What?

Yes. Music has been pivotal to the writing and creation of BioShock: The writer. Though the character himself is not an avid music listener, I am. Writing, to me, can never be done in absolute silence. These are 20 of the songs which has colored my perception of writing BioShock: The writer. They are heavy metal songs. Songs of beauty and darkness, strength and weakness, love and horror. At first, making such a list at all started out as a fun thing. But it grew.

Many of the songs are new; many released as late as 2013, and I am open to changing and updating this list as I discover new music which fits Chris Perkins' life and times in Rapture. This is the BioShock: The writer soundtrack, including explanations for why each song was chosen.

The Lone Crows - Can't Go Home Again - spotify

The opener, taken from The Lone Crows' self titled debut album released in 2013, should actually be self explanatory. The title says it all; upon arriving in Rapature, you can't go home again.

Though the lyrics deal with a different kind of never going home again, I felt that this song was a moody yet powerful opener for the list.

Iron Maiden - Lord Of The Flies - spotify

Iron Maiden's song Lord Of The Flies, from 1995's The X Factor, is lyrically based on the book that which gave the song its name. To me, it feels as if the story of Rapture is comparable to that of the children in the Lord Of The Flies.

As for my story, it is supposed to be the writer, settling in Rapture and beginning to see the city for real, as opposed to what Andrew Ryan's propaganda says.

Black Sabbath - Loner - spotify

From Black Sabbath's latest album, 13, released in 2013. This one is also rather self explanatory. Or at least it should be.

It is a song about the writer, of course. The lyrics I found, after hearing the song for the first time, fit perfectly with the awkward character that I wrote. Not the other way around.

Alice In Chains - Nutshell - spotify

From Alice In Chains' album Jar Of Flies released in 1994, Nutshell is a soft guitar based ballad of sorts, featuring great vocals by late vocalist Layne Staley.

It expands on the writer's character, delving a bit deeper into what he feels about himself, no matter if it's what would be if it ever came to that. It's about being turned into oneself.

Iced Earth - The Clouding - spotify

Another ballad, this song comes from Iced Earth's 2007 album Framing Armageddon. Well, the first half is a ballad, and that's the half I'm counting for my soundtrack.

This is about Mr. Bubbles, awakening in his metal shell into a dark world where everything is strange, horrifying and where killing means living. It's also about his lack of memories and how he wishes nothing more than to remember who he is.

Persefone - Returning To The Source - spotify

Another 2013 song, this time by progressive death metal band Persefone and the album Spiritual Migration.

The song gave its name to the writer's second book, but it's also about all the challenges that are yet to come, for him and for Mr. Bubbles. Overcoming ones own shortcomings and finding peace.

Sonata Arctica - White Pearl, Black Oceans... - spotify

From the album Reckoning Night, released in 2004. The song is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, and the lyrics tell a beautiful yet horrible story by themselves.

Some of the lyrics I find to go really well with the writer and his sudden passion for Julia Jensen; their date in Arcadia and the struggles that followed it.

Ashes Of Ares - This Is My Hell - spotify

Featuring my all time favorite vocalist, Matt Barlow, this song comes from Ashes Of Ares' self titled debut album released in 2013.

To me and my story, it deals with Mr. Bubbles trapped in his own Hell of amnesia, from which he struggles to break free. It's a beautiful and still really hard song, which is kind of what I had in mind for Mr. Bubbles' storyline.

Gloomball - The Distance - spotify

The title track from Gloomball's debut album, released in 2013. It is another love story, of sorts. At least, that's how I view it.

For the story, I feel as if it fits with the distance if you will, between the writer and Julia Jensen, which arises after their date in Arcadia when he falls off the razor's edge I mentioned above.

Charred Walls Of The Damned - From The Abyss - spotify

This piece of brutal beauty comes from Charred Walls Of The Damned's self titled debut album, released in 2010.

The lyrics speak of a man who is rescued from the abyss by someone whom he learns to create. Symbolical, of course, but that fits how the writer sees Julia Jensen, and how she sees him.

Dream Evil - Only For The Night - spotify

Swedish power metal at its best, it is a love song from Dream Evil's 2004 album The Book Of Heavy Metal, and one of the songs where they show a serious side.

Relating to BioShock: The writer, it speaks of New Year's Eve 1958; the last night of sanity in Rapture. As for the theme of love, it speaks of the night that the writer and Julia share that night.

Wizard - Fair Maiden Mine - spotify

Another love song, Fair Maiden Mine was on German power metal band Wizard's album ...Of Wariwulfs And Bluotwarves, released in 2011.

It continues on the previous song and the passion shared on New Year's Eve 1958, and also the fact that now that the two are together, they begin their adventure together, not straying from each other's side.

Bruce Dickinson - Chemical Wedding - spotify

The title track from Bruce Dickinson's 1998 album. It also lent its name to a film, penned by Dickinson. It's a good movie, actually, go watch it.

The lyrics speak of a false sense of freedom, fitting life in what Rapture becomes by the end of the 1950's. But the title is what made it fit the story, to me: it's about how the writer and Julia Jensen become one through splicing.

Edguy - God Fallen Silent - spotify

From German power metallers Edguy's 2011 album Age Of The Joker, it's a song inspired by religion and the answers it gives, according to writer Tobias Sammet.

I liked the title. At first, this was enough to weave it into BioShock: The writer. Then, when I thought of it, it kind of fits to choices we make every day, and no less the choices the writer and Julia, as well as Mr. Bubbles must make to reach their goals.

Colossus - Ruinbuilder - spotify

This is what I would call dystopic metal, by Sweden's own Colossus. The song is from their debut album, Wake, released in 2013.

Another song I liked the title of, and wove into BioShock: The writer for fun. But it also feels to me as if it could fit the people of Rapture; each building something that will ultimately fall into ruin. Might also actually be about Andrew Ryan.

Kiske/Somerville - Don't Walk Away - spotify

From the album titled Kiske/Somerville, featuring veteran Michael Kiske and female vocalist Amanda Somerville, it's a duet and a great example of melodic metal.

It could be considered both a love song and not a love song. I go by the former here, Kiske and Somerville portraying The Writer and Julia Jensen respectively as they struggle stay alive by each other's side.

Poets Of The Fall - War - spotify

Known to fans as Poets, one of Finland's best bands released what I consider to be one of the world's greatest love songs, on their 2010 album Twilight Theater. It was featured in video game Alan Wake. Go play it, it's great. (And also about a writer.)

About the love between the writer and Julia Jensen during the time they spend together, trying to leave the city. About the strength they give each other.

Avantasia - Journey To Arcadia - spotify

Tobias Sammet is a mastermind in many senses of the word. This shows in his project Avantasia, which released this song in 2010, on the album Angel Of Babylon.

This is it. The song that defines BioShock: The writer. Every word and every sentence of it fits, to me. From learning to breathe and to walk, right down to the fact that it's all a freaking journey to Arcadia.


D-A-D - Nightstalker - spotify

A dark "ballad" by Danish rock band D-A-D, featured on their 2008 album Monster Philosophy. One of their greatest songs, yet it is never mentioned by anyone else.

The way I see it, it deals with the writer's final moments. The moody feeling sets the tone perfectly, and the lyrics speak of how he overcame his loner character and fought, but no matter what, he still ends up before Andrew Ryan.


Blind Guardian - Theatre Of Pain - spotify

Released on the Somewhere Far Beyond album in 1992, this is one of German power metal band Blind Guardian's best songs, based on the book The Merman's Children.

The lyrics speak of the last whale on earth. This gave me the idea of the whale at the end of BioShock: The writer. It is also a grand and epic sounding song, yet melancholic, which was exactly what I wanted for the last part of my story.