ReMix:Castlevania "Wicked Orchestra" 3:24

Conservative as the melody is, I have to give Scott some praise here. I personally enjoy ReMixes that seem to be in the "updated and refreshed" territory, where they add something (or several somethings) special to the source and make it sound fresh again. This is where this sounds to me. The darker tone, the fast paced percussion and the cymbal hits at the points where it is needed. This is one of those early mixes I will gladly file under hidden gem in my opinion.

Still awesome, more than 10 years later. WHERE ARE YOU PEEPLES? COME BACK AND MIX MORE AWESOMENESS. (please?)

I LOVE THIS MIX. Catchy, lighthearted (despite the name,) fends off the demons of boredom and gloom. What more could you want (okay, maybe more of Peeples's ReMixes, but that doesn't count as an answer to this question)?

Sweet. Odd that it had been left to nearly fall into a 404error blackhole though... FOR SHAME.

The original version of this song was apparently arranged on an MSX's hardware, though I first heard it on an NES. I originally arranged it for a Roland CM-32L, which is based on the MT-32's chipset. I subsequently updated it for a Roland SC-88 sound module, remapping the instruments to their SC-88 counterparts.While the sound quality of the SC-88 was obviously better than that of the MT-32, I didn't really rearrange the song but only remapped the instruments, including sound effects.

My point is that I created the MIDI file that this arrangement is based on. I recognized its specific rhythm, hitting each element exactly, as the version I rendered from the original NES. This (and my) version actually strays rhythmically (not the percussion, but the rhymth of the bass and melody) from the original, which was intentional.

For those who don't believe me please consult the only references left at the following sites (look for Kevin Fishburne):

http://www.purpleguppy.net/miscvg/Kevin_Fishburne_-_NES_-_Castlevania_-_Wicked_Child.mid

http://taro.lool.net/Game_Music/idx_arcade.html

When I first heard this (OCR) arrangement, I was so happy I couldn't believe it. It was the first time anyone has arranged my music (granted being scored by the Castlevania composer), but when I saw how happy it made others who commented I thought they should know it was based rather closely on my MIDI arrangement. As such I meant to post this a long time ago.

The original song started with howling wind and a thick, heavy church organ thundering chords. That faded predictably to a silence disturbed shortly by a male choral vocal leading in the drums. Following was a quiet harp fading in, doing a few simple notes that lead in the chord progression (earlier reflected by the organ's chords).

Next was the lead melody, bringing out the original frantic nature of the stage with the jumping monkeys/hunchbacks and the platform manipulation (with the castle in the background). I used a lead guitar instrument for the melody in the original for clarity and to separate tonically the old-school organ providing the harmony.

I'm glad everyone likes this song. I'm especially proud because it brings the power of old-school NES melodies to the semi-mainstream. A victory on all sides. I just want to set the record straight.

One of the first songs to ever go on my playlist from OCR, and to see it not get any love in over 3 years makes me sad.

Excellent beats and layered percussion added to the perfect tempo combine with some decent orchestral samples to create something really compelling. Arrangement doesn't stray too far from the original, but even so, it's a really driving mix that is one of the really early gems of the site.

Excellent stuff.

Love this mix! I'm pretty sure it was the first one that i downloaded from OCR. Thanks to its amazing quality, the song made me want to look for more and more mixes. Keep up the good work!

I like it very much. This was the very first remix which I found on the net, and after some further searching I finally found this site.

although i'm quite new to this site, i've checked out some of scott's other mixes, i'd have to say this is one of my favorites and one of the first mixes i listened to when i first checked out the site, great work on this one, i really loved the orchestra strings, check out scott's goldeneye remix aka hacker, it's also a really good one too!

Peace and stay frosty!

Best remix I've heard in a while.

Just wanted to let Scott know that his mix is still appreciated.

I listen to OC Remixes all day at work and I always love it when this mix gets queued up. This is one of the first OCRs I downloaded, it's also one that's kept me coming back for more.

Take care.

What a wicked orchestra

Mixed with a bad-ass techno drum loop makes it all the better but what I love most is the melody

A better instrument couldn't have been chosen for those bitter-sweet, short, pizzicatto notes

I'm once again impressed by Scott Peeples!

I'm not a great fan of the eight bit castlevainia soundracks, but Scott makes it so clear, so crisp, so grand. Kudos to you.

Very nicely done... One of my favorites.

Woah that was a badass Orchestra. Wow.