ReMix:SaGa Frontier "The Castle of Everlasting Night" 2:17

By Chaos

Arranging the music of one song...

"Doubt"

Primary Game: SaGa Frontier (Sony , 1998, PS1), music by Kenji Ito

Posted 2003-01-14, evaluated by the judges panel


Our first SaGa Frontier ReMix arrives courtesy of newcomer Chaos, who gives us a dramatic baroque & orchestral arrangement of Facinaturu's theme that has some interesting transitions, pauses, and instrumentation that kept our Judges' attentions. Exposed as they are, the cymbal crashes were cited for sounding a tad artificial, and most of the Judges agreed the piece could have been longer and more developed, but in just over two minutes Chaos does at least vary things quite a bit, opening with a Castlevania-esque, baroque classical guitar with backing strings and pizzicato arpeggios. Things then swell abruptly, a cool, sweeping harp run happens, and then . . . silence. I actually think the pause works quite well, myself. There's full ensemble strings, brass, and in the ending section a running snare and a decided upwards tempo change. All in all, I like the decisions Chaos made as to stops, starts, tempo changes, and overall instrumentation. Though the samples used are by and large of a high quality, they're not mixed to give much definition, with the exception of the opening, and some of the percussion was iffy as noted. However, this is good work - interesting and different from a lot of our orchestral mixes. Perhaps at times melodramatic, but I've never had a problem with that myself. Good, pretty mature first ReMix from Chaos, showing much promise.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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avaris
on 2009-12-02 12:15:40

Very cool mix. Has very traditional classical feeling throughout the beginning and middle. The percussion felt a little to helter skelter towards the end. Reminds me in parts of the CHIPP's and James Guilty Gear mix.

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Otakatt
on 2009-12-02 08:58:17

Not only does someone cover Saga Frontier, a rather underrated game with underrated music, but they cover one of my favorite pieces from Saga Frontier... win!

I love the buildup throughout the entire song. Even that pause at the beginning, it just adds more to the mood of the piece. And it just keeps building up and building up until it sounds, dare I say, epic. The only problem is.. I start to really dig it and its epic-ness, particularly during those final thirty seconds, and then? It ends.

...really? :(

This could have had another minute at least tacked on it, easily. And imo, it *should* have had at least another minute tacked on. It just ended entirely too early and abruptly for me, without any real resolution to the ending. What's there is still pretty great though, and I definitely recommend people give it a chance.

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OA
on 2007-08-07 14:53:53

Needs a bit more low end, but it;s nicely done.

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Jemnisimi
on 2004-12-02 14:36:24

Eeeeuuuuu I hated this game. Well not quite hate; extreme dislike. Anywayzzzz I don't much remember Fascinaturu's music. In any case this sounds good to me. I'm not too fond of the whole what, four second pause though honestly. Really it's just nitpicking but complete silence for more than two seconds is unnerving if you're not writing a horror piece! :)

Outside of all that, I think this sounds like a rather professional piece. I could actually see it being put into a game. *clapz*

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jordex
on 2004-11-17 22:35:46

this does sound very castlevania-esque

everytime i go to the "S" remixes, i always see this one first, i never actually downloaded it but now i have and its sweet

there are so many songs i wish i knew about earlier

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SephyMasamune
on 2004-07-14 16:56:44

I dun think the review was kidding when it said Castlevania-esque....the begining sounds like Olrox's Quarters from Symphony of the Night, though other than that a wonderful piece YAY!!!

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Mario Buu
on 2003-03-31 17:56:04

Whee! A SaGa Frontier song, but a little awkward, and out there, much unlike Facinaturu's theme, which is much, much more depressive. This sounds like you were mixing that with something that would be involved in Red's story line in the game.

Also, the gaps in between certain parts of the song, were kind of annoying, kind of making me want more, which is what I got fortunetly, but at the same time, making a bit more void then would have been there had this been more complete. *Note* Complete is the best word coming to my mind at the moment...sorry.

But other then that, it sounds very nice, expecially the intro until it reached the increased volume and "heavyness". But as you got into the second part, it was completed, as the heaveir section of the song was carried out in normal depression.

The third part , were quite a bit happier, unmatching the songs original spirit. Maybe as if you did finally escape that town, curse that boring town...and the four life points it took to get the Asura.

Anyways, great song in my oppionion. Hopefully someone out there creates another someday.

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kdashz
on 2003-01-20 03:38:04

This mix is GOOD. Definitely... Though it is a little too short to be really fantastic.

Good points first, starting with the intro, you know I know that the effect was intended to be mystical, and indeed it was. Very enchanting, especially with the... what do you call them? The instruments backing the classical guitar besides the flutes (the flutes make those high pitched whole notes). Very, very like our dear Facintura... or however you spell that name. And considering that what we're talking about in that place is mystics, it definitely suits the aura that the song gives... in the intro. After the pause, fine, it continues... In fact, I like the part after the pause and between the time when things start to get grander... Very "strolling" kind of music, I guess. When things start to build and eventually until a steady beat is given, that's where one of my very few critisizms come in.

Well, to put it kindly... Please, MAKE THE SONG DURATION LAST LONGER! :cry: Sigh, I was left with a very hanging feeling, always expecting more, like at least another interlude after the beat comes in. But when it ended, it was pretty much that, like being left dry when you thought that there would be more puddles of water ahead.

But then, this IS a first remix... And I'm not really an experienced reviewer as of yet (don't think I will be anytime soon too, ^-^), so I'm giving this a pretty good score because even I know that our friend Chaos and this bugger over here have extremely high potential to be developed into something even Kenji Ito would say "Bravo!" to. Seeya!

EDIT: Oops, sorry, forgot about the grade.

4/5

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Scratx
on 2003-01-19 20:25:51

I think what was wrong about it is that it feels like a teaser to me... I think it should've been extended... I see potential for at least 3 minutes there, and that's cutting it short. The final part alone should run for at least a minute, it's too small as it is, it keeps me hoping next time I hear it I automagically get the rest of the music :wink:

Other than that I found it very enjoyable and it reminded me of my favorite char in Saga Frontier. Nice work. :)

Now go get the rest of the music done. ;)

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Dicaeopolis
on 2003-01-17 14:10:46

To me, the percussion sounds seemed too... abrupt. The beginning of the final segment (1:45) was probably supposed to be dramatic, but it gave me the feeling that it was spliced in as an after thought. Perhaps I've just been listening to too much Russell Cox arrangements lately... :P

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sgx
on 2003-01-16 20:40:04

Quality stuff here. Nothing I don't like. Sounds good. I like the pause. Nice work.

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Dareon
on 2003-01-15 23:42:05

I'd have to agree that this is a very impressive piece, Chaos certainly knew what he was doing here.

Although Asellus' scenario is a bit too random for my tastes, I did enjoy the music from Chateau Aiguille. I could see an extended version of this playing in the final battle against Orlouge. While it's not technically battle music, it would be extremely fitting.

I myself have been thinking about a SaGa mix if I ever get serious and look into remixing, and I'd have quite a precedent to meet if I wanted to match this level of quality.

Great stuff, I'd recommend it for practically anyone with an affinity for classical-style music.

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gog
on 2003-01-15 03:19:15

Worst RPG ever? SaGa ownz! Major props to chaos for covering this game. I'm actually kind of jealous cause I'm working on a SaGa remix and was'nt the first one here to do it...

I too felt there was a bit lacking... maybe it's because I've been waiting so long for a SaGa mix and have been expecting the earth and the heavens from it. The piece had a very SaGa feel to it, eg. the drums at the just under two minutes which sound very familliar to the SaGa boss battlesAnother beef was the fact that I had always liked the song because of it's lack of loudness (shit, am I even making sense?). This mix seemed a little too in my face, ya know?

Anyway, regardless of all I said, I really REALLY liked this piece. I just tend to be over critical on work based on the greatest game of all time(imo). Download it, yo.

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ffmusic dj
on 2003-01-14 23:40:17

much props indeed, this is a real nice mix, I wouldnt think anyone would remix a song form one of the worst RPG's creates

but no no, dont get me wrong, this was a real nice song :)

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Tongue-Tied Poet
on 2003-01-14 23:37:30

It seemed nice, but it felt like it was lacking something . . .

As for the Salsa, it's technically the SaGa series, and the capital G in that font looks like ls.

Overall, I liked teh Remix, just not the best I've heard here . . .

I'm trying to make it sound positive, but it feels like all my descriptions have a negative twist . . .

I liked it. It was good. Somethign about it seemed wrong, but didn't detract from the song. Or something to that effect.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
SaGa Frontier (Sony , 1998, PS1)
Music by Kenji Ito
Songs:
"Doubt"

Tags (1)


Genre:
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Additional:
Time > Duration: Short

File Information


Name:
SaGa_Frontier_The_Castle_of_Everlasting_Night_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
2,831,861 bytes
MD5:
362b52227ce54234569dd79387b4a1db
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
2:17

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