Sam Slater Scores Saros with Drone Metal and Dark Synth

Composer Sam Slater released the Saros original soundtrack on May 22. The score blends drone metal, dark synthesis, manipulated voices and heavily distorted guitars to represent the in-game event called the Eclipse and to make the world of Carcosa feel corrupted and physically overwhelming.

Slater served as composer, producer and artist on the project and worked with Housemarque creative director Gregory Louden and PlayStation Studios music lead Joe Thwaites to define Carcosa’s musical identity. The team exchanged reference tracks early in development to align on a shared musical language that could function dynamically inside the game.

The soundtrack combines organic, overdriven drone metal with clean, high-fidelity electronic textures. Overdrive is used as a sonic metaphor for the Eclipse: distorted guitars and metal percussion push sounds beyond normal limits while precise synthetic elements provide contrast. Melodies in non-Eclipse sections are shifted by six semitones when corruption occurs, a technique intended to make familiar themes feel subtly out of place.

Sound design and composition were developed as a single system rather than separate elements. Audio teams coordinated on when music should step forward and when environmental audio should lead. Many musical moments lock to in-game machinery and player proximity so music and ambient sounds align during events such as machine activations.

Different biomes shaped specific musical materials. In the Ancient Depths, a ceramic, stone-like melodic element was re-pitched and drenched in reverb that consistently bends downward to convey a sense of descent. When the Eclipse activates, metallic percussion echoes and synchronizes with nearby machine sounds to create a unified audio event.

Human voices appear throughout the score as raw material transformed into new textures. Experimental vocalist Rully Shabara was recorded into a large hanging metal sheet with a driver and microphone to produce unstable feedback and push vocal timbres into unfamiliar ranges. The main vocal theme for the character Nitya, titled “Sun is Forever,” was kept intentionally maternal and distant rather than presented as a lure.

Boss encounter tracks reuse and amplify level themes, offering both non‑Eclipse and Eclipse versions so fights reflect the environment’s musical identity. Compositions aim for a sense of rhythmic flow so repeated attempts remain engaging and support gameplay.

The Saros Original Soundtrack is available to stream on major platforms. A full interview with Sam Slater discussing the score and the audio process is available online.