Quad Damage: Trent Reznor’s revolutionary soundtrack for Quake

Trent Reznor has been one of the most creative and innovative artists to come out of the alternative scene. While most people are familiar with Nine inch Nails, a project which helped bring Industrial music into the mainstream. Only the most loyal of fans (and probably gamers) will know about his groundbreaking contribution to a legendary video game that changed everything.

Released in 1996, Quake was one of the first-person shooters that was fully rendered in 3D, inspired by horror legend HP Lovecraft, the game had a very dark and gloomy atmosphere. Reznor’s use of ambient soundscapes and synthesized drones added immensely to it. There was truly nothing like it back then, Trent’s unsettling soundtrack was a truly cinematic experience, easily comparable to some of the best horror movies ever made.

Besides the developers of Quake who decorated ammo boxes for the Nailgun with the NIN (nine inch nails) logo. Reznor’s soundtrack has had a massive impact on video games with the title track alone influencing both its sequels and Doom (2016). But perhaps the biggest influence of the soundtrack was on Reznor himself. landing him his first Oscar win, best original score for the Social Network(2011), only to further prove that there is nothing that he can’t do.

Read more: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater: The Soundtrack That Served As A Gateway For Fans To Get Into Punk and Metal