If you're curious about the creative process behind how this musical piece came to life, here’s the story:
Sometimes, projects take unexpected turns. While some seem to follow a logical order — like when I started working on MYSTMOOR, beginning with the main theme and then building backward to the final piece — others unfold in reverse or go sideways into the 4th dimension.
For instance, ASSIGNMENT: DANGER! main title was not the first piece for that series. It actually began with the composition “Nightfall” (an adventure for the game) and then I realised maybe a main theme for the entire project was needed…. From there, it branched off to create music for every planned adventure and supplement.
One last tune intended for ASSIGNMENT: DANGER! ended up taking a detour. What was originally meant to be a one-off medieval fantasy/Mission Impossible-style piece evolved into a full series of musical compositions and led to the creation of an entirely new RPG setting… NEMESIS: ELITE TASK FORCE OF THE ABYSS.
And as I started bringing everything together, it hit me: there was no definitive theme music for Hounds & Jackals. Sure, I had some mystical tracks of deity dogs for the MYTHODOGICAL DECK, but they weren’t quite right.
For the theme, I wanted it to encapsulate various eras that H&J often nods to, along with the elements that inspired its name.
Though I’ve explained the origins of the name Hounds & Jackals elsewhere, one key influence was my love for the movie The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston. As a kid, it felt epic — with grand, unforgettable music by Elmer Bernstein. Plus, the Hounds & Jackals board game featured in the film (the infamous “Lose your head, my sweet?” scene) stuck with me. I wanted to capture that epic, ancient Egypt, 1950s-60s vibe.
Since I was also planning to launch the H&J: Cosmos to Chaos show that would feature a Hound and a Jackal,, I wanted a jazzy feel reminiscent of Doc Severinsen and his band playing the Tonight Show theme by Paul Anka — more 60s-70s flavour.
And then there was this other thought: the Hound and the Jackal, a duo. That brought me back to when my younger daughter and I spent hours playing the arcade game Double Dragon and hearing that music by Kazunaka Yamane being a major part of the experience. That 1980s theme was seared into our minds, and I couldn’t shake the idea of Sound Hound & JOAT as the double doggos.
So, I took all these inspirations to Mario Dupont, the brilliant musician who put up with all my oddball ideas and concepts to compose the soundtrack for NEMESIS: ELITE TASK FORCE OF THE ABYSS. As always, he worked his alchemical musical magic to produce what is now the official Theme Music for Hounds & Jackals.
And if you listen closely, you might even catch a hint of the Peanuts Snoopy theme in there. Snoopy, of course, transcends time…
Here’s hoping you enjoy it as much as I do!
P.S. All the soundtracks and music I mentioned above will be posted here over time. I might also share reflections on the elements and process behind them for anyone interested in how another person’s creative journey unfolds.
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