The band leader behind a lot of the music in Death Stranding, Ryan Karazija, recently passed away from unknown causes at the age of 40. Karazija founded the electronica project Low Roar back in 2011 before going on to produce a total of five albums.The news comes from a statement posted by the band on its various social media channels. “Ryan Karazija, frontman and driving force behind Low Roar, has died at age 40,” Low Roar announced. “His beautiful music and lyrics, sung in his haunting voice, have touched the lives of so many people all over the world and will continue to do so.”RELATED: Konami Will Never Recapture The Magic Of P.T.Low Roar added that “he was a kind and beautiful soul and our worlds are shattered by the loss of him. May we honor his memory through his art and hold him forever in his songs. The sixth Low Roar record was already underway and will be completed and released when it is ready. Please respect his family’s privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”Game Director on Death Stranding Hideo Kojima was quick to offer condolences, posting on Twitter that “I heard the news. I can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. Without Ryan, without you and your music, Death Stranding would not have been born. Your music will live forever in this world and in me. Thank you. Rest in peace.”The band was featured heavily in Death Stranding as part of a collaboration with Kojima who apparently discovered the band while browsing a record shop in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kojima would later describe the music as both “sensual" and "unique.”

“Sony contacted us in an obscure email offering us a certain amount of money to use the song I’ll Keep Coming and they were not willing to tell us what they’re going to use the song for,” Karazija said about the experience. “At that time, we were in a gutter, so we accepted it. And it turned out it was for Death Stranding.”

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