Death Cab For Cutie scores lead "New Moon" single

Vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie performs at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California April 26, 2008. [Agencies]

NEW YORK - Death Cab For Cutie has scored the lead-single spot on the soundtrack for "New Moon," the upcoming second installment of the "Twilight" vampire series.

"Meet Me On the Equinox," a song written specifically for the movie by the Grammy-nominated indie rock band, will be unveiled September 13 on MTV's Web site during the cable channel's Video Music Awards broadcast. The entire soundtrack for "New Moon" is set for release on October 20 on Chop Shop/Atlantic Records. The film comes out on November 20.

While no other artists are yet confirmed, industry rumors have the sound headed in a more indie-centric direction than the first "Twilight," with Radiohead's Thom Yorke, singer/songwriter Bon Iver, and the rock bands Grizzly Bear and Muse all in the running.

All of the songs will be exclusive to the film, either written specifically for the movie or never available anywhere else.

The original "Twilight" soundtrack, boasting tracks from Muse, Paramore, Mute Math, Collective Soul and Linkin Park, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last November and went on to sell 2.2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It logged 20 weeks in the top 10 -- the longest run for a theatrical film soundtrack since 1998, when both "Titanic" and "City of Angels" also managed 20 weeks. The first single, Paramore's "Decode," reached No. 33 on the Hot 100.

Death Cab For Cutie's most recent album, 2008's chart-topping "Narrow Stairs," has sold 538,000 copies to date.