One of 2022’s biggest surprises was Metal: Hellsinger, a rhythm-based FPS that sends players to the depths of hell to slaughter demons. The game’s greatest strength is its soundtrack, which is wholly comprised of metal songs featuring singers from popular bands. These include Trivium’s Matt Heafy, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, and Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk.
Given the game’s killer soundtrack and equally as impressive gameplay, it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved. But what about a sequel? While one hasn’t been announced, we wanted to get a sense of what Metal: Hellsinger 2 could look like. To do so, Inverse spoke with Shmayluk, who has clear hopes for a sequel, including specific bands she’d love to see featured.
She says a new game wouldn’t need to be restricted to traditional heavy music. “I'm also a big fan of hip hop," Shmayluk tells Inverse. She suggested having "an aggressive, electronic [group] like Prodigy," featured in a new Metal Hellsinger game.
Hip-hop Hellsinger, anyone?
The remix
Still, there’s no denying the original game absolutely nailed the theme. And also it’s no accident that Shmayluk was perfect for her Metal: Hellsinger track, “Burial at Night.”
This face-melting song — written and composed by Two Feathers — was created with Shmayluk in mind, she tells Inverse. Two Feathers “really tried and make it sound like a Jinjer song. They really did their research,” Shmayluk says.
But Shmayluk also reveals there’s an alternate version of “Burial at Night,” which came about entirely by accident. This version of the song, while unofficial, would make for a great hidden Easter egg or secret in a future Metal: Hellsinger game.
She tells Inverse that she inadvertently doubled the speed of the song during the recording process, making it sound even more aggressive.
“Meshuggah can do so much for video games.”
“We did something wrong, and recorded it twice as fast. So we sent it off, and the guys contacted us again and said ‘Yeah, this sounds great, but damn, it’s too fast.’”
“We had to record it again, but it sounded good when it was fast — and so groovy and thrashy,” she says.
“We already got used to the fast version. The first time that you record or compose something, it's imprinted in your head. And then it's really hard to change. But we re-recorded that song and it still sounds great.”
“I would like people to hear the fast version. Someday, I guess. I really hope they saved it.”
While it’s unclear if this version will ever be released, one thing is certain: Shmayluk is on board for another game.
"Absolutely,” she tells Inverse. “Only if I liked the melody, though."
In due time
When asked about artists she’d like to see featured in a hypothetical Metal Hellsinger 2, Shmayluk had to think hard because the first game’s lineup is so phenomenal — including “Acheron,” a track featuring Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe. "Lamb of God was my ultimate inspiration when I started,” Shmayluk said.
In terms of a Metal Hellsinger sequel, Shmayluk tells Inverse "I've always been a fan of Gojira. I would love to hear Joe Duplantier singing on [a new game].”
But ultimately, Shmayluk suggested what many metal fans were already thinking:
"I want Meshuggah."
Meshuggah is widely regarded as a metal band that composes wildly complicated music — full of syncopation, weird timings, and polyrhythms. It might seem like a stretch to incorporate this into a game like Metal Hellsinger — from a developer’s perspective and for the player — but Shmayluk thinks it’s possible.
"I always thought that gamers are a little — some kind of nerdy. And if you're a nerd, you're good at something and you [can] become a pro,” she says.
“So groovy and thrashy.”
“It's progressive. So that means you can handle, hard, progressive music, for example. Meshuggah? We'll see. It depends on the people who compose the music for the video game, how they can incorporate this. I think it's possible.”
"I think Meshuggah can do so much for video games."
It’s mindblowing to think about how a Meshuggah-themed Metal: Hellsinger song would play, but we would love to see The Outsiders make an attempt.
So, while any future plans for Metal: Hellsinger have yet to be confirmed, there’s no shortage of ideas for a potential sequel. If the first game had such a stacked lineup of artists, who’s to say a follow-up couldn’t repeat that success?
Metal: Hellsinger is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC now.
