The video game “Hades” is a success. Colorful, witty, exciting, it portrays a battle through the underworld of ancient Greek mythology. Zagreus, son of the Greek god Hades, rebels against his father and vows to escape the underworld by force. Ancient Greek architecture and fashion create a fantastical vision of Greek mythology. The music composed for “Hades” by Darren Korb is lauded. But, is it accurate to Greece?
Protagonist Zagreus, defeating the “Bone Hydra”
Source: Supergiant Games
Korb’s soundtrack is incredible, an arrangement of guitars, drums, rattles, and bouzoukis. The music has won awards and accolades. I love the game, romping through Greek mythology with metal chords playing along. The game starts with “No Escape”
But both ancient and modern Greece have rich musical traditions that Korb did not capture. Korb uses lavtas and bouzoukis from Greek culture, but fails to replicate, or understand, their traditions. Korb plays the bouzouki, a type of lute, like a guitar.
A bouzouki. Source: Wikipedia
Korb uses chords, tonal progression, and Western harmonics. True, “Hades” never strives for realism. But I wish, for such an incredible game, that the music reached that extra mile.
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