The Great Wall sought out the man behind some of Hollywood’s most recognizable scores to compose “Nameless Order,” enlisting the help of composer Ramin Djawadi, who is known for scoring movies such as Iron Man, Pacific Rim and most famously for his work on Game of Thrones.
Djawadi has taken a minimalistic-yet-impactful approach in his scores, like adding a subtle string section in the drop of the Westworld rendition of Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For a Film)” in comparison to the climactic electric guitar in the original song.
“Nameless Order” — the first song from the Great Wall soundtrack — is as traditional as it gets for Djawadi, who has cited influences from Mozart to Metallica, in the sense of its noticeable link back to Chinese instrumentals with an added touch of whimsy.
“Zhang Yimou and I had discussed the use of a female choir that would sing a 2000 year old Chinese poem,” Djawadi tells Billboard. The result is a heroic theme that blends western and eastern musical elements.”
Djawadi is headlining the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience starting in February, with dates spanning throughout the U.S. and Canada; more information can be found here.
The Great Wall soundtrack is slated for a release date that coincides with the release of the film on Feb. 17. The vinyl of the soundtrack is expected to drop in March.
The Great Wall stars Matt Damon and follows an elite force of soldiers as they make a heroic stand atop the Great Wall of China against a horde of monsters that appear every 60 years. Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau also star in the film.