Music for an evil campaign

[Notreallyhere77]

Hey. So, my friends and I (new city new group, all reasonable. The complaints I've had about my last group are moot now) have decided that the next campaign I run will be with an evil party. Now, we've all agreed not to be the jerk who plays stupid evil and goes on a killing spree and all that silly derailing stuff. Please, please, no warnings about how hard it is to make an evil campaign work. I trust these guys, and it has nothing to do with the question I'm about to pose.

Ready? Okay.

I'm running a Pathfinder campaign, using the Mythic rules set. I will be enhancing the storybook feel with episodic adventures related to corrupting the world rather than destroying it, and being big movers and shakers by having the will to do things that good parties don't do. For example, defending a coven of hags from the Mooks of Good for the duration of an important unholy ritual, or starting a civil war through trickery. I want music that makes it feel larger than life, but still really dark.

But I don't have enough dark, epic, fantastic music in my computer's music library, and I don't know where to find any on youtube outside of the most basic searches. Where can I find some, what artists should I look for, and if you think there's a song that is situationally good, please, tell me which situation you think it will be good for and I'll try and work that into the campaign.

All help is appreciated.

[curious-puzzle]

Two steps from Hell is always a good starting point, a lot of their stuff is pretty menacing, though there's a lot to sift through. Power of Darkness (fittingly enough) has a lot of suitable ones, here's a link: Power of Darkness

Audiomachine also puts out a lot of epic music, here's a favorite that is intense enough to suit good or evil: Fallen army by GRV and Audiomachine

It's more creepy ambient music, but Atrium Carceri puts out some unnerving stuff.

A Youtube channel that has a bunch of neat mixes already done up is Pandora Journey

I also shamelessly steal from anime and videogames a lot, the Hellsing Ultimate OST has lots of ominous choir ( Gradus Vita for example).

And regardless of what you use, I hope you can find a place for this in an evil campaign: When you're Evil

Hope this helps!

[BWR]

Always go for Norwegian black metal. Nothing is cheesier than that
Isengard's Vinterskugge has a couple of good tracks, especially Dommedagssalme
Burzum's a good choice, as is Darkthrone with songs like Quintessence.

[Mastikator]

You could always play Night on a bare mountain when the group is successful in summoning some great evil demon, or Pursuit Of The Evil God.
Dance of the Knights sounds pretty evil too.

Edit-
For black metal songs I'd recommend Morgul - Machine, The Ghost and Cassandra's Nightmare.
Most of Morguls' music work as evil fantasy music.

[Red Fel]

A lot of what's been mentioned - symphonic classics, great metal - is solid. If you want something more theatrical, I'd suggest instrumentals of the work of Stephen Sondheim. Particularly some of his darker work (isn't most of it, though?) like Sweeney Todd (in particular, check the "Organ Prelude" and "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and its reprises). It blends symphonic elements, building tension, and killer use of organs and strings.

On the more classical symphonic front, check out Camille Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre for some truly chilling chords. If you can, look for it either on organ or accordion. Makes for great undead-themed music, or a vampire ball, or one of those type of scenes.

[A Tad Insane]

Obligatory Am I evil is obligatory

[eulmanis12]

I've always found that regardless of setting you can never go wrong with the Imperial March.

[Honest Tiefling]

Personally, what I would do is slip in something like Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows after a few evil songs. Just to see their reactions.

[Tragak]

I would recommend:

*Dead Silence theme for ghostly, elusive evil ("Who is this masked villain of the night?")

*Asturias (Leyenda), as used for the Mirrors theme or The Dark and Endless Dalek Night for "majestic, hot-blooded evil" ("I will show the world my power, and those who matter will love me for it!")

*Hello Zepp (Saw theme) or Requiem for a Dream (Sunshine theme) for "inexorable, cold-blooded evil" ("I will stop at nothing to achieve my goal! … Oh, look at that, bystanders. No matter, back to work!")

*In the House in a Heartbeat for "initially hiding, then dramatic, then hiding again evil" ("Don't be afraid, I'm on your side." Hail Hydra)

*The Master Vainglorious for "unhinged, childish evil" ("Wheehee, I have a flamethrower and you don't, look at me look at me look at me ")

...

...

...And whatever this was. I don't even need to read it, I just know.

When Red Fel talks about how to do evil, he's right.

[Kid Jake]

Fairly situational, but this is pretty badass if you can work it in.

[Rondodu]

Céline Dion, obviously. It’s not only evil, it’s plain cruel!

[YossarianLives]

Céline Dion, obviously. It’s not only evil, it’s plain cruel!

Back fiend! Have you no mercy or pity?

[Red Fel]

...And whatever this was. I don't even need to read it, I just know.

When Red Fel talks about how to do evil, he's right.

Ha! Thanks for the vote of confidence. You will be spared.

Just for that, I'm going to drop a few more tidbits on you, from my awesome treasure trove of sinister music knowledge. (Or should that be my sinister treasure trove of awesome music knowledge?) Now with links, because I'm feeling slightly less lazy!

First, I'm amazed that nobody has suggested one of the songs most commonly associated with classic cinematic horror, Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. A minor key makes everything sound more sinister. Don't believe me? Ask Mario.

Next, how about a little slice of Holst's The Planets? I'm speaking, of course, of a movement called "Mars, the Bringer of War." Yeah, if you hear a little John Williams in there, you know where he got some of his ideas.

And because I can't mention villain music without showing some appreciation for anime, here's a little something from the first season of Magic Knight Rayearth - the theme music of its villain, Zagato. For something more haunting, here's Diva's Song, from Blood+.

I'll drop by again if I think of anything else.

[Haruki-kun]

Get all the Disney Villain songs. Good to have around for specific moments. You can totally play Be Prepared while your party plans to kill the King.

[Faily]

Night Music by Bartok.

And then you go and find almost anything by Schoenberg. His music just have that quality that just strikes something within you. Kinda unnerving if you're listening to it late at night with headphones, it's dark and you're alone.

Verklärte Nacht
Pélleas und Melisande
Violin concerto

Just to give an idea.

Ligeti, whos work was featured in 2001: Space Odyssey, also have very good creepy music.