Vashj'ir - Music & Ambience - World of Warcraft

"Once a great Highborne city housing some of the most revered night elves of Kalimdor, Vashj'ir was swallowed by the Great Sea in the Sundering and thought to be lost forever. Queen Azshara, formerly a beloved leader of the Highborne, escaped death in the depths of the sea when the Well of Eternity imploded. Such salvation came at a great cost, as the queen and many of her fellow Highborne were forever transformed into the monstrous naga, doomed to wander the seas for thousands of years. Their existence mostly remains a mystery to the peoples of modern Azeroth, though the Earthen Ring has learned of Azshara's naga seizing Vashj'ir for an unknown purpose as the cries of the elements echo across Azeroth from the Abyss."
©2004 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. World of Warcraft, Warcraft and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

[@MrBlancify]

I can't understand how people hate on this zone. One of my best leveling experiences in wow. I just love how you and your ship becomes a team and suddenly find yourself in the middle of a battle much greater than any of you had expected! Overtime you came to like and care about the people underwater and their stories. I remember so vividly the feeling when after being under water for so long you finally get back up to those ships. I think I even gasped for fresh air irl at that moment because I was so immersed in the game!

[@omophagia]

I think it's just those that complained because of motion sickness - I liked the zone myself

[@kilyenbalazs6398]

Most ppl that played, by that time, just didnt had the affinity for deep feeling atmosphere...that basically makes or breaks an rpg world.

[@Dwaeynne]

It's certainly one of those zones you remember

[@llgla]

People who hate it tend to be melee players. It's harder for them to quest here because the caster mobs can hit them from any direction and at a distance. I love this place. All my characters are casters though lol.

[@owocowywonsz6564]

@@llgla I was pala and i think ots the best wow zone Also i feel exactly like eric described.

[@loiuhuiygny7guyguiygk]

I don't know about other people, but i fricking loved this zone, the amount of times leveling an alt JUST to go through all quests here must be over 7 times :P I loved this zone, and think they pulled it off so nicely. Sometimes a bit too much cinematics but over all really throws you in there

[@loiuhuiygny7guyguiygk]

Thanks for the upload btw! :) keep these coming

[@Everness1]

+Vilix Kazzak I will! Thanks for checking it out. Any suggestions?

[@loiuhuiygny7guyguiygk]

Keep them coming thats all, i have them running 8-9 hours at work while doing my web designs :D Would be nice to see Dun'Murogh whatever it's called that zone

[@marcusaurelius1792]

+Vilix Kazzak Same here. I listen to these all day while developing. Love this zone's soundtrack!

[@ballingonja]

I'm currently going through this zone for the first time. So far it's fucking amazing!

[@joshuatunis6732]

Words to describe Vashj'ir and its music: majestic, aquatic, ancient, mysterious, treacherous..

[@kaelthassunstrider5665]

Truly worthy of its name

[@jorgemigueltavares6041]

In a way, that's exactly much like our oceans. They're majestic and full of wonders, but also dangerous and mysterious as well, especially when we really go into the deep. If only we did more to protect them.

[@sonia417]

True!

[@alextygesen3101]

The zone really gave you this feeling of being stranded. Apart from teleporting with items or skills, you were kind of stuck in this place for the most part. Most other zones just have flight paths all over and are connected to eachother, or are places you go voluntarily. This is pretty much the only one where you get dragged into and become isolated.

[@Relbl]

There was a flight path that could take you back to SW for alliance (i think it was grom'gol for Horde) on one of the only above water spots... can't even remember now where it is!

[@omfgSHORYUKEN]

totally agree, this is one of the few zones I actually enjoyed the questing because it really did feel like you were trapped here and had to follow the story to get out. I teleported out rarely just to stay immersed

[@cyboinc3583]

As a diver in real life.. this one was by far my favourite zone ever.. I loved it so much and cant understand the hate it gets

[@bonefetcherbrimley7740]

I think it got so much hate because it was so different than what people are used to. I personally loved it.

[@Lindstromize]

Ahhh, the atmosssphere of thisss zone is sssomething truly ssspecial in wow.

[@oceandreams7774]

yessss indeed it was

[@BlackDragonAJ89]

One of the very few pieces of video game music where the "water level" isn't some upbeat waltz or "cheery and chill" new-age kind of stuff. Dark... Deep... Sinister... As the ocean truly is.

[@ChaosxSpacexMarine]

One of their finest zones. It's too bad really that people couldn't handle the verticality of swimming. It really goes to show how mysterious the sea really is. They really nailed the difficulty with depth perception imo. It made the zone more challenging and enjoyable for me.

[@MrTwrule]

The best leveling zones - or adventure settings period - are ones that don't just put you in an environment, they put you in a *situation*. You feel like you are 'stuck' and the only way out is through. Vashj'ir did that better than most; you begin shipwrecked, soon trapped in a capsized ship on the ocean floor, and as you progress you find yourself continually venturing into deeper and darker waters...The fact that you found yourself in what was basically an alien world, far from home, only accentuated that feeling - as if you were being told: "This is your life/world now - adapt."

[@SkallKiller]

Exactly. Vashj'ir is the only zone in WoW that had me not wanting to hearth back to a capital until I had 'escaped'.

[@tinysalad3357]

This zone was extremely horrifying to me. I have a great deal of fear with almost everything aquatic, and that was absolutely horrible but at the same time enjoyable to play through. I don't know why but the sense of dread I was getting (especially in the last part of the zone) was the best part of Vashj'ir for me and made it somewhat special.

[@msm19890216]

same here, Deep sea phobia 🙂

[@Joe_Potts]

My fear of the zone came from the (often) massive and mysterious sea life that filled the zone, as if letting my worgen get anywhere near something would allow it to swallow me whole through my screen.

[@Anudorini-Talah]

Loved this zone, such a nice contrast to the usual leveling zones. But the mainstream of course hates it because they are boring noobs.

[@NN-ye1gv]

That's fascinating, you can get the feel of fear from basicly something not real, the designers did an amazing job if you got that. This is one of my favorite zones.

[@Kinkoyaburi]

Sounds like the game Soma will be perfect for your fear

[@fdrems710]

This was a beautiful and colorful zone, full of interesting shapes, textures and creatures. The art team did a great job with this one.

[@monafloppa6972]

Aaah this feeling of being stuck in a place you don't even know anything about. That's what i regret not having anymore in WoW. This zone was made about sirens and i loved it. You were stuck in the ocean depths, where only the water and the flourishing wildlife could hear you. As for the nagas, your mortal enemies, they are so beautiful, i wish they were a race added to the game. But why, Blizzard, why ? Nazjatar could have been this thing ! I deeply regret what you did. But even if i cannot play WoW anymore... I'm still enjoying the memories of it. We need more of this. Behind everything, this zone was the "hated" one, but it is ONLY water. The music, the lore, the beautiful thing about this is... That even in the dark, dark and deep ocean, you will find the light of survival. Thank you for hearing me.

[@OptikRise3]

You either loved this place or you hated it...

[@bboy7656]

ye i love it

[@cavedog937]

I love everything about the zone except the swimming everywhere.

[@4567samsung]

yea i never seen anyone neutral about it , they either love it or hate it

[@RubyPiec]

Love it

[@andromidius]

This is the one zone that made you feel alien. You're the invading outsider, and have been caught up in the wake of a much bigger story. Remember the intro quest is you're fighting over a tiny island with nothing on it!

[@nagash303]

I remember a Kraken attacking the ship.

[@billoverbeck3784]

THAT Kraken and the ship intro were removed, idk why

[@sanityswept2898]

​@@billoverbeck3784nah they are still there

[@Minimeister317]

I have such fond memories of leveling in this place during the launch night of Cataclysm. Loved the music, the atmosphere and the quests

[@Fishcakes_20]

When I successfully killed my first whale shark, I no longer felt afraid of this place nor its music. But I do like the creepy and mysterious tone that Vash'jir has.

[@Norrikan]

Ah, Vashj'ir, the zone Naz'jatar should have been like.

[@larrygolade9057]

AGREE AF

[@ninaloveray]

It could have been if Blizzard made a Nazjatar themed expansion (with both leveling zones and end game zones), but they decided to make a tiny zone out of it similar to Timeless Isle, it’s a shame that zone deserved better.

[@danielkover7157]

I heard a lot of people didn't like Vashj'ir, but I enjoyed it. It was different and it took some getting used to, but I thought it was pretty neat.

[@Dravanaar]

​@@danielkover7157 I quite enjoyed it too!👌

[@rajamartua5531]

Nazjatar had too much verticality. Not to mention opposing faction divebombers.

[@GruntSquad92]

my all time favourite zone! loved the quest texts.. the feeling, the atmossphere... absolutely everything i liked!

[@taedinton2842]

sometimes I level people just so I can play in this zone again. But since WoD the mobs are really weak and it isn't as fun but still my favourite zone!

[@pitchsaquet5964]

+Jack Cracknell im also a great fan, I remember how was the quest where you are a naga was amazing :D

[@henrypaulson5692]

Pitch Saquet I think back to that quest line often! Loved it!

[@DBZ-Mousa]

Hands down, the best zone in the whole game!

[@bboy7656]

ye

[@spadecodezor]

i liked land

[@syok1107]

without a doubt

[@MrThelonicus]

Theres something about the mood and pressence down there

[@punishedluxibelle9544]

Cataclysm has my favorite music of any expansion for me.

[@Crossfade1625]

Cata classic confirmed!! I'm so hyped to be coming back here; one of my all-time favourite zones

[@umegadarkstar2657]

I must be one of the few people that loved this zone, venturing to the depths of Vashj'ir, going deeper and deeper, it felt like a proper adventure. The music and ambience added to the feel of this zone.

[@toadmilker8151]

I had a craving for some nostalgia this morning. Vash and the entirety of Northrend really bring me back. It's been almost a decade since I've played but I'll never forget the time I had in these places.

[@FreddyDiz]

Vashj ir never got any love , but man it’s one of my favorite music and places in wow.

[@lastfullast8819]

Actually, it got. In Cataclysm times, a lot of people were excited by it. Hyjal was considered as much more boring. Furthermore, people even called Vashj'ir the best location in WoW, a bright pearl in world crown... But something changed. I still don't understand why.(

[@nagash303]

maybe just because of fear of sharks.

[@douglassh00]

I love vashjir

[@wallytheweeb]

This zone was boring as fuck

[@karlmunoz5837]

The music is literally legendary pieces of work lets talk about it

[@garrosh4996]

The golden age of wow zone design.

[@lukecpjensen]

This music reminds me of all the hours I spent farming herbs on my druid in this zone. Good times indeed~

[@jimst3r1]

People were annoyed by this area a lot. But to be honest the lore in this area outweighed anything. As it stands the naga are probably one of the most tragic and interesting lores in the whole of world of warcraft.

[@MrTotallyRad]

I would be, in many ways, considered thalassophobic (Fear of the sea) so this zone always was very intimidating, but I loved it. It just felt so crushingly bleak and deep and heavy. 19:30 in particular actually frightens me a bit.

[@MX51997]

The whale shark was probably the most terrifying npc i've ever incountered in vash'jr.

[@Tovenaar13]

Playing this on my 55" Sony is like looking at the best fish aquarium in the world....of warcraft XD

[@agaeus]

*Me before playing this zone*: a water zone? are they insane? they're taking the most hated type of questing and making a zone out of it? this is going to suck. blah blah blah *Me after playing this zone*: this is my favorite zone I have ever played.

[@Vomax343]

Ahh Cataclysm... The age of a revamped WoW. The age of Total Biscuit and Jessie Cox. 'Member berries hitting me hard right now

[@Relbl]

RIP TB

[@undervine]

I am actually just now in Dragonflight playing through this zone for the first time and ngl, its great! Getting the old WoW feels in 2023 and still feeling like Im discovering stuff is awesome (been playing on and off since WotLK when I was still a diehard horde player... how times have changed xD).

[@pessimisticAI]

I can't count the times I've let this run from beginning to end at work. Thanks for the good work.

[@caramelunicorn8023]

The naga always freaked me out, even had weird dreams about them.

[@marcusaurelius1792]

I'd like to see Blizzard add them as a race. And the Tol'vir dudes from Uldum.

[@emailarchiveaccount8984]

Playing 8.2 Nazjatar with this song on the background, I can't play an "underwater" zone without Vashj'ir...

[@billymanziel5666]

I wish people hadn’t complained so much about Vashj’ir so it could have been properly underwater =\

[@ChinnuWoW]

Nazjatar’s music is amazing also tho!

[@RockerBoy20045]

Exploring Nazjatar with this music is the best.

[@extracify3229]

Ooh man I bet! Nice combo!

[@alvaroguar9187]

I don't know how to explain it, but this area of ​​fear and terror from being there with my character surrounded by water and then NOTHING, is terrifying and the music is perfect. LOVE IT

[@LazyLifeIFreak]

Vashj'ir was and still is my most favourite zone, the atmosphere (or lack there off), the rich story, the beautiful colourful background and the amazing storyline. Loved every second of it first time I played through it. I never experienced any motion sickness, not sure how that would even work out. The music still haunts me to this day, its so deep and mysterious.

[@TatsuyaWow]

this zone is immersive i remember lv there and no hearth back to town just to stay until ive finish all the quest

[@cbthomas909]

I think this is my favorite sound track in WoW. Good memories playing through this zone.

[@meggi8048]

this zone was deep

[@jjstraka1982]

I always level in Hyjal just because it's so damn fast, but Vash'jir is wholly unique and everyone needs to do it at least once. It really nails the feeling as you go farther down of being overwhelmed by the depths of the sea.

[@BunnychanFarabee]

Love that they brought back 4:35 for the Eye of Azshara instance in Legion.

[@Briar27]

Surprisingly, I had forgotten about this zone, even though it's quite a different experience than others, until this video. Now I am remembering some of the questing I had to do here, and how good the music tracks were for this location. I used to want to play as a Naga character (Horde) back when WoW first released, but it never became a playable race. Thanks for bringing back my memory of this place @Everness. It was a really beautifully done zone.

[@jaredticer6255]

I've always really loved Vashj'ir's music and ambience. It's so atmospheric, especially when I first heard it and played through the zone. The melody seems to unlock a unique nostalgic door for me because Cataclysm was my most fleshed-out experience as far as expansions go and I was about 16 earth revolutions at the time. Contrary to many things I read, see and hear, I enjoyed Cataclysm a lot, particularly Vashj'ir and Deepholme because of their ancient, epic and world-forged atmospheres. And did I mention Vashj'ir's musical score is absolutely flawless. I feel the waves crashing in the deep as percussion erupts from the drums and choir voices chime along like a swift wind at twilight. Perfectly complimentary to the arrangement, deep chords introduce the sea's turmoil, followed by more chords like simultaneous ores pushing the ship further along as a mariner-like flute silhouette's the situation with purpose and direction.

[@MegaChickenfish]

Such a beautiful zone with a great soundtrack, I think what bugged me about it though was the screen warping effect of being underwater gives you a headache after a while. That and I think a lot of us weren't used to having such a 3D zone so there was a lot of "what's going on? I'm standing ON the quest objective marker."

[@SkallKiller]

The untold, solitary vastness awaits... Assuming you aren't swallowed by its many horrors-- or the cruel sea herself...

[@icebrow]

I think I've found the soundtrack that will be playing in my headphones with every step I take for the rest of my life.

[@Mammothtankgrind]

This place blew me away the first time!! Such out of the box gameplay thinking. Enjoyed every second of it I mean just running at the buttom of the ocean was addictively fun =D

[@Minimeister317]

One of my favorite leveling zones in the game

[@wtfbomb]

When I heard the Vashj'ir music for the first time, it instantly reminded me of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and I had to watch the movie asap! So good

[@Neuroneos]

It's a book.

[@Nindeer]

I had so much fun in Vashj'ir. My favourite quest must be the one where you have to kill eels because, well... Eels are gross. Not even eels like eels.

[@rocklobster1087]

I love that quest!

[@kofola9145]

Now you can relive the experience once more.

[@thewardenofoz3324]

Ganking lowbies as a hyper fast dolphin druid? p e r f e c t i o n

[@netacid11]

Glad to see it with the music. Its one of my favorite zones for the music.

[@techn1que_]

i'll never forget full clearing this zone and resurfacing after what felt like, days. what an incredible zone.

[@reneesanfacon2989]

As someone who has wicked hydrophobia, this zone was super scary! Always was afraid some giant shark would swim by. I really loved all the underwater plants though

[@billoverbeck3784]

When you see them coming out of the fog and wandering around, its just...

[@Vahki100]

As much as I dislike being in the zone, I do not dislike the zone itself. Wonderfully designed. The soundtrack itself makes me feel so stuck and it feels like its drilling into your mind at one point.

[@brunopereira6789]

I love Vashj'ir; I love underwater zones. Wish Nazjatar was much larger and had a least an underwater section to it!

[@BorgCoitus]

The music in this zone is my favorite, ever.

[@danielz905]

Loved this zone. Don't know why so many people hate it. It was beautiful. Shimmering Expanse was perfect.

[@ricktwisty5636]

This is perfect as a substitute for the in-game music in Subnautica.

[@DarkHoodness]

Glad I wasn't the only one to think this when playing Subnautica's Beta back in 2016... Even though Subnautica's original soundtrack is great and very fitting to its game, too. But I still sometimes find myself listening to WoW's Vashj'ir music while paired with an "ASMR Ambience" video of Subnautica, mainly of the Safe Shallows area. It's become nostalgic. :)

[@hendricksausges3006]

Still is!

[@davidanderson2253]

I didn't think this zone was all that bad tbh. The music and atmosphere was nice. Doing an entire expansion around N'Zoth and Azshara will be interesting because I'm pretty sure we'll see at least one more zone like this. :)

[@michaelvanzak]

David Anderson that expansion is exactly what is coming next after 8.2

[@ssjonupants]

Unfortunately, we got a patch zone and nothing else... it's truly a missed opportunity.

[@LounoirRecords]

overall fantastic, both in music and the zone itself so haunting, lonely and quiet, yet not at the same time, i love it :)

[@TheZeitheizt]

I always felt both scared asf and amazed by the beauty of the scenario and the atmosphere, that until I saw that freaking Whaleshark into tge distance. Cata and MoP were very underrated, imo.

[@Thebassjunk]

One of the best zones in the game. The atmosphere, the quests, and the best music.

[@jwootton999]

6 minutes or so in, this is m favourite track within this area. It's so filled with the feeling of 'epic adventure' - very fitting for the zone.

[@kinghans6266]

The music really changed from Vanilla to Cata and I can understand that some dont like the new symphonic style. But 7:35 is just epic and fits perfect to the zone.

[@araigumakishiyuroakiba2199]

This is the sound of depression/existential crisis to me. I literally actually got clinically depressed for the first time by the time I was leveling in Vashj'ir.

[@wesleyraaymakers8808]

i actualy hum this song at work i love this zone and the whole underwater thing

[@konig573]

20:50 I started to cry remembering my days as a teenager playing wow The beauty of the OST with the nostalgia makes such a impact

[@spyrolad]

My favourite zone! I never wanted to leave!

[@Zarathoustra-cc8mj]

Very good music for working. Keep up the good work dude ! It reminds me this beautiful leveling zone

[@MalrickEQ2]

Best zone in the game.

[@KentVigilante]

Legend says Vashj'ir inspired Subnautica's devs.

[@sharanv9182]

6:14 onwards love it

[@mudshrooze]

Just discovered these thanks so much for all of them! :D

[@bhe8336]

My favorite zone in the game. Doing it on all my characters at the time was my favorite leveling experience in this game, bar none. A lot of people shit on this zone but I think its art style and STORY is phenomenal.

[@Neurocyborg]

Love this music. Thank you for upload.

[@kyttehwytchwood6072]

glad I'm not the only one who is entranced by this music. I can be doing something else and the music from the game will enter my head. I definitely believe that there are subliminal messages in the game to make you keep thinking about the game to make you want to go back to the game and keep playing forever and ever.

[@minnathesinna]

Around 13:23 reminds me a lot of the Atlantis track from Banjo Tooie. This zone is actually quite lovely. I was a hater without really have given it a chance, and I'm glad I have.

[@deguilemin9333]

8:14 is what I come for every day.

[@sendit5473]

memories listening to this while searching for shells and killing the murlocks

[@KentVigilante]

This is my favourite zone in WoW.

[@TR-ly6kq]

Loved this place so much.

[@reactive3032]

Thank you for your work.

[@billoverbeck3784]

Esta zona solía llenarme de nervios y un vacío enorme, cuando me ponía a levelear aquí y de repente veía arriba mío tiburones y serpientes enormes, simplemente era incomodo, pero aún así junto con pandaria, son las zonas donde el tema aventura y desconocido más está presente

[@levferno483]

I felt a lot of intensity leveling up in this zone but come backing, I really like the ambience and the way Vash’jir looks. Cool place to look at, and an okay place to quest in.

[@NoobLord9001]

With the exception of the squicky parts where you had to go inside the turtle, I had fun leveling here

[@AmbientFantasyMusicArt]

I love it! Thank you for Upload it :D

[@callistazaraaurelia5609]

Water, I became an ocean with rain.

[@kilyenbalazs6398]

I love it. So relaxing. I dream with this music sometimes. My dad says its depressing as fuck....somehow he does not say this to the Cryochamber, thats like 100 times more depressing and dark....and maddening...and more cthuhlu....

[@Galactis1]

I loved the underwater zone. Was absolutely awesome.

[@Minimeister317]

One of my favorite zones in the entire game!

[@swiftpinion]

Some of my best memories of exploring for the first time are from this zone, the level of detail and immersion...still probably my favourite zone in the whole game (even if I haven't played since Legion) So underrated for how amazing this gem is.

[@brendamobley]

This place is great to level in especially if you’re on druid. Yes, everyone gets breathing, but 1) Druid is faster underwater 2) By the time you get here, you no doubt have your underwater rotation down pat I love working in 3D, it’s very immersive (pun intended).

[@afonsogamboa504]

I loved to smoke weed and play this zone back then. the music was really catchy

[@briannab4770]

This is stunning. The music is spectacular. It very much reminds of The Incredibles. Can anyone else hear it? The tense mysteriousness and menacingness. It sounds like Syndrome's lair.

[@sonia417]

I absolutely love this zone,one of my favorites! And I listen to this music soooo often :D!