"Hellboy" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

What happens when a demon antihero meets a “clattering hard-rock soundtrack”? The 2019 Hellboy score by Benjamin Wallfisch fuses heavy low-end orchestra, punk-leaning guitars, and EDM-processed textures, then drops needle-drops from Los Lobos to Mötley Crüe into the mayhem. The official album—released April 5, 2019 on Sony Masterworks—focuses on Wallfisch’s cues; the film itself adds a run of licensed songs that match the reboot’s R-rated swagger.

Wallfisch described the brief as capturing the story’s “punk attitude” with an aggressive, underworld timbre. Press materials and platform listings align on the release, credits, and cue titles; trade coverage (Variety, Screen International) and fan-facing outlets (Nerdist, /Film) documented the hybrid sound as the film rolled out.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score and who released the album?

Composer Benjamin Wallfisch; label Sony Masterworks. The album landed April 5, 2019.

How would you describe the score’s palette?

Orchestra + overdriven guitars + EDM-treated low end. Wallfisch aimed for a produced, “from the underworld” sound rather than a pure symphonic approach.

Are the major rock songs on the album?

No. The official album emphasizes score; many on-screen songs (e.g., Los Lobos, Mötley Crüe, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) appear only as film cues.

Where was the score recorded?

At AIR Studios, London, with additional production to blend band sonics into the orchestral bed.

What songs were spotlighted in trailers?

Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony” (first trailer) and 2WEI’s cover of “Smoke on the Water” (red-band trailer).

Is there a concise place to verify the album track list?

Apple Music and Spotify list the official track order for the 12-track score album.

Notes & Trivia

• The official score album runs 12 tracks (~49 minutes) and includes cue titles like “Big Red,” “Baba Yaga,” and “Anung Un Rama.”
• Licensed songs in the film—but not on the score album—include “Cumbia Raza” (Los Lobos), “Malamente” (ROSALÍA), “Kickstart My Heart” (Mötley Crüe), “Welcome to My Nightmare” (Alice Cooper), and more.
• Trailer music: Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony” (teaser) and 2WEI’s “Smoke on the Water” (red-band) set the marketing tone.
• Recording venue: AIR Studios, London. Producer: Benjamin Wallfisch.
• Variety profiled Wallfisch the same week, highlighting the score’s “punk attitude.”

Genres & Themes

Metal-edged orchestral writing → Physical threat: Bowed low strings double baritone guitar; clipped motifs read as brute force more than heroism.

EDM processing → Underworld burn: Side-chained pulses and saturated bass mimic club pressure—fitting for apocalyptic visions.

Needle-drops (alt-rock, classic cuts) → Attitude & gallows humor: Crüe, BRMC, Los Lobos, and others puncture solemnity with swagger.

Tracks & Scenes

“Big Red” — Benjamin Wallfisch
Where it plays: Title/identity material threaded through early reels (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Establishes the reboot’s heavier timbre; the motif returns around prophecy beats and gear-up moments.

“Baba Yaga” — Benjamin Wallfisch
Where it plays: The witch’s house sequence with chicken-leg gait and body-horror angles (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Woodwind shrieks and bowed metal give the scene its sickly lurch.

“Cathedral Fight” — Benjamin Wallfisch
Where it plays: Late-film fight around London’s sacred stones (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Percussive hits and distorted low brass keep the action brutal instead of heroic.

“Cumbia Raza” — Los Lobos
Where it plays: Mexico-set opening stretch around Tijuana (diegetic/needle-drop ambience).
Why it matters: Places Hellboy in a real world before the giants and witches show up; rhythm and locale lock together.

“Malamente” — ROSALÍA
Where it plays: Club/transition beat underscoring travel and city energy (needle-drop).
Why it matters: Modern pop edge that fits the film’s jump-cut pacing.

“Beat the Devil’s Tattoo” — Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Where it plays: Mid-film pursuit/road energy (needle-drop).
Why it matters: The lyric hook mirrors the movie’s demon-hunting bravado.

“Kickstart My Heart” — Mötley Crüe
Where it plays: Action montage in the back half (needle-drop).
Why it matters: Adrenaline jolt; reviewers singled out its use to goose momentum.

“Anyone Who Had a Heart” — Cilla Black
Where it plays: Ironically romantic counterpoint over a violent or aftermath beat (needle-drop).
Why it matters: Old-school orchestral pop against monster chaos—classic black comedy move.

“Welcome to My Nightmare” — Alice Cooper
Where it plays: Horror-tilted montage passage (needle-drop).
Why it matters: Winks at the film’s monster-party aesthetic.

Trailer songs
Where they play: Marketing—Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony” (first trailer); 2WEI’s “Smoke on the Water” (red-band).
Why they matter: Signal the reboot’s snark and stomp before you ever hear the score.

Trusted references: Variety; Screen International; Sony Music press; IMDb Soundtracks; Apple Music; Wikipedia (soundtrack); Nerdist; /Film.

Music–Story Links

Wallfisch’s main materials keep Hellboy’s arc muscular but cursed—motifs flare when destiny (Anung Un Rama) crowds the frame; they retreat to drones when he resists. Needle-drops act like chapter headers: party grit in Tijuana, road grit mid-hunt, then gleeful nihilism as London buckles. The collage mirrors a protagonist who jokes to keep the crown of fire at bay.

How It Was Made

Wallfisch wrote and produced the score with a “radio-hot” mix—EDM side-chain feel, distorted bass, and live orchestra layered for punch. Sessions took place at AIR Studios (London). Sony’s album rollout coincided with release week; media partners (Nerdist, SYFY WIRE, /Film) premiered tracks and discussed the sound. The film’s music editing weaves cues tightly with licensed songs so the volume jumps feel intentional, not incidental.

Reception & Quotes

Reactions to the film were mixed; the music drew both praise for commitment and knocks for aggressiveness. Trade and specialty outlets captured the spread:

“The film has this extraordinary kind of punk attitude.” Variety (Benjamin Wallfisch)

“A clattering hard-rock soundtrack.” Screen International

“A collision of contemporary EDM, punk rock and orchestral.” Nerdist

Availability: the 12-track score album streams widely; physical editions (CD, vinyl) were issued; non-album songs appear on artist/compilation releases.

Additional Info

• Album runtime ~48:38; producer: Benjamin Wallfisch.
• Recording location: AIR Studios, London.
• Non-album songs used in the film include “Figure It Out” (Royal Blood), “Suffocation Blues” (Black Pistol Fire), “The Devil You Know” (X Ambassadors), “16 Shots” (Stefflon Don).
• Trailer cues: Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony” (teaser) and 2WEI’s “Smoke on the Water” (red-band).
• Press noted the soundtrack’s heavy mix relative to the earlier del Toro films.

Technical Info

• Title: Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2019
• Type: Film score (with additional songs in film)
• Composer/Producer: Benjamin Wallfisch
• Label: Sony Masterworks
• Studios: AIR Studios, London
• Selected notable placements (film): “Cumbia Raza” (Los Lobos); “Malamente” (ROSALÍA); “Kickstart My Heart” (Mötley Crüe); “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo” (BRMC); “Anyone Who Had a Heart” (Cilla Black)
• Trailer ID (used in figures): dt5g5_1cKVk

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Variety; Screen International; Sony Music; Apple Music; IMDb (Soundtracks); Wikipedia (soundtrack & film); Nerdist; /Film.

November, 10th 2025