Legendary horror maestro John Carpenter is set to unleash "The Ferryman" on June 30, the second single from his ambitious multimedia project Cathedral. The track, accompanied by a visualizer featuring artwork from Carpenter's first original graphic novel, continues to build anticipation for what he calls the closest thing to a new movie since 2010's The Ward.
Rather than a traditional soundtrack, Cathedral is a fully immersive experience. The graphic novel hits shelves August 4 via Storm King Comics, while the companion album arrives August 7 on Sacred Bones Records. Each track corresponds to a chapter in the book, with liner notes guiding readers through the story. Carpenter has described it as "kind of our first heavy metal album," a shift from his earlier work that grew organically from the narrative.
"The Ferryman" follows the earlier single "Lord of the Underground" and is steeped in River Styx imagery, introducing a mysterious subterranean ferryman from the graphic novel's dark mythology. Guitarist Daniel Davies noted, "It has interesting harmonies that Cody put together and John's signature pad-style string parts. It's more of an electronic metal track... we just wanted to make it as heavy and driving as possible."
The project was inspired by a vivid dream Carpenter had in 2024. It follows Lieutenant Christine Marks and detectives Paul Hernandez and Steve Mayfield as they investigate a police officer's murder that leads them to an abandoned cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. Beneath the church, they discover ancient catacombs housing a centuries-old evil. Carpenter developed the graphic novel with his wife and producer Sandy King, writer Sean Sobczak, artists Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna, colorist Sian Mandrake, and letterer Marshall Dillon.
While Cathedral is designed to be experienced alongside the graphic novel, Carpenter emphasized the music must stand alone. "That's first and foremost," he said. "It's all about making the music work. This is somewhat different sounding stuff... but it's done with the same desire in mind." He added, "Put this thing on and imagine you're watching a movie. That's what we want you to do."
For fans of Carpenter's iconic horror films like Halloween, The Thing, and In the Mouth of Madness, Cathedral offers a fresh yet familiar descent into dread. If you're looking for more terrifying recommendations, check out The Ultimate Ranking of the Best R-Rated Horror Movie Franchises or revisit Why 'Hannibal' Remains the Ultimate TV Horror Masterpiece.
"The Ferryman" releases June 30. The Cathedral graphic novel arrives August 4, and the album follows August 7.
