Lurker > Haste_2

90) Silent Hill 2 - Theme Of Laura
https://youtu.be/6LB7LZZGpkw
Composer: Akira Yamaoka
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R4), VGMC 5 (Lost R3), VGMC 7 (Lost R3), VGMC 8 (Lost R5 to The Last Duel)
Favorite Part: 0:59 - 1:37

I havent played much Silent Hill, but I really do intend on beating them! Someday. I even own the first two games. This is Lauras theme, but it sounds like more than a mere character theme. I wonder if this is an ending theme or a game over theme, as well? The style is awesome, even though I cant specifically identify the kind of rock this is Ive heard music like this in the Bourne series. Dark, a little twangy, not happy, with a feeling of unresolved or failed finality, among other feelings I cant think of. This track is also oozing with emotion, in a way similar to Price of Freedom. We got the acoustic guitar, but then we have some other guitars that sound like a gray area between acoustic and electric. Good stuff! Electric violin naturally fits in here,too. The main catchy refrain at 0:40 is catchy! (nice 9th chords and tasteful chromatic movement) 1:00-1:37 is one of the cooler sections because even though there is some main melody, we have all sorts of layers getting involved with melodic pieces. Nicely balanced tapered final chord! <3

89) Okami - Reset ~ Thank You Version
Series rank: 2 of 2
https://youtu.be/IRx9gnY0Mp0
Composer: Hiroshi Yamaguchi
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R2), VGMC 3 (CHAMPION)
Favorite Part: 0:17 - 0:48

Hmmm. very lovely. Nice echoey acoustics for the intro flute call. I like the Okami flutes for their slightly metallic quality (but they dont ACTUALLY sound metallic). Right after its got some of those eerie sounds from a kind of Japanese instrument Ive heard them in Ace Attorney case 3-5, actually. A double-reed of some kind? If anyone can identify it for me, that would be awesome. I love the way they zone in and out. Interesting note choices, too... I never heard them very well until I listened with headphones! They're kind of dissonant in an "overtone" sort of way. Theres not a lot to this, but its very pretty. You got some good countermelodies that keep this from going stale. But yeah, it's very heavy on the traditional Japanese style., and in in a way that I love, and its not like I like all authentic-sounding Japanese music. Really, who needs European instruments when you can make equally beautiful orchestrations just with those from Japan? I cant formally name any of these instruments, but oh well perhaps one of the plucked instruments is a Shamisen! (okay, it uses European strings and brass, fine, but theyre not the focus) Aw, yeah, low brass starting at 2:22 I love low brass in this game. And they only get more involved when it gets more epic around minute three. 2:42 the Shamisen-like instrument has a nice lick. 3:42 - An extra measure gets added at the end of the phrase for the long harp glissando tries to graceful, but it comes across as kind of cheesy. 4:39 - its a stylish way to refer to the opening lick just before the the end I especially like the note choices from the harp.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

92) The Seventh Seal: The Resurrection of the Dark Lord - Rhythm of Red
https://youtu.be/l1gfbWYuUmc
Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R6 to MM3 Title)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/l1gfbWYuUmc?t=50

Ive heard some trained musician/vgm fan say that the Seventh Seven was the worst of Mitsudas soundtracks. REALLY? The only two Ive heard from the game are super awesome! Anyway, More Spanish-style guitar, here we go again! Except I like it much more here! Huh.. This isnt too far off his Chrono Cross sound, based on certain note choices (same composer, go figure). The Haaas letting off steam gives this such a relaxed feel. The castanets, psssts, and strikes of the guitar/piano blend in perfectly. The modulation at 0:22 keeps the music sounding fresh. The first section is certainly nice, but it REALLY speaks to me when the orchestra comes in at 0:50 and hey, another modulation! Absolutely GORGEOUS the way it moves into major, the new feel and the increased orchestration! Another modulation at 1:18! I especially LOVE that harmony at 1:30, both the piano and guitar working together. Overall, very classical sounding.

91) VVVVVV - Potential for Anything
Series rank: 1 of 1
ELIMINATED: VVVVVV
https://youtu.be/Uj8MsbgpjaQ
Composer: Magnus "SoulEye" Plsson
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R2), VGMC 7 (Lost R7 to the executioner)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/Uj8MsbgpjaQ?t=122

I initially didnt like it much, but my opinion of it has grown a lot over time! Now well, its my favorite from the game sometimes? This ones my favorite stylistically, but others from the game I like more harmonically. The main attraction of this one is all those sixteenth patterns all over the place! They fit in so seamlessly. Arpeggios, rhythmic patterns, and stepwise descents where each note repeats once. They provide a sweet feeling a lot of the time, but a cool feeling, as well. Honestly I just enjoy how they are loud to the point that they <i>almost</i> cover up the melody, but not quite! Well, some of the time they ARE the melody, actually (see 2:02) I also enjoy the mellowness of the more proper melody, too, as if its yielding to the more important material, but its still there to provide a framework for the whole thing. Ill just add that I love the way it ends, how most everything is getting softer, but the melody still stays at the same volume! It creates an interesting feeling of finality.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

94) Wild ARMs 5 - At the Frozen Depths of the Heart
Series rank: 2 of 3
https://youtu.be/ipCa-V-eVhU
Composer: Noriyasu Agematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R5 to Beware the Forest's Mushrooms)
Favorite Part: 0:00 - 2:34

Nice combination of various bell-like instruments. Nice semi-tonal cluster chords. Even the piano has some of the bell-like quality, the way it reverberates like water crystals, plus it provides some GREAT 4/4 ideas on top of the meter. Also, the piano descent at 0:57!! Sounds a bit like Ravel. Moving on, this track is so mystical and magical. The added primitive solo voice only makes it feel even more that way. There are some interesting tonal choices at 2:24 before the forte section begins. It turns into more of an epic theme carried by the piano and violins! Some of the mystique is still there, though, so thats good! Sounds a little bit Scherzo-like at 4:38? As a whole I guess theres not much else amazing that I must specifically mention, but overall its very good. Well, the piano reverb stuff is still going on consistently, so thats a big positive!! I really like when it gets soft again at 3:36...nice choirs there, and likewise, when the solo girl voice comes back near the loops end, in kind of a dissonant way.

93) Final Fantasy X - Seymour Battle
Series rank: 5 of 7
ELIMINATED: VGMC 6
https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R1), VGMC 3 (Lost R2), VGMC 4 (Lost R1), VGMC 6 (Lost R5 to Dorchadas)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8?t=142

Aw yeah, cool electro synth flourishes at the start, and throughout! Its got some fun interactions between like three synths. Then when you hear the choir come in to introduce the theme, you know that things are getting serious, and the cluster chords are great! Love that wild man organ playing! Then finally, the epicness is dialed up some more at 1:15! Its truly among the Uematsu classic melodies. Wish this part had more support in the background, but at least you got the cool electro rhythmic octave patterns in there. The synth duet continues the theme at 1:43, but what I really like about it is the cool harmonic switch-up at about 2:01 ! Good way to move things forward! Shortly after at 2:22, we got some SWEET organ rhythmic stuff 2/4+(3/8+3/8+2/4+2/4), with the parenthesis part repeating. And then it gets put under a melody in 4/4! YEESSSS!!! Overall, I think its one of the better boss themes in the Final Fantasy series.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

96) Digital: A Love Story - Paper Dolls
https://youtu.be/V60rMJQ1MA8
Composer: Harrison Lemke and/or 4mat
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 6 (Lost R4), VGMC 7 (Lost R5 to Shop Music)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/V60rMJQ1MA8?t=114

What a terrific beginning. I love the softness of the beginning synths, and the way they reverberate for five or six beats. The creates an effect of harmonies, when they are technically just outlines of those harmonies; even better is that many of these are 2nds and 7ths and stuff! Anyway, it takes some skill to make such an active melody like this work in such a setting! Then a similar bass that does cool counterpoint stuff using somewhat odd rhythms rounds it nicely. Then at 0:33 you get a synth that is pretty much the exact OPPOSITE of before. Its a bit harsh for my tastes, but I gotta admit it has great energy to it! The way the synth is divided into two parts (high and low, more than an octave between) is pretty sweet! Then the first melody gets put on top why did I not see it coming? 1:14 finally it moves forward music, with a nice contrasting slow melody on top of the rest of the craziness. Cool countermelodies in the sectioning following. 1:27 we now have a trio going on. 1:55 is neat with the stuff put on top of the 0:33 idea I like the more bleepy sounds here. But man, the high note stuff. It always stay on the same pitch class, but the way they slide up is epic, especially at 2:08 when it goes up to a SCREAMING high D and then back down slowly, but with intensity. WOW. And some more neat effects right after, too. One last little effect they do is allowing the music to fade out while the synth patterns keep going, which in turn fades out a little later, and then its like you hear the ocean at the end, which seems like an odd thing to do, but in practice it's very nice!

95) Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City
https://youtu.be/aptaoGaE13k
Composer: Andrew Aversa (zircon)
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 13 (Lost R5 to CLASS: EXPHERE_NOSURGE)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/aptaoGaE13k?t=47

Wait, zircon composed this? Wow. Normally I dont like his loud stuff. This beat Dark Man Stage and Sky of Twilight :[. But I still love this! The reason this got such a high rating is less about the composition and more about the sound production. The main appeal for the start of this track is the super fun use of the bass. I just LOVE how metallic and grindy that bass is. MMMMMMMMM. Just in the first few seconds, man. The wave effect followed by staccato 16th notes is way cool! Also we got Phrygian going on, which is usually a good thing. 0:47 brings us awesome panning. 0:55 brings us Seiken Densetsu 3 snares! Yeah, I just LOVE this section so much because of that grindiness!!!! The way everything drops down except for the triangle at 1:36 before moving to the concluding section is cool! 1:38 has those fun percussive arpeggios! 1:53 brings in a FUN embellished countermelody Way for the loop to end with a BANG! Overall, it's nothing brilliant in terms of raw harmonies/melodies, but when you electronically orchestrate like this you dont need that as often. Also notable is that the music hardly qualifies as repetitive... its constantly throwing something new and fun at you. Amazingly, no annoyingly loud beats that I dislike, either. It took some time for this to grow on me to think I voted Galaxy of Friendship over this at one point.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Yes, of course. My mistake for forgetting about Seize the Truth. I know the Japanese name of the series, though I (apparently) didn't learn about it until after starting this topic.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Yes, they will get a number. I've changed the rankings to reflect the inclusion of VGMC 14. To Zanarkand is now #97.

Anyway, stats time! These exclude To Zanarkand and Postive Force. First, let's check out how each VGMC is doing.

VGMC 6 - 1 of 16 remaining
VGMC 3 - 5 of 16
VGMC 4 - 5 of 16
VGMC 7 - 6 of 16
VGMC 8 - 6 of 16
VGMC 2 - 8 of 16
VGMC 11 - 4 of 8
VGMC 12 - 4 of 8
VGMC 5 - 9 of 16
VGMC 9 - 9 of 16
VGMC 10 - 5 of 8
VGMC 1 - 8 of 12
VGMC 13 - 12 of 16
VGMC 14 - 16 of 16

The one VGMC 6 entrant remaining is.... Seymour Battle.

Now let's see how the different series are faring.

Undefeated
13 Sentinels - 2 of 2 alive
Fire Emblem - 2 of 2
Okami - 2 of 2
Phantasy Star - 2 of 2

> 50% Remaining
Final Fantasy - 6 of 7 (To Zanarkand's fall makes it 5/7)
Exa Pico (i.e. Ar) - 5 of 6
bemani - 5 of 6
Atelier - 4 of 5
Mario - 3 of 4
Terraria - 2 of 3
Wild ARMs - 2 of 3

Everything Else Alive
Baldr - 1 of 3
Bravely Default - 1 of 2
Chrono - 2 of 4
DKC - 2 of 5
Drakengard (Nier) - 2 of 5
Granado - 1 of 2
Kirby - 1 of 3
Legend of Heroes - 1 of 2
Lufia - 1 of 2
MGS - 1 of 2
Naku Koro Ni (Umineko) - 3 of 15
Persona - 1 of 4
Smash - 1 of 4
Sonic - 1 of 3
Undertale - 1 of 3
VVVVVV - 2 of 4 (Positive Force gone makes it 1 of 4)
Xeno - 3 of 6
Ys - 1 of 4
Zelda - 1 of 4

About 45 of the retirees so far made it to R5 on their first try.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

81) Final Fantasy X - To Zanarkand
Series rank: 6 of 7
https://youtu.be/h-0G_FI61a8
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R5 to Dream of a Shore Bordering Another World)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/h-0G_FI61a8?t=8

Finally (no pun intended), our first main series FF rep falls! Ahhhh what a dark piano sound! It really helps set the mood.. kind of a feeling of barrenness and longing. Great top line at 0:08-0:25! The feelings that the music activatesvery nice. Its a cool way to explore harmonically until we get back to the tonic at 0:25. The music then gets, regretfully, relatively generic for a bit (a nice minor 2nd rub in there), until 0:49 when the previous melody from the beginning re-emerges beautiful! At 1:15 we get a new beautiful melody with more harmonic stuff I like. Im liking the last chord, how it turns to major at the very last moment, as if the music is trying to say there is still one glimmer of hope! I feel a bit let down by the stereotypical FF-Prelude-ish bottom line movement (nothing against the FF Prelude itself) thats used all the time in B-grade new age piano music, but at least its not fatal. But, oh, MAN I LOVE HOW DARK THAT PIANO IS. (it probably gains almost a full point just because of that)

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

83) Subarashiki Hibi - Yoru no Himawari
https://youtu.be/bZWd_7Ud-Lc
Composer: szak (Fuminori Matsumoto)
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent) - revised down to 7.8
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R4), VGMC 6 (Lost R5 to Godsibb)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/bZWd_7Ud-Lc?t=84

This is the one retiree where I cant seem to remember the name of the game nor the name of the track! Oh, well. Also, I accidentally ranked this one too high it had a high preliminary rating which caused me to continue the rating process a bit too late. Anyway, its a nice piano solo piece. Nice flourishing piano effects at the start and ambiguous tonality. Im liking the 4th-interval-featuring chords in the intro. Pedals! The strings there add more than just texture and atmosphere they add legitimately interesting notes to the mix! The main theme comes in at 0:24, and the melody couldnt POSSIBLY get any simpler. Its 100% diatonic here. And yet it comes across as beautiful. Its not super emotional, though. Nice arpeggiations in the bass add a graceful fullness of sound. The second part of the theme at 0:47 gives me a Chrono Trigger To Far Away Times vibe, and the bass movements are continuous now. Mild, bell-like percussion gets added later ahhhhhh! I cant enough of those. I like the subtle thing done at the end of the phrase the added 9th at 1:22 is very sweet. 1:24 we get some added complexity! The melodic stays diatonic, but the harmonies gets really active here. Nice feelings evoked. I love the varied intervals between the two parts of the top piano line here, too. My favorite chord is probably the one at 1:43.

82) VVVVVV - "Positive Force"
Series rank: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/Tp3qiOKuEBM
Composer: Magnus "SoulEye" Plsson
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R3), VGMC 5 (Lost R6 to The Sun Rises)
Favorite Part: the key change at 0:53

(I'm starting to think I like Piercing the Sky more than Positive Force now.) The composer knows the right kind of chiptune sounds to use! What is there to talk about. The music, like other V6 tracks, defies the typical format of coming up with a melody and then making accompaniment for it. It feels like the accompaniment is unified with and binded to the melody. There are even sections where there really isnt much of a melody, such as at 1:49. Sometimes the melody takes the backseat, then it comes to the forefront later. The beginning is cool because there are (kind of) two melodies going on in the background before the melody comes to the forefront at 0:13. It keeps building and then it has an AWESOME key change at 0:54. I love the change of feel at 1:08 - I really love the new material there. It dies down before the main idea comes back to entertain us one more time. I enjoy the last little bit of melody at the very end the trill in particular. All in all, a very rewarding piece of music to listen to


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

85) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - Staff Credits
Series ranking: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/N8nCEDyGHKk?t=99
Composer: Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, or Koji Kondo
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 3 (Lost R4), VGMC 6 (Lost R3), VGMC 7 (Lost R5 to Oil & Sweat)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/N8nCEDyGHKk?t=204, maybe?

Irish jig! If that was all there was to it, Id get bored pretty quickly, but a lot of neat stuff gets added! Really, you could say this ending theme is about everything else. Still, I like the guitar (lute?) chords (4ths-based) ostinato I honestly never get tired of it. It evidently lends itself well to variations in harmony. It gradually adds one little idea at a time, until the next thing you know, its playing various themes. But yeah, I like the fact that the developing stuff is in the background, as opposed to the forefront. Until 1:54, at least. Then it starts displaying various themes from the game all I can say is between the dance feel and the sustained low strings, the presentation of those three themes work very nicely. Its been too long since Ive played this game, so the only theme that I know where it plays in the game is the sailing theme. The composer had lots of fun with the string synth harmonies, for sure. Notable is that there are two keys going on at once here! (both are represented by the guitar chord) Interesting how the sailing theme relies on those two notes the guitar doesclever. I'm loving the oboe/bassoon/violin trio interaction at 3:24! Yummy thick low chords shortly following lots of use of the 4th in them, which works because that chord omits the 3rd (3rd+4th at the same time creates a major CLASH). Okay, Im probably boring you now. Once we get to the ending, when everything drops out and you have Zelda's lullaby going...oh, MAN, the feelings. Nostalgia! Zeldas lullaby is my favorite music from Link to the Past, by the way. https://youtu.be/2j68QmOjUpE

84) NieR - Song of the Ancients ~ Fate
Series rank: 3 of 5
https://youtu.be/ady--PNMsfI
Composer: ??? ( produced by Kelichi Okabe)
Vocalist: Emi Evans
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R5 to The Extreme)
Favorite Part: All the vocal stuff!

The standard Nier drums always set a dramatic mood! Who could possibly dislike them? The little chimes interspersed among them are so lovely, though! Lovely duet going, too. The singing is calm, but also intense (if that makes any sense hey, that rhymed!). The secondary dominants like at 1:36 are nice, and I love those call-and-responses such as at 0:30-0:32. Good string writing, especially with what they do between phrases (most especially at places like 1:26 very energized!). Strings taking over makes a nice intermediate section. At 2:46 the guitars and piano provide a fine texture there!


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I haven't watched any of these, but I had a dream last night about watching a Mario 64 speedrun. The only thing I remember is that finding an avocado to eat in Bob-omb Battlefield was critical to the speedrun's success!

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I've NEVER heard of a mis-spelling get more search results than the correct spelling, though! But it is true that Stickerbrush has more of a ring to it.

Oh, yeah, and I just finished a write-up for a certain VGMC XIV retiree... I took me way too long to fully appreciate it, but I am absolutely FLABBERGASTED by how good it is now! :) :) :)

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Oh, ok.

*googles Stickerbush Symphony*
DID YOU MEAN: Stickerbrush Symphony

Wow. Also, there more results for Stickerbrush Symphony than Stickerbush Symphony....

Here' something interesting:
https://twitter.com/david_wise/status/940515439649665024?lang=en

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

87) Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Bramble Blast
Series ranking: 3 of 5 (DKC)
Series ranking: 3 of 4 (Smash Bros.)
https://youtu.be/G3rnyqI7dFc
Composer: David Wise, arr. By Michiko Naruke
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R2), VGMC 6 (Lost R5 to Sburban Jungle)
Favorite Part: 1:00 through the end

Apparently "ranking" is the correct term, not "rank". Language is not my forte. Brawl may be considered the worst Smash, but it had Solid Snake, and BOY did the game have some good remixes. Yeah, I prefer the original Stickerbrush Symphony, but this is still worth your time. It starts off familiar enough (ambient cluster chords), but then you got acoustic guitar stuff...very different. It quickly turns into a Blue-grassy feel. But it takes off during the added guitar solo whoa, what a melody fancy, I like its rhythmic patterns! And the violin comes in and plays something a bit more melodic pretty. I like it because of how simple it is. The string pizzs then introduce the real melody at 0:59. Then it goes back between violins and cello (melodic vs. percussive contrast) lovely. I actually like this even more than the first half. Bass is quite adventurous at times...I like that! Cool new secondary dominant at 1:22-1:24 (a cool ambient synth comes in at this time as well) Fun percussive stuff at 1:25! The music adds a GREAT major 7th chord at 1:40 before it heads to the last bit of the theme before it loops. This music uses the melodies a lot more continuously compared to the original, which Id say is a necessary thing in this new style. Overall, its cool to hear an acoustic version of Stickerbrush, avoiding stuff like electric guitars.

86) Super Smash Bros. Brawl - King Dededes Theme
Series ranking: 2 of 3 (Kirby)
Series ranking: 2 of 5 (Smash Bros.)
https://youtu.be/rhz2tYUGX2o
Composer: Jun Ishikawa, arr. by Yoko Shimomura
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R5 to MM3 Title)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/rhz2tYUGX2o?t=26

Thats right. I keep forgetting there are two (actually, THREE now) retired Kirby tracks on the list. King Dededes is absolutely one of the best classic Kirby themes! Ive heard someone say this is a nothing remix, but I disagree I think thats not the right perspective. Its meant to be an enhanced version of the original theme, nothing more, nothing less (basically). Im not going to penalize it for that. I mean, I'm rating the music purely based on enjoyment. It starts with a cute xylophone ascent! Abouncy beat is created through the bass with its continuous eighth notes, snare, guitar, and low brass. Oh, yeah, and the guitar does a cool 5-on-2 pattern! (kind of an easter egg, not too important) Other than that, its mostly about the melody! A little two eighth note motif carries the first phrase (which repeats) including echoes of it. The following section is even better. In fact, I get so excited about 0:26 every time I listen. Its so ridiculously simple, but its seriously one of the catchiest bits of music in ANY video game! I cant get over how great it is! The second half of the theme (0:39) is off-the-wall, for sure. It outlines some non-standard notes including an unexpected leap of a major 7th to a raised sixth note on the scale, then goes back and jokingly goes back to do a few standard notes, all this with a swing feel. Yeah. And then afterwards does a little bit more of that moves up in a slow triplet to a gliss to a major tonic chord? Wait, isnt this music supposed to be minor? Then it goes and finishes it up a little bit more normally (back to minor tonic). Then it kind of repeats some of the material with a little bit different use of sounds, but Ive talked enough already. The music is so quirky, so bouncy, I LOVE IT!

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Well, at least this is going fast compared to Mycro's ranking topic. >_> But it's reassuring that someone is still following this.

I only have write-ups through VGMC XIII completed right now. I'm at the point where I have to listen-to/rate music (three times at least) and do write-ups for the sixteen VGMC XIV retirees, my top ten VGMC XIII non-retirees, at least five Pokemon write-ups and at least three Ace Attorney write-ups. But once that gets all done, things will go much faster. More specific progress is that listening for the purpose of rating is like 1/2 of the way done, and I've done seven VGMC XIV retiree write-ups.

But yeah, I have this OCD thing where I have to do write-ups before actually rating the music.... the reason is that I often learn more about the music when writing about it. Edit: Actually, that's not really true. It's only true if I know which music I'm going to do write-ups for beforehand. Like, with VGMC XIII music I'm not really sure what my top ten is going to be right now, so of course I have to go through and rate my preliminary top 20 before determining which 10 write-ups to do.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

There are no stats. It will be 100% cheating.

Edit: Oh, wait, I guess that is a stat.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

(Late saying this) I didn't realize ded and wed were so highly regarded. The reason they didn't end up higher wasn't an issue with how they were made--it was a style issue. I'm simply not into trance edm music. I suppose an 8 rating is really good considering that!

89) Chrono Trigger - Time Circuits (Enhasa)
Series rank: 3 of 4
https://youtu.be/uzjvqzDaK0c
Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda
Score: 8.2/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R3), VGMC 2 (Lost R1), VGMC 3 (Lost R6 to Diving)
Favorite Part: The bell-like arpeggios

Its a truly enchanting piece of music. Sometimes I forget this was on SNES. I don't know what to call any of the instruments used, but they were carefully selected, thats for sure. The melodic patterns played by the bell/xylophone-like instrument is simply MAGICAL. Mitsuda loves that fourth interval in his patterns, doesnt he? (Boss Battle 1 does something similar) Then the sitar-like instrument evokes an exotic/slightly primitive aura, perfect for a magical society. Seriously, this theme is a big reason why 12000 B.C. is my favorite part of the game. Then the choir takes over with gorgeous chords MORE magic! Mitsuda always has that knack of being able to create very natural melodies that emphasize the 7th/9th/tritone of the harmonies underneath. Sound quality-wise its among the best SNES music there is.

88) Umineko no Naku Koro ni 1 - goldenslaughterer
Series rank: 4 of 15
https://youtu.be/xAupQUUglkU
Composer: zts
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R3), VGMC 9 (Lost R4), VGMC 10 (Lost R3), VGMC 11 (Lost R6 to Emil Karma)
Favorite Part: The first minute, as well as https://youtu.be/xAupQUUglkU?t=100

Great initial sound effects sounds like a black hole. Classic Umineko wind chimes leitmotif cant go wrong with that. I dislike certain loud beats, true, but I LOVE the main beat in this one (0:14). It doesnt have the heavy dosage of edm trance compared to some other zts tracks, so this track ended up higher. The chime at 0:43, the way it reverberates. gives me the chills! More wind chimes, and then the music goes in double time! Things are getting serious now! At 1:41, we get a major shift: the juxtaposing of the harpsichord vs. organ (cool open chords) is awesome. Add the GREAT piano patterns and we have an all-star keyboard affair! Harpsichord and synth combine with the bass from the start, and you got a unique sound going. Extra beat at 2:38 is cool, to help transition into something different! 2:40s chorus is haunting, especially the lower parts of it, whoa. =O And then comes that same squashy beat again that I love. But yeah, maybe its not too impressive as a composition, but the atmosphere is really something special!


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

91) Chrono Cross - Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World
Series rank: 4 of 4
https://youtu.be/MV-FvxoR1PQ
Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda
Score: 8.2/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R7 to Scars of Time)
Favorite Part: All of it.

Well, SOMETHING has to be ranked last among Mitsudas list of fantastic works! Simply amazing what Mitsuda put together.. We got that rich fretless bass, the choir synth, the PERFECT acoustic guitar, and the delightfully warm violin, all combining into a rare musical experience. What a relaxing, beautiful, subtly magical atmosphere. Slightly forlorn, too, but not depressing. This is the PERFECT music for meditation! I especially love that guitar rhythmic pattern from 0:07 - 0:12. Then theres the stylish bass at 0:43 - 0:45! The melody is simple and stays in its low register to maintain the atmosphere. Too bad the loop is only about a minute long.not that I would penalize it for that, but it would have been cool if it added a few more ideas. I guess the only negative is that...well, its kind of boring. Its best for when I want to relax, not so much for when Im in a music-listening mood these days. Thats probably why its the bottom of the Mitsudas. But I still LOVE it! Yeah, when I encountered this many years ago playing Chrono Cross, I would just sit there soaking it in for several minutes.

90) jubeat knit - Shining Wizard
https://youtu.be/ZLlFv47lwGk
Composer: 96 (Daisuke Kurosawa)
Score: 8.2/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 7 (Lost R2), VGMC 8 (Lost R5 to Zero-Two)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/ZLlFv47lwGk?t=93

Turns out this is one of the very first rhythm game tracks to retire. What a shame Board 8 didnt like this kind of stuff in the past! It gots some somber classical piano at the start, yay. Then from nothing comes a growth of a simple run up-and-down a half scale on piano from which most of the music is based on. It sounds like something some random middle school student would devise, but it works better than I thought it could! In fact, the unusual meter (3/8+5/8+3/8+4/8 ) that came from that idea is compelling! FRANTIC MADNESS! This would be ridiculously fun to play! Reminds me of prog music. At 1:33 we get some new stuff, but yay, the fun meter continues for a while longer! It continues some of the same half-scale idea, but a lot of new things addedI love how the bass and drums support it. Especially how they tastefully emphasize certain off-beats, so GROOVY. :):);) Yes, especially the emphasis Nice call-and-response between guitar and piano at 1:45.! Piano and guitar then double the melody for a while. At 2:07 it goes into 4/4. Boo. This is a bit boring. 2:44 takes us back to the start again, but this time guitars carry the same forlorn feeling. I enjoy the echoey acoustics there. Then the idea gets used at half-time for a while (sort of), and we hear more of the good stuff once again.


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I can't verify it on bracketmaker anymore since it's gone, so who did Dorchadas face in R1 of that contest?

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I have now added the sixteen VGMC XIV retirees to the list! Just give me a little time to do those. Some of them will have to be added to the list retroactively. Also, I found new Youtube recordings for a bunch of tracks that were deleted... RIP SupraDarky.

93) Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - The Price of Freedom
https://youtu.be/ptoXaf-6tLs
Series rank: 7 of 7
https://youtu.be/MOJ91H4mraU
Composer: Takeharu Ishimoto
Score: 8.2/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R2), VGMC 3 (Lost R3), VGMC 4 (Lost R6 to Hope)
Favorite Part: The acoustic guitar melody

Finally we get our first Final Fantasy track! (What can I say, I love all of the FF retirees!) Great use of acoustic guitar! Simple ideas,simple drumming, but it comes together nicely. This one is packed with emotion, without which it would have gotten a much lower rating. Its very repetitive. But thats not such a big negative here.. , and I love how it ends on the 7th at the end! Still, the acoustic guitar melody (idea #1) is absolute GOLD. Also, the guitar chords there are lovely. Its got a catchy rhythmic pulse, most notably the accent on the 4th beat! Very nice. Its so laid back and chill. But you can definitely sense sadness in there, as well. Ive never played Crisis Core, but Im guessing this is connected to a certain scene involving Zack, a scene also used in FFVII. (not a particularly bold guess, though, considering the title of the track!) At 0:49 I really like those squeaking glisses going on in the electric bass. Then you got idea #2, a nice contrast played by the electric a cool repetitive idea supported by changing harmonies. I also need to mention the reverberating at 1:36 great effect used and works great as a climax! LOVE IT! At 2:56 a cool countermelody gets added (I keep forgetting it exists)!!!

92) Shikkoku no Sharnoth - Dorchadas
https://youtu.be/ptoXaf-6tLs
Composer: Blueberry&Yogurt (apparently)
Score: 8.2/10 (Great)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R1), VGMC 5 (Lost R3), VGMC 6 (Lost R8 to Zero (Ace Combat))
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/ptoXaf-6tLs?t=30

Great style it sounds like Celtic folk dance music, but a little more modern due to the electric orchestration being added. Violin and concertina carry that style nicely. The alternating 2/2/2 and 3/3 meter is typical for this kind of music, but its a big plus, regardless! The guitar and fretless bass fit in perfectly, too. 0:31 has those synth pad-like sounds. YUMMY! The entire instrumentation feels so good! Its a good mix of acoustic/eletric (more emphasis on the acoustic) The bass in the second section is yummy I dig the change in style and meter, too. At 0:48 into more upbeat stuff, and the added drums in the transition is so charming and makes me want to dance around! Now the folksy singer has pop-style vocal layers beneath...hey, it works. The little intermediary section at 1:42 comes out of the blue, but boy, those harmonies! It definitely adds some depth, despite how short it is. Only minor complaint is that the upbeat section is a bit repetitive...and then it repeats it over and over towards the end as if the melody is THAT AMAZING, but its not really! All and all, it's a classic, but there's better folk dance vgm out there!

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Very good performance by Geofront 4! It's looking like the favorite to win Bracket D.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

azuarc posted...

More like Massive X_X!

lolz. I'm sad it lost, though, because I loooooove weird tonality in music! It started making a comeback towards the end there, but kaonashi and plasman put the final nails in the coffin. But I was far more nervous about SDMB vs. Pressure Cooker... I've never been so anxious about a vgm match before, and all day I had the sneaking suspicion of a comeback, even though that didn't end up happening. It was also the one and only time I've ever tracked a VGM voting topic! And I had no appetite all day....

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Wow.
.
.
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Is this a dream?

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I'm happy for Moonstruck Blossom, which is, in my mind, the pinnacle of Kirby music. Every time I listen to it I hear something new. Moonstruck/Thermo may very well be my personal favorite match of the contest if we're talking the sum total of how much I like the music.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Somehow it warms my soul that kaonashi would go against Einhander of all things to vote for Moonstruck.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Sneaky pun you put in there, rwlh.


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

The wildcards allowed us to test the accuracy of x-stats to some extent! And transitity, too, I suppose, if we look at inidividual voters rather than vote count. I've yet to really test much of it, though.

First match I'm pretty confident in my vote decision, but it's a weird day so I guess I'll listen to them both again tomorrow. Thermosphere has continued to grow on me, and it's honestly probably top five in the whole bracket at this point, with some chance (maybe >5%) at ending up as my #1. (Yeah, I still haven't bothered ranking my top music from this contest) Either result I'm happy with because it's an actual nom vs. a planned nom of which deo beat me to the punch!

Thermosphere
The Filthy Mind (Theme of the Hive Mind)

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Super Mario Bros. 3

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I think there is a difference between posting a vote tally in the voting topic and keeping a vote tally in azuarc's spreadsheet. I feel that it's non-regulars who are more likely to take advantage of a vote tally, and they're less likely to be aware of it being on the main spreadsheet. It would be nice if people didn't discuss current vote tallies in discord, though.

Regarding original nominations successes, it was just meant to be fun, not meant to elevate anyone over anyone else. Even if all my nominations lost I would have still kept doing it. Truth to be told, if I did stats for all nominations including supports, results would be a lot more homogeneous, thus it wouldn't be as fun. Then again, maybe I should include both numbers...


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

I don't have any nominations yet, but the concept of this contest really appeals to me because it's spoiler-free!

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Yes.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

NFUN posted...

Killed SupraDarky

That makes me sad.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Partizans
Sky Tower

Everything today is excellent! Second match is close... funny thing is that I prefer the main part of Endeavour over the main part of Sky Tower, but it's the OTHER stuff that brings Sky Tower over the top.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

My personal average R1 loser ratings: 7.05
Average R2 loser ratings: 7.48
Average R3 loser ratings: 7.86
Average score of everything that's made R4: 8.2

Not bad. Okay, time to revisit how everyone's nominations are doing at the end of Round 3! The following users have nominations remaining:

deo: 4 of 7
cako: 1 of 6
dowolf: 2 of 4
FL81: 1 of 2
Haste: 2 of 6
Hbthebattle: 1 of 2
kaonashi: 2 of 4
Kentucky Cried Ficken: 1 of 3
Kiko: 2 of 2
Eglat: 1 of 3
NFUN: 1 of 10
Pablo: 1 of 5
Prody: 1 of 4
Raetsel: 1 of 2
Mycro: 6 of 7
Tsunami: 1 of 7
xarlable: 1 of 7
xp: 3 of 8

55 users had something make the bracket. Just 18 of them have a nomination to make at least Round 4. Just seven users have at least two nominations knocking on the retirement door. Wow @ Mycro! He didn't lose anything since the demise of Hinagiku in round 1 until just yesterday. Also, it's notable that Kikoman hasn't lost either of his songs yet, Flotage and YO-KAI Disco! What a shame he only voted in a few matches early on. And...er, TRE and P0 had quite a few noms, but unfortunately all are out.


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Whoops, I guess the autoplay moved to the MGS3 Theme by the time I copied the URL. Here's what I was actually writing about!

https://youtu.be/QiPon8lr48U

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

....Nah.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Should I switch my vote...?

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

nominate bad game with a good soundtrack.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Good question. I might as well, since I will already be patching in other stuff.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

EXEC_Z sounds really good today! Its opponent is way too good, though. Match 1 is way too good, too.

GUERRANT-OFENZA-SUPRONT-UNNE
-[Deoxyribose]-

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Nononono! How heartbreaking to see them both lose by one vote, especially Apostle's Maraud. Congrats to Rude Buster and TIGAR, nonetheless. They are great pieces of music.

---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Exa Pico

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

153 lbs, even though I've been as low as 125 as an adult.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

95) Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - Sunshine Coastline
Series rank: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/dNgph1g422Q
Composer: Takahiro Unisuga
Score: 8.1/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 11 (Lost R4), VGMC 12 (CHAMPION)
Favorite Part: All of it, really

This was a bit difficult to rate, as my feelings toward it vary greatly from day to day. (my first rating was 8.5, then 7.6, then 8.3) It starts with an overused new age piano/atmospheric chord progression, but with metal, I actually dont mind it too much! I actually enjoy the bass guitars duet around that hearing them descend from the tonic the fourth is for some reason very SATISFYING to my ear. The rhythmic pulse works really well for some unknown reason. The piano patterns are nice (I like the particular notes that get outlined, kinda 4ths-based). Nice atmospheric synths make a HUGE difference. All of these combine for a VERY impressive overall sound. Nice melody played by a great sounding synth at 0:17! Phrase ending rhythms are yeah! In the next section, the V/VI at 0:43 is very nice! (it happens in other places, too!) At 0:46 the new countermelody is so much FUN. At 1:19 all the offbeats in the rhythm section make the music come alive! (especially the two consective offbeats at 1:33) 1:33 - 1:41 - moves in an unexpected harmonic direction there! Finally, we hit the climax at 1:44! What weird dissonances in the background are we sure the composer didnt mess up at 1:53, wth? But yeah, this whole section makes me feel so LIVELY inside. I enjoy the elongated resolve to the tonic at 2:12! Next section has cool echoey offbeat stuff in the background LOVE IT! Makes a huge difference.

94) VVVVVV - Piercing the Sky
Series rank: 3 of 4
https://youtu.be/qq9CD5kdI5I
Composer: Magnus "SoulEye" Plsson
Score: 8.1/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 6 (Lost R6 to Dorchadas)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/qq9CD5kdI5I?t=137

So groovy, but with a touch of emotion added. Mmmm, those full string chords at the start! The way they play the theme underneath the louder chiptune patterns is cool! That kind of thing is what VVVVVV likes to do. Then the chiptune (bad terminology, I know! Im talking about the NES-like sounds) takes it from there with continued help from the strings. The melody is really stylish at 0:49 nice glissandos in there. It goes into straight chiptune for a while before the strings come back again. It then repeats some similar ideas, but this time with countermelodies added to it! I just love this music every detail is so tasteful. The blending of sounds is just fantastic, and the way instruments or melodies weave in and out of focus is really neat. I cant believe this ended up in the bottom half.


---

"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Wow, 46 votes yesterday huh? And wow, what a demolishing DBF did upon PROGRAM.

At first I didn't believe you regarding Geofront 4 and Fire Island being exactly tied, but they are!

I will shortly be posting rating statistics involving all the users who have rated or ranked music in this contest! I have collected virtually everything that has been posted in the match topics. Some users only rated the 64 tracks that made it to Round 3, so I will be compiling stats for R3+, as well as for all 192. If any of you would like to send me your complete or revised list of ratings or rankings, please do so! PM me. (some of you rated/ranked music, but didn't post all of them) Otherwise, I will just use the data I have collected and publish the stats over the next few days. I won't be publicizing users' individual rankings. I already have the complete list from Mycro, as well as the Round 1 list from deo.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Scars of FAUNA
Apostle's Maraud


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Well, cako rated Rave On lower than almost any other contestant, so either he likes ALL the music in the contest, or he doesn't count Rave On as music (not literally), or he likes Rave On more than he used to, or perhaps he was just being nonsensical! One of the four, I guess. I should have said nothing.

Edit: I apologize to the Rave On fans. I can understand why some like it, and I hope I can get the same respect for music I like that others don't like.

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Congrats to azuarc for winning the Guru challenge!

Ace Attorney

HM: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

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Congrats to azuarc for winning the Guru challenge!

Change to

Desire Below (Flow)

I was in a weird mood yesterday. DBF wins out because it's more consistently amazing, but PROGRAM would beat it out if the whole thing were as good as my favorite sections from it (0:23 - 0:40 and a couple of other places). But it hurts so badly that one of these has to lose. Meanwhile, the other match has my second or third least favorite contestant (cako: today i like the songs that are music refers to everything but Rave On, I'm pretty sure >_>), which is probably going to move on.

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Congrats to azuarc for winning the Guru challenge!

96) Grandia II - FIGHT!! Ver. 4 ~ The Final Battle
https://youtu.be/p29MCpipZTI
Composer: Noriyuki Iwadare
Score: 8.1/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 3 (Lost R1), VGMC 4 (Lost R5 to Johanthan Taylor Thomas)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/p29MCpipZTI?t=106

Sounds like the Iwadare we all know and love. Tries pretty hard to be epic and fun, but it comes off kind of cheesy. Ill be the first to admit Iwadare isnt a top tier composer. Yet I still manage to enjoy this one a lot... everything kinda clicks with this one. It's intense, but not too dark. The beginning is not particularly original, but those synths REALLY drive the energy as it moves into the main material...simply great! Piano gliss is cheesy! They keep used throughout the piece, yay. Sometimes they get used rhythmically, other times as melody. I like the fragmented use of so many different instruments, it moves from piano to timpani to bells to those synths. It keeps things fresh. I love that exchange between the synth/violins and the off-beat orchestral hits at 0:56, even if its a bit cheesy! (But in a fun way.) 1:09 provides some cool contrasting material. 1:34 is SO much like battle themes in the Lunar games (I like the way the synth line gets finished by the percussion). 1:46 wraps it up nicely the bass there is GROOVY.


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Congrats to azuarc for winning the Guru challenge!

Here's that doozy I was talking about!

98) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - Main Theme
Series rank: 2 of 2
https://youtu.be/rNVCD1dsnJI
Composer: TAPPY, arr. by Harry Gregson-Williams
Score: 8.1/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R2), VGMC 2 (CHAMPION)
Favorite Part: 2:41 - the end

Totally epic. Its made in Japan, but it sounds very western. Nice and cinematic, with an orchestral/electonic rock combination typical of an espionage action movie. I enjoy the pitched computer beeps at the start, very soft and subdued, a nice calm buildup. Then the computer beeps get replaced with computerized snares and other drums! They add a ton of intensity. The music makes it obvious you have some dangerous missions ahead. Those rhythmic chords the string do are cool and exciting! Then comes one of the most iconic melodies in all of gaming. Whats interesting about the theme, though, are the key changes. It starts in A minor, then it ends up in D major, then it takes advantage of common tones to move into B minor (how convenient that its a whole step above A minor now), then it ends up E major. The harmonies between all that are nice, too. We are back to the rhythmic stuff that I love at 1:41 (love those slow triplets).. The horns play a bit of the theme at 1:53, too, cool. Then the iconic melody again at 2:41! Love the way it builds up at the end at the end. Soft brass, then the Strings/woodwinds join in (LOVE the 16ths @ 3:22-3:24!), then the choir! Epic. Im already feeling like this one is ranked too low, but Ive got to stick with my new scoring method. But yeah, I prefer MGS3s theme.

97) Tales of Zestiria - Flaming Bonds are Being Tested
Series rank: 1 of 3
ELIMINATED: Tales
https://youtu.be/_nsDUPGU5Nw
Composer: Go Shiina
Score: 8.1/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 9 (Lost R5 to system 0)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/_nsDUPGU5Nw?t=305

The use of symphony orchestra here is interesting. It sounds like it would be a theme for a TV show a few decades ago. The Spanish guitar is pretty nice here, the way it sets the mood and style for the rest of the track. The violins complement the guitar nicely. Im liking the harmon-muted trumpets! The trombone not so much. It feels out of place. (also, bad trombone player) I prefer when the synth takes over the trombones line later. When the guitar takes the melody with a crescendoing-orchestra backup, its pretty exciting! Then the synth comes in, aw, yeah...especially those slides. WOW! (reminds me of electronic jazz from the 60s/70s) Then the guitar takes the center stage for considerable time, which I dont mind this time! I really like it here, because, unlike some other retirees with Spanish guitar, its integrated into the overall piece very nicely instead of trying to be a thing on its own. It improvs over the standard harmonic changes, goes to melody, and then back to cool improv again. The background stuff changes throughout there, too, so thats a plus. Around the 3:30 mark it gets a bit weird, and then you suddenly get a clip where the violins sound like they were taken off an old phonograph record or something. Ah, yeah, that squeaky synth at the end is way cool! (5:13 - 5:15 is da BOMB! zOMG I just realize it messes with QUARTER TONES there.)


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Congrats to azuarc for winning the Guru challenge!