Vorlust Unleashes Cinematic Soundtrack for ‘SHRIEEK’

Vorlust, Bay Area’s death metal powerhouse, has broken new ground by composing and performing the original score for SHRIEEK, a short psychological horror film written and directed by Marcelle Marais. Best known as Cunnus, the band’s ferocious frontwoman and bassist, Marais brings her uncompromising vision full circle with a film that pulses with tension and a soundtrack to match.

While often labelled death metal, Vorlust defines their sound as beast metal—a self-proclaimed term that captures the band’s raw, visceral sonic power. This project gave them the chance to stretch that sound beyond the pit and into the cinematic realm.

Channelling influences from Beyond the Black Rainbow, Suspiria, Under the Skin, and Lucifer Rising, the band recorded the soundtrack live, performing to picture in an immersive session that blurred the line between film and ritual.

The lineup includes Marcelle Marais on vocals and bass, formerly of BONESTRIPPER; Sonny Reinhardt, guitarist of Necrot and previously of Saviours, Watch Them Die, and Word Salad; Dustin Ponko, guitarist of Dipygus and Cosmic Reef Temple; and Avinash Mittur, drummer and bassist of Nite. Marais, Reinhardt, Ponko, and Mittur bring a crushing, cinematic force that pushes beyond metal’s boundaries.

With Reinhardt engineering the session, having recorded all of Vorlust’s previous releases, the band took a hands-on, DIY approach to scoring. The session took place on a blistering summer day at Oakland’s First Church of the Buzzard with a raw setup: electric guitars, synths, a vocal mic, and kitchen percussion including knives and baking trays.

Layered with Marais’ piercing vocal performance, the score evokes echoes of Diamanda Galás, pulling on the nerves like gut strings as the suspense climbs. The result is a brooding, visceral soundtrack that breathes with the film’s themes of transformation.

‘SHRIEEK’ movie premiere poster

A true Bay Area creation, SHRIEEK is a DIY effort from start to finish. Produced by Gregory Downing and Marcelle Marais under Bad Acid Presents and TriTonia Films, the project was supported by a vibrant community of underground artists, punks, metalheads, and local businesses. Funding came through a grassroots Kickstarter led by David Levine, a GoFundMe campaign, and a string of raucous live events.

Marcelle founded TriTonia Films in 2024 to bring SHRIEEK to life. Since then, TriTonia Films has gone on to produce music videos for a wide range of Bay Area acts, including Nite, Altar De Fey, Barbarous, Vorlust, Trencher, and more. As both filmmaker and musician, she continues to collaborate with the Bay Area’s thriving scene to carve out new spaces for underground voices.

SHRIEEK premieres Sunday, July 13th at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco.