Originally conceived as a custom typeface for a short horror film, Thanatos has sharp edges and knife-like serifs, inspired by calligraphy and letters carved in wood. This aesthetic doesn’t inherently say “Horror”, but instead lends an air of craftsmanship and solidity. No coincidence, as a strong influence on Thanatos is Berthold Wolpe’s 1930’s Arts & Crafts banger Albertus (used as in credits throughout Jon Carpenter’s entire filmography).

Thanatos’ delicate features are awesome for display sizes, but become muddy when set smaller. Hence, Thanatos Deck and Text feature more robust stroke connections, slabby serifs, wider forms and more generous spacing.

Thanatos is named after something deep inside us all: the death drive. As Freud called it: “An urge in organic life to restore an earlier state of things”. Our Thanatos drives us to hurt and destroy—an important instinct for hunters and predators. But even in the most peaceful folks, it serves an important function: to allow us to accept mortality.

And hey, while such discussions arguably surpass the scope of a typeface, meaning isn’t inherently found in any object—it comes from what we ascribe to it. Much like how the scariest horror films reveal little and leave it to the imagination to frighten itself, do we assign meaning to shapes and symbols (and fonts) based on our own experiences and feelings. So, ladies and gentlemen, cower in terror as you behold: Thanatos.