Soundtrack

Soundtrack.png

See also: Sound Effects

The soundtrack of ULTRAKILL currently consists of 2 albums, 4 EPs, and other complementary tracks.
Most of ULTRAKILL's soundtrack mixes industrial metal and breakcore, with calmer tracks dispersed inbetween, mostly seen in secret levels.
In game, music acts dynamically, with songs being split into calm and combat variants that switch depending if the player is in combat.

The majority of ULTRAKILL's soundtracks are composed by the main developer Arsi "Hakita" Patala, typically under the alias 'Heaven Pierce Her'.
The full soundtracks are available for purchase on their Bandcamp page, with streaming platform versions omitting tracks not composed or performed by them.
The three tracks contributed by Meganeko, KEYGEN CHURCH, and HEALTH are available on their respective pages. Additionally, the tracks used in the Developer Museum are credited under Hakita's own name.

ULTRAKILL Albums

HEAVEN PIERCE HER - ULTRAKILL: INFINITE HYPERDEATH Released on Bandcamp and YouTube September 11, 2020.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - The Fire Is Gone (for Piano, Saxophone and Trumpet) FOR THE MAIN MENU & THE BOOT-UP SEQUENCE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This song originates from the end of "The Fire Is Gone, and I Remember It Best: The Closing" by redherring, another musical alias of Hakita's. Though the clip is the finale of its original album, it instead is the opener for ULTRAKILL's soundtrack. Originally used only for the intro, to contrast the chaos of the game with a slow, delicate start. It was then reused for the main menu as a placeholder in a later demo version, though it ended up fitting well enough that Hakita decided to keep it. Has additional, themed variants for each seasonal event in game: Christmas (Piano and Bells) Easter (Piano and Harpsichord) Halloween (Organ and Xylophone)	Album Version Loop Christmas Loop Easter Loop Halloween Loop
02 - Into the Fire FOR 0-1: INTO THE FIRE & 0-3: DOUBLE DOWN	COMPOSED BY HAKITA A quiet drone plays during the tutorial. Another drone plays in the tight hallways at the start of 0-1, getting louder and playing over itself before cutting out as V1 approaches the revolver. A guitar hit then plays once the revolver is picked up, before transitioning into the combat loop. The second drone and guitar hit sample a chord from "Mars, the Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst's Planets Suite. The slow-paced, bass-heavy segment in the soundtrack release originates from early experiments where the music adapted to the currently equipped weapon, which was scrapped due to interrupting tempo and combat intensity. (Original Bass Version)	Album Version Tutorial Loop Intro Drone Intro Hit Battle Loop Calm Loop
03 - Unstoppable Force FOR 0-2: THE MEATGRINDER & 0-4: A ONE-MACHINE ARMY	COMPOSED BY HAKITA An early version of this track's calm loop plays in the soundtrack version's intro. The full loop can be listened to here, and its unused combat loop counterpart can be listened to here. Though one of the riffs is often compared to "At Doom's Gate" from the Doom soundtrack, the similarity is purely coincidental.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
04 - Cerberus FOR 0-5: CERBERUS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA First part plays until entering the Cerberus Arena; progresses once Cerberus awakens. Cerberus is the very first song Hakita composed for ULTRAKILL. It can be heard in Hakita's very first dev video on ULTRAKILL. The intro is the main part of the song, slowed and pitched down. In-game it plays at 33% speed, but for the soundtrack release it plays at half-speed due to sounding better in isolation.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
05 - A Thousand Greetings FOR 1-1: HEART OF THE SUNRISE & 1-2: THE BURNING WORLD	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This track is almost taken 1:1 from the track "A Thousand Greetings #2" by redherring, whom as stated before is a musical alias for Hakita. In 1-1, the song plays until the first enemy spawns. In 1-2, it plays until the player begins leaving the second floor with the Blue Skull.	Soundtrack Version
06 - A Shattered Illusion FOR 1-1: HEART OF THE SUNRISE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The song plays as soon as the first enemy spawns. This song was made exclusively using samples from A Thousand Greetings, Amen break drum samples, and a sine wave for bass.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
07 - A Complete and Utter Destruction of the Senses FOR 1-2: THE BURNING WORLD	COMPOSED BY HAKITA 1st part begins when V1 exits the second floor with the Blue Skull. Progresses once V1 enters the lower floor.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
08 - Sanctuary in the Garden of the Mind FOR 1-S: THE WITLESS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Track progresses every 2 rooms. The song is made up of various drones that Hakita cut out from one of his old songs.	Soundtrack Version
09 - Castle Vein FOR 1-3: HALLS OF SACRED REMAINS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This song is where Hakita decided on the music direction for the game. This song and its title "Castle Vein" is a reference to the Castlevania series.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
10 - Debussy: Clair de Lune FOR 1-4: CLAIR DE LUNE	COMPOSED BY CLAUDE DEBUSSY PERFORMED BY LAURENS GOEDHART An audible page turn can be heard around the 2:17 mark. For the theme of 1-4, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was another candidate but Hakita eventually decided on Clair De Lune due to it being less commonly used.	Soundtrack Version
11 - Versus FOR 1-4: CLAIR DE LUNE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for V2. This song has 3 layers of drums: the original MIDI drums, amen breaks added on top, and electronic kick and snare added to give more weight to the original drum patterns.	Soundtrack Version
12 - Cold Winds FOR 2-1: BRIDGEBURNER	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Split into two parts; the second part begins after the player exits the intro tower. The beginning ambiance of this song is a "paulstretched" section of an old jazz song called "Sourire d'Avril" by Maurice Depret. Outside of amen breaks, the song consists entirely of MIDI soundfonts. Hakita was going to record guitar for the song but decided against it.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
13 - Requiem FOR 2-2: DEATH AT 20,000 VOLTS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Hakita had trouble starting this song before deciding to constantly change time signatures. The song is typically either 4/4 or 5/8 with occasional 6/8 and 7/8 flairs.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
14 - Panic Betrayer FOR 2-3: SHEER HEART ATTACK	COMPOSED BY HAKITA With this song, Hakita decided to go even further than Requiem with time signature changes. The warbled guitar heard is inspired by The Mars Volta.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
15 - In the Presence of a King FOR 2-4: COURT OF THE CORPSE KING	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for The Corpse of King Minos. The ambient intro is a very heavily modulated version of the paulstretched "Sourire d'Avril" sample used at the beginning of Cold Winds. The combat portion is a thick drone made from samples Hakita previously recorded, put together as an exercise in Plunderphonics techniques. Amen break percussion is added during the second phase of the main fight.	Soundtrack Version
16 - Guts FOR 3-1: BELLY OF THE BEAST	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays for the first half of the level. This song is Glory but slowed down by exactly 66.6%. The titles of both songs are a reference to the phrase "No guts, no glory."	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
17 - Glory FOR 3-1: BELLY OF THE BEAST	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Begins after entering the Bone walkways Glory is based on one of Hakita's multiple failed attempts at the climax of 2-2's track: Requiem. The final result has an added piano and is extended slightly.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
18 - Bach: BWV 639 "I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ" FOR 3-2: IN THE FLESH	COMPOSED BY JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH EDITED BY HAKITA The song is simply a MIDI version of Bach's BWV 639.	Soundtrack Version
19 - Divine Intervention FOR 3-2: IN THE FLESH	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for Gabriel, Judge of Hell The song was originally going to be much longer and reincorporate sections of BWV 639, but the current rendition looped so well that Hakita decided to keep it.	Soundtrack Version
20 - Disgrace. Humiliation. FOR THE ACT 1 EPILOGUE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays during the Act 1 Epilogue after defeating Gabriel.	Soundtrack Version
21 - Take Care FOR TERMINALS	COMPOSED BY THE RUSS MORGAN ORCHESTRA EDITED BY HAKITA Featured in: The New Blood splash animation The Shop Terminal The Cyber Grind Settings Terminal and Results screen "Thanks For Playing" development endscreen The song is entirely sampled from the song "Were You Foolin'" by the Russ Morgan Orchestra. The aged sound of the track is a reference to "Everywhere at the End of Time" by The Caretaker, a music project that explores memory and its deterioration. The music's title is also a direct reference to the aforementioned album's author, Leyland James Kirby, better known under his pseudonym, "The Caretaker". The first loop (sampled from 0:08 to 0:37) is used by all yellow Shop Terminals, while the second loop (sampled from 2:05 to 2:34) is used by the blue Cyber Grind Terminal and in the Cyber Grind results screen, as well as the "Thanks For Playing" Early Access endscreen that appears when the player reaches the end of the currently-released campaign levels. The version of "Take Care" that plays in the Cyber Grind Jukebox loops the first (0:08 to 1:06) and second (2:05 to 3:03) instrumental sections three times before finally playing one loop of the vocal segment (1:06 to 2:05). This makes this version the only one to contain vocals.	Soundtrack Version
22 - The Cyber Grind FOR THE CYBER GRIND	COMPOSED BY MEGANEKO Begins once V1 reaches the arena. The track was incomplete in its first releases due to an extended period of time where the track was refined numerous times before the final version now heard in the game was completed.	Soundtrack Version
23 - The Fire Is Gone (for Music Box) FOR SECRET TERMINALS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This song originates from the bookends of the album The Fire Is Gone, and I Remember It Best, by redherring. Fittingly, it too bookends the ACT I soundtrack.	Soundtrack Version

HEAVEN PIERCE HER - ULTRAKILL: CHAOS/ORDER Released on Bandcamp and YouTube on April 13, 2021.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - The Spinal Staircase FOR P-1: SOUL SURVIVOR	COMPOSED BY MAURICE DEPRET	Soundtrack Version
02 - CHAOS FOR P-1: SOUL SURVIVOR	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for Flesh Prison	Soundtrack Version
03 - ORDER FOR P-1: SOUL SURVIVOR	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for Minos Prime	Soundtrack Version
04 - Sunshine (Mirage) FOR 2-S: ALL-IMPERFECT LOVE SONG & 5-S: I ONLY SAY MORNING	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version

HEAVEN PIERCE HER - ULTRAKILL: IMPERFECT HATRED Released on Bandcamp and YouTube on September 2, 2022.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - [Insert Disc 2] FOR THE ACT 2 INTRO	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
02 - Dune Eternal FOR 4-1: SLAVES TO POWER	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
03 - Sands of Tide FOR 4-2: GOD DAMN THE SUN	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
04 - Dancer in the Darkness FOR 4-3: A SHOT IN THE DARK	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The organ portion is only played in the final arena, once an item has been placed on the pedestal.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
05 - Duel (Versus Reprise) FOR 4-4: CLAIR DE SOLEIL	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for V2. A slow drone begins once V1 touches the first bouncepad. Slow guitar is added to the drone when V1 touches a second bouncepad. Upon reaching V2, the track progresses to the main combat loop.	Soundtrack Version
06 - Deep Blue FOR 5-1: IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Only the beginning ambience plays as V1 travels through the caves. Upon falling into the room with the towers, the main loops begin. While V1 is underwater, the track is muffled. Some portions of the song are sampled and/or sped up from yet another redherring album, redherringproject.bandcamp.com/album/025-omniscience-or-the-great-deconstruction-of-the-mind Omniscience, or The Great Deconstruction of the Mind. Said tracks are as follows: Omniscience Part II: The Abyssal Sampled for the first portion of the track, right after the cave drone. Omniscience Part I: What the Sea Left Behind Sampled for the backing track of the sax portion.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
07 - "He Is the Light in My Darkness" FOR 5-2: WAVES OF THE STARLESS SEA	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The first, slower portion of the song begins when the Ferry is summoned. The second portion of the song is played only if the Ferryman is provoked, and will continue playing even if the player gives him a coin.	Soundtrack Version
08 - Death Odyssey FOR 5-3: SHIP OF FOOLS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
09 - Death Odyssey Aftermath FOR 5-3: SHIP OF FOOLS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This track plays once V1 exits the hallway after the ship turns over.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
10 - The Abyss and the Serpent FOR 5-4: LEVIATHAN	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The combat theme of the Leviathan. The beginning chimes play until the Leviathan's shadow is revealed. The main combat segment begins when the Leviathan emerges from the surface of the ocean.	Soundtrack Version
11 - Chord of the Crooked Saints FOR 6-1: CRY FOR THE WEEPER	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This song grows louder when enemies are present. The song gradually quiets to a very soft drone over the course of a few seconds after the Red Skull is picked up.	Soundtrack Version
12 - Altars of Apostasy (incl. "Hall of Sacreligious Remains") FOR 6-1: CRY FOR THE WEEPER	COMPOSED BY HAKITA This song begins when V1 drops into the open room unlocked by placing the Red Skull. Upon entering the hall leading to the final arena, the song quiets and Gabriel speaks shortly. When V1 enters the final arena, the final segment of the song begins. This song contains the same piano melody used in Glory. The final segment, Hall of Sacreligious Remains, is a reprise of Castle Vein.	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version
13 - Fallen Angel (An Adaptation of Bach: BWV 639) FOR 6-2: AESTHETICS OF HATE	COMPOSED BY JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH ADAPTED BY HAKITA The soft chimes at the beginning play as Gabriel speaks, with the organ portion starting when he falls silent.	Soundtrack Version
14 - The Death of God's Will (incl. "Horns of Insurrection") FOR 6-2: AESTHETICS OF HATE & THE ACT 2 EPILOGUE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme for Gabriel, Apostate of Hate. The final portion, Horns of Insurrection, plays in the third segment of the Act II end cutscene.	Soundtrack Version
15 - Silence. Introspection. FOR THE ACT 2 EPILOGUE	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays during the first segment of the Act II end cutscene.	Soundtrack Version
16 - Beethoven: 7th Symphony, 2nd Movement: Allegretto (An Excerpt for Piano) FOR THE ACT 2 EPILOGUE	WRITTEN BY LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN PERFORMED BY LAMBIS VASSILIADIS Plays during the second segment of the Act II end cutscene.	Soundtrack Version

HEAVEN PIERCE HER - ULTRAKILL: PANDEMONIUM/WAR Released on Bandcamp and YouTube on March 18, 2023.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - Intro (Weihnachten Am Klavier) FOR P-2: WAIT OF THE WORLD	ORIGINAL SONG BY ADOLPH GLUCK COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
02 - PANDEMONIUM FOR P-2: WAIT OF THE WORLD	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
03 - WAR FOR P-2: WAIT OF THE WORLD	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
04 - Lakeside Songbook FOR 5-S: I ONLY SAY MORNING	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
05 - The song that plays in the level colloquially known as 4-S FOR 4-S: CLASH OF THE BANDICOOT & THE DEVELOPER MUSEUM	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
06 - Tenebre Rosso Sangue FOR P-2: WAIT OF THE WORLD	COMPOSED BY KEYGEN CHURCH	Soundtrack Version Combat Version Calm Version

HEAVEN PIERCE HER - ULTRAKILL: VIOLENCE Released on Bandcamp and YouTube on December 21, 2023.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - The World Looks White FOR 7-1: GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays after entering the initial door up until V1 picks up the red skull. Is a reference to "The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black" from The Glowing Man, an album by experimental rock band Swans.	Album Version Loop
02 - The World Looks Red FOR 7-1: GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays during the initial Mannequin encounter. Is a reference to "The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black" from The Glowing Man, an album by experimental rock band Swans	Album Version Battle Loop Calm Loop
03 - Bull of Hell FOR 7-1: GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme of the Minotaur. The first phase plays after a few seconds of activating the cart. The second phase plays in the initial cart ride boss fight with the Minotaur and the final encounter prior to the level exit. Is a reference to the drone group Bull of Heaven.	Album Version Intro Loop Minotaur Roar Phase 1 Loop Phase 2 Loop
04 - Do Robots Dream of Eternal Sleep? FOR 7-2: LIGHT UP THE NIGHT	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays the moment V1 enters the level up until after the first Gutterman encounter. Is a reference to the 1968 novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick.	Album Version Battle Loop Calm Loop War Ambiance
05 - Hear! The Siren Song Call of Death FOR 7-2: LIGHT UP THE NIGHT	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays for the rest of the level.	Album Version Battle Loop Calm Loop
06 - Suffering Leaves Suffering Leaves FOR 7-3: NO SOUND, NO MEMORY	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays after filling up the first blood tree. The title of the song is gramatically correct in a similar manner to the sentence "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo", which is an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs through lexical ambiguity. Explanation regarding the title's meaning: The first "Suffering Leaves" means what suffering, in this case suicide, would leave behind. The second "Suffering Leaves" refers to the suicide trees and it's leaves.	Album Version Loop
07 - Danse Macabre FOR 7-3: NO SOUND, NO MEMORY	COMPOSED BY HAKITA Plays the moment the Left Passageway is bombed. Is a reference to "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saëns.	Album Version Battle Loop Calm Loop
08 - War Without Reason FOR 7-4: ...LIKE ANTENNAS TO HEAVEN	COMPOSED BY HAKITA The battle theme of the 1000-THR "Earthmover". This song is cut up into 10 phases, for each section of the boss fight. First phase: Plays after the 1000-THR "Earthmover" detects your presence. Second phase: Plays after you activate the first timer grapple to the catwalk. Third phase: Plays during the dual Guttertank encounter. Fourth phase: Plays during the Malicious Face and dual Mannequin encounter. Fifth phase: Plays during the fight against the 1000-THR Defence System. Sixth phase: Plays after breaching into the 1000-THR "Earthmover". Seventh phase: Plays after ascending to the obstacle leading to the Core. Eighth phase: Plays during the fight with the core of the 1000-THR "Earthmover". Ninth phase: Plays during the escape sequence, up until the arena. Tenth phase: Plays when the enemies spawn in the area.	Soundtrack Version

Other Music

Music featured in ULTRAKILL that is not part of any ULTRAKILL-specific albums.
Song	Information	Audio
HATEFUL FOR THE CYBER GRIND	COMPOSED BY HEALTH Released during April 2023 with a music video. Originally released as a single, but was later featured as the third track in the album RAT WARS.	Album Version Intro Loop Instrumental Loop
UltraChurch FOR THE CYBER GRIND	COMPOSED BY KEYGEN CHURCH One of the rewards for solving the first half of the P-2 ARG.	Album Version Intro Loop

HAKITA - MUSIC FOR VIRTUAL MUSEUMS Released on Bandcamp and YouTube on November 4, 2022.
Song	Information	Audio
01 - Closing Time FOR THE DEVELOPER MUSEUM	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
02 - フィンランドの夢 (Dream of Finland) FOR THE DEVELOPER MUSEUM	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
03 - The World, and So Much More FOR THE DEVELOPER MUSEUM	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version
04 - Beyond the Veil of Night FOR THE DEVELOPER MUSEUM	COMPOSED BY HAKITA	Soundtrack Version

Music made for ULTRAKILL that has not been officially released.
Song	Information	Audio
Theme of Cancer FOR 1-2: THE BURNING WORLD, 4-3: A SHOT IN THE DARK, & 7-1: GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS	COMPOSED BY ??? Not officially released. Plays during secret bossfights. Cancerous Rodent & Very Cancerous Rodent in 1-2. Mysterious Druid Knight (& Owl) in 4-3. Big Johninator in 7-1.	Loop