The recent DOOM games are almost as well-known for their incredible soundtrack as they’re known for their gruesome and adrenaline-fueled chaotic gameplay. Even while the most recent title, DOOM: Eternal, was being advertised, a big selling point was the hellish metal soundtrack composed by Mick Gordon, with videos of the recording process accompanying trailers.
Unfortunately, there’s been quite a bit of recent controversy over the soundtrack to the latest game. It was revealed upon the release of the OST that many of the tracks were mixed in a very different and arguably substandard way in comparison to others, and especially in comparison to the OST of the 2016 DOOM release. Many began to take to social media to voice their displeasure at Mick Gordon, who swiftly stated that much of the OST had been mixed internally at Id instead of by Gordon himself.
New Weekly Challenges are now live. Make sure to check them before starting a mission or jumping into BATTLEMODE. https://t.co/JypUiyTwDG pic.twitter.com/UHK2GuZmso
— DOOM (@DOOM) April 30, 2020
As the drama continued to unfold, it’s become clear that there may not be a working partnership between the two sides anymore. Gordon has stated that he likely won’t be working with Id or Bethesda again in the future, and in a recent open letter, Id’s executive producer Marty Stratton voiced a similar opinion on Gordon and stating that they wouldn’t be working with the composer for future DLC content.
According to Stratton, the primary issue was one of time and compromise. Gordon desired more time to master the tracks to his liking, whereas Stratton and Id had a deadline they had to keep to. The attempts at compromise ended up instead compromising the integrity of the quality music, which has been an incredibly disappointing things not just for fans, but for the parties involved as well.
Despite these issues, it seems like there’s no lack of respect coming from either party – publically, at least. Stratton discusses his pleasure at the work Gordon has done, saying that “His music is incredible, he is a rare talent, and I hope he wins many awards for his contribution to DOOM: Eternal at the end of the year.” Unfortunately, appreciating one’s art and product doesn’t automatically cause all other things to fall into place.
As time moves on, it’ll be interesting to see how the music and soundtracks of the franchise develop. Gordon’s music has been unspeakably impactful and even influential, leading some to discuss the soundtrack of DOOM as one of the better metal album in recent years. For Id’s sake, hopefully, they can get a team together to replace Gordon’s contribution adequately.
