Gregory Reveret, composer of Netflix’s upcoming series adaptation of Resident Evil, knew how important it was to capture the heart of the game in the show’s opening theme. “I grew up playing Resident Evil 2 when I was 15, so it was a deeply personal thing for me to honor the influences from the iconic Japanese score,” he tells Consequence via email. “I also had to deliver a score that could keep up with the modern timeline of this story, which is based in South Africa.”
Based on the plot of the beloved video game, the new live-action Resident Evil follows a young heroine who breaks the boundaries of a dystopian society and navigates a world that perhaps isn’t far from the one that we might inhabit one day.
Reveret was responsible for ensuring that the show would be as terrifying as the games, though creating a soundtrack that pays homage to the franchise, while also offering something fresh, is a difficult feat. “There is so much cool action in this series, with these epic chase scenes throughout,” he says. “Our heroine is this badass who just never stops fighting. I wanted the score to carry her battles and hopefully give Resident Evil fans something they could be really proud of, as a passionate video game community who has grown up with this franchise.”
Honoring the fans, to be clear, was a priority: “My focus was always putting the fans’ interests first. I worked hard to give something to the fans that they haven’t heard before — to have a big action score that could feel as though it was recorded in South Africa, whilst still being able to hit the big Resident Evil horror. It also needed to feel current and modern, in such a way that it would appeal to the badass female characters in the show.”
Reveret shares how he weaved his personal style into the score, including elements of his personal background and the music that has inspired him. “I bought this obscure lab/test equipment that was originally used in NASA laboratories and is not really supposed to make music, but it sounds really interesting and alive,” he says. “It gave the music a cool industrial edge and eventually became a main feature of the score. Much of the story is based in my hometown of Cape Town, South Africa, so I also worked with local musicians and recorded a South African orchestra, which is something I’m very proud of.”
Aside from the inspiration from his hometown, the heart of Reveret’s work is in EDM music. He is best known for his captivating work, as demonstrated in his collaborations with deadmau5. “Having an unconventional background in this industry has made me feel slightly uncertain at times,” Reverent says. “But, little did I know, it was this background that would eventually become one of my biggest strengths down the line.” His EDM influences are prominent throughout the show’s soundtrack, cultivating breathtaking moments of suspense throughout.
Listen to the Resident Evil opening theme song, “Venus Flytrap,” below and catch the series on Netflix, beginning July 14th. Reveret’s soundtrack will be available beginning July 15th.
Courtesy of Sony Music