Mick Gordon (composer)

Michael John Gordon (born 7 July 1985) is an Australian composer, record producer, musician, and sound designer, composing music primarily for video games.

Mick Gordon
Born	(1985-07-07) July 7, 1985 (age 39) Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Genres	Video game music extreme metal djent metalstep heavy metal industrial rock jazz
Occupations	Composer sound designer musician record producer
Years active	2002–present
Website	mick-gordon.com

Gordon has composed for several first-person shooters, including Atomic Heart, LawBreakers, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, Prey, the soft reboot of Doom and its sequel Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and seasons one and two of the 2013 fighting game Killer Instinct.

Career

Gordon began his musical career as a jazz/blues guitarist in his teens.^[1] He first began to work as a sound designer with Pandemic Studios, where he contributed additional sound design for Destroy All Humans! 2. In 2013, he scored the first season of the fighting video game, Killer Instinct, a reboot of the original 1994 title. The following year, Gordon scored the second season of Killer Instinct and the action-adventure first-person shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order (developed by MachineGames). He returned to the Wolfenstein series in 2015 to compose the score for Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, a prequel to Wolfenstein: The New Order.

In 2016, Gordon completed the score for the science fiction first-person shooter, Doom, a soft reboot of the franchise, developed by id Software. His score for Doom won a number of awards including a D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition,^[2] SXSW Gaming Award for Excellence in Musical Score,^[3] The Game Awards for Best Music/Sound Design, and was nominated for a BAFTA Games Award for Best Music.^[4]

In 2017, Gordon completed the score for the horror first-person shooter, Prey, developed by Arkane Studios. He also worked alongside Martin Stig Andersen to again return to the Wolfenstein series, scoring Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, developed by MachineGames.

In 2020, Gordon completed the score of Doom Eternal; while the music for the game was once again well-received, circumstances around the soundtrack release led to a public falling out between Gordon and id Software and a parting of ways.^[5] Both sides posted open letters alleging wrongdoing.^[6]

On 23 June 2020 British rock band Bring Me the Horizon announced they would be working with Gordon on their upcoming release.^[7] Vocalist Oliver Sykes discusses how he fell in love with the Doom Eternal soundtrack during quarantine. Being heavily inspired by Gordon's work, the band decided to reach out to him and offer a collaboration. The resulting work, titled "Parasite Eve", was released on 25 June alongside an accompanying music video.^[8] The collaboration then expanded into the commercial release, Post Human: Survival Horror, released on 30 October 2020.

Gordon produced the song "Paralyze" with industrial metal band 3Teeth in 2021. On 3rd May 2023 3Teeth released "Merchant of the Void", and on 31st May released "Slum Planet" again collaborating with Gordon.^[9]

Musical style and inspiration

According to Gordon's official website, he "utilises a broad range of modern musical sound design and traditional composition techniques in order to be unconstrained by any singular genre," and that it is "inspired by the connection between the audience and the experience."^[10]

Gordon's work "considers the role of music as a translation of the world in which it exists rather than a simple accompaniment."^[10]

Discography

Soundtrack albums

Title	Release date	Label	Format
A Day in Pompeii	21 August 2012	Self-released	Digital download
Killer Instinct: Season One Soundtrack + Original Arcade Soundtrack	14 October 2014	Microsoft Corporation	CD, digital download
Wolfenstein: The New Order (Original Game Soundtrack)	19 May 2014	Bethesda Softworks	CD, digital download
Doom	28 September 2016	Bethesda Softworks	CD, digital download
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus	16 March 2018	Bethesda Softworks	CD, digital download
Doom	27 July 2018	Bethesda Softworks	Vinyl

Production credits

Year	Artist	Album	Title(s)	Notes
2020	Bring Me the Horizon	Post Human: Survival Horror	"Dear Diary,"	Additional production
			"Parasite Eve"
			"Obey" (with Yungblud)	Percussion, synthesizer, additional production
			"Itch for the Cure (When Will We Be Free?)"	Additional production
			"Kingslayer" (featuring Babymetal)
			"One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest as You March Towards Your Death" (featuring Amy Lee)
2021	3Teeth	EndEx	"Paralyze" (featuring Ho99o9)	Production[11]
2022	Monuments	In Stasis	—	Co-production
	Motionless in White	Scoring the End of the World	"Scoring the End of the World"	Guest appearance[12]
2023	3Teeth	EndEx	"Merchant of the Void"	Co-writer, co-production
			"Slum Planet"	Co-production
			"Higher Than Death"	Co-production
			"What's Left"	Co-production
	Architects	—	"Seeing Red"	Additional Production[13]
2024	Gravemind	Introsphere	"Failstate"	Guest appearance

Works

Year	Title	Notes	Ref.
2006	Hot Dog King	Music and sound design	[14]
2006	Destroy All Humans! 2	Additional sound design	[14]
2007	Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots	—	[14]
2008	El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera	—	[14]
2009	Real Racing	—	—
	Need for Speed: Shift	Co-composed with Stephen Baysted and Mark Morgan	[14]
	Marvel Super Hero Squad	—	[14]
2010	Real Racing 2	Game sound effects	—
	The Last Airbender	—	[14]
	Need for Speed: World	—	[14]
	Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet	—	[14]
2011	Shift 2: Unleashed	Composed with: Heavy Melody Music Ramin Djawadi Troels Folmann Stephen Baysted Mike Reagan	[14]
	Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat	—	[14]
	Need for Speed: The Run	Additional music	[15]
2012	A Day in Pompeii	Audio Director; Museums Victoria exhibit	[14]
	Battle Group	Also sound designer	—
2013	Real Racing 3	Game sound effects	—
	ShootMania Storm	—	[14]
	Killer Instinct	Season One (2013) and Season Two (2014)	[15]
2014	Wolfenstein: The New Order	Additional music by Frederik Thordendal	[15]
2015	Wolfenstein: The Old Blood	Additional music by Michael Tornabene and Casey Edwards	[16]
	Project CARS	Guitars with John J. Harvey	—
2016	Doom	Additional music by Chris Hite and Ben F. Carney	[17]
2017	Prey	Additional music composed by Ben Crossbones, Matt Piersall, and Raphaël Colantonio	[18]
	LawBreakers	Composed with Jaroslav Beck, Dieselboy, Mark The Beast, and Malcolm Kirby Jr. "Faust" and “Toska-9” tracks in the official album	[19]
	Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus	Composed with Martin Stig Andersen; additional music by Frederik Thordendal	[20]
2019	Borderlands 3	Additional Music Support Original game score by: Jesper Kyd Michael McCann Finishing Move Inc. Raison Varner	[21]
2020	Beautiful Desolation	—	[22]
	Doom Eternal		[23]
2023	Atomic Heart	Composed with Andrey Bugrov and Geoffrey Day	[24]
TBA	Routine	Audio Director	[14]

Awards and nominations

Year	Ceremony	Category	Work	Result
2006	Game Developers' Association of Australia	Best Audio	Destroy All Humans! 2	Won
2012	Game Audio Network Guild	Best Audio, Other	A Day in Pompeii	Won
2013	Game Audio Network Guild	Best Interactive Score	Killer Instinct	Nominated
	Game Audio Network Guild	Best Original Song, Vocal (Pop)	Killer Instinct ("Touch Me and I'll Break Your Face")	Won
	Game Audio Network Guild	Best Original Song, Vocal (Pop)	Killer Instinct ("I'm Back to Rise")	Nominated
2016	The Game Awards	Best Music/Sound Design	Doom	Won
2017	Game Developers Choice Awards	Best Audio		Nominated
	SXSW Gaming Awards	Excellence in Musical Score		Won
	D.I.C.E. Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition		Won
	British Academy Games Awards	Best Music		Nominated
2018	New York Game Awards	Best Music in a Game	Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (shared with Martin Stig Andersen)	Nominated
	D.I.C.E. Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition		Nominated
2020	The Game Awards	Best Score and Music	Doom Eternal	Nominated
	Steam Awards	Best Soundtrack[25]		Won

References

1. "Mick Gordon Interview - DOOM Eternal Composer". 28 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021 – via YouTube.
2. Makuch, Eddie; Imms, Jason (23 February 2017). "Overwatch Wins DICE Game of the Year, Full Nominees List". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
3. Makuch, Eddie (19 March 2017). "Uncharted 4 Wins Game Of The Year At SXSW Awards". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
4. Erica Webber, Jordan (9 March 2017). "Bafta games awards 2017: Inside and Uncharted 4 lead the way". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
5. "Doom Eternal Composer Distances Himself From The Newly Released Soundtrack". Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
6. Valentine, Rebekah (9 November 2022). "Doom Eternal Composer Alleges Unpaid Wages and Abuse in Lengthy Soundtrack Controversy Response". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
7. "10BMTHS2-mick gordon-.mp4". 23 June 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via YouTube.
8. Trendell, Andrew (25 June 2020). "Bring Me The Horizon tell us about their new 'survival horror song' 'Parasite Eve' and ambitious 'Post Human' project". NME. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
9. Carter, Emily (3 May 2023). "3TEETH team up with DOOM composer Mick Gordon for new music". Kerrang. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
10. "About – Mick Gordon". MICK GORDON. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
11. Enis, Eli (6 August 2021). "Hear 3teeth Team Up With Ho99o9 On New Industrial Metal Banger "Paralyze"". Revolver Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
12. "Motionless In White unleash Cyberhex from new album Scoring The End Of The World". Kerrang!. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
13. Architects - "Seeing Red", 4 December 2023, retrieved 6 December 2023
14. "Mick Gordon: Credits". mick-gordon.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
15. Makuch, Eddie (12 May 2014). "Guitarist from Swedish metal band Meshuggah working on Wolfenstein: The New Order". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
16. "What's New in Wolfenstein: The Old Blood". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. 16 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
17. "Mick Gordon working on soundtrack for new DOOM". VGM Online. 17 June 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
18. "Prey - Mick Gordon". Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
19. "Various Artists: LawBreakers (Original Game Soundtrack)". 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
20. "Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus". Mick Gordon. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
21. "Borderlands 3 (2019) PlayStation 4 credits - MobyGames". MobyGames. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
22. "Announcing Mick Gordon as composer". thebrotherhoodgames.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
23. Leavey, Jason. "DOOM Eternal – Official E3 Teaser". Bethesda.net. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
24. Wilson, Mike (13 August 2020). "Dystopian Shooter 'Atomic Heart' Will Have Next-Gen Versions; New Gameplay Video Released Featuring Mick Gordon [Video]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
25. "The Steam Awards: Winners". Welcome to Steam. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

External links

• Official website