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Product ReviewsAll Reviews by : FatigueAverage Customer Ratings :  Total Reviews : 17 Guilty Gear XX Original Soundtrack 2 of 3 people found this review helpful :  Hard Rock That Can't Stop!, 2005-06-24I've had a hard time to actually stop listening to Guilty Gear XX Original Soundtrack. It is just so addicting that you actually can't stop listening to it! This time, Composer Daisuke Ishiwatari teams up with Arranger and Composer Koh-Ichi Seyama and completely surpases Guilty Gear X - Heavy Rock Tracks in every way. My favourite tracks on the album are "Noontide ~ Sol vs Ky", "Feedback ~ Opening", "Keep Yourself Alive II ~ Sol's Theme", "Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead) ~ Ky's Theme" and "Feel A Fear ~ Eddie's Theme". It is very hard to find a reason why you shouldn't buy Guilty Gear XX Original Soundtrack because it is the best Hard Rock on the market today! Don't miss out on Guilty Gear XX Original Soundtrack, it will be a highlight in your VGM collection, just like it is in my collection. Was this review helpful to you?   Baten Kaitos -Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean- Original Soundtrack 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : Sakuraba's Best To Date, 2005-06-24Motoi Sakuraba isn't a fan favourite for nothing! Previous works like Star Ocean - Second Story and Valkyrie Profile put him on the map to success but works like Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi, make Sakuraba a living God! Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi is heavily orchestrated and is carefully composed to an extent to where you feel like you are in the world itself. In Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi's battle themes, Sakuraba hires Toru Iwao (the man behind the electric guitar in the Guilty Gear Series) and uses his token electric guitar to perform battle themes with extensive energy and style. Many people may like Disc 1 over Disc 2 because it has more style, but when you listen to Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi on a average basis, Disc 2 grows on you. Be sure to grab Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi because you will be sorry if you miss out! Was this review helpful to you? Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : The Soothing Masterpiece You Can't Afford to Miss, 2005-07-02The year is 1995, and a the big time company Squaresoft is planning to make a game about a boy who is able to save the world by traveling through time. The game is Chrono Trigger and Squaresoft decided to choose Koichi Sugiyama for the composing role. But, miraculously, at the same time, Sound Effect designer Yasunori Mitsuda is getting sick of job as a Sound Effect designer and marches himself into Hironobu Sakaguchi, the vice president of Squaresoft's office and demands he has a composing role in one of Squaresofts future games or else he will quit. So Sakaguchi pushes aside Sugiyama and assigns Mitsuda the job of composing Chrono Trigger with the help of Nobuo Uematsu and Noriko Matsueda. The game is a huge hit and the Chrono Trigger Original Sound Version becomes a cult favourite. The year is now 1999 and Squaresoft plans a sequal to Chrono Trigger called Chrono Cross. Squaresoft decides that Yasunori Mitsuda should return and compose the sequal. Lets see how he went... ....Literally, Yasunori Mitsuda's best work to date. The soothing effect of this Original Soundtrack is breathtaking with classical guitars, exotic percussion and lots of celtic instruments. Mitsuda further develops his passion for celtic music and takes it to the next level on some accounts. This is evident in the opening theme "Chrono Cross ~ Scars of Time", with its fast strings, soothing flute and crazy percussion creating the unforgetable melody. The album has a variety of different songs ranging from the unforgetable "Chrono Cross ~ Scars of Time" to the ambient "Dead Sea, Tower of Destruction", from the powerful "Dragon God" to the vocal theme "Radical Dreamers". There are even segments of the Chrono Trigger main theme scattered around the album. The only flaw this album bears is the fact that it is too soothing and calm. This might put some people off the album, but the majority of people should find this album is fantastic and unforgetable. So why not support Yasunori Mitsuda and CocoeBiz and buy this magnificent album because game music is not going to be much better than Chrono Cross. Was this review helpful to you? Dark Chronicle (Dark Cloud 2) Premium Arrange A Completely Different Story, 2005-07-02For all of you who own the Original Soundtrack, like me, you will know that it is very average and nothing special. So when I heard that there was an arranged album to the Dark Chronicle Original Soundtrack, I hoped that composer Tomohito Nishiura learned from his mistakes. When it came to my house, I took a glance at the back cover and discovered that Nishiura wasn't involved in any of the arrangements. Instead, the songs were arranged by other composers such as Yasunori Mitsuda, Yoko Shimomura, Motoi Sakuraba, Kenji Ito, Noriyuki Iwadare, The Black Mages and VGM veteran Shinji Hosoe. I placed the CD in my player and was enchanted by the percussion and Eri Kawai's voice in Mitsuda's "Endless Adventure ~Rush's Theme". Sakuraba enters the album with "Dark Element" and does a great job conveying darkness and power. His other arrangement, "Dark Battle" is a powerful and thrilling arrangement of Nishiura's version. Next, we come to "Sun", the first of Shimomura's arrangements. The song has a cool opera voice wailing through parts of the song with some cool bagpipe instruments. I feel "Majin" is Noriyuki Iwadare's strongest arrangement on this album. It is arranged in Iwadare style and is absoloutly charming to listen to. Next we see The Black Mages contribute to the album by turning a mediocre battle theme into a blood pumping, head knocking masterpiece. My hats off to Tsuyoshi Sekito, Kenichiro Fukui and the rest of the gang for contributing to the album. VGM Veteran Shinji Hosoe decided to change the already charming vocal theme "Time is Changing" into a long techno / trance theme which, in my opinion, simply does the vocal theme justice. The only letdown on this album is Kenji Ito's arrangements. Although they're nice, they lack the energy that other pices had. Should you buy this? Definitely! There is no excuse why anybody should pass this beauty up. Any fans of Yasunori Mitsuda, Yoko Shimomura, Motoi Sakuraba, Kenji Ito, Noriyuki Iwadare, The Black Mages and Shinji Hosoe would love this album! This album is a completely different story to the Original Soundtrack. Highly Recommended! Was this review helpful to you? Xenosaga Original Soundtrack (1st Print) 1 of 1 people found this review helpful :  When Mitsuda Goes Epic, 2005-07-04When someone mentions Yasunori Mitsuda, I associate the name with beautiful Celtic and memorable themes. When I heard Mitsuda was returning to score Xenosaga Episode 1, I was jumping for joy! Xenogears was one of my favorite albums of all time, so when I received my copy of Xenosaga and played it all the way through, I had mixed feelings and thoughts. For one, it had some truly outstanding pieces and with the London Philharmonic Orchestra contributing to some tracks just boosts my respect for the album. But on the other hand, some of the tracks can be too dark and empty, thus, putting people off the album. Lets take a more in-depth view at some of my favourite tracks. The album starts off strong with "Prologue", the first song performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. This song represents a change of style from Mitsuda's Celtic charm with strings, choirs, brass and the lot. After the strong predeceasing track, we are treated to "Opening", a heavily based electronica / fusion track with a hint of orchestral flair. It may take a while for you to get used to this track but when you do get used to it you will relies that it is a work of genius. Next is the battle theme "Battle" which sounds similar to Xenogears battle theme "Stage of Death". Expect to hear loud horns, exploding strings and a medieval like solo towards the end of this track. We now come to the heavily Egyptian inspired track by the name of "Gnosis". This track is magnificently performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and completely represents the Gnosis character well. "Everyday", a 1950's jazz piece, is a great little song that you can actually feel the groove. It is by far the lightest song on the album. "U-TIC Engine" is the third track performed by the magnificent London Philharmonic Orchestra and by far the best track on the album. The ominous feeling it produces is absoloutly chilling while the choir completes the feeling by singing some inaudible Latin phrases. The next song is a first in Mitsuda's career: a solo choir performance. In fact, it?fs the first of three solo performances on the album. The song, "Ormus", is slow but complex in its own right, bringing a very serious and thoughtful experience to your listening. "Nephilim" consists of a solo piano piece which plays a simple but heart wrenching melody that cannot be ignored. But once it reaches the halfway point, the strings enter to help the piano and completely give the song justice. "Anxiety" may not be a favorite of mine, but does succed in creating an atmospheric and ambient-like mood which you just can't help but notice. "The Resurrection" is the second solo vocal performance on the album. In my opinion, its much stronger than "Ormus" because you can feel the emotion that the choir shoves in your face more clearly. I was suprised that "Greensleves", an old traditional english song, was included on the soundtrack but that doesn't mean that it was bad, in fact, it is the best version of Greensleves i've ever heard. "Zarathustra" has a cool organ solo (performed by Leslie Pearson) at the begginning of the track before Mitsuda develops it into a full orchestral track with dramatic power and mysterious attributes performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. I was surprised that "Greensleves", an old traditional english piece, was included on the album, but that does not mean that it was bad. In fact, it was the best version of "Greensleves" I ever heard. "Zarathustra" has a cool organ solo (performed by Leslie Pearson) at the begginning before it is further developed into a sweeping orchestral piece performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. "The Miracle" is the final solo vocal performances on the album. The vocal are backed up by the London Philharmonic Orchestra but doesn?ft have the same effect that "Ormus" and "The Resurrection" had when you first listen to it. "Albedo" is the main villains theme. The male opera vocals and the dark strings make this song a winner in my book and one of Mitsuda's strongest character themes he's ever written. "Omega" is the definition of epic. It starts of with wailing choirs then turns vicious with fast strings and an over dubbed electric guitar (performed by Tomohiko Kira). We now come to the final battle theme, "Last Battle". It is arranged in the same style as "The One Who Bares Fangs at God" and takes it to a new level. The piece starts with a piano, string and harp quartet and further develops into a more vicious track when the drum beat and organ enters. After all the intensity, we finally come to the vocal pieces, "Pain" and "Kokoro". I can say that both pieces are nice and do their job but its nothing more than that. Further more, they both sound to "Small Two of Pieces" from Xenogears. Phew! After all those great pieces and good news, sadly, there is some bad news. If you are a fan of Chrono Cross or Chrono Trigger, you are probably not going to love this album as much as others because this album lacks the variety of melodies that made Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross. Furthermore, if you are a fan of Xenogears, don't go buying the album thinking that it is another Xenogears. This album is alot darker than Xenogears and may dissapoint fans because it isn't as emotional or, like before, hasn't got the array of melodies that Xenogears had. So does this album live up to the expectations that Xenogears created? In most ways Yes, but in some ways No. Should you buy this album? Yes because as it lacks memorable melodies, it is made up for in its creativity, originality, pure genius and some truly outstanding songs that remain, even now, my favourite by the artist. CocoeBiz is now the only online store on the web that still sells this 2 disc beauty as it is now out of print, so what are you waiting for, get this album before it becomes extinct from CocoeBiz's stock! Was this review helpful to you? Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange The Best in the Premium Arrange series yet!, 2006-04-09Overview The controversial Premium Arrange series has had a lot of trouble in the past to impress a large audience. Both Dark Chronicle and Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arranges had an all-star cast of composers and arrangers, but some people weren't satisfied with the quality of the arrangements. Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange, the latest addition, isn't much different to previous installments. It featured very prominent composers and, like the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, had source material based on Level 5 composer Tomohito Nishiura, with each arranger responsible for one track. Many former and veteran contributors (Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Ito, Takayuki Aihara, Nobuyoshi Sano, Shinji Hosoe, Yôko Shimomura, Motoi Sakuraba and Noriyuki Iwadare) returned to help build the album, including two newcomers (Yoshitaka Hirota and Norihiko Hibino) who add a fresh layer to the albums special diversity characteristic. But does it live up to or surpass other albums in the series? Read on?c Track-by-Track Reviews 1) The Theme of Rogue Galaxy A main theme should exemplify and raise significance to piece of media it stands for. Knowing the style Nishiura goes for when creating a theme of this type, I wasn't drastically impressed with his efforts, even if I liked the track. But Yasunori Mitsuda takes the composer's theme and sets a new standard of creative excellence. Embodied and influenced with his hit Celtic approach, Mitsuda expands on the original's powerful, epic but, by the original composer's thematic standards, predictable melody, adding his own touch of greatness. Leading the arrangement is Mitsuda's acoustic guitar and his synth strings, a more natural and creative manner as opposed to the bold brass and strings of the original, and opens exotically and rhythmic like "The Market in Valinfor", one of the arranger's pieces from his solo project, KiRite. Throughout a large portion of the track, the guitar reiterates the same notes that speed the pace to a moderately hasty level, as seamless strings read, interpret and arrange the main melodic line. Though not all is perfect; at 1:57, an odd synthetic instrument (possibly a bad manipulation of the low whistle) takes stage and ruins the grandiose mood with somewhat hard-to-bear noise. The piano solo following is a perfect example of Mitsuda's innocent music, flowing and elegant, hardly jagged, leading way into the ending sequence when all power returns to find the fitting conclusion it deserves. Mitsuda has outdone himself once more with his second contribution to the series, and though not as creative as his arrangement on the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, the originality and accessibility remains just as strong, justifiable of a strong victory. (10/10) 2) Planet Zelard I was a bit surprised to hear Shinji Hosoe's arrangement. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing he hasn't done before in his long, spanning career, but it was a fascinating transformation on the interestingly good theme by Nishiura (titled "Planet Zerard" on the Original Soundtrack). I thought what Nishiura came up was rather special (although nothing especially unique), as it was a nice blend of acoustic atmosphere, subtle instrumentation and electronic effects, but Hosoe completely outdoes the original, and without too much sophistication either. In fact, this is probably his least complex or transformative arrangement in the Premium Arrange series to date, not being as electronic as his two contributions to the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, or as tasteful and multi-colored as his Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange track. However, the quality of "Planet Zelard" is still as great as the three other tracks, even if not as impacting and distinctive. In this arrangement, Hosoe has kept the supportive baseline nearly the same, making minor changes here and there, and has kept it on a loop. This is played throughout the majority of the track, although the guitar is quickly added in after the introduction. The melody from Nishiura's original isn't hard to pick out because it's constantly playing, although I'm sure the listener would be more focused on the engrossing repetitiousness of the background. If it's something I have noticed from Hosoe over the past few years, his development on themes has greatly improved, and here is no exception. The composer brings the track a long way from fairly interesting beginning all the way to the atmospheric orchestral climax, also demonstrating that this piece alone has tons of diversity and a high accessibility rate. Hosoe has outdone himself once more, and even if "Planet Zelard" isn't the most enjoyable track on the album, the qualities and features show that it's up there with some of the stronger pieces. (9.5/10) 3) The Castle in the Air Kenji Ito has been the least impressive arranger, by far, on the Premium Arrange series. His hit or miss contributions to the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange were somewhat a mere flicker compared to the bright and radiant transformations of the other contributors, and his "World Within Me" arrangement of a nice vocal theme was an embarrassing disaster. This time, Ito works with yet another soft and dreamy Nishiura original, very akin to his Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange work. Like his arrangements found on the Dark Chronicle album, his work on "The Castle in the Air" isn't creative or extremely transformative by any means, and it's really only different by the fact that it's more acoustic and 'smoother' with the addition of a crisper sounding synth orchestra. The melody is quite beautiful and, admittedly, the new set of standard Ito instruments help highlight it, however the emotional effect is largely the same, although Ito's take is a little better. But with all the good things going for it, unfortunately, this arrangement is still a far cry to the other arrangements, something we have learnt to accept from Ito's work over the past years, which is truly a pity because the original material had a lot of potential and a possible better outcome. While no disaster, I was hoping to have something a little bit more refined than "The Castle in the Air", and from one of the composer's latest efforts on Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song-, we know that Ito is capable of delivering a lot more within his trademark style. A good track, but one of the weaker numbers on this incredibly diverse album. (8/10) 4) The Labyrinth If there was one real masterpiece to choose from on this particular album, Takayuki Aihara's "The Labyrinth" is most surely one of the tracks to pick. Aihara himself has been very orchestral as of the past few years, his expert and distinguished work (with Nobuyoshi Sano) on Drag-on Dragoon absolutely blew everyone away, mixing electronica elements with dark and tasteful orchestrations, and his complex and elegant arrangement of "Silent palace" on the Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange was yet another successful effort. "The Labyrinth" explores a completely different side of Aihara's symphonic talents, as opposed to former works. It has a touch of the bold and powerful style that we have grown to love from him, but the general direction of the piece is aimed more towards being mysterious and impacting. My thoughts on Nishiura's original were pretty much that it was a good composition but it lacked polishing, but Aihara's version, accompanied by a synth orchestra opposed to the small tranquil ensemble in the original, upgrades and exceeds by a long shot. Some of the more inventive things found are the distorted flute which adds a maddening effect to the piece, and the transition between calm and mystifying to action-packed and exciting is almost flawless. Aihara really knows how to control the piece as the energy is always up to peak whether it's in the calm stage or the action phase, but I can unquestionably feel the passion from the composer. Perhaps the only gripe I can complain about is the anti-climatic ending. I was hoping for a proper finish rather than a fade out, especially after such a strong body and a gripping beginning, but this is hardly something to feel threatened by because, overall, this arrangement is impeccable. Once more, Aihara's contribution is a golden one, presenting something which scores top marks in all areas. It's just a shame that not all arrangements on this album are as first class as this. (10/10) 5) The Crisis Another excellent and dependable composer is Yôko Shimomura, who is no newbie to the Premium Arrange series, contributing three successful arrangements so far. Historically, in the series, her arrangements have all been dependant on simply improving the sound quality and adding short periods of new composition, but "The Crisis" breaks the tradition slightly as she aims for something a little different. Her style doesn't differ from her other contributions; soothing instrumentals and an often stimulating beat, but the only difference here is the composition from Nishiura is insipid. Consequently, it leaves Shimomura with two things: a bad motif, but room for enhancement. First thing we directly notice on the improvement side is the standard synthesizer upgrade, which is always good to have anyway, but it really does make a noticeable difference compared to the original. Shimomura replaces some of the strings with the solo violin, though can't say I'm a fan of it (strangely resembling the samples used in Kingdom Hearts II), but no problems otherwise on that end of instrumental production. Taking in the upgrade, the arrangement sounds like it is actually a crisis scene, opposed to the relatively mild effect Nishiura was drawn to. On a down note, Shimomura only adds an additional opening and ending, which both rely on mainly chimes and bells to get the job done, and doesn't change the original's structure too much. I felt this arrangement could've been somewhat better, but it really is a shame that the effort of making the original version a decent track was simply left out. Shimomura suffers because of this, but at least her vengeance was created by deservingly overwhelming Nishiura's lackluster. (8.5/10) 6) The Ghost Ship If I were to choose one composer who completely caught me off guard in this album, it would be no other than Norihiko Hibino, the underrated and frequently unrecognized co-composer for the Metal Gear Solid games. He, along with album contributor Yoshitaka Hirota, is one of the fresh newcomers to the series, yet they have provided some of the most inspired ideas to date. I was surprised at the original; it was actually a decent track with solid and ample development, one of the few Nishiura themes which were inspiring. That said, not only does Hibino deliver a wonderful arrangement, but he expresses his personal style using very little basis of the original's ambient but present melody. The track starts off with thunderous percussion and a light brass ensemble to help promote the ghastliness of Nishiura's original, toped by the classic motive of the mysterious piano that is played with caution. Only after a short period, a trumpet enters, causing a disturbance to the eeriness, and also gate ways for the main course of the theme after a short solo. At 1:31, the composer takes the challenge to harness the power of a talented vocalist, who is called harario, the voice responsible for some tracks in Hibino's solo work, Akashi. Her pronunciation and wording of the English language is all-well and amicable but a bit on the weak end, though she adapts well to the instrumentals and Jazzy tone. She leaves at 4:08, only again confronted by the crashing percussion and the daring trumpet who lead until the fadeout ending. Explained and exampled quite thoroughly, "The Ghost Ship" proves Hibino wasn't prepared to let a simple though interesting piece get the better of his creativity, as he establishes to the world his own worth as a composer and a contributor. (9.5/10) 7) Varkogu's Theme Progressive rock and orchestral composer Motoi Sakuraba returns to contribute his third arrangement to the series, and once again, like with the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, he works with absolutely ordinary source material. There are a lot of similarities between "The Dark Battle" and "Varkogu's Theme" aside from the obvious that they are both arranged in progressive rock. For instance, both have recurring organ and synth notes as well as the same idea of repeating the main melody a substantial amount of time but not without modifications and additions. The problem with Nishiura's efforts creating the original "Varkogu's Theme" is that it's not really thematic at all. You can definitely feel something is missing throughout the amount of brass instruments, making it sound completely empty of feeling. Fortunately, Sakuraba picked up where Nishiura left off and transformed it into a masterpiece of an arrangement, demonstrating that the composer can still generate quality rockin' themes under great amounts of pressure from other works. Sakuraba cleverly harnesses all sections of the original, and where the brass and strings felt a little awkward with the melody, it perfectly transposes into organ and synth without trouble. Naturally, this makes appreciating the original theme easier, although once you hear this progressive rock version, chances are you'll never want to listen to the original again. The aggression level is truly at its peak, but there are moments of chaos and madness where all hell is let loose, including nifty cacophonic parts towards the end. After his superb Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange arrangement of "The whole new world -Phantasy Star Online Episode 1&2 Opening Theme-", it was nice to see Sakuraba back in top form, because "Varkogu's Theme" is a prime example of what he can do with a lot of inspiration. (10/10) 8) Brave Heart When it comes to 100% experimentation and creativity, Nobuyoshi Sano is the man for the job. Throughout his work for the series, his arrangements have been the most transformative and original, resembling little of the original works, best shown in "Jungle" from the Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange. His work here is much in the same light, but a little less zany and weird. Nishiura crafted a simplistic epic, worthy of praise, even if not the most invigorating of its kind, and taking in Sano's disadvantage of not being able to play the synthesizer mixed with the likable electronica style people have known to love, a hard task was ahead of him. His result is something that only his fans or electronica enthusiasts would find appealing in the greatest. Basically, the real deal is that to most people this contribution will feel undeservingly monotonous and incomparable to the less-than-incredible original, but the real beauty behind it is the consistency of the development and minimalism. Setup as only around 3 electronic 'instruments', the steady beat, the background noise and the synthesizer, he creates his famous recurring and looping technique without ever getting over-repetitious by constantly altering the sound. Nishiura's melody enters at the beginning of the track, though after that, it appears only in short interludes spread out neatly and nicely and often going unnoticed being disregarded because of the dreamy effect. So how does "Brave Heart", an arrangement of little happenings, contrast on an album with a ton of complexity? It gives it more diversity and inventiveness, and even if probably overlooked, one cannot deny Sano's efforts as impressive and fresh. (8.5/10) 9) Enormous Threat The second new face in the Premium Arrange series is Shadow Hearts series main composer, Yoshitaka Hirota. For all who know his style, he's the man to call for when you either want a smart atmospheric composition or an addictive grungy industrial rock track. Here, he goes for latter, all nicely wrapped with his usual Shadow Hearts panache, even including the main chanter from series, KYôko Kishikawa. I can't say the original Nishiura theme was ever as thrilling as the title suggests, and believe me, the composition itself is nothing short of plain dreariness, but it had an interesting albeit repetitive idea, and it was this little idea that made Hirota's piece, in my eyes, incredibly successful. Just like the 'cello and the oboe portrayed the melody in Nishiura's version, the powerful and expressive voice of Kishikawa replaces both, and creates a performance which elevates above most of her choral work in previous projects when working with Hirota. The vocalist does get her chance to shine a little with a small but effective lyrical passage (presented in section 1:03 to 1:30) where she dives into an Arabic styled phase, chanting a non-existent language alongside little musical support (much like how Eri Kawai works with Yasunori Mitsuda) and the overall result is very beautiful and appealing. As for the music itself, the composer has his two primary instruments playing potent riffs with his electric guitar, and underlying bass guitar to make the piece sound darker and more 'threatening'. There are some orchestral moments at the heights of the arrangement, which sound particularly convincing with the persuasiveness of Kishikawa's voice and the dominance of the perfect instrumentation. Proven worthy of his talent, Hirota's arrangement of "Enormous Threat" is almost flawless, and possibly one of the greatest tracks on the album. Hopefully, this great piece of musical excitement will show the industry that this composer is worth more of their time. (10/10) 10) Dreaming My Way Home ~ Ending Theme Some vocals just don't transit well into purely instrumental, Kenji Ito's "World with me -Phantasy Star Online Episode 2 Ending Theme-" from the Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange best describing this, but the arranger responsible "Dreaming My Way Home ~ Ending Theme" couldn't possibly fail. Or could he? Noriyuki Iwadare has always been a fine and solid contributor to the series, already improving over Nishiura's compositions a great deal on the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, but this may be the first time he hasn't created something completely marvelous. Barbara Kessler sang for Nishiura's original ending vocal theme, delivering a soothing and 'complete' performance, a fitting song to be left off with, and Iwadare follows the melodic structure closely. Main differences are that strings and orchestration are the key components rather the acoustic style of the original, but even so, the choice somehow falls below the vocalist. Taking control of the melody are a flute and the oboe, both suiting the role, but the emotional power is stricken, left in Kessler's voice, making Iwadare's version a tad desiccated. The style itself doesn't differ from the other tracks done by the composer, his trademark appears more clearly within the second half, but I'm glad that he was chosen to arrange the theme, as his airy approach would've been best suited to it than other causal composers. Easily, on reflecting his style, the greatest part is in the middle of the finale when the electric guitar blows everything else over as a final cry for sensation, totally disregarding every other instrument and succeeds to make a point. But on the whole, this arrangement is on level with the vocal, surpassing and falling short of it in more than enough ways. Not the best conclusion, but it will have to do. (8/10) Summary I really didn't expect this album to be bad (with all the talent, how could it be?), but I really didn't expect that it would be this great! Again, like all other chapters, the Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange provides and hosts a wide variety of styles, from the dramatic orchestrations of "The Labyrinth" and "The Crisis" to the synth rock insanity of "Varkogu's Theme", thankfully all who try and demonstrate their best in the field. There were no mediocre arrangements this time round, although Ito and Iwadare's tracks weren't up to the set standards by the other composers, as explained in the individual track reviews above, but rest assured that all contributions improve over Nishiura's original compositions. The question remains whether you will enjoy this album, and the solid answer is yes, especially those who enjoyed the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange (reason being that both have similar and comparable styles). I suggest picking this album up if you are looking towards listening to some top arrangements although I see no reasonable explanation why anyone should avoid it. This review speaks for itself. Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange is an early winner of 2006. Was this review helpful to you? Guilty Gear Isuka Original Soundtrack 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : Same Ishiwatari, Different Style, 2005-07-04Daisuke Ishiwatari, the god of hard rock, comes back to the Guilty Gear scene for his new game Guilty Gear Isuka. But this time, there has been a change. Ishiwatari has decided to scrap the character themes and go with stage themes as well as hiring new guitarists and arrangers, Yoshihiro Kusano and Tetsuya Ohuchi . Now, there has been much contriversy regarding the stage themes with some saying that it was a bad idea and some saying that it was a good idea. As for me, I don't really mind. I do miss the good old character themes (like Holy Orders, Feel A Fear, Keep Yourself Alive and more) but its nice to have a change. Some songs on the album sound similar to old character themes. A good example of this would be "The Irony Of Chaste". The harpsichord intro and the continous religous and baroque them sounds similar to "Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead)". I must say that the best songs on the album are "Sheep will sleep (, if you become fatigued)", "Drunkard Does Make Wise Remarks", "Riches in Me", "Home Sweet Grave", "Irony of the Chaste", "Lady Fascination", "Kill DOG as a sacrifice to DOG" and "The Cat Attached to the Rust". "Sheep will sleep (, if you become fatigued)" is great because I like fast and furious songs and "Sheep will sleep (, if you become fatigued)" is just that, fast and furious. "Drunkard Does Make Wise Remarks" sound very similar to Bridget's GGXX theme, "Simple Life" and May's GGXX theme, "Blue Water Blue Sky". It is upbeat and happy and contains some great guitar riffs. "Riches in Me" is like "Sheep will sleep", it is fast and furious and keeps your blood moving. Definitly a highlight on the album. "Home Sweet Grave" is a half techno, half rock inspired track. It almost sounds like it could be in a racing game because it has that laid back feeling that racing music has. "Irony of the Chaste", like I said before, sounds similar to Ky's theme on GGXX but none the less very good and reminiscent of old Ishiwatari. "Lady Fasinaction" is another great song on the album. It contains some truly awesome guitar work and shows the full talent of the guitarists. "Kill DOG as a sacrifice to DOG" is the final boss theme. It is louder than "Midnight Carnival", "Awe of She" and Meet Again", previous final boss themes from previous GG games and it is definitly up there with the other themes but lacks the "demon effect" that final boss themes need in order to sound, well, evil. The ending theme, "The Cat attached to the rust", is awesome! The accoustic guitar, wistling and electric guitars just blend so well together that it makes the song the best song on the album. You know what they say, "save the best till last", thats exactly what Ishiwatari did. The rest of songs on the album are the songs which are nothing really special and the short songs which ranges from 10 seconds to 1 minute. I can honestly find only one thing bad about this album and that is its way too short. It only lasts for 42 minutes and I say thats not long enough! This album is just as good as previous Guilty Gear albums and should be in everybodys collection. 2520 Yen is a small price to pay for such a great album. So go on, support our good friend Kahori and buy Guilty Gear Isuka now! Was this review helpful to you? Ys ~The Oath in Felghana~ Original Soundtrack 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : Finally, A Worthy Rival to Match Yonemitsu's Masterpiece, 2005-10-15Let's face it, Ys III: Wanderers From Ys had, by far, the best music in the series, beating out Ys and Ys II primarily because of greater amount of catchy and rockin?f tunes (though vice versa for people who preferred the music of the first two games.) For Ys III, the music was first composed by Falcom veteran and presumed leader of their Sound Team JDK , Mieko Ishikawa, but more compositions were added by Masaaki Kawai in addition (including the three classics, "Believe in My Heart," "Dear My Brother" and "Darling Elena") later on in the game's life. Ryo Yonemitsu arranged their music for multiple platforms and released many arrangement albums. No official soundtrack was released for this version, but the audio was redbooked onto the game, making it easy for people to play the music on their CD player. Unfortunately, each arranged album lacked in quality of Yonemitsu's usual standards (particularly in the Ys III Perfect Collection, which lacked severely), not to say they were bad, but weren't some of the greatest Falcom CD's ever made. This was back in 1989. Since then, Falcom's beloved Sound Team JDK has changed dramatically, loosing Mieko Ishikawa, but in compensation, gained new talent, nevertheless, they couldn't keep up with the older members of the group. The year is now 2005 and Falcom have planned to create a remake of Ys III, featuring new graphics, new (and hard) bosses, and, most importantly, Ishikawa and Kawai's music arranged by Sound Team JDK (mainly Yukihiro Jindo, with Masahi "Jill" Okagaki arranging Kawai's "Believe in My Heart".) But what's this? Ys III music not arranged by Yonemitsu? It would take a lot of effort to impress me on the same level as what Yonemitsu did on the TurboGrafx-CD. And, the moment the music started playing, I was simply blown away. It was simply not possible to rival Ys III's music in anyway, but this version not only rivals it, but surpasses it in many ways. At the very beginning, we are treated to "A Premonition = Styx =," a dreamy and calming piano solo that opens up the soundtrack very appropriately, showing off the dark but airy theme that accompanies the entire soundtrack throughout the musical adventure. But if you thought that composition was great, check out the following orchestral version of the same track directly after. It simply surpasses and entertains far more than its simpler counterpart. "Prelude to the Adventure" is simply mind blowing, bombastic and undeniably one of the more amazing orchestral epics on the first disc. Despite how good it is, I can't help but hate the horn sample. It sounds too synthetic to match crisp clear quality of the strings and percussion, but I guess it's not such a big deal. "The Boy Who Had Wings," A.K.A Theme of Adol, will get you movin' and grovin' in this dance remake with, surprisingly, the violin as the main instrument. This track is one of the few on the original soundtrack which is mixed in dance style accompanied by an electronica beat and a dangerously addictive melody, but it sounds much better than you may think initially. I was a slight bit worried for "Be Careful," a favorite of mine on the TurboGrafx-CD version, hoping that it would match the outstanding quality, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. It starts off very MIDI sounding, but quickly adapts to the new hardware and makes excellent use of the guitar and time. Its tracks like these that make the music of any Ys game worth your money. "Illburn Ruins," if I must say it, I can't explain how incredible this arrangement. The fabulous classical guitar and intense rock backing is set to fire up the mood, and with the great melody, rest assure, you'll be in for a delicious delicacy of a track. After hearing the many eclectic action themes, we come across the Kawai classic, "Dear My Brother" and, my goodness, how sad it is. Take your time to relax with every second of the piece, for what's found on disc 2 will surely leave you breathless for day and night. If you're a Ys III music nut, then you must know "Valestain Castle" and its multiple arrangements. While this version isn't the best, nor does it have originality, the raw power is as great as ever, though I do wish the electric guitar could be heard more easily amongst the gothic thrashing of the backing of the piece. The following track, "Prayer For Kindness," is your typical, but good, gothic organ composition. It's nothing too awesome but it flows well after "Valestain Castle." Returning to the dance style, we get the totally impressive "Sealed Time," and, my god, how interesting it is. Much like "The Boy Who Had Wings," the arrangement is full of grand ideas, featuring electronica beat, electric guitar, synths and a seriously, downright astounding melody. Easily one of my favorites from the entire album. "Darling Elena" can be too touchy for some, and its arrangement for this soundtrack can push you to tears. It's a combination of piano with a variety of simplistic instruments backed with a soft, sentimental synth choir. Definitely worth listening to, even if you have to shed a tear or two. For what I know, the only arrangement on the album not handled by Yukihiro Jindo, is Kawai's "Believe in My Heart" which is arranged by Masahi "Jill" Okagaki. The whole effect that this piece portrays is very dramatic and singable (which is why they arranged it into a vocal theme on Ys The Oath in Felghana Super Arrange Version). To tell you the complete and utter truth, I bought this album mainly to hear "The Strongest Foe," in my opinion, the single most powerful final battle theme ever composed. I wasn't let down by the arranging of this epic theme. Not one bit. I thought every single little piece fitted perfectly, and the mixture between orchestral and rock styles presents a bold statement to the listener. I fully recommend listening to this track on high volume, and don't worry, you can thank me latter. it is impossible not to appreciate this superlative track. The ending themes, "Departure at Sunrise" and "Wanderers From Ys," couldn't end such a rich soundtrack in a better way. Both are bombastic, the later in particular, and they are arranged in such a style that you can't get tired of them. If I had to choose one as a favorite, I would select "Departure at Sunrise" mainly due to its stronger melody. The last track, "Dancing on the Road," provides some fun musical relief, and even though there is virtually no development, it's still entertaining. I can't spot any compositional / arranging weaknesses, which is always a plus when considering an album purchase. The track times are perfect and the arranging is perfect. What more to ask for? So, to conclude, do what you can to get your hands on this large pot of gold. But unlike pots of gold, Ys The Oath in Felghana Orignal Soundtrack is priceless. Was this review helpful to you? Tales of the Abyss Original Soundtrack 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : A Big Surprise from Abyss!, 2006-05-06Tales of the Abyss is a very special game, for a few reasons. One, the release of the game marks the 10th anniversary of the very first game of the series, Tales of the Phantasia. Two, because it is also the first ?eTales of?f game to use fully streamed equipment for the musical compositions. Traditionally, Tales of the Abyss is like any other ?eTales of?f game; focusing on gameplay rather than story, even containing the same composers who have contributed to all ?eTales of?f games since they first started. The immensely popular Motoi Sakuraba and the somewhat mysterious Shinji Tamura are back this time and better than ever. However, they are joined by Motoo Fujiwara, the frontman for the Japanese band, Bump of Chicken, who composes a little for the score. For starters, like a traditional ?eTales of?f game, the composers and what tracks they composed are not included in the soundtrack?fs linear notes (with the exception of Fujiwara whose tracks are credited). This is annoying, especially considering that Fujiwara gets a whole page with the production credits of his tracks and Sakuraba and Tamura get nothing. Thankfully, each composer?fs tracks can be easily determined due to the following factors: all composers have different styles, and all composers have different sound equipment. We can discover Sakuraba?fs tracks due to his traditional brassy style (with operatic vocals and maybe a piano as lead) and sometimes his progressive rock tracks. He also uses the best sound equipment of the three. Tamura has a fairly ambient and progressive style while his tracks are mostly upbeat. His equipment is somewhat basic; the drums and percussion is always the dominant sounding instrument but don?ft have the smooth sound that Sakuraba?fs equipment has. As well as already knowing what tracks Fujiwara did, he has sound equipment that ranks somewhere in between Tamura and Sakuraba. It?fs clear and pleasant sounding on the most part, but the instruments all sound very synthetic and fake. As said earlier, Sakuraba?fs style is very predictable, yet his tracks on the original soundtrack are the best by far. Let?fs start by discussing his progressive rock tracks. ?gThe arrow was shot?h is the main battle theme of the game. It?fs a delicious theme which focuses on fast synthesizer movements and blazing synth electric guitar action. This is the kind of style to expect from all battle themes in the score, although all other battle themes use Sakuraba?fs synth electric guitar as the central focus of the piece. His orchestral themes are also very good. The brassy ones, like ?gCrimson Pride?h are, on the most part, epic and enjoyable, while the more mellow themes (the end credits title, ?gThe Look of That Day?h, for example) are simply divine. There aren?ft a lot of filler tracks produced by Sakuraba, but some of his typical tracks with brass are bland. This shouldn?ft be anything surprising or new for anyone who likes Sakuraba. Tamura?fs tracks are much less memorable. On the original soundtrack, he produces a lot of ambient tracks which have a signature style. Most of them are nice and do their job well, but I fail to find more than a few particularly impressive tracks. Some of his highlights include ?gThe Floating Imperial Castle?h where he has uses a harp and a flute to convey lightness. And it works really well! But tracks like ?gMushroom Road?h are just plain weird albeit interesting. Usually, in the past, each ?eTales of?f game has roughly a balance between Tamura and Sakuraba tracks, but in Abyss, it seems that Tamura has only composed, to be into perspective, about half of what Sakuraba has. Overall, his contributions are a little bland but I am happy with them. Lastly, Motoo Fujiwara composed the least amount of tracks, but they are all significant in their own way. However, the really good Fujiwara tracks are truthfully only on disc 4. ?gmirrors?h for a start, is a great arrangement of the game?fs main theme, ?gKarma?h, which is also composed and sung by Fujiwara and performed by his band (though the track isn?ft included on the original soundtrack). His other impressive arrangements of ?gKarma?h include ?gmeaning of birth?h and ?gpromise?h. Fujiwara also composes the music to the final battle and the events leading up to it. I rather enjoy ?gtime to raise the cross?h (one of the last battle themes) even if it seems a little too predictable. The same goes for ?gfinish the promise?h (the final battle theme). ?gA Song ~ song by Tear~?h is a pleasant vocal piece sung by Yukana Nogami. There is very minimal instrumental work as Fujiwara turns all focus on the vocals. Short but sweet, and ends his compositions wonderfully. Now that you have had a brief read on what each composer brings, the question remains whether it is good enough for you to own. Well, the ?eTales of?f series has always had a bundle of filler tracks, but this score is almost completely rid of them and are replaced by, on the whole, satisfying and solid compositions. Not only is this a good enough reason to buy the album, but it is without doubt the best ?eTales of?f soundtrack thus far (not including Tales of Legendia because it was made by a completely different group of developers). For a Sakuraba fan, this score contains some excellent work from the artist (although for a better Sakuraba experience, the Baten Kaitos 2 Original Soundtrack, which was released 2 days after Tales of the Abyss Original Soundtrack, is the more complete choice), and for the people who adore Shinji Tamura, they should be content with his work. The Tales of the Abyss Original Soundtrack is most definitely a good album to own! Was this review helpful to you? Sailing to the World ~The Seventh Seal Game Music Soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : A diverse treat for Mitsuda fans!, 2006-04-09Overview In 1998, Yasunori Mitsuda left SquareSoft and decided to go freelance. Was this a smart and successful move? Indeed, he lost a reasonable amount of fans, but got back more freedom and choice. One of his first projects while working solo was with Square's Chrono Cross, and naturally this was a hit, now firmly established with many fans as his best work to date. This was followed by his contribution to a large number of compilations, arranged albums and an original score known as the Shadow Hearts Original Soundtrack. His first major work after Chrono Cross was Tsugunai: Atonement. The score was released later under Mitsuda's own label, Sleigh Bells, but the name of the score was changed to An Cinniùint and the music was sampled on different modules because of copyright issues. Only a few months later, Mitsuda worked on a Taiwanese PC game, The Seventh Seal, composing only 11 tracks for the score. No Original Soundtrack was released for the game, but the composer got to work on an arranged album for the game. It was titled Sailing to the World, and contained all track from the game, minus one battle track. The album had a variety of different styles, a reflection on the diversity of the world, but like An Cinniùint, the album was only appreciated by a select few. But what is so special about the album that makes it stand apart from most other Mitsuda releases? Why was it so underappreciated, and, most importantly, what are my thoughts on the album? By decoding each track separately, you shall soon know. Track-by-Track Reviews 1) The Door The first arrangement on this album is "The Door," a musical mystery not so drenched in Mitsuda's standard fashion. It's clear that this track was partially inspired by An Cinniùint; the crystal clean atmosphere only suggests so, while the synthesizer programming is reminiscent of the top notch work found on the Irish inspired score. The most peculiar thing with this mysterious theme is that it doesn't sound like Mitsuda at all, but more like something that Hitoshi Sakimoto would create. When it begins, the rich string samples and the harp sound awfully similar to the symphonic composer's famous Vagrant Story score. The pattern doesn't change, as, when it progresses, the choir enters, and once more portrays striking similarities to Sakimoto's genius. But, even though it may sound alike, instrumentally primarily, Mitsuda made the piece his own by including an original composition that is welcoming and, not to mention, relaxing to his fans or listeners desire. One can quite easily cross the composition with the overall ethereal sense of An Cinniùint and the musically variable Chrono Cross, however, it's a piece of work and style that Mitsuda rarely touches on, and from personal belief, he pulled it off insanely well. On another interesting note, the final minute sounds moderately analogous to Motoi Sakuraba's compositions on the Star Ocean series. This rich track can easily be summed up as a mixture of experience, experiment and ingenuity. Mitsuda's arrangement is nothing short of excellence. (9/10) 2) Sailing to the World There's no denying it, when it comes vocals, Mitsuda has always been a hit or miss, and this one is no exception. Most of time, the composer chooses passable vocalists, Joanne Hogg and Noriko Mitose being perhaps the most eminent and standout artists he has hired, with Eri Kawai deserving of an honourable mention, and in "Sailing to the World," Koko Komine lives up to the standards. But I can't help feel that this song is somewhat one of the composer's weaker numbers. One of Mitsuda's best friends, Tomohiko Kira helps arrange the piece (guitar only), underlining Akihisa Tsuboy's violin exceptionally well, and with help of the 'wide' and ambitious melody, his guitar makes the track sound very exotic in the least. The instrumentation is fine, so to speak, and it's far more interesting than, say, "Pain" or "Kokoro" from the Xenosaga Original Soundtrack, which is released a month later, but it's missing something which makes tracks like "Radical Dreamers ~Unstealable Jewel~" standout in the crowd. Plain and simple, it sounds as if the instrumentals are on the mediocre side. Now, the most fascinating thing about Mitsuda's decisions on this album is that he made Komine write lyrics using a made up language, much similar to what Kawai does a month later on "Prologue" from the Xenosaga Original Soundtrack, but it actually comes to sound like Japanese, although that may be because of the singers accent. Nevertheless, regardless of the good performance and vast instrument use, it can't stand up and ends up being titled as only an above-average arrangement and composition. Fair effort, Mitsuda, but it clearly is a miss. (8/10) 3) Melody of Aqua Ah, for Mitsuda fans, this is the arrangement that you've been waiting for. Yep, we still get a taste of that classic music from our Yasunori amongst the diversity. "Melody of Aqua" is quite simply summarized in the title; it's a melody of water, and since water is, at most, calm and soothing, the arrangement follows down this terminology. The harp appropriately paints the image of a large mass of aquatic marine life, all living in totally harmony, and with the sleigh bells, an automatic sign of completeness comes to mind. It's a perfect effect. Of course, the Celtic flute enters to liven the scene, only making it more enjoyable, performing a short but melodic interlude which is nothing but pleasant to feast upon. We then travel back to the ideal aqua world with the smooth but largely synthetic violin and its short ambient-melodic routine before collaborating with the Celtic flute, in, which I may add, in saying the result might not sound too pleasant to the ear, to live out the last moments of the track's first play through before it repeats again. This is also where the main problem is: the short playtime. The arrangement only lasts for about 1:32 before repeating over again, and in the theme's 3:19 total time, it could have developed and presented itself far better. Sadly, this isn't the only track that receives this poor treatment, as a clear seventy percent of the album follows in the footsteps. All bad things aside, this is one pleasant and friendly theme that shows the more sensitive and simple side of Mitsuda. (7.5/10) 4) Rhythm of Red If you want to make a successful arrangement, "Rhythm of Red" is a prime example of a near-faultless piece of work. The theme is of Spanish nature, and has a fairly simplistic set of instruments for Mitsuda to work with, including a guitar and a live performer, orchestral synth samples and various percussion instruments. This time, Kira doesn't return to perform with his guitar, but instead, leaves the honours to Matt Washimi who replaces him, and does superbly. The melody is admittedly simple, but full of rich emotion, and flawlessly transmits into the strings of the acoustic guitar, making it a very easy listen indeed. The maracas and other percussion are outstandingly supportive towards Washimi's guitar line, and only help liven up the mood. When the strings enter, the atmosphere changes a little bit and now the listener should come to think that this theme would support more of a worldly environment, which is what Sailing to the World is all about. The ending isn't too bad; I like how the keyboards enter and give the arrangement a sort of cheesy '80s feel, although easily counterbalanced by the before mentioned guitar work. Like the previous track, this theme suffers from short track time and minimal development, even though, in the short time, it folds out nicely, and instead of a standard repetition, I think it should have been further expanded. But oh well, what we hear is what we get. Without too much trouble on hand, I can safely say that "Rhythm of Red" is definitely ear candy and stands out on the album way too well for its own good. (9/10) 5) Path to Enlightment The name to this arrangement obviously suggests that Mitsuda has crafted another of his well-liked and praised 'holy' themes, but on listen, I was severely let down. Why Mitsuda included this questionable track is beyond anyone's knowledge, but it stinks of filler. To break things down quickly, this track is heavily ambient, though not boring, with a large synth percussion ensemble and a set of ancient instruments for a tad melodic addition. What can I say? If you liked Mitsuda's ambient work on the Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack, then I have high hopes you'll like this one too, but, to me, compared to most of the other assorted and musically interesting arrangements, this one doesn't cut it. But, with this mentioned, the theme evolves over time from boring and uninteresting into something more or less the same save for more effective use of the overall timbre. Towards the end, we can hear the holy effect that Mitsuda was trying to achieve, with the choir and ancient instrument combination, but it doesn't last long enough or fails to try and convince me to play along. Some themes just can't be good no matter how hard they try, and I'm seeing a lot of this in "Path of Enlightment." One of the weaker numbers on the album. There. Said. (7/10) 6) Confrontation Here we go, the first of the two dark and action oriented arrangements on the album, and, easily, it's the weaker of the two. As it's an undeniable feature, Mitsuda taps into his Xenogears experience once more to create this dark, moody and expressive track with a very oppressive atmosphere. As we all know, the composer has never been known for crafting master battle themes, and, sadly, this theme follows rather closely to the normal tradition, however, for fans of the abovementioned titles, it should be a nice remembrance. Like always, Mitsuda inflicts a militaristic style, keeping the piece in well balance, although the compositional emotion can vary at times. For example, darkness and threat surrounds the opening like the plague, but as it looms the 1:00 mark, it keenly transforms into hope, a pleasant transition, I must admit. This theme can also be commented on about the fantastic orchestral samples used; the synth is programmed extremely well, making most of what you hear sound convincingly real. Even so, the problem arises once more with this theme. Yes, it's the unbelievable track times and underdevelopment again, like a vast, vast majority of the arrangements beforehand. With short times like these, the album feels as if it were an Original Soundtrack rather than an arranged album, which should be focusing heavily on improving the original selected theme. So, as I said earlier, "Confrontation" is a good theme, but it can't compete with some of the more powerful arrangements that the composer has done for this particular album. (7.5/10) 7) Melody-Go-Round You remember "Sailing to the World," the sadly mediocre vocal? Well, this is a soft instrumental variation of the enchanting theme. Like Mitsuda's main theme music box versions on his other Original Soundtracks, the fans will know what to expect, but for the newcomers in the composer's world, you'll find nothing out of the ordinary. Mitsuda uses an appropriately mellow flute to replace Koko Komine's beautiful and unique voice, and, to be completely honest, I feel it suits the texture and surroundings of themes better than the vocal. Surprisingly, the piano addition highlights the flute perfectly, bringing out the beauty in it matching the vocalists own purity from the main theme. The backing synthetic chorals are hauntingly divine especially because the flute's melody is so beautiful and rich, so when all three acoustic instruments come together and unite, it makes a perfect balance of simplicity. However, no arrangement can go past without the flaws, but, you'll be amazed to hear, "Melody-Go-Round" doesn't suffer from poor development, being an arrangement of an already nicely developed track, but from being, at times, just a tad mediocre and boring. Sometimes I might focus out, and then re-enter when the mind is completely anonymous to the music's presence. "Melody-Go-Round" is a success and, ironically, is better than the original vocal version, and even though it may be some standard Mitsuda work, it performs many wondrous things to the listener. (8.5/10) 8) Point of No Return Before, we got "Confrontation". Now, we get something much better. Like the other its kind, this one is strictly enclosed in a tight orchestral style, and a few little bits and pieces along the way. As the dark journey takes flight, we begin to a sinister church organ, lightly leading us into the dark repetitive orchestral motif which remains always similar throughout the entire 5:00 length. Although this style is generally less approached by the composer, he adds his own flavour with the random voice sampling. It is very well known that Mitsuda likes to have wailing voices over his compositions, and some of the time, these additions can sound right out of place (particularly in his battle themes), but I feel the opposite and welcome the effect for this track. I also open my arms towards the Celtic instruments and the chaotic roles they play in making this track a decent success, conversely though, I'm not too happy with the little melody, though this is not a problem considering the expert instrumental choice. "Point of No Return" shows us the point of no return for Mitsuda who has clearly proven his worth and skill on this short arrangement, further showing that his musical diversity is certainly unpredictable. (8.5/10) 9) Hope Being an arrangement of the upcoming theme, "Reincarnation", which is one of Mitsuda's most intriguing tracks he has ever composed, I had quite a lot to expect. I liked the whole relaxing and floating style that the composer has gone for, making its purpose much, much similar to "Melody-Go-Round" only two tracks earlier, serving as a sampler for the larger themes. The main sentimental instruments this time include the piano and the bells. A worth combination, eh? You can very much feel the soft power, especially when it reaches the powerful chorus, but, even so, the power cannot be risen to the level of epic compared to the track that will success this one. After "Point of No Return", this theme is especially refreshing and is the most emotional found on the album, though, sadly it does suffer again from development problems, even if the melody was adopted from the vocal. But because we have such an outstanding simplified arrangement here, I don't think it will bother people in the slightest. As a theme so pure and small, it has a heart so big and impact so emotional. This is why I'm a proud fan of Mitsuda, because the simplest ideas go a long way. (8.5/10) 10) Reincarnation This is it. This is the one track on the album that deserves a perfect score. "Reincarnation" is the second vocal track on the album and, without doubt, the better one at hand. Koko Komine returns to sing for this ethnic arrangement, with Tomohiko Kira arranging the guitar parts. Every instrument performs its duties almost perfectly, especially the piano and the electric violin, who only first appears coming into the center of the track, but Kira performs lovely repetition which you can feel clearly. Regarding the melody, it's one of those ones where you need to listen to it a few times before it becomes likable, but you don't need time to adapt to Komine's wonderful voice, in which, on this track, she performs brilliantly, as well as the idea of manipulating her voice several times to accomplish the initiative of a world and its voice. Again, the language is non-existent and streams well with the instrumentals, so don't get it confused with Japanese. As said on the previous track, the chorus is the most breathtaking part of the song, when Komine enters following one large epic pound from the drums to symbolize and make you feel the end is here. This is one of the more breathtaking moments from Mitsuda and impresses well enough that it can sends shivers down the spine. Kira also gets his moment to shine with the guitar breakdown at 3:30 just before the big finale following after. "Reincarnation" is a godsend to Mitsuda fans, no doubt about it. This is an arrangement that you wouldn't expect from the composer, but it's so influential and easily blows every other track on this album out of the water. It's something you need to hear to believe, and a prime, first rating reason why you should purchase this album. It's that good. (10+/10) Summary Mitsuda's Taiwan Video Game Music arranged album is truly something to be admired, and something to learn from. While we get a whole array of different kinds of styles and instruments, the arranging isn't top notch from Mitsuda who has done much better in the past from, say, the likes of Creid. The development of the themes could've been much better, as seen mostly in "Melody of Aqua", "Path to Enlightment" and "Hope", but for the average listener, they won't mind as they are likely to simply enjoy the music for what it is. It's also clear that Mitsuda adopted many of the styles from previous scores like the Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack, Xenogears Original Soundtrack, and An Cinniùint, but together infused, it sounds wonderful. I was surprised by both of the vocals tracks; one being extremely well produced and one being only average, but both weren't of the typical love ballads that Mitsuda seems to be addicted to. Komine was an excellent choice for a vocalist, being superficially better than Eri Kawai and more tolerable than Noriko Mitose, but I felt that with the accumulation of real Japanese lyrics, the songs could have been better and more meaningful, but I do appreciate the creativity asserted very much indeed. The question remains now whether this is the ideal album for you. Well, as said before, you're not going to find extremely awesome arrangements throughout the entire album, but if you're the person in your family that likes relaxing constantly and appreciating a variety of musical styles, then this album is your lucky day. For Mitsuda fans, this is another quality album released from Sleigh Bells, so don't be closed minded and pass it up because the composer isn't working for Square anymore. Overall, this is an album for album for almost anybody to enjoy. Experiment and be amazed! Mitsuda scores again! Was this review helpful to you? Valkyrie Profile Original Soundtrack -Complete Reprint- 2 of 3 people found this review helpful : Redone and Repolished: One of Sakuraba's Most Acclaimed Works Lives Again!, 2006-04-09Motoi Sakuraba had it fairly easy in 1999. It was understandable considering his huge effort in Star Ocean Second Story. But things changed in 2000 when tri-Ace asked him to compose one more time for their newest game, Valkyrie Profile. So with his new found fame from earlier scores, he accepted and, though not known at the time, composed one of his most cherished soundtracks to date. He used similar sound equipment to the last time he worked at the company, and with the help of previous collaborator, Hiroya Hatsushiba, as the sound programmer, it looked like everything was going according to plan. Did he succeed? Of course. Often praised by Sakuraba fanatics as one of his more diverse works, the fans weren't let down by his efforts, boosting his reputation and showing them that he wasn't just another composer. It always seems that Sakuraba composes the appropriate introductory track for the spirit of the album. The bombastic outcome in "Silent the Universe" on the Star Ocean Second Story Original Soundtrack was so true to the personality of the game, and I was hoping for much the same in his latest beauty. Of course, my expectations were exceeded when my ears first heard "Epic Tale to a Holy Death." Much more appealing than his Star Ocean Second Story counterpart, Sakuraba once more focuses his attention on his ever so developing orchestral style, but rather the emotional side instead of the loud area which we have heard so many times in the past. The theme is simply beautiful, flowing in the most impressive way; it creates profound imagery to represent the Valkyries of Valhalla, and the choir and the harp do this by hinting a sense of holiness and divinity, emphasised further by the addition and progression of the strings. Thus, when everything is heard as one, we get a truly magnificent work of art that is sure to remain a favorite on this album. "Take a Flight" manages to transfer flawlessly from the previous track, with a similar calm holy effect, but ends up being something completely different in technique. It is the first of many compositions to have a progressive rock touch and it fits perfectly well after the godliness of "Epic Tale of Holy Death." The soundtrack, quite easily told, is dominated by the wondrous amount of active and upbeat tracks, separated into battle and dungeon compositions. Though it may be quite hard to pick out which of these pieces are used in battle, they without doubt have more energy in comparison to dungeon pieces. "Turn over a New Leaf" isn't one of these compositions, but it gets you pumped for the battle up ahead. Swarmed by symphonic exquisiteness and jeopardy, it gives you an early orchestral interpretation of the energy within most of the rock tunes. The horn sounds very complete in harmony with the strings, as if they were meant to belong to one another; I can't imagine the track's success without the use of this instrument. That aside, "Fighting the Shadowy Gods" is a testament to Sakuraba's strength in composing battle tracks. The raw intense power, while not nearly as comparable to "Stab the Sword of Justice" from Star Ocean Second Story, is inspiring and well put to use. The composer, in the past, tends to create sorrowful action sequences, but he replaces sorrow with hope here, managing to succeed without trouble. The instrumentation isn't too different from previous ventures with one instrument (in this case, the trumpet) playing the main melody, followed by the addition of the same instrument as a harmony to support the primary theme; after leaving the chorus, this turns into a short break before entering a catchy bridge that loops back towards the beginning of the theme. Simple? Yes. Effective? Definitely. The boss battle is also very well done, and also a very (in future) well known piece. "Confidence in the Domination" is a rare kind. It's especially repetitive yet remains exceptional and enjoyable throughout the entire track. Synths play a major role by emulating an electric guitar, and the composition is clever, building into a climax in just 45 seconds and then keeping at that peak for the length of the entire track. It certainly is an addictive addition to the album. Fast or slow, upbeat or brooding, the dungeon tracks come in all lengths and styles. For sure, these are the most dominating additions on the album and Sakuraba isn't afraid to make a bold statement about their presence. "Grieving ~ Eternal Hydrogen" is a must hear. Yielding a harpsichord, flute, and drums, Sakuraba creates a most vigorous theme, yet resembles something from a wildwest movie. His use of the flute sounds very mystical over the heavy drums and saintly choir, and creates a sense of anticipation which seems necessary to continue the Original Soundtrack. "Distortions in the Void of Despair" is another driving dungeon theme, and, put side to side with the abovementioned, this one is unique. Sakuraba actually adds some distortion and wave effects on the electric guitar. The effect will sound 'in place' for the introduction, but when it returns at the end, some unpleasant cacophony occurs, though it intelligently stays true to what the title of the track refers to. "Hopeless Resolution" is a heavy guitar-inspired piece. The chords played by the instrument don't really change or vary, but the synth, added latter, tends to compensate this issue with no problems. The only problem that this track might present is that it could get awfully repetitive, awfully fast, but I think the large majority of people will enjoy it at the least. "Unstable Balance" is a more ambient dungeon theme, and it establishes a good atmosphere that is almost spine-chilling. Good use was made with the militaristic drums that helps invoke the eerie effect perfectly, though an honorable mention should go to the indistinct choir and the mysterious qualities of the harp. Beyond this, the composer tends to be pretty flexible in style when composing these themes, ranging from the beat- and terror-filled "Evil Tales and Obligations" to the oriental flavor in "Clouds of Spray." Talking about the latter, for many, it stands out as a brilliant creation. I must say that I whole heartedly agree with them. The whole piece is composed well, as the melody is addictive and the instruments are well chosen, a recipe for success. The soft beatific side isn't often present on either disc (though the first CD contains a lot more poignant themes), but when shown, it seems like a whole new side of the Original Soundtrack. Apart from "Epic Poem to a Sacred Death," "Valhalla" is the first holy emotional composition. We know that Sakuraba loves to take full advantage of his voice samples, and, as evident in this track, the quality of the samples are amazing, even surpassing his sampling work in on the Star Ocean Second Story Original Soundtrack. The choir is so excellent that you can actually make out lyrics, even though they aren't supposed to be there. For the music itself, it is angelic, as represented by the funeral bells, light flute, light orchestration, hollow drums, and the baroque approach with the harpsichord. Now that you feel like you're floating on an airy cloud, you'll need to recharge the holy feeling, and that's what "All is Twilight" and "Prosperity's Compensation: An Introduction" does. Paired together, these pieces are dark immense mood turners. "All is Twilight" is the more saintly of the two. I can imagine being under the midnight moonlight, staring at the star-filled sky as this tune is played in the distance. It is soothing and touching due to the way the guitar plays so slowly over the soft strings and choir, while the harp and music box share this role too. The track's partner can completely swing your frame of mind depending on how you were when listening to "All is Twilight." More experimental, darker, but otherwise similar, "Prosperity's Compensation: An Introduction" would still be classed as pious, because it can sound very righteous at times, though mostly dark and partly industrial. Some of the better 'light' themes are the ones that have something really special about them. "In Water, Air, and Light" is possibly the "Clouds of Spray" of the innocent side of the album, as it has the same ethnic or oriental touch that made the dungeon track so special. The composition is actually repetitive and it doesn't really shine until the last few seconds, but it is beautiful nonetheless. "When a Person Changes" utilizes almost the same chorus as "Sacred Song," composed for the Star Ocean Second Story Original Soundtrack, which was, without question, a real standout in terms of both sound quality and creativity. While the result isn't nearly as satisfying in the Valkyrie Profile track, it still manages to flow freely from its chorus to its instrumental sections. "Weeping Lillies" is the happiest track, and for an album surrounded by sad or action themes, this may be the only chance for you to reminisce peacefully on your adventure before the end. I just love how the composer used the harp and the female chorus to represent the valley, as well as the trendy addition of the flute to emphasise an happy effect, but the transition felt somewhat awkward when entering after an action piece. "Through a Thin Haze," "Behave Irrationally," and "A Chamber of the Heart" are all considered to be partners, as they have similar instrumentation (music box and strings) and all have almost identical structures. The best out of the three is definitely "Behave Irrationally," due to it clearly having the most thought and power. It sounds so effortless, yet its beauty is too powerful for expression. Sakuraba's ending themes on this album can't live up to the standards met on his previous score with tri-Ace, as he fails to a make point that the end is coming; however, the tracks are nothing but pure distinction from their start to end. The first conclusive track is "The Neverending Cycle of Reincarnation," a short but to-the-point composition. It takes some time to get interesting, as the first part isn't exactly amazing, but overall, I feel that the orchestration is near-perfect and the utilization of the choir towards the end is a great addition. "Turn Over a New Leaf (Rhythm Version)" is an arrangement of the original theme on the beginning of the album. This version isn't as special because it lost most of the elegant power that the original had, in place of a rhythm which is kind of disappointing. "The True Nature of All" seems totally out of place considering it is an action track and it's placed just before the ending theme. Despite that, the actual composition is pretty decent; that is, nothing spectacular, but it serves its purpose. That said, we are now presented with the ending theme of the Original Soundtrack, "Becoming Accustomed to Happiness." I was actually quite disappointed at first with this theme. Since the track didn't have an ending (it just looped back to the near start); it just took the magic of the theme away after I listened to it. In other words, it didn't feel very complete and I wasn't satisfied completely. But after reconsidering and analyzing further, I discovered that the amount of beautiful features and arranging style could easily overshade the problem. The whole theme is orchestral with the flute, choirs, and horns playing the most prominent roles, and are supported a great deal by the harp and symphonic strings. It may not be another "We Form in Crystals," but it's unquestionably another worthy ending composition by Sakuraba. The next section features some of the composer's tracks from his work on the Star Ocean Second Story Original Soundtrack. Not too sure why he included them, but luckily they are some of the good tracks from the acclaimed album. For many of his fans, this is the most complete work by Sakuraba, and after listening to such a gem, I wholeheartedly agree. You get everything from this album including driving battle sequences, the intense dungeon themes, and sweeping emotional compositions, plus a large amount of miscellaneous themes, all guaranteed to keep you interested from "Epic Tale to a Holy Death" to "Nostalgia into Hope." But one must consider the album's downfalls and some of them can be a devastating blow to your choice in purchasing it. Since you have the same team behind Star Ocean Second Story behind this game, the synth and sound quality is almost identical to each other (with a few upgrades here and there), which can be a good thing and bad thing. If you didn't like the sampling used on the soundtrack to Star Ocean Second Story, then in no way would you enjoy the quality in this album. Also, the vast amount of active dungeon themes might not be appealing if you are the type who likes soothing and relaxing music. Concluding, the track listings weren't very well compiled nor were they thought out smoothly. It could have helped if the dungeon and battle themes were spread out a little across the album. But if you can overcome these slight problems, then why not lunge ahead and search around for a copy of this magnificent album. Trust me, this Original Soundtrack will be on top of your game music collection for years and years to come. Was this review helpful to you? Koudelka Original Sound Trax  Not Something Enjoyed By All..., 2006-04-09Let's cut straight to the chase. The game Koudelka was quite plainly a financial flop. The problem was that it reeked in sales and the financial conditions were simply unstable. This was certainly not the turn out that the president of the game's developing company, Hiroki Kikuta, wanted. After leaving employment from Square (lastly composing for Soukaigi), he created his own company called Sacnoth, and his first game being a flop hit him devastatingly. He did a lot of work for the game, including writing the scenario, designed the historical background, directed the CG cinematics and events, and finally, composing the score. Now, not all was a failure in Koudelka. The game helped inspire a spiritual sequel, a, now, cult favorite series known as Shadow Hearts, sparking the career of young composers, Yoshitaka Hirota and Ryo Fukuda, Hirota, himself, mentioning that he wanted to create a darker sound for the original Shadow Hearts. Clearly he was inspired by Kikuta's largely unorthodox music. The score to Koudelka, however, is quite unique. There isn't a lot of music at all, and on the album only seven tracks are 'musical', followed by a boat load of short clips. Is the music good or bad? Do the short themes suffice enough to raise the album's profile? All will be revealed in this review. The first part of Koudelka contains music from fairly significant parts of the game. In only three tracks, they share the side of Kikuta that rarely shines in game music, with the exception of the ending theme which was composed by Maurice Duruflé. "Requiem (Opening)" takes an outlook on the composer's dark and deep style as he uses vocalist Catherine Boot to express the melody in a chilling way. Boot's operatic voice has the ability to freeze up the body, it's that chilling, and with help of chimes that play during certain times, the dark effect is easily noticeable. It's a track that is the very definition of minimalism, a theme which is heavily relied on during a large portion of the soundtrack. I find it weird that "Ubi Caritas et amor (Ending)" is the second track. Usually, on the standard tracklist layout, you'll find the ending at, quite obviously, the end of the list. Again, this is unorthodox, but then again, so is the score in its entirety. Duruflé and arranger Nick Ingrain create a theme much like the former track. They use a choir, The London Oratory School, without instrumental backing with a deep meaning engraved into the piece's melody. I like how the group is having a muffled discussion, at the beginning, before a pleasant solo vocalist enters to launch the track and choir. Fans of Soukaigi should be very comfortable with the next track, "Dead (Title BGM)", as we see the return of the successful string ensemble ideas used in Kikuta's former work, built up of two violins, a viola and a 'cello. Quite simply put, this is a beautiful piece, composed and arranged to perfection, although not as elegant and well-rounded as some of the Soukaigi tracks ("Broken Memory" and "Lovely Strains" for reference). Still, this track is most definitely a highlight on the album. Up next are the most 'musical' tracks on the entire album. But quite honestly, I was hoping for lush and eloquent music along the lines of Soukaigi or, at the very least, the same grace and serenity found in Seiken Densetsu 3, however, I found that the music falled short of the standards set by Kikuta's previous works. I was expecting this to some extent; Koudelka being a survival horror RPG, it didn't need that same musical depth. "Waterfall" is almost eight and half minutes (the longest track on the album) of percussion and basic melody. Surprisingly, not a lot happens; the 6 note melody plays continuously with the occasional support of other instruments, including the strings and pan flute, but it's very dominantly percussive as the taiko drums and maracas repeat and loop many times. "Incantation again" is quite styled very primitively, although a little more action than the previous theme. Kikuta makes use of ancient and exotic instruments, appropriately suited to match a chanting or summoning sequence, while the same percussion is reused from "Waterfall". The rhythmic energy is nice and the atmosphere Kikuta produces takes you back to prehistoric times as I can imagine this track being played beside a bunch of free roaming dinosaurs with an erupting volcano in the distance. There is a little bit of change in "Patience" and is the most melodic track encountered thus far, in addition with some pleasant harmonic chords. It's as equally percussive as all the tracks heard post-"Dead (Title BGM)", but the real nifty difference is the woodblock xylophone that performs an almost danceable beat, making this perhaps one of the most enjoyable tracks heard yet. There is also an additional percussion solo that bridges the end of the piece with the beginning of the repeat that is also a pleasing addition. Finally, "Kiss Twice" is much like the former track but features much deeper development leading up to the emotional climax at 2:19 when the pan flutes intertwine and harmonize to an extent which is tear jerking. After the mixture of interesting themes, the albums height comes to a sudden stop as the beginning of the main course of the soundtrack commences. Following are a mixture of inconspicuous and beautiful tracks, although most do not even surpass the one minute mark. All tracks are dark in nature and most have endings (not to mention, quite sudden conclusions) which suggest that they were used in cut scenes, and even if they lack a great deal in the development department, they can provide for a short scary listen. Of course, it does help to have that extra progression in a theme, and at the end of the day, it's these tracks that come out on top (even if their numbers are extremely limited). "Scene 7c" combines Kikuta's gorgeous style with complete minimalism but with satisfying growth; his purity in the theme completely overcomes the blatant shortness with much success. "Scene 6a" is simply a stunning listen. The harp moves with such diligence with the violin and flute overplaying sad chords until they unite and complement each other with their soothing sounds. I find "Scene 6b" somewhat of a mysterious listen. There is nothing unusual in the music, but the effect on the emotions after the track has played is dramatic and leaves a certain emptiness that only wonders why the music had to end. It's exactly the pieces like this that deserve more attention but never got it. "Scene 2Bd" shows to be an idealistic theme that, while not perfect, echoing in the flaws of all its brothers, it has that progression that sticks out, and evolves like something you would in your average horror movie (starting off with a suspended ambient noise, followed by driving percussion, screeching violins, and a resounding 'cello). Some tribal attributes are present in "Scene 14" while sounding like it could fit yet another dismayed scene. It's like the previous track as it is fast, loud and exciting, but, again, because there simply isn't enough music, it takes more effort to actually get 'in to' to music itself. But it's the last 'scene' pieces which actually stand out, compared to the hefty majority of the others. For fans of "Trigger Situation" from Masashi Hamauzu's Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus score, "Scene 18" should come as some surprise, as Kikuta uses the same free choral sample. The choir gradually builds from whispering soft Latin phrases to climaxing with supplementary members shouting the same words in a more forceful tone. "Scene 17" takes on the same approach as "Dead (Title BGM)" with a small synth ensemble of strings, and although painfully underdeveloped, it's certainly a pleasant listen after so many atmospheric, ambient tracks. It was truly disappointing to hear the track build up to where the choir and the strings unite and then suddenly finish, as it had potential of being a wonderfully styled track. Finally, "Scene 20" beautifully finishes off the short tracks with a gorgeous Asian inspired theme, consisting of the always graceful harp accompanied by an Asian instrument performing a tenderly melody helped by the sweetness of the harp. Unquestionably one of the better tracks from the short collection of themes. So what's left in this unimaginably weird album? Live performances, of course! But composer Kikuta has no involvement in these tracks whatsoever, leaving the duties of arranging three of his key pieces from early on in the album to Naoya Akimoto, accompanied by a group of talented musicians. What I simply adore about what Akimoto did to these pieces is that he made the tracks totally differ from those fairly simplistic originals. "Live Waterfall" best describes the contention proposed. Akimoto changes over 8 minutes of repetitious percussion and cuts down to just over 4 minutes of energy, excitement and stamina. The arranger replaces the melody with his electric guitar, a good decision made, also complimenting the hastened pace and beat. Long time VGM percussionist and drummer Masaharu Ishikawa makes the noticeable difference with his live drumming, and a welcome one too. Kikuta's synthetic beats got tedious and tiresome, but Ishikawa provides fresh movements that never get the better of the listener. The high standard remains at a consistent level with "Live Incantation", another superb arrangement on Akimoto's part. A live vocalist is used to enhance the mystical summoning environment, switching over the pan flutes of the original "Incantation again" to Reimi Tanaka, who performs passionately with the exoticness of the instrumentation. The short guitar (sitar?) solo from 3:10 to 3:33 adds a pleasant Indian taste to already culturally rich theme, which is then followed by Tanaka's ethnic voice to the very end. Quite a fitting conclusion to a truly unusual piece. The last arrangement and piece on the album is "Live Patience". Akimoto arranged it so it is more melancholic than the original, completely stripping it of its exotic prowess. Akimoto's guitar sounds wonderful playing the melody, and the way the theme develops captivates and prompts me to listen further. The keyboardist, Tadamasa Suzuki, gets a little more attention with his soft movements with his instrument (imitating a Rhode piano), but the gentleness goes well with the emotions set by the guitarist. The game's financial flop title cannot be held against Kikuta's music, despite how good or bad the game was. And while there isn't much to perhaps listen to over and over again, what Kikuta creates is very interesting. The highlights on Koudelka are found at the beginning and the ends of the album. All tracks from "Requiem (Opening)" to "Dead (Title BGM)" are outstanding, with a mixture of choral performances and touching instrumentals. The live performers on these tracks help the album immensely and help immortalize that Kikuta can compose and arrange terrific themes with live instruments. The following tracks could've been much better listens if they didn't sound like they are carbon copies of each other. Personally, I'm not mad on the whole identical percussion theme going on in-between the four tracks, but it gets exasperating after "Incantation Again". Don't get me wrong, they are good themes, composed well and have sufficient development, but a little diversity could've been a better option. Not a lot to mention about the short tracks. I don't honestly know if the album could've been better with or without them, although I do know for sure that some of the ten second tracks could've been cut out completely. And lastly, the live tracks are simply incredible performances and not to mention outstanding arrangements on Mr. Akimoto's part. There aren't too many Soundtracks that completely blow away their original themes, so this obviously a primary reason to why someone would buy this album. After putting two and two together, Koudelka comes out as a strong work by Kikuta, but by no means his strongest (this goes to his work coming out of Square). The weaknesses are definitely a factor to consider as they can affect the enjoyable rate of the album. Buy Koudelka if you really want to hear some different work by Kikuta, but be prepared for some unpleasant tracks and ideas. Was this review helpful to you? Baten Kaitos II Original Soundtrack Motoi Sakuraba Impresses Once Again!, 2006-04-09Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi- wasn?ft a big hit. The game was co-made by Monolith Soft and former tri-Ace executive, Hiroya Hatsushiba?fs tri-Crescendo, and although it didn?ft break any new ground sales-wise or game-wise, it was a modest success. While the graphics and story (by scenario mastermind behind such hits as Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger, Masato Kato), the music, however, was perhaps the most impressive thing about the game. Motoi Sakuraba (former Wolf Team member and composer responsible for Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean series) created an awe-inspiring score. Hatsushiba didn?ft have the money to support a large orchestra (like Yoshiharu Gotanda and tri-Ace did with Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time), instead using only 4 live instruments and performers. Well, over 2 years later, we see Sakuraba?fs return to the Baten Kaitos series with Baten Kaitos II -Hajimari no Tsubasa to Kamigami no Shishi-. The all performers from the previous game (except 1, the violinist, Fumi Uchiyama, who is replaced by Reiko Tsuchiya) return to contribute their skill to the series once more, including some new collaborators, like Sakuraba?fs daughter, Mio, and vocalist Hiroko Kato, both providing some vocal work for the score. As you can see, not much has changed. Let?fs start with the intro track, ?gLe ali del principio?h. This is the third time in game music that Sakuraba uses his daughter to perform for him. And unlike ?gSo Alone, Be Sorrow?h from Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time and ?gThe whole new world –Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 Opening Theme-?g from Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange, Mio actually sings to Italian lyrics, written by yuko (supposedly Sakuraba?fs wife). Anyway, the supporting music is orchestral, and with Mio?fs touching and innocent voice flowing over the epic melody, the emotion is overwhelming. For those who do not know, this is also the final battle theme for the game, a little bit of a change from Sakuraba and Toh-ru (Toru) Iwao?fs electric power fest of ?gViolent storm?h, the final battle theme from the first game. Up next is ?gSplintered Millennium?h, a short but epic piece of music, with brassy textures accompanied by synth chorals to a climaxing crescendo, perfectly leading into ?gTo the Child of Time?h, used in the opening sequence of the game. I can?ft say this compares to the greatness of ?gNadir?fs Whale?h from the first Baten Kaitos, but when pictured with the opening scene, it?fs a decent piece of music. Without doubt, the highlights of the soundtrack to Baten Kaitos -Owaranai Tsubasa to Ushinawareta Umi- were the battle themes, the composer mainly utilizing the guitarist Toru Iwao (from Guilty Gear X: Heavy Rock Tracks), and here, it is no different, with the exception of more variety in the tunes. Baten Kaitos II has a total of 8 main battle themes (with 1 or 2 more scattered in between the depths of the score) and I?fm totally baffled by the quality of the diversity. ?gThe Valedictory Elegy?h is the main battle theme. Just like ?gThe True Mirror?h, Sakuraba, the genius he is, takes control of the violin as the main ?eweapon?f of the track. If one listens closely, you can hear similarities in the melody of the theme to that of ?gThe True Mirror?h, but I assure you that the theme is entirely original (although the progressive rock theme and structure is almost identical). There is also an electric guitar version of the theme, ?gThe Valedictory Elegy ~Guitar Ver.~?h, which replaces the violin and takes the power to the next level, helped by Iwao?fs guitar movement and skill. It?fs guaranteed to make your head bop. ?gPoacher?h was a little awkward to hear at first. I was hoping for a rockin?f guitar theme, but instead, I was blown away by a rich and evocative orchestral theme, with emotion and strength. After a few listens, I could not be more satisfied with Sakuraba?fs result, even if it doesn?ft have that velocity that Iwao showed on the original boss battle theme on Baten Kaitos. ?gChaotic dance 2?h is a somewhat controversial arrangement of the classic dance and electronica ?gChaotic dance?h. The theme is now practically a vocal with less electronica support, but I welcome the change, although understandingly, it will definitely not appeal to some people. This leaves us to ?gIconoclasm?h, arguably the strongest battle theme on the album itself. It?fs magnificently composed with the support of Iwao?fs electric guitar. Fast paced and driven, this is how I like my battle themes. Unfortunately, TEAM Entertainment?fs recording of the guitar is sadly muffled which restricts enjoyment. ?gEvidential Material?h is used within a very important battle in the game (play it to find out!), and like ?gIconoclasm?h, features impressive guitar work and structure. ?gThe True Mirror ~Orchestral Ver.~?h is an arrangement of everyone?fs favorite Baten Kaitos battle theme, and it truly sounds bombastic in all its orchestral glory. Lastly, ?gRuinous Commander?h is played in the second last battle. It?fs actually quite slow, but it?fs undoubtedly composed well with operatic vocals and heavy brass themes. Certainly, this does not mean that the battle themes are the strongest pieces on the soundtrack. We are blessed with some truly outstanding tracks too. ?gAncient Hometown?h, a town theme, is both elegant and eloquent, being built up of harp, chorus and strings. The peaceful attempt Sakuraba tries to create is extremely pleasurable to listen to. ?gWater Cloud?h has a great melody and is a powerful fusion between having progressive rock and orchestral themes. It?fs without doubt a highlight on the second disc. ?gHolo Holo Bird?h is an arrangement of ?gHolo Holo?h, and successfully creates the tribal feeling unlike the slightly inferior attempt in the original. Sakuraba uses the ethnic chanting vocals to light up appropriate atmosphere, in which provides a greater connection to what Sakuraba was trying to communicate in a tribal scene. ?gHeaven Sea Flower Temple?h sticks closely the original theme from the first soundtrack, although it is further developed, thus being more enjoyable on the whole; the violin section is noticeably revamped, serving as a little gateway to classical music. ?gPowerful Language of an Old Soul?h puts some power into the orchestral-dominant third disc. Instead of using Iwao, Sakuraba uses his synth electric guitar (the difference between the two is easily noticed), but the power still remains the same as other battle themes of the soundtrack. This is also the same with ?gShogyo-Mujo?h, except that it is a lot more guitar oriented. The brassy ?gBrave Way?h theme, ?gThe Road to a Dignified Future?h, shows that Sakuraba can maintain his impressive and grand orchestral styling, while not trying to manipulate the styles used in Valkyrie Profile or in the Star Ocean series. The three ?ePeaceful Four Seasons?f themes are an interesting bunch. They are all identical in track length and basic track structure, but each theme adds more instrumentation. So, in the first rack, ?gPeaceful Four Seasons I?h, all that is playing is the harp, oboe, pan flute and some ethnic percussion instruments, and by the second theme, Sakuraba adds more oboes and contributes the strings. By the last theme, the typical Baten Kaitos brass is added complete with more harps. The idea may seem repetitive, but the theme never gets old, not within each 3 tracks. ?gBitter Enemies in the Same Boat?h is fast and downright furious. Some may think that it?fs the final battle theme, but it really isn?ft. The brass and strings are in unison to create a brilliant orchestral power track. If it doesn?ft grab you on the first listen, it will certainly grow and become more memorable over time. Concluding the album is a series of dark and moody themes. ?gHorizon of Mirage?h is the first main ending theme, and musically the lightest of the bunch. It features strings and brass and clear concluding motive. But the real treat here is the final seven and half minute ending theme, ?gShadow of the Moon on the Water?fs Surface?h, which reflects the drama from the ending theme of Baten Kaitos, ?gAddressing the Stars?h. Sakuraba uses the main theme (?gLe ali del principio?h) as the central melody of the track. It?fs effectively very dark, finishing and portraying the evil that characters had to get through to complete their quest. In the last two minutes, Mio reprises to sing the main theme (like in the first track) with newly arranged backing music by Sakuraba, and it certainly concludes the track well, not to mention the game. But if you wait after the credits in the game, there is a secret cut scene, featuring the tracks, ?gTwo Protecting Lights?h and ?gThe Original of the Wicked Way and the Prelude to Betrayal?h. The former is only a short track which isn?ft worth talking about, but the latter is ?ebridge?f between Baten Kaitos II and the prequel (effectively the sequel) Baten Kaitos. The cut scene shows of the evil times ahead, so Sakuraba accompanies this with equally evil music, sharing a continuing and inconclusive feel. A good way to keep the listener in interest for Baten Kaitos! Sakuraba has created something truly amazing with Baten Kaitos II. The series?f signature ?ebrassy style?f, which was obviously adopted by a combination between Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time and Valkyrie Profile, is still strongly present, but the amount of bland tracks with this style is significantly lower. However, the amount of highlights in comparison to Baten Kaitos is simply inferior (the whole disc 1 of Baten Kaitos was truly incredible), leaving a limited amount of incredible themes on the soundtrack. Would I recommend Baten Kaitos II? Absolutely! While not a perfect score, it?fs definitely a score worth of high praise. Any Sakuraba fan should have this by now, but if you are new to the composer or wishing to try something new for a change, I suggest either picking this soundtrack or the soundtrack to Baten Kaitos. You can?ft go wrong with either choice, as they are both marvelous feats. Was this review helpful to you? Breath Of Fire I-V Original Soundtrack Special Box (Special Order) 2 of 2 people found this review helpful : The Complete Music to a Wonderful Series, 2006-04-10The music from Capcom?fs Breath of Fire series is a diverse and even, in Breath of Fire IV?fs case, cultural. Excluding Yoshino Aoki who worked on Breath of Fire III and Breath of Fire IV, each game has had a different composer, or composers, all who bring different styles to the series. With this newly released box set, published by Capcom?fs in-house publisher, Suleputer, all the music from each game has been packaged nicely onto 11 discs. I will briefly go into each individual score and explain what to expect: Breath of Fire – Composers: Yasuaki Fujita, Yoko Shimomura, Minae Fujii, Mari Yamaguchi Because no composer credits were released indicating which composer created which theme, we can only guess which talented composer created each individual theme. This is also the first time that a soundtrack for Breath of Fire was released, so this is a primary reason to buy this box set. The music for Breath of Fire is mostly epic music. There are quite a few tracks with piano runs fluttering over the chip tune orchestral music. This is how the series?f music started, so it?fs nice to have the origins on disc. The themes are quite short, most tracks lasting only over a minute or so, with not many tracks surpassing the two and a half minute mark, but what we get it quality, although short lived. Breath of Fire II – Composer: Yuko Takehara Compared to Breath of Fire, Yuko Takehara?fs music for the sequel seems a lot slower and, at times, uninteresting, but like the former game, the soundtrack has received a full release, unlike the one disc album which was available over 10 years ago. Musically, I?fd say it?fs more focused on stronger orchestral themes; sadly not all are impressive or interesting. But the sound quality is evidently superior to that of Breath of Fire, including stronger instrumental samples and less reverb from some of the featured instruments. Overall, Breath of Fire II did have a nice score, but I?fd say it?fs probably preferable to the people who have played the game. Breath of Fire III – Composers: Akari Kaida, Yoshino Aoki The first Breath of Fire title available for PlayStation took the most drastic turn musically. The series?f well established orchestral and epic had been replaced by a strong Jazz influence (with even a touch of fusion and rock). This was the first time Yoshino Aoki had contributed on a Breath of Fire game. Unfortunately, like the first Breath of Fire, no individual credits were released. It was good to see the score have a three disc release, which is a vast improvement over the mildly mediocre one disc CD album published by First Smile almost 10 years ago. The music is undeniably selective to the listener; some will love it and others will find it boring. Personally, this was a superior score to the other previous two scores for the Super Nintendo, not only because Aoki and Kaida brought new, fresh and inspired ideas, but because both composers weren?ft afraid to try something new. Breath of Fire IV – Composer: Yoshino Aoki Yoshino Aoki returns to compose the next entry in the saga solo (well, almost). The music is yet again another different turn for the series, Aoki attempting to add in a Middle Eastern flavor, although not without some thoughtfully composed orchestral beauties. The opening theme, ?gBreath of Fire IV ~Opening Animation~?h is composed by Taro Iwashiro (best known from Romancing SaGa 3 – Windy Tale and Onimusha 2), and is by far the most enjoyable theme on the soundtrack (yes, it truly is, contrary to Aoki?fs themes). The vocal theme, ?gA Little After the Dream?h is also quite nice, much more tolerable than ?gPure Again ~Staff Roll~?h from Breath of Fire III, with nice acoustic instrumentals and even a bonus male rendition of the melody if you wait a minute after the song ends. Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter – Composer: Hitoshi Sakimoto The latest entry to the Breath of Fire series is composed by none other than Hitoshi Sakimoto, the man behind such games as Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle and the upcoming Final Fantasy XII. Originally, Breath of Fire V was meant to be the responsibility of Yasunori Mitsuda, but he could not take on such a task because of a busy schedule, so he asked Sakimoto to fill in for him, while Mitsuda would take on the sound production of the game. Sakimoto agreeably adapts his own style into the score but also, as close as possible, takes it back to roots of the series with epic orchestral music. But this was also the first time in a number of years that the composer asserted his electronica side, and Sakimoto does not hold back (as tracks like ?gElectricity Supply Building?h show). Artist Chihiro Onitsuka also contributes a vocal theme, and while feeling totally out of place, it?fs certainly not a bad vocal theme. So there you have it. The breakdown of the music from all Breath of Fire games. If you do decide to purchase this box set, be sure to place your order soon, as only 2,000 copies were printed. It?fs great music overall and would be a shame to miss out, considering there are many bonus features in this box set (complete soundtracks, composer comments, and excellent packaging) that can?ft be found anywhere else. Was this review helpful to you? Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack -Reprint- 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : Magical, Marvelous, Masterpiece!, 2006-05-18One of the revolutionary years in Square's gaming history was 1997. Many budgets for games released in that year were said to have been reduced to pave way for one of the biggest and famous role playing games ever. That game was Final Fantasy VII. For roughly 10 years, Hironobu Sakaguchi's mega franchise has reached many continents and attracted many new fans. For roughly 10 years, mega composer Nobuo Uematsu had solely taken care of the music for all Final Fantasy games (with the exception of the early SaGa games Final Fantasy Legend II; Composition with Kenji Ito - and Final Fantasy Legend III; Compositions by Ryuji Sasai and Chihiro Fujioka; the first entry in the Seiken Densetsu series Final Fantasy Adventure; Compositions by Kenji Ito -, and the obscure Final Fantasy Mystic Quest; Compositions by Yasuhiro Kawakami and Ryuji Sasai). Final Fantasy VII took the world by storm. But at the same time, a man who had once run a small developing company called Quest (which was bought out by Square), was developing another Final Fantasy title. Yasumi Matsuno finished Final Fantasy Tactics for PlayStation not so long after the initial release of Final Fantasy VII. In that time, it was slightly overlooked because of the other major title, but the quality was very high. Final Fantasy Tactics was, quite obviously, a tactical strategy role playing game. Matsuno veered away from the simplistic but enjoyable plots by Sakaguchi's team (later, after Final Fantasy V; VI, known as Yoshinori Kitase's team) in the past, and ventured into the challenging world of complexity. The game received great reviews, but the hype wasn't particularly high, and wouldn't be so until a few years later (where it achieved a cult status). Matsuno called for the help of two long time friends to create the game's soundtrack. Before Final Fantasy Tactics, Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata weren't huge faces, but they were known for such compositions on Magical Chase, The Legend of Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre and Treasure Hunter G. This was the perfect opportunity to showcase their talents to a wider audience (as was Treasure Hunter G, but that wasn't even near the large scale production that Final Fantasy Tactics was on). And it's quite evident here that this is the same Sakimoto that will soon rise to mega popularity and compose Final Fantasy XII almost 9 years later. As for Iwata, his popularity and style in the present day can only be thanked by with this soundtrack (even today, his partnership with Sakimoto has only strengthened, to the extent that both are working on Final Fantasy XII). Being one of the earlier PlayStation titles, the sound quality of the soundtrack and the quality of the synthesizer isn't anything too special, but for that time, it certainly wasn't bad. Outside synthesizer operator Katsutoshi Kashiwabara makes great use of the available sounds (even rivaling the sounds produced on the great Vagrant Story in 2000). Overall, the synthesizer is pretty good here. The sound programming is great, like usual, and is yet another excellent work by Hidenori Suzuki (previously responsible for the outstanding sound on Hiroki Kikuta's Seiken Densetsu 3 and Yoko Shimomura's Super Mario RPG; now a happy resident of Yasunori Mitsuda's company Procyon Studio). All sounds and data are expertly filtered and adjusted and programmed nicely into the game. But enough about the sound and onto the music! The music in this game is of the orchestral nature. The first Final Fantasy game of its kind to feature traditional based orchestrations that focuses more on rhythm and complex harmony than a catchy melody, as some have come to expect from Nobuo Uematsu's previous Final Fantasy games. Both composers have a very different style, but the synthesizer and amounts of themes presented by Sakimoto and Iwata means that it is easy to get confused who composed what. Here, I will break down into a short paragraph each of the composers: Hitoshi Sakimoto composes the majority of the original soundtrack with 47 tracks, most which are arrangements of both main themes. Some of his highlights include the opening track ~Brand Logo~ Title Black which features a heavenly interpretation of both main themes, with the hero's theme in the first part, and the overall main overture in the second half. It's just too bad it's so short as it is most definitely a highlight on the first disc (already!). ~Prologue Movie~ is a superb arrangement of the main theme, contrasting both dark and light interpretations of it with a delectable new composition surrounding the rest of the track. ~Hero's Theme~ is the main theme of the hero in its purest form. Only a harp plays the short melody, but it's one of the best interpretations of the theme on the original soundtrack. One of my favorite tracks on the entire soundtrack by Sakimoto is ~Chapel~. It's actually only the ending of the track which turns me to tears, but it is such a powerful and concluding climax. Not a lot of tracks have that kind of immense power. ~Zalbag, the Holy Knight~ is worth a mention too. It's an epic theme with great use of horns and brass. ~Holy Angela's Theme~ is yet another simply awesome track by Sakimoto. Violins thunder in the background while low strings build up to the eerie and enigmatic melody. Masaharu Iwata has his tracks to talk about too, and although he has only scored only 24 tracks on the soundtrack, he relies a lot less on the main theme and more on original composition. His tracks start out with ~Blackborn Story~. Not quite as impacting as Sakimoto's opener, but the drama is much more intense. ~Algus~ is tranquil and heavenly, as Iwata manipulates flutes and oboes to represent airiness. In the soundtrack, Iwata composes more conflict and intense situations, and the composer well justifies the task with dark and moody tracks. Tracks like ~Unavoidable Battle~ are epic and get straight to the point with what they are trying to convey. The rising tension in this track makes it appealing, and the timing with the beat, in particular, is especially engrossing. ~Decisive Battle~ hosts a lot of screeching violins and driving horns and percussion, while ~The Pervert~ has rough brass with some odd percussion and strong strings which run chaotic throughout the track. The final battle and finale tracks are somewhat ranging between impressive and just average. As much as a like Sakimoto's ~Ultema, the Nice Body~, as a first final battle theme, it doesn't grab me the way Iwata's final battle piece, ~Ultema, the Perfect Body!~ does. Generally, Iwata is more successful at showing a pinnacle of evil in a darker and more expressive tone. The cellos and low strings mainly standout above the rest of the track's instrumentals. Sakimoto finishes this epic soundtrack off with some emotional turns on the main theme. ~Epilogue Movie~ is as epic as Sakimoto can get. He takes the theme and progressively makes it better and better with additional instrumentals raising the power with a combination of sweeping strings and grandiose brass. Finally, we arrive at the grand finale, ~Staff Credit~. Compared to his later ~Staff Roll~ on the Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack, this is just lacking in style. Like a traditional Sakimoto ending theme, he builds up from a strong introduction, and then after repeats the main theme of the game several times with different variations, concluding with power and aggression in either a soft way or a forceful way. It's amazing, don't get me wrong, but even a little more prowess would've made it perfection. ~Staff Credit~ is a track I greatly enjoy when wanting to travel back and remember what an astonishing soundtrack this is. After reading this review (which I hope is good!), you should now have a good idea of what to expect from this soundtrack. There are very limited melodies to which you can sing or hum along too, but the orchestral music is beautiful nonetheless. I can imagine that fans of Uematsu's music would not find it easy to adapt to such different music presented by Sakimoto and Iwata, but I assure that after the initial play through, you will enjoy this soundtrack just like any other melodic soundtrack. All in all, the Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack has too many good things to pass up, and it is a MUST for all game music collectors. I've heard a lot of game music and in my experience, Sakimoto and Iwata's music is almost like a dream come true. I would call it a masterpiece, it is that good. Recently reprinted by Square Enix due to popular demand, it is the perfect opportunity to explore this near-faultless soundtrack. Grab it now! Was this review helpful to you? Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Original Soundtrack -Reprint- 'A Much Lighter Final Fantasy Tactics...', 2006-05-19By the year 2003, one of Square Enix's most intricate game producers / directors Yasumi Matsuno was widely known for his brilliant video game creations. His projects while working at Square were arguably his best; Final Fantasy Tactics proving to have a reliable and consistent production team, deferring away from the normal Final Fantasy RPG game and Vagrant Story was easily the most distinctive game by Square released in 2000. It was in the year 2003 where Matsuno released the sequel to 1997's Final Fantasy Tactics, named appropriately Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. The game was made for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, as every gamer should know, the small system's capabilities simply don't equal that of the PlayStation. This resulted in a quality downfall for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance compared to its predecessor. This included the vastly inferior sound chip compared to the PlayStation's powerful card. Both games are set in the same world of Ivalice (the name for the world in Matsuno's 2006 production of Final Fantasy XII), but they are not connected or 'continuing' in any other way other than the battle system and the world name. The soundtrack for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a really nice deal. There are two discs; the first disc is the original sound version. This means that the music is identical in quality to the music found in the game. Unaltered or anything. The second disc is a specially arranged version of the score featuring a major improvement on the synthesizer quality, up to PlayStation 2 standards. These tracks are also rearranged with the advantage of the new sound. Both discs have their weaknesses though; the first disc's music is obviously recorded with the Game Boy Advance sound card and to some people, the Game Boy sound card sounds 'murky' and dated. But the problem with the second disc is that some of the compositions loose their flair with the new sound quality, as strange as it sounds. But both are definitely worth the listen. At that time, it was also the beginning of the ending days of Nobuo Uematsu's career at Square, composing his last virtually solo score (with Hanjuku Hero VS 3D). Now, all of Matsuno's games have made exceptional use of Hitoshi Sakimoto with or without the help of Masaharu Iwata, like in Final Fantasy Tactics. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Iwata did not contribute to the score at all, and although disappointing to some, he was replaced by not one person, but three people. They were famous game composer Shinji Hosoe's 'soldiers' at Super Sweep, Ayako Saso and Kaori Ohkoshi. And last but not least, Nobuo Uematsu, who composed the main theme. This became a continuing tradition for Uematsu who went on to compose the Final Fantasy XI theme song, the Final Fantasy XII insert theme, and the main theme on the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII. Nonetheless, the huge majority of the soundtrack was composed by Sakimoto, and the music, while keeping his traditional style, is quite different to Final Fantasy Tactics. While the prequel was mostly 'darker' (well, in comparison at least), this score has a much lighter focus. Still, expect to hear some epic orchestrations. Let's break down into individual composers: Nobuo Uematsu's main theme for this game is actually a really good one. It fits in with the dominant Sakimoto tracks (unlike "Kiss Me Good-Bye" did in Final Fantasy XII) but Uematsu doesn't feel scarred to insert his own style in it too. It's symphonic based and could easily be passed as a Sakimoto track for the untrained ear. I largely prefer the revamped version on disc 2 because of the advanced instrumentals (and the harpsichord lead). But other than this theme, Uematsu doesn't contribute anything else. Quite obviously, using Uematsu was a publicity stunt to attract more fans over the game, but I am glad they did it. Kaori Ohkoshi doesn't have such a large role in the game, composing only 4 tracks in the whole game, but she produces is good stuff. All are very stylistic and fancy, she has a style which I think is very addictive. She does a particularly great job with tracks like "Undefeated Heart", where she utilizes Uematsu's main theme and turns it into a grandeur epic full of inspiration and power. Unfortunately, it gets slightly butchered in the full sound version where it is arranged into a 7 minute track with MANY loops. "Unavoidable Destiny" is even better with the impressive intro, which is expertly done, I may add, with great use of the strings and various other instruments. This is possibly even my favorite track on the soundtrack. Ayako Saso has her moments to shine in the soundtrack too, although only composing a mere 4 tracks. Her style in the past is known to be of the electronica nature, but in this score, she expresses an orchestral style that, sometimes, is very traditional. "Amber Valley" is active and bouncy. Like Ohkoshi's "Undefeated Heart" and "Unavoidable Destiny", "Amber Valley" is addictive, and proves Saso's composing ability. "Painful Battle" is much in the same style, except it focuses more on hope and accomplishment in a battle. One thing that I can pick out from Saso's tracks is her love to use rhythm and her love for prevailing strings. They sound great together, especially when the melody is strong. Of course, this soundtrack is mostly about Hitoshi Sakimoto, so let's take a look into his tracks. "Snow Dancing in the Schoolyard" is light hearted and child-like with the flute being played on various wind instruments. I found "Marche" to have a very special theme; I haven't heard such a short character theme with such emotion and deepness, especially when the pinnacle arises with the horn and the strings meeting up with the 'cello to produce a tear jerking moment. "Ritz" has a nice arrangement of "Marche" in it while still keeping that touch of freshness to it. The full sound version is undoubtedly better because of the advanced instrumentation, to which conveys the epic mood better. "Incarnation" is the final battle theme of the game. Here, we can hear, if on the original sound version, some 'reminiscent' Game Boy sounds, pleasant or not. Not being a huge fan of Sakimoto battle themes, this theme didn't strike me any differently than the many others I have heard, although the atmosphere is nice. The ending themes on this soundtrack can't compare to the brilliance of the two finale tracks on Final Fantasy Tactics, but Sakimoto does the same thing with this finale. Using Uematsu's main theme, he molds an original track around "A Place We Should Return To". The orchestration in this track is excellent, even on both versions of the track, but the brass and the horns steal the show (Sakimoto was probably trying to express the extravagance by using 'royal' instruments). The ending theme, "Fulfilled Dream Segment" has a slow string introduction which leads to middle section focused on "Marche" and the main theme, but this is quite a light and upbeat way to finish of the soundtrack, and Sakimoto hasn't been this 'light' for a while. But for what it's worth, it's an awesome track (most Sakimoto ending themes are). Final Fantasy Tactics Advance features a simply astounding score. There is a lot to like about it, and I mean A LOT. All composers perform to their best and create some pretty amazing compositions. My only gripe would be the length of some track times, and that some are too short, but other than that, there is no other standout fault. So the untimely question has come: "Will I enjoy this if I loved Final Fantasy Tactics?" Well, the answer to that question is 'Yes', but be warned that the music to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is completely different to the prequel. It may not be as impressive as the prequel, but believe me, there is more than a hundred things to like about it. But, like I said before, the music style from Sakimoto especially hasn't changed much, if not matured a bit. Don't let the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Original Soundtrack slip out of your mind because you don't like the sound chip quality of the Game Boy Advance, because the compositions are well worth it. And even if that won't change your mind, there is always the second disc, the full sound, PlayStation 2-like versions. Was this review helpful to you? Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack -Reprint- 1 of 1 people found this review helpful : Hitoshi Sakimoto's Darkest Gem, 2006-05-21Square (now Square Enix) has made some truly memorable games in its long history. Some were unbelievably well received by the public and critics (classics include Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, and more). Some were surprising gems (including the beautifully created Rudora no Hihou). But no games have been as deep and passionate as the ones created by Yasumi Matsuno and his team of talented developers. Those who know him will recognize his work on the Ogre games, Final Fantasy Tactics and even the recently released Final Fantasy XII, his biggest project yet (with SaGa series executive producer, Akitoshi Kawazu). However, it has often been said that his work of the year 2000 was his best to date. Vagrant Story is one very unique game. Combining the traditional elements of Matsuno's games with a smart new battle system and gripping story, it was rated a perfect 40/40 in an edition of the gaming magazine, Famitsu. Like all of his games, Matsuno loves to use symphonic/electronica maestro Hitoshi Sakimoto. This has been a tradition since Sakimoto's work on 'The Legend of Ogre Battle' back in 1993 (with partners Masaharu Iwata and Hayato Matsuo), even 13 years later with Final Fantasy XII. In Vagrant Story, Matsuno specifically directed Sakimoto to use a style and motif in the complete opposition of Final Fantasy Tactics. It is with a listen of this soundtrack that we discover the dark side of Hitoshi Sakimoto. The timbre of instruments largely resembles that of Final Fantasy Tactics but, like mentioned above, the mood is significantly darker. But, before I start this review, I?fll let you in on a secret. The original sound production aspects of the Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack were mediocre and, at times, out-of-date from the standards of Square at that time. This was largely at fault of the original mastering and the synthesizer programming. However, Square Enix did a more professional re-mastering of the original soundtrack in this new reprint, by Kenzi Nagashima, and now, the music sounds much clearer and the volume has been turned up, making this one of the many good reasons to buy this album. We begin the adventure of Vagrant Story with "Opening Movie", a nicely developed track specially programmed by Hidenori Iwasaki (latterly known for his compositions on Front Mission 4 and 5). The track has especially tasty brassy textures which lead up to a soft and presentable soft section and fitting conclusion. After the next track, we come to Sakimoto's largest video game music track ever created, the famed "Climax of the Graylands Incident". One thing that bugged me particularly was the poor synthesizer manipulation. The strings sound choppy and outdated, but this is no surprise with synthesizer operator Takeharu Ishimoto, who had done the fairly average job on Yoko Shimomura's Seiken Densetsu/Legend of Mana a year earlier. But never fear, this is no track that one should take lightly. Granted, it's repetitive at times (as, in the game, it was used for the introductory movie) but the track is magically creative. A good example of what many of the darker tracks progress like is found in "Catacombs". Slow and eerie strings play an ambient melody line while horns come and compliment the strings. This is not to say that the whole soundtrack is ambient, but by the nature of the game, a good number of tracks have not got a whole lot of action in them. "Rosencrantz" is yet another of these tracks, but there is a lot more structure to it compared to the previously explained track. Low cello notes and awkward percussion dominates this track, with strings which enter at times to play melodic interludes. "The Great Cathedral" is specially programmed by synthesizer operator Hirosato Noda (like Ishimoto, he, at times, has been criticized by poor synthesizer operating in his career) and you feel he had some influence on the track. An electronica beat starts out the track, then dark, ominous cellos confront the beat in addition with some strings. There are, however, some tracks which are similar to the Final Fantasy Tactics' light but mature attitude. "Reminiscence" is emotional and mature, probably more akin to Sakimoto's Ogre Battle tracks if anything, but the simple piano melody is perfectly associated with the flute and use of strings. "Joshua 2" has an amazing usage of orchestral strings and piano. Rather than having something on the lines of the slow melody, Sakimoto takes advantage of an upbeat melody. "Joshua" is slower but more complex with the way the melody is arranged, with the addition of more standard orchestral instruments. But really, all the lighter and mature tracks are highlights within their own right. The ending tracks are often remarked as Sakimoto's finest achievements. 'Dawn of Lea Monde ~ The Story of a Wandering Person' is yet another track with ideal orchestration. The whole climatic feeling of the track is wonderful, as it is epic and moving. But it does not compare with "Staff Roll", Sakimoto's very first video game track that has live instruments in it (the orchestral strings are played by famous violinist Masatsugu Shinozaki and his string group). Aside from maybe "Holy Spirit ~ Spirit's Theme" from Stella Deus, this credits theme has unbelievable development, reiterating the main theme of the game several times, but with much variation. The arranging, like usual, is phenomenal. I could not be happier with this piece! The 'remix' tracks at the end of the soundtrack are interesting. The synthesizer operator, Ishimoto, has a go at arranging the original "Opening Movie" track earlier on in the soundtrack, and while this is an arrangement that may not be very accessible to people, the electronica addition to the track and the repetition makes this track enjoyable. Ishimoto has done a solid job. The next track, and the last on the album, is something I enjoy much less. Noda delivers something amicable, but to me, it's not an electronica based track which I can listen to over and over again. Even more so, I cannot tell which original tracks Noda arranged. Vagrant Story is not the Hitoshi Sakimoto work that is accessible to everyone. Like the game, it's a unique soundtrack, with delicious ambient-natured orchestrations, with very often a breathtaking emotional track that will win your heart. If you already own the Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack, this is the perfect soundtrack to accommodate it as it contains the other side of the famed composer. For those who are unfamiliar with Sakimoto's style, but love great orchestral music, I'd recommend this album in a heart beat, as it is one of the very few soundtracks that contain consistently high standard music throughout the listening experience. Hitoshi Sakimoto calls Vagrant Story one of his greatest achievements in game music, and it's not hard to see why he has done so. It is a masterpiece worth the time of any game music fan. Was this review helpful to you? |
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