'The Dark Knight Rises' Composer Hans Zimmer Releases New Music to Benefit Aurora Victims [Audio]

"I am devastated by this tragedy, and my heart is with the victims, survivors and their loved ones. Words fail me," wrote Hans Zimmer on Facebook in the early days following the shocking events of July 20, when 12 people were killed and dozens wounded by a masked gunman at a midnight screening of Zimmer's new film, The Dark Knight Rises, in Aurora, Colorado. While words may fail the multiple award-winning film composer, music obviously does not. In support of the victims and their loved ones, Zimmer has created a new work which can be downloaded in exchange for a donation as small as 10 cents, with all proceeds going to the victims of the Aurora tragedy. You can hear a sample below.

"'Aurora' is dedicated to those who lost their lives and were affected by the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado," Zimmer posted last Friday. "I recorded this song in London in the days following the tragedy as a heartfelt tribute to the victims and their families. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Aurora Victim Relief organization."


More than eight-minutes long, the choral "Aurora" is an appropriately somber piece from the typically aggressive Zimmer, whose work with electronic dissonance and processed percussion have made his scores -- particularly on the Batman films of Christopher Nolan as well as Inception -- so distinct. The track includes elements that Zimmerphiles may recognize from The Dark Knight Rises, specifically from the film's initial teaser trailer and "Orphan" (a track available only on The Dark Knight Rises Z+ Augmented Soundtrack Experience for iOS), which themselves are reinterpretations of Zimmer's Batman theme. The material has been repurposed to extremely beautiful effect in "Aurora."

The track is available for $1.29 in iTunes, but the MoonToast widget above gives listeners the option of paying as little as 10 cents or as much as $100 for "Aurora." All proceeds will go towards the victims of the shooting through the established Aurora Victim Relief Fund at GivingFirst.org.