Music is often a forgotten element of video game franchises. While games tend to be remembered for their graphics or playability, sound and music play an integral role in bringing the experience of ripping somebody’s spine out to your living room. One of the more famous video game theme songs is the one from Mortal Kombat, and it looks like there’s a new version to accompany the soon-to-be-released live-action movie. 

The new techno-inspired theme comes to use courtesy of film composer Benjamin Wallfisc, who has done the scores for other big-name films such as Blade Runner 2049, Shazam!, It, It Chapter Two, The Invisible Man, and Hidden Figures. The new theme and soundtrack for the upcoming film will be under the label of WaterTower Music, the in-house record label for Warner Bros. They’re responsible for many of the original scores for Warner Bros. movies, including the recently released Godzilla vs. Kong and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. 

The Mortal Kombat theme is easily one of the most recognizable video game themes in history, partially due to the fact that someone literally screams “MORTAL KOMBAT!” in the middle of the song. Slate actually recently interviewed the guy who’s responsible for the Mortal Kombat yell, and apparently, it was originally recorded for a commercial. It’s been redone a dozen times over the years, as well as remixed and parodied.

The theme’s official title is “Techno Syndrome” and it was done by Lords of Acid members Praga Khan and Olivier Adams, aka the Immortals. It’s been part of the original Mortal Kombat soundtrack since the franchise’s beginnings and gained further notoriety when it was used in the first live-action Mortal Kombat movie in 1995.

While the latest movie adaptation looks to be updating the style and tone for modern audiences, it’s nice to see that they’re maintaining certain elements that are staples of the franchise. The original live-action Mortal Kombat movies performed pretty badly upon release, and while they’ve developed a kind of cult status amongst some fans, a new movie has been in the works for decades. Now, fans of the franchise can rejoice, because the new movie is arriving this month after its release date was slightly several times, partially due to the pandemic, but also in part to other big movie releases like Godzilla vs Kong.

Mortal Kombat is set to be released simultaneously in theatres and on HBO Max on April 23rd.

Source: WaterTower Music|YouTube