Our selection of royalty-free cinematic music with an emphasis on tension, danger, nerve, and a sense of unease. Sometimes more subtle and sneaky music, other times more overt threatening music and soundtracks for critical situations, this music is made for action thrillers, police operations, stakeouts, spy / undercover agents, dangerous missions, hurricane-chasing and more.
Dark and industrial, orchestral rock and hip hop, reminiscent of Dj Shadow or Moby. Soft organs chords lay the motif before bass guitars and rock drums cut through and combine to create highly dramatic feeling, an epic odyssey. Twisted, glitched metal guitars follow before breaking down into an epic string section to conclude the journey. Ideal for use in high-end advertising and promotional pieces - Also included is an "Orchestral" version - an ambient mix ideally suited for scoring in the modern Fantasy / Supernatural genres. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 80 BPM]
A suspenseful and stirring chamber music track starting with piano, and evolving into very cinematic, trailer track without percussion and brasses, making it slightly softer and cleaner trailer type of music. A sense of movement, activity, something building up, nearing, increasing. [The 'Radio Edit' version has been edited to reduce the 'intensity' of the most dramatic/climax part of the track. This could make it less suitable for drama, advertising etc. where you need a build-up to a climax, but more even-going, more suitable for just listening.] [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 190 BPM]
A tension and suspense music bringing the rising power of orchestra, large brass ensemble and explosive and powerful percussion ensemble. Amazement / Uprising / Glory / Grandeur. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 85 BPM]
A passionate and epic music, featuring airy orchestral sound blended with pulsating deep synth. Grand / Soaring / Inspirational music track. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 100 BPM]
A suspenseful and ominous music with elements of mystery, conspiracy, intrigue with intensity throughout. Guitar and electronic elements. Good music for trailers, too. [Tempo: Medium / 120 BPM]
Sneaky, suspicious underscore track for film, tv, media. Spy / Secret Agent / Crime. Sneaking, hiding, stalking, searching. Perhaps investigating or finding clues, or possible track and follow mission. Dark and mysterious. [Tempo: Slow / 92 BPM]
Energetic royalty-free orchestral music track with a rising feel and a sense of progression. Uplifting and positive, call to action rising drums with an emotional solo cello melody. Rousing, passionate and large. [Tempo: Slow, Fast / 160 BPM]
15 minutes continuous, uninterrupted background music track for video productions and other media. Mystical, eerie, cold and pulsating soundtrack for Scifi or Mystery. Brooding music, pensive and awe inducing. Creates a feeling of unknown tension, and a vast space. [Tempo: Slow / 120 BPM]
This orchestral cinematic soundtrack has a sense of greatness and grandeur, but without going all out. Poignant and graceful, the track has a darkness, but is also filled with awe, amazement and wonderment. The track builds up to a climax around the 01:20 mark. Emotional, soaring, and with dignity and a timeless cinema sound. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 135 BPM]
A dramatic and high-impact soundtrack with an action drama feel, combined with some ethnic and mystery elements. Somewhat eerie, edgy, alien, and mystical. Action thriller / Fantasy / Sci-fi / Danger. (Stem files available.) [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 120 BPM]
Dark, omninous, menacing orchestral soundtrack. Deep, pounding percussion, blaring horns and a war mongering, chanting choir of deep voices, primal, perhaps beasts or orcs. Impending war, battle, conflict. Great fantasy material, highly suitable for film, games or trailers. This track is recorded with a live philharmonic orchestra and choir. [Tempo: Medium / 98 BPM]
Dark and ominous percussion, anxious, ritualistic, tribal, fear, malevolence. For more in this style, please see the genre Ambient: Dark/Sinister [Tempo: Slow / 104 BPM]
Slow chords, ominous and serious, full orchestra. Good as underscore for drama, scifi, fantasy and adventure. Also for crime, spy conspiracy and personal turmoil, conflict. [Tempo: Slow / 61 BPM]
Sparse, dark and ominous ambient track. Good for film noir, dark thriller, horror, sci-fi or spy mystery. Pensive strings, deep bass, reverberant congas. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
A series of 26 individual music tracks. Semi-orchestral, semi-electronic soundtrack work inspired by "Babylon 5", etc. Brooding, pompous, epic, military style. Some of these are grouped together -- i.e. "epic 1 calm", "epic 1 suspense" and "epic 1 battle" use the same instrumentation and underlying tempo, making them work well together. Of course, they work well individually too. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 42 BPM]
A very dark film soundtrack underscore cue featuring bowed metals, drones and a subdued percussion section with a tribal feel. A few well placed spanish guitar tones adds a sense of drama and emotion. Great for thriller, crime mystery, documentary, urgent situation. [Tempo: Slow / 108 BPM]
A strange and unsettling semi-orchestral film underscore. Nervous and uncertain, swirling and clangy. Suitable for a very tense and pensive moment in a dark drama, horror, crime thriller or documentary. Carries a sense of hidden evil or a disturbing truth. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 120 BPM]
This massively dramatic track starts off sneaky, pensive, nervous, but keeps growing and growing into an almighty, determined, dramatic and hard hitting climax / finale. Dark, malevolent, with pounding tribal drums, choir chants, full orchestra. Very epic and cinematic, victorious / majestic. Suitable for epic productions, sports footage, dramatic trailers, sci-fi / fantasy / adventure and more. Also available as a Rock Mix with added power guitars and rock drums, and as an alternative version without the choir. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 120 BPM]
A sneaky and subtly pensive background / underscore track, suitable for mystery, discovery, exploration and for history / documentary etc. This is music that you don't really 'notice' as it doesn't stand out or grab the attention. It just stays in the background and provides a creepy, uneasy, mysterious atmosphere. Has a sense of dangers lurking nearby. The track is over 6 minutes long with no repetition at all, so it can be played in a loop for a long time without getting too repetitive. Can also be used for crime / criminal police / forensic investigation, puzzle solving etc. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
Monolithic / Uprising / Doomsday / Awe / Amazement. Grand orchestral soundtrack depicting the rise of an awesome power. Judgment day. The hour of truth. Very ominous, malevolent, powerful. Dark, but triumphant, conquering. Good for fantasy, action, sci-fi, horror and adventure. (A note about the version described as 'Stage Mix': This version is recorded with the reverb/ambiance of a concert hall, making it sound somewhat more 'distant' from the listener and, some would say, more 'live') [Tempo: Slow / 60 BPM]
A grand, epic track that is not very aggressive or dark, but rather more illuminating, sacred, expectant. Rousing and regal, with a victorious / triumphant 'resolve' at the end. Good for fantasy, sci-fi, historical/cultural, grand entry, rising force, etc. Amazement / Heroism / Illumination / Uprising. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 150 BPM]
A bleak and mournful track used in a documentary about the Hungerford Massacre. A crying female vocal works alongside a desolate piano, acoustic guitars, and drums to a very powerful and emotional climax. The variations offer gentler alternatives to the man track. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 64 BPM]
Hard hitting, fast, relentless and ruthless techno / industrial style material. This track is high on energy and packs a mean punch. Suitable for film chase or fight scene, extreme sports, racing, raw power, sci-fi and much more. [Tempo: Slow, Fast / 86 BPM]
A slow, restrained and understated, hip-hop style beat provide the basis for this somewhat dark track somewhere between electronica, hip-hop and cinematic soundtrack. This track will go well with a dark corporation or with forensics / investigation / crime solving etc. Has a slightly ominous or malevolent feel, combined with the methodical and calculated. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 75 BPM]
Dark, eerie, ominous, brooding, evil, atmospheric, determined, moody, haunting electro-cinematic rock track with a great sense of suspense, drama & foreboding. mix of synths, drum loops & guitar samples. Would suit action / filmic / halloween / horror / thriller type projects. [Tempo: Medium / 110 BPM]
Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, landscape, soundscape, desert, deserted, Carl Sagan, Mystery, Cosmos, Universe, Big Bang, Godfrey Reggio, Philip Glass, Ron Fricke, Dead Can Dance, Contemplative, Slow, Intense, Maya, Mayans, 2012, End of the world, Mayan Calendar, Nostradamus, Prediction, Prophecy, Prophecies, Shaman, Ayahuasca, Mind Travel, ESP, Alien, UFO, ET, Extra-Terrestrial, Buddha, Buda, Nepal, Tibet, dark, darkness, scifi, sci fi, sci-fi, science fiction, desolate, space, emptiness, vacuum, aliens, mind control, meditation, meditate, yoga, mystery, mysterious, mystical, apocalypse, post apocalyptic, nuclear winter, underwater, under water, sorcery, sorceror, witch, pensive, scary, horror, tibetan, monk, monks, Ancient soundscape with some oriental influences, especially the Tibetan tuvan monk singing, typical from Nepal. Great for history documentaries and specials. Also for sci-fi and horror. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 0 BPM]
Horror movie inspired industrial metal powered by electronic beats. Heavy distorted guitar tones meet filthy electronica in horror filled basement. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 140 BPM]
Battle drums. Pounding percussion. A combination of orchestral percussion and ethnic / tribal drums. Suitable for battle, fight, chase, brawls and action scenes. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow, Medium / 77 BPM]
Battle drums. Pounding percussion. A combination of orchestral percussion and ethnic / tribal drums. Suitable for battle, fight, chase, brawls and action scenes. [Tempo: Slow, Medium, Fast / 68 BPM]
Battle drums. Pounding percussion. A combination of orchestral percussion and ethnic / tribal drums. Suitable for battle, fight, chase, brawls and action scenes. [Tempo: Medium / 108 BPM]
A tense and gritty electronic / industrial music track with a sense of danger and urgency. A dire situation, code red, time running out, impending chaos. Deliberately dirty, uneasy, stressed music. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 75 BPM]
A very nasty industrial-electronic track with vicious, pounding percussion and a violent, edgy and gritty sound. Violence / Horror / Sci-fi / Destruction / Alarm / Madness. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 88 BPM]
An open, transparent underscore music with a somewhat mysterious, pensive tone. Echoey guitars over a slightly dark drone. Thoughtful and reflective, perhaps regret or waiting for something. The end part takes on a more assertive, gloomy, doom laden feel. Also available as an Underscore version, and as a version without the drums. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 90 BPM]
An epic hybrid trailer track with larger than life hits. Huge bass stabs that are heavily distorted yet have warm analog quality. The track is reminiscent of Tron soundtrack with melodic synthesizer elements and huge orchestra accompaniment. This track is a must have for any epic movie or video game trailer. Dark and edgy.
[Tempo: Slow, Medium / 65 BPM]A mystical tension, suspense / action track with orchestral and hybrid elements. Simmering tension, with a dark atmospheres. Ominous, foreboding. [Tempo: Slow / 75 BPM]
A dark, doom laden, aggressive and gritty, semi-electronic / semi-orchestral music track. The first and last thirds are relentless and violent with an industrial, edgy, futuristic sound. The middle third has a more ethnic / world feel. Future / Action / Dystopian Music. [Tempo: Fast / 120 BPM]
A fast, chase-like sequence driven by African percussion. Exciting and dynamic in character. World / Tribal / Ethnic Music. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 0 BPM]
A mystery theme in classic style and sound. Performed with an actual live string section, this track has a nerve and a certain evil twist. A sense of intrigue and a delicious darkness. [Tempo: Medium / 141 BPM]
A Percussion Only track, with big pounding drums in various more and less intense patterns. Useful as music for sound design, film scoring, games and more. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 140 BPM]
Inspired by 1980's sci-fi and horror films, revived today by TV series about things that are strange. An ominous blend of synthesizers and orchestral tones, with a repetitive, tense motif. Tension / Suspense / Dark Music. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 84 BPM]
Electronica infused orchestral music. Synth low pulse drives the music with anticipation, joined by low drones and epic percussion. Good music for war preparation, rendezvous scenes, crime investigation, video games and more. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 110 BPM]
Inspired by 1980's sci-fi and horror films, and revived today by TV serious about things that are strange. An ominous blend of synthesizers and orchestral tones, with a repetitive, tense motif. Mystery / Retro / Dark Music. [Tempo: Medium / 90 BPM]
Inspired by 1980's sci-fi and horror films revived today by things that are strange. An ominous blend of synthesizers and orchestral tones, with a repetitive tense motif. Cinematic / Thriller / Retro Music. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 86 BPM]
An eerie or slightly dark suspenseful track made with chamber orchestra. Simple structure, evolving. Suspense / Cinematic / Classical. [Tempo: Medium / 120 BPM]
Beginning with a lone melancholy piano motif, this eventually gives way to a driving epic supporting string and percussion ostinati leading to a thrilling climax. [Tempo: Slow, Medium, Fast / 95 BPM]
A fast, dramatic and powerful blockbuster music track featuring an aggressive string section, large brass ensemble and loud, epic mixed choir. Very epic and awe inspiring music. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 80 BPM]
An intense sequence of pulsating rhythms that indicate action and risk. Electronic / Undercover / Technology Music. [Tempo: Medium / 120 BPM]
A Percussion Only track, with marching snares, military march. Occasional big drum strikes. Useful as music for scenes of war, war preparation, battle preparations, etc. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 100 BPM]
A Percussion Only track, with marching snares, military march. Occasional big drum strikes. Useful as music for scenes of war, war preparation, battle preparations, etc. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 137 BPM]
A Percussion Only track, with marching snares, military march. Occasional big drum strikes. Useful as music for scenes of war, war preparation, battle preparations, etc. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]