Reviving the Soul of Nu-Metal: An Emotional Journey with Twisted Metal Composers

Summary

"Twisted Metal" captures the chaotic essence of the game series with its over-the-top fight sequences and silly-yet-violent tone, making it Peacock's most-binged comedy series.

Composers Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg bring a distinctive and cinematic touch to the soundtrack of the show by utilizing unconventional instruments and genres rarely seen in film scores.

By incorporating various musical elements for each character and faction, the show's score establishes a fully realized universe with a unique and recognizable sound, all while paying tribute to the game's original soundtrack.

Warning: SPOILERS for Twisted Metal ahead. The team behind Peacock's Twisted Metal faced the challenge of adapting a vehicular combat video game into live-action, while also ensuring that it resonated with viewers unfamiliar with the game franchise. Thankfully, showrunner Michal Jonathan Smith, producers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and the rest of the creative team met this challenge head-on, resulting in Twisted Metal becoming Peacock's most popular comedy series. The show effectively captures the game series' chaos and insanity through its over-the-top fight sequences and its blend of silliness and violence.

A standout element of Twisted Metal is its exceptional soundtrack and score. While it may not feature Rob Zombie's iconic game song "Dragula," the series' music is still a highlight. Composers Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg, known for their work on Cobra Kai and their Emmy-nominated score for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, once again hit the mark. They are skilled at eliciting emotions from unconventional instruments and genres that are not typically found in film scores, and they have achieved this once again in Twisted Metal.

Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg discuss their musical arrangement, titled "Wheels on the Bus", and other topics in an exclusive interview with Screen Rant.

Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg on Twisted Metal

Screen Rant: The first thing I was going to ask was if you two had a history with the game.

Leo Birenberg: Both of us have played it. It was a popular game on the early PlayStation consoles.

Zach Robinson: Definitely. It might have even been one of the games released when PlayStation first came out. It has been around for a very long time; I believe it has been around for about 20 years.

During my interview with both of you regarding the Weird Al movie, I recall Leo referring to Zach as the guitar rock guy, while identifying himself as a jazz band guy. I'm curious to know how you navigated the musical atmosphere in light of these differences.

Zach Robinson: Leo is being modest. He possesses impressive guitar skills and effortlessly incorporated shredding techniques.

Leo Birenberg: I lack skill in playing the guitar, but my writing for guitar is excellent.

Zach Robinson: The scenes in the show have a strong cinematic quality, incorporating elements of nu metal, shoegaze, post-rock, and other guitar-focused styles. The aim was to give the show an elevated sense, while still staying true to its cinematic nature. One of our strengths is taking unconventional musical elements and incorporating them into scores. We come from a background rooted in traditional film music, allowing us to seamlessly blend these diverse elements.

I wanted to ask about that. You've transitioned from working on Cobra Kai to the Weird Al movie to Twisted Metal, and it seems like you have a talent for making unlikely genres work perfectly in film scores. Have you found that this is a skill you've had to develop due to the types of projects you've been offered?

Leo Birenberg: We thrive on discovering a concept, grappling with it, and then transforming it into a film score. We recently completed another project that we'll discuss with you once it's released; it follows the same pattern. We took a very specific concept and elevated its cinematic qualities to new heights. That's become our signature approach.

There is an abundance of shows and music available, and a significant portion of it lacks originality. Even if you were to replace the score of one show with that of another, it would likely go unnoticed by most people. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that our shows reflect our unique artistic style. For us, this usually entails the exciting task of discovering a genre and reinterpreting it.

Zach Robinson: It not only adds to the enjoyment factor but also enhances the entire process for us.

While watching the show and listening to the soundtrack, I noticed the use of theremin in one of the cues. There is also some peculiar celeste music for Sweet Tooth, and it seems like traditional instruments were employed in "A Trucker Viking's Funeral." Did you work with any instruments in this score for the first time, or were you excited to incorporate them?

Leo Birenberg: You bring up an excellent point that is crucial to the scoring and overall atmosphere of the show. The showrunner, MJ, had a strong desire for this universe to be fully realized. Right from our initial meeting, he discussed the idea of encountering various tribes and cults throughout the journey, each with their unique sound. We had to discover the perfect palette for each of them.

The Astro burger cultists utilize the theremin in their mass suicide rituals within the freezer. In terms of the Viking elements, while traditional instruments like dulcimers are commonly associated with Viking film scores, we have reinterpreted them with a hard rock metal twist. This is where our focus lies. To bring each character and their unique mini-worlds within the universe to life, we have dedicated colorful attention to make it as wild as possible, as that is our objective.

During the production process, we collaborated extensively with a talented bass player named Jacob Umansky. We discovered him through his plugin called UmanskyBass, which specializes in heavy metal bass sampling. We reached out to him, expressing our interest in his plugin, but ultimately decided to have him play the bass for the show instead. It was an incredible experience to work with a bassist of his caliber, particularly one skilled in technical abilities. Many of these cues prominently feature the bass, not only fulfilling its role as a foundation but also adding a high, slinkier bass element. As a touring metal bassist, he brought a unique and enjoyable dynamic to the project.

We focused on exploring new musical territory on this show, delving into genres and sounds that we haven't experimented with before. We also aimed to incorporate music that isn't commonly heard in scores. One aspect of this was embracing the nu metal trend of 2002, which is the era the show is set in, and drawing inspiration from it. Additionally, MJ, one of our team members, had a deep appreciation for post-rock and felt a strong connection to its post-apocalyptic vibes. However, we wanted to take it a step further.

One night, I stumbled upon shoegaze, a genre that combines cloudy, post-punky rock ambient music with elements of country western. Combining these influences resulted in an incredible and cinematic Americana score. All of these elements came together to create the perfect soundtrack for Twisted Metal, which already had a distinct and memorable musical personality in the game. Therefore, we had to ensure that our score lived up to that standard.

Leo Birenberg: Rob Zombie.

Where is Rob Zombie? I actually had that written down.

Zach Robinson: Are you just asking that in general? “Where’s Rob Zombie?”

Leo Birenberg: [Laughs] Yeah, Zach. Where is he now?

No, it will be in the show.

According to Zach Robinson, "Dragula" is the equivalent of "You're the Best Around" for Twisted Metal. In other words, just like "You're the Best Around" is iconic for Cobra Kai, "Dragula" holds the same significance for Twisted Metal. However, it may take around seven seasons or more for it to make an appearance. And even then, it is uncertain if you will even get to hear it.

I was waiting for "Dragula" the whole time.

Zach Robinson: I’m sure they’re saving it for the tournament if there’s a season two.

Yeah. I had also written down to ask you where the bass tone came from because it’s perfect. It’s so good.

Leo Birenberg: Wow, I’m glad that that comes across.

Zach Robinson: I don’t know if it’ll make it in season 2, because apparently… wasn’t it really hard to dub around?

Leo Birenberg: I'm not sure, but it wasn't the bass. This show is clearly incredibly loud. It features cars, explosions, and action music throughout. When they finally took the stage, there were discussions about repositioning certain instruments so that they wouldn't be drowned out.

Zach Robinson: It seemed like many instruments were mistaken for car sounds.

Leo Birenberg: We wrote and played all the drum parts ourselves, including the intense double bass sections.

Zach Robinson: We had, like, four drummers on this show.

Leo Birenberg: Some special guest drummers.

Zach Robinson discussed the talented drummers involved in the Cobra Kai soundtrack. Among them were Jake Reed and Sam Kaufman-Skloff, also known as Sam KS. Additionally, Gee Anazalone, the drummer of DragonForce, made a special guest appearance on a Cobra Kai episode, showcasing his exceptional skills in technical metal music. Another remarkable drummer, Dan Mayo, was discovered on Instagram. Mayo, who is Israeli, stands out for his use of found percussion instruments, such as car rims and plates, which he enhances with effects pedals, resulting in a unique and captivating sound. The score of Cobra Kai is predominantly percussive in nature. As an added bonus, the soundtrack includes a rendition of the popular children's song "Wheels on the Bus."

Zach Robinson explained that the reason for including the track "Car-pocalypes Now" on the album rather than in the show is because they initially had a more enjoyable version of the big finale fight scene in episode 10. This version had a lot of music that didn't make it into the final cut but had a fun twist to it. Specifically, it was during the part where Sweet Tooth takes over and jumps on Stone's car.

They enjoyed the outcome of the scene so much that they decided to include it at the end of the "Wheels on the Bus" track on the album. It has become one of the most played tracks on the album according to Spotify stats. Zach speculated about the possibility of using it in the next season, if there is one.

Which character or faction was your favorite to write for this season? Is there anyone you are hoping to explore further in the next season? Let's not forget about the intriguing tease of Axel.

Zach Robinson: Because how are they going to do it? I can’t even imagine.

Leo Birenberg: Who knows? It’s going to be insane. It’s going to be ridiculous.

Zach Robinson: It was enjoyable working on the Holy Men music. The Preacher music was also enjoyable. MJ was a big fan of the Preacher music. He simply gave us the prompt of "Undertaker" for the Preacher music, so we took that and delivered. I also really liked the Trucker Vikings.

Leo Birenberg: In my opinion, Granny's funeral is the standout cue of the season. Originally, it was just a needle drop, but the cue didn't even exist until the second version of it. It started, then a song played, and then they decided, "Your cue is pretty good. What if you just kept going?" Initially, we were a bit reluctant, thinking, "Oh, really? We have to write two more minutes of music?" But it turned out to be the best two minutes. Zach, if you were in Twisted Metal, which faction would you choose?

Zach Robinson: Perhaps the Holy Men, since I have an inclination towards the goth aesthetic. Is there a group or community that you admire?

Leo Birenberg: Personally, I find rules to be of great significance. If I were to choose, I might align myself with those intriguing individuals in Orange County who possess a tendency to remove one's ear.

Zach Robinson: You’d be New San Francisco.

Leo Birenberg: Oh, yeah. Just living my utopian life in bliss. Make someone drive across the whole country for ice cream.

About Twisted Metal

Discover John Doe, an enigmatic character with a charismatic demeanor and a blank slate when it comes to his personal history. However, his aspirations for a brighter tomorrow remain unwavering. Embracing a chance that arises, he embarks on a daring expedition, entrusted with the responsibility of safely transporting an enigmatic parcel through a desolate and ravaged world. Along his treacherous journey, John Doe will confront a multitude of perils in order to fulfill his mission.

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Twisted Metal is streaming on Peacock.