Siti Muinah
The Star Wars galaxy has always been defined as much by its auditory tapestry as its visual spectacle. From the sweeping, operatic themes of John Williams to the experimental sound design of Ben Burtt, music serves as the heartbeat of the franchise. Today, that legacy continues with the Kiner family—Kevin, Sean, and Deana—whose work on the latest animated series, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, has pushed the boundaries of what a Star Wars score can achieve. With the series now available in its entirety on Disney+, the Kiners sat down to discuss the grueling, creative, and deeply collaborative process of bringing the tortured psyche of a Sith Lord to life through heavy metal-infused soundscapes and noir-inspired compositions.
A Legacy of Animation
The Kiner family’s relationship with the galaxy far, far away spans nearly two decades. Kevin Kiner, the patriarch of this musical dynasty, first stepped into the Star Wars universe in 2008 with the feature film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Over the years, he transitioned from a solo composer to a collaborative force, welcoming his children, Sean and Deana, into the fold during the production of Star Wars Rebels in 2014.
This familial trio has since become the sonic architects of modern Star Wars animation, lending their talents to The Bad Batch and the live-action series Ahsoka. However, Maul – Shadow Lord presented a unique set of challenges. Unlike previous projects, which often balanced heroic adventure with galactic stakes, this series demanded something far more visceral, introspective, and decidedly darker. The Kiners were tasked with capturing the essence of Maul—a character defined by loss, rage, and a singular, obsessive focus—and translating those emotions into a sound that feels both classic and dangerously new.
The Genesis of a Heavy Metal Star Wars
The sonic identity of Maul – Shadow Lord was established long before the first notes were recorded. Head Writer Matt Michnovetz, working in tandem with Supervising Director Brad Rau, approached the scoring process with a specific vision: they wanted the show to feel like a "heavy metal version" of Star Wars.
Michnovetz famously wrote the series’ scripts while immersing himself in the discographies of legendary metal acts like Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, Tool, and Ratt. He suggested this aesthetic as a starting point for the Kiners. "They wanted to push it in a new direction," Deana Kiner explains. "They described Maul – Shadow Lord as a Star Wars version of heavy metal."
For Kevin Kiner, the initial attempt to capture this sound was a humbling experience. "At first, I got out all my guitars and started thrashing things around, and totally failed," he admits with a laugh. The challenge lay in maintaining the "Star Wars DNA" while introducing the abrasive textures of metal. The trio eventually moved away from literal guitar thrashing, instead focusing on the concept of "soul-tearing" distortion.
"I think what we distilled was that Maul feels like he’s constantly tearing things," says Deana. "His screams are very visceral, back of the throat. They feel like soul ripping. And I think that’s how we finally found what feels like Maul."
To achieve this, the Kiners utilized a vast library of over 100 distortion tools, ranging from vintage physical pedals to state-of-the-art digital recreations. Sean Kiner notes that much of the iconic sound heard beneath the title cards and end credits came from simple origins: "Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a synthesizer and running it through some guitar pedals or guitar amps, distorting it that way."
Honoring the Master: The Williams Influence
Despite the shift toward distorted, experimental sounds, the Kiners remain acutely aware of the daunting shadow cast by John Williams. Kevin Kiner is quick to emphasize the difficulty of writing for the franchise: "Star Wars music is really hard. It’s extremely dense. That’s owing to the master who set this all up, John Williams."
Sean Kiner elaborates on this density, noting that Williams’ genius lies in his thematic economy. "He’s going through musical ideas and shifts constantly. In other styles, you have one musical thought and you can stretch that out for a pretty long time. Here, you have to be coming up with something new and something good and interesting pretty fast."
This philosophy was put to the test during the series’ first episode, specifically during Maul’s grand entrance. The team debated whether to lean into the established Rebels musical lexicon or to pivot toward something more reminiscent of The Phantom Menace. Under the guidance of Executive Producer Athena Portillo, they opted for the latter. The result is a seamless transition from the recognizable, mournful tones of the "Duel of the Fates" choir into the distorted, aggressive synths of the new series. "The music is kind of saying this is the Maul you know, and now this is the Maul that this show is about," Kevin adds.
Character-Driven Compositions: Devon Izara and Brander Lawson
The series also serves as a narrative vehicle for new characters, most notably the Jedi Padawan turned apprentice, Devon Izara. Her character arc—a transition from a survivor in hiding to a student of the dark side—required a musical theme that could evolve alongside her.
"We fell in love with Devon as a character," says Sean. "We knew that she needed a theme of her own. While we talked about what her journey was going to be, we realized we needed it to be really versatile because it was going to take her to some pretty dark places."
This versatility culminates in Episode 10, a pivotal moment where Devon witnesses the death of her master, Daki, and makes the fateful decision to wield half of Maul’s lightsaber. During this scene, the Kiners masterfully wove Devon’s theme with Maul’s established motif. "We actually hid the second half of Maul’s theme in Devon’s theme, so when we play them together, suddenly they line up as they’re united in purpose," Sean reveals. "Her theme is expressing that it’s coming into its own, but in a really dark way."
Furthermore, the introduction of the noir-inspired Detective Brander Lawson forced the team to stretch their creative muscles even further. The Kiners explored a vast range of noir influences, from the classic 1940s scores of Max Steiner in films like The Big Sleep to the modern, stylistic jazz-fusion sensibilities of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Navigating these diverse musical traditions while keeping them firmly grounded in the Star Wars universe was a balancing act that highlighted the team’s growth and range.
Collaborative Workflow and the "One Voice" Approach
Scoring an entire series in roughly three weeks per episode requires a level of synchronicity that few teams possess. The Kiners function as a singular unit, even when working on separate narrative arcs. They rely on constant communication, trading files and motifs to ensure that while the tasks are split, the final product feels cohesive.
"We’re throwing files back and forth," says Kevin. "We’re always making sure we have access to how the other person made that sound or knows what we are using for Daki."
This collaborative environment is bolstered by their relationship with the Lucasfilm Animation team. Supervising Director Brad Rau took the unusual step of spoiling the season’s narrative trajectory for the Kiners from the very start. "I wanted them to know where we were going because it’s so serialized," Rau explains. "They had the greatest ideas for how to create motifs that move all the way through."
For Kevin Kiner, this transparency was vital to the show’s success. "It is a very sophisticated emotional arc that Devon goes through," he notes. "There’s a lot of depth and thought that’s gone into it."
Implications and Future Horizons
The success of Maul – Shadow Lord is a testament to the Kiners’ ability to honor the past while fearlessly embracing the new. By creating a safe, encouraging space to "take big swings," Lucasfilm has allowed the Kiner family to evolve from legacy composers into experimental pioneers of the Star Wars sound.
As the Kiners prepare for the second season, they remain grounded by their interactions with the Star Wars fan community. "It’s really amazing how the community interacts with our work," says Deana. "They make it so easy and so fun to essentially play with them as the show is coming out."
The "Age of Maul" has arrived, and it carries with it a soundtrack that challenges, haunts, and exhilarates. Through their meticulous attention to detail, their respect for the legacy of John Williams, and their willingness to experiment with the raw, distorted edges of sound, the Kiner family has ensured that the dark side has never sounded quite this compelling.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is currently streaming on Disney+. The Season 1 soundtrack, featuring the complete score by Kevin, Sean, and Deana Kiner, is available on all major digital music platforms.
Layla Zulfa
Laily UPN
