indicating that this Child of Dark is someone who is ''far'' more powerful than the FinalBoss we're presented with in the vanilla game. Dissonant as it is, you can make out infrequent soothing lullabies amidst the rest of the song, which can only be described as savage.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAVCkVclNR4 Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon]]", incorporating en entire orchestral suite that embodies the grandeur of Shulva's past glory and the creature that the citizen once worshipped.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNhqsri8Mdc Graverobber, Varg and Cerah]]", a fast-paced piece that goes well with your mindset for the boss, which means trying to outsmart the terrifying trio of adventurers.

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig0G32Ng2lM Raime, the Fume Knight]]". This boss' haunting darkness takes physical shape as the brass and male choir mercilessly oppress you with a frantic beat while you're on the receiving end of a beatdown by the FallenHero that springs forward to defend his beloved dark lady.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztPGThfD_GY Sir Alonne]]" is a straight-up display of ''pride'' that imperiously calls you forward to duel with the most badass katana user in the ''Souls'' franchise. It's frequently considered the most memorable boss song in the game by players thanks to its grandiose EtherealChoir.

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf5Ymjn3z4w Aava, the King's Pet]]". Solemn and filled with depressing vocals and melancholic violin bouts that would make ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' proud, this track represents the ice tiger's duty-bound nature as Alsanna's protector, despite knowing that its master, the Ivory King, is gone. The message of this song is clear: you are not welcome in Eleum Loyce, [[GetOut and Alsanna will warn you one last time]].
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTmlU7K21cE Lud and Zallen, the King's Pets]]". You've been trekking in the Frigid Outskirts for so long that you lost track of where you are headed, and then suddenly you enter an arena where two vicious shadow tigers come down on you, with this song blaring in the background.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alTQiC6hhGc Burnt Ivory King]]". From the gates of the Old Chaos, he, the former ruler of Forossa, emerges, carrying with him the hellish inferno of this track's chorus, with a small respite around the 1:15 minute mark before coming back to a ferocious beat.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub-bg-rmEF4 Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin]]". A melancholic piece, fitting for the finale of your journey, as Aldia himself becomes your final test of courage, allowing you to decide the fate of Drangleic.

* Just the theme of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stWae6r7Blw Main Menu]] is enough to send chills down many players' spines with the gradual build of its haunting vocals and solemn strings.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke3HWo8fTpE Iudex Gundyr]] is a perfect theme for the first boss you encounter, capturing the intensity that awaits you beyond him. [[spoiler:It also has a somber and tragic feel to it, reflecting Gundyr's failure to protect the world from the Dark.]]
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIX_-AMuAhY Vordt of the Boreal Valley]], an incredibly bombastic and chaotic theme that perfectly accents Vordt's animalistic and crazed nature with its frantic strings, imposing brass and oppressive choir.
* While the Curse-Rotted Greatwood as a boss is not very memorable, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCfNGQEQh44 its theme certainly is]]. It's one of the most intimidating themes in the entire game.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20XREf55X9E Deacons of the Deep]] may not be the most memorable boss, but their theme certainly is. OminousLatinChanting and organ drones abound to fill you with dread as you battle a chorus of regenerating "holy" undead. The chanting only gets stronger in the second phase to herald the Archdeacon's arrival into the battle, creating a truly unnerving piece.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0LdIZ8TWYo Abyss Watchers' theme]] is a beautiful, sad piece that really hammers in how far the knights have fallen to the Abyss they swore to defeat. The song features a OneWomanWail by Kokia that's akin to a lone wolf's howl, as well as the sporadic bell ringing that [[spoiler:hints at their founder, Knight Artorias]].
* The oppressive and frightening [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t52zdYCNEc High Lord Wolnir]].

* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3CTxI_zbeU Executioner's Chariot]]" keeps you on the edge as you frantically try to avoid getting crushed by the chariot and its two-headed horse.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUZyJHDasqA Old Iron King]]", an intimidating theme for an intimidating BigRedDevil that makes [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings the Balrog blush]].
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSbjIFx4Hxg Royal Rat Authority]]".
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn8VM9c6RcM The Duke's Dear Freja]]".
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB2CUPPWhr4 The Lost Sinner]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSN4rZXKhx8 Royal Rat Vanguard]]", a ridiculously epic track for a fight against... [[KillerRabbit giant rats]] who ZergRush you. [[note]][[WhatCouldHaveBeen This was actually planned to be the Executioner Chariot's theme before it got its own leitmotif]].[[/note]]
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty5g58LetkY Looking Glass Knight]]" goes extremely well with the unbelievably awesome BattleInTheRain against King Vendrick's lieutenant.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFRY6fzEQqw Milfanito]]" resonates throughout your trip in the Shrine of Amana. It's sung by the eponymous Milfanito shrine maiden, but later in the level you learn it's also a mimicry devised by the Demon of Song, which sports [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvhYptd-yzU its own creepy theme]].
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em5gtDJcFqM Velstadt, the Royal Aegis]]", a sinister symphonic piece, complete with tragic violin bouts, oppressive brass and a frightful EtherealChoir; all of these elements lead the player to think Velstadt is protecting an unbelievably dark secret.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnoZG6iCbjU King Vendrick]]", an eerie track that goes with the baffling atmosphere when you find what's left of Vendrick, mindlessly strolling around naked and Hollow.
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dU8jxoL4Js Guardian Dragon]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCjlcO3fL3w The Ancient Dragon]]", otherwise known as OhCrap in musical form. Jumped in scare after [[NiceJobBreakingItHero unwittingly provoking the godly Ancient Dragon into a fight]]? We don't blame you.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9wEYvgQjSk Darklurker]]", a dissonant EtherealChoir which fits with the terrifyingly powerful HumanoidAbomination you find in the depths of the Dark Chasm of Old.

* The game's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYzzOJuS7Lo main menu theme]] makes for a chillingly good CallBack to ''Videogame/DemonsSouls''.
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv9o6jr-NJM Things Betwixt]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ShsHeYkeI Majula]]", the theme of the place you will be often returning to, akin to [[HubLevel the Nexus]] of ''Videogame/DemonsSouls'' and Firelink Shrine from ''Dark Souls''.
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wf4bg4AVNM The Last Giant]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds9rDSA0Mz4 The Pursuer]]". which befits the Terminator-like knight who hunts you relentlessly through Drangleic.
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NRB8CdfHBU The Dragonrider]]".
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFrcmJQencc The Old Dragonslayer]]" heralds [[LegacyBossBattle the return of a familiar face]] who proceeds to engage you in an epic church brawl.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctiRsyxd4n0 Ruins Sentinels]]", the boss theme for the eponymous bosses and the Smelter Demon. You gotta ''love'' when the piece picks up at 1:12 with an epic chorus, raising the stakes for an already hard boss fight.
* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0IqQQY5p88 Skeleton Lord]]", a frenzied track fitting with the numerous enemies you'll be facing during the Skeleton Lords boss fight.

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbTI_Bzy29I Knight Artorias]]", a somber piece alluding to the [[FallenHero fallen]] [[TheCorruption state]] you meet the titular knight in.

%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZgFykJ8oY Chaos Witch Quelaag]]".

%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70g3exQxR28 Bed of Chaos]]".

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DiNveGB5Bk Old Demon King]] gets a rather bombastic, albeit also very ominous, terrifying piece that perfectly suits his role as a demonic warlord; and yet also has a demented piano section accompanied by ethereal chorus, signaling that the poor king is also one of the very LastOfHisKind.

* ''Dark Souls'''s marketing campaign featured a few noteworthy songs which quickly grew with the fandom.

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-zMU9c98BE Deacons of the Deep]] may not be the most memorable boss, but their theme certainly is. OminousLatinChanting and organ drones abound to fill you with dread as you battle a chorus of regenerating "holy" undead. The chanting only gets stronger in the second phase to herald the Archdeacon's arrival into the battle, creating a truly unnerving piece.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8a-PxaNUk Abyss Watchers' theme]] is a beautiful, sad piece that really hammers in how far the knights have fallen to the Abyss they swore to defeat. The song features a OneWomanWail by Kokia that's akin to a lone wolf's howl, as well as the sporadic bell ringing that [[spoiler:hints at their founder, Knight Artorias]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=susg9a_G3Sk Pontiff Sulyvahn]] starts out quiet and slow, but quickly picks up to match the intensity of the fight. The booming and downright majestic sounds of the second half were used to great effect in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX0cvtjKt9E Accursed Trailer]], where it matched perfectly with the intense visuals and action.

* Say what you will about the boss fight itself, but the theme of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2nPaAx1w1E Yhorm the Giant]] is one of the most grandiose and epic themes featured for the Lords of Cinder. For starters, it comes off as the original track featured in the glorious end of the announcement trailer; then, with an imposing male choir supported by female vocals throughout, intense string motifs and heavy on-and-off brass beats, the fight comes off not as challenging, but as one of the most thematically impressive battles seen in the series.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfWNxsegbiM Ancient Wyrm]], while the boss itself is hugely disappointing, the music certainly lives up to the appereance of a massive drake, being a bombastic battle theme that perfectly represents fighting a huge dragon.

* Last, but not least, is the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpI-KeK-PQg Nameless Song]]", a soothing OneWomanWail which congratulates you upon finishing the game.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JY5bBMj5kw Undead Lullaby]], by Music/{{JTMusic}}. A piece sung from the player character's point of view, about how he [[BadassBoast always comes back from the grave]], [[{{Determinator}} no matter what's thrown at him.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JY5bBMj5kw Undead Lullaby]], by Music/{{JTMusic}}. A piece sung from the player character's point of view, about how he [[BadassBoast always comes back from the grave]], [[Determinator no matter what's thrown at him.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzB2cN-AU8w Summon in the Sunlight]] by Jameserton, the {{Leitmotif}} of the fan video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kr7KDCsIws Happy Souls]], is a perfect fit for the funniest depiction of the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' co-op experience.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzB2cN-AU8w Summon in the Sunlight]] by Jameserton, the {{Leitmotif}} of the fan video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kr7KDCsIws Happy Souls]], the funniest depiction of the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' experience with a friend.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke3HWo8fTpE Iudex Gundyr]] is a perfect theme for the first boss you encounter, capturing the intensity that awaits you beyond him. [[spoiler:It also has a somber and tragic feel to it, reflecting Gundyr's failure to protect the world from the Dark, implied to be caused by YOU.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN8dCyG-Pqo Champion's Gravetender & Greatwolf]]: An epic choir of chanting, that heralds a fun, if visually uninspired fight, which later picks up pace to be a frantic overtune reflecting the savagery of the greatwolf.