A master of music for the horror genre, John Carpenter’s complex manipulation of sense and intricate control of standardized tension comes through again in his new instrumental composition “The Junk Yard,” made for his modern masterpiece trifecta of music, The Halloween Trilogy, as the reign of Michael Myers comes to an end upon the release of the last and final film Halloween Ends on October 14th.
A harrowing accompaniment to the final installment of David Gordon Green’s modern trilogy, John Carpenter’s return to the franchise, partnered with composers Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, promises a chilling experience like no other. “The Junk Yard” only grants listeners a peek into the full, grisly feeling of being stalked by the serial Michael Myers himself, and lets them fully envision being in Jamie Lee Curtis’ shoes as the asylum escapee comes closer and closer; “The Junk Yard’s” gently creep to terrifying crescendo subtly reflects this tension, and effectually draws audience members into the drama of the moment. With stunning synths, melodic piano notes that echo the soundtrack of the original three films of the franchise, a guitar that gets louder and louder throughout the song’s acclimation, and the occasional clang reminiscent of the affirmed “junkyard,” Carpenter masterfully proves his expertise once again as he creates a composition that lives up to his name and molds itself to its target scene.
Carpenter’s influence on the horror genre and his untethered ties to the Halloween franchise as a whole is made clear in the comments found underneath John Carpenter’s official YouTube release of the instrumental “The Junk Yard,” released on September 27, 2022. Elympus_mons says, “No matter what the conclusion will be to Blumhouse’s “Halloween” Trilogy, one thing’s for sure; John Carpenter and co. brought their everything to elevate the element of suspense to these three films, and I can’t thank them enough for that.” HeyMikey_HeLikesIt says, “I really love the music style of these last 3 films! There’s a bit of the original but updated for today’s ears. John Carpenter to Halloween is like John Williams to Star Wars; one doesn’t work without the other.” JAY-rahd GI-benz comments on the composer’s glory when he says, “They don’t call this guy the Master of Horror for nothing. Thank you so much for absolutely crushing the music for all three of these films. Please keep making music!!”
Listen to John Carpenter’s new song below and watch Halloween Ends in theaters and on Peacock on Oct. 14!
Listen to John Carpenter’s work on the film remake of Stephen King’s novel Firestarter here.
Listen to Two Minutes to Late Night’s metal tribute to the music of John Carpenter here.
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