John Carpenter, a pioneer of the eerie sounds and intense scores synonymous with classic horror films, releases Alive After Death, the last track from his upcoming album Lost Themes III.

As a film director, with '80s cult classics spanning from The Thing to Escape from New York, and his smash-hit debut Halloween series in 1978, Carpenter’s directorial feats have become embedded into cinema history. However, one often-overlooked factor set his work a tier above the competition; Carpenter also composed the scores to his films. Being the director and composer allowed him to produce the most intense visual sequences on the silver screen during his era. He has continued to hone these techniques for his non-soundtrack music releases.

Carpenter’s new single "Alive After Death" is a brooding, suspense-filled track, perfectly embodying the exhilarating, spine-chilling, story-telling soundtracks that Carpenter is famous for. The song is accompanied by an equally unsettling visual by legendary illustrator Boneface, best known for his album artwork for Queens of the Stone Age and illustrations for Deadpool—a bold collaboration between two unique and creative minds.

The collaboration between Carpenter, his son Cody, and musician Daniel Davies has been the driving force behind the Lost Themes series since the first album in 2015. Richly rendered worlds are built in the interplay between Davies’ guitar and the dueling synthesizers played by the Carpenters.

“We understand each other's strengths and weaknesses," Carpenter says of the trio's process, "how to communicate without words, and the process is easier now than it was in the beginning. We’ve matured.”

Lost Themes III: Alive After Death will be released on February 5th, 2021 via Sacred Bones and is available to pre-order now

Text by Devin Grant