Ethel Cain and composer Robin Carolan have released “Wynter Waxeth,” a song from Robert Eggers’ forthcoming film Werwulf. Cain sings the track in Middle English.
The single’s Apple Music listing dates its release to November 13, 2026, credits both musicians and identifies Back Lot Music as the releasing label. It is a single-song release ahead of the film.
Apple Music files the track under original score and lists its duration at approximately six minutes.
Sacred Bones’ account of the soundtrack’s making describes Cain and Carolan exchanging medieval music, prayers and ambient recordings while developing the collaboration. Eggers helped with the pronunciation of the language.
According to the label, Cain’s voice initially served as a texture within Carolan’s score before the collaboration developed into a song.
The wider score uses instruments including hurdy-gurdies and cymbalum, with electronic manipulation and unconventional playing techniques altering their sound. Sacred Bones describes a process that combined older instruments with studio treatment rather than simply reproducing historical music.
Carolan also incorporated percussion made by striking axes, cleavers and scythes against wood and bone. Bells and clay jugs supplied other recorded material for the score.
A string-quintet recording session provided material that Carolan subsequently manipulated. The soundtrack’s collaborators also include violinist Daniel Pioro, musician Laura Cannell, Foals drummer Jack Bevan and vocalist Antonina Nowacka.
Focus Features lists Werwulf for a December 25, 2026 theatrical opening. Eggers directed the film and co-wrote it with Sjón.
The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe and Lily-Rose Depp. The distributor identifies it as a horror film and is advertising the Christmas release for theaters.
The song’s November release and the soundtrack’s physical release fall on separate dates. Sacred Bones lists its physical soundtrack edition for January 29, 2027, with preorders expected to ship around that date.
Ethel Cain performing at Lucerna Palace in Prague on November 1, 2025. Archival photograph. Photo: TT2106 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Be First to Comment