John Carpenter goes metal on new album as part of an immersive graphic novel project

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Horror maestro John Carpenter returns this summer, though not in the way you may be thinking. He's dropping a new album on August 7 titled Cathedral via Sacred Bones Records, and this time, he's going metal. The album will serve as the musical accompaniment to a graphic novel of the same name that Carpenter is releasing on August 4 through Storm King Comics.

Cathedral is meant to be a fully immersive project, and the album functions as the graphic novel's soundtrack. Not only that, but each track aligns with a chapter of the graphic novel. Further, the linear notes will guide readers through the story. A press release noted that this project is "the closest approximation to a new movie from Carpenter since 2010." That's the year Carpenter released The Ward, his last feature-length movie to date.

The narrative focuses on an abandoned church in downtown Los Angeles that transforms from a mere empty building into a nightmare. After the killing of a police officer draws attention to the empty cathedral, Lieutenant Christine Marks and detectives Paul Hernandez and Steve Mayfield are called upon to investigate. However, this leads them into catacombs and centuries-old evil. The premise was inspired by a dream the director had in 2024.

Carpenter and his bandmates, Cody Carpenter on synths and Daniel Davies on guitar, debuted the first single from the album this week entitled "Lords of the Underground," along with a visualize we posted below. In a press statement Carpenter said of the dream, "It was so cinematic and vivid," before adding, "I have to score this. It's our first heavy metal album."

Regarding the creation process, Davies said, "The story informed everything," and added, "John would describe a scene and say, 'We need a heavy riff here.' We didn't set out to make a metal record, but it evolved that way." The director noted, "It's about making the music work...This is somewhat different sounding stuff that we've done, but it's done with the same desire in mind. In other words, put this thing no and imagine you're watching a movie. That's what we want you to do."

The 120-page graphic novel was written by Carpenter, editor and his wife Sandy King, and Sean Sobczak. It's illustrated by Frederico De Luca and Luis Guaragna, colored by Ryan Winn, and lettered by Marshall Dillon.

Check out the track, "Lord of the Underground" below, before the album Cathedral drops on August 7.