Hozier’s “Blood Upon the Snow” for God of Battle Recreation: Unique
The hype has been constructing for God of War: Ragnarök (out November ninth on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4), the latest installment of the hit online game sequence. Not solely is it the primary new God of Battle sport in 4 years, it marks the top of the “Norse” sequence, which facilities round Norse mythology and follows protagonist Kratos and his teenage son, Atreus.
As thrilling as the brand new God of Battle is for followers, there’s one thing completely different about this launch than the standard fare: Irish singer and songwriter Hozier has teamed up with the sport’s composer, Bear McCreary, for a brand new track to accompany the official Ragnarök soundtrack, out the identical day as the sport. The observe, titled “Blood Upon the Snow,” is a daring, cinematic quantity that hits in any respect the thematic notes of God of Battle: Ragnarök, and finds Hozier utilizing his signature velvety tone to evoke each tenderness and awe.
It’s been an extended few years for Hozier, who launched his sophomore LP, Wasteland, Child, in 2019 to widespread success, however has stayed comparatively quiet for the reason that daybreak of the pandemic. Except for a collaboration with producer Meduza final 12 months, Hozier has been protecting his head down centered on his upcoming third album, releasing just one track, “Swan Upon Leda.” Now comes “Blood Upon the Snow,” which you’ll hear now through its accompanying lyric video right here:
Evidently, Hozier’s very excited for the collaboration to be launched, and for the sport to succeed in audiences world wide. “I’m within the digital arts as a maturing medium,” Hozier tells Consequence over Zoom. “The earlier launch in that sequence was some kind of a game-changing (no pun supposed), cinematic achievement. And I used to be fairly impressed with a imaginative and prescient that was going to take a narrative and perhaps 30 hours of a journey with out one digital camera reduce.”
He praised the collaborative spirit between him, Bear McCreary, and the sport’s director, Eric Williams. And although “Blood Upon the Snow” incorporates a extra dramatic, classical fashion, his new music gained’t essentially echo the identical sonics. “We have been attempting to hit the beats of sure themes and attempting to make it work for the universe of the sport, to make it work in sympathy with Eric Williams’ imaginative and prescient and Bear’s imaginative and prescient as nicely, too,” says Hozier, “So it’s good to kind of flex a distinct muscle.”
This can be Hozier’s first track for a online game, however his skills as a storyteller and powerhouse vocalist have been on show since his 2014 self-titled debut. As he hits a hovering excessive be aware in climax of “Blood Upon the Snow,” it’s clear that the world might use some extra Hozier music sooner or later.
Forward of the discharge of God of Battle: Ragnarök and the God of Battle: Ragnarök (Authentic Soundtrack), Hozier sat down with Consequence to debate crafting “Blood Upon the Snow,” utilizing the pure world and the sport’s narrative as inspiration, his love of the digital arts, and the standing of Hozier’s yet-to-be-announced third LP. Learn under for the total Q&A with Hozier, plus watch a behind-the-scenes mini-doc of the recording course of that went into “Blood Upon the Snow.”