ReMix:Final Fantasy X "Those Who Seek the End" 4:55

Last up in our flood of three mixes from newcomers is this compelling, atmospheric rock/metal arrangement of FFX from SixteenInMono (Brandon Bumgarner):

"This is my first time submitting to OC ReMix, so I'm hoping to get some good feedback to improve on my works. I have arranged the song "Servants of the Mountain" (or "People of the North") from Final Fantasy X, under the original title of "Those Who Seek the End." I wanted to do some kind of winter cover, so how could I resist not going and doing this song? As some of you may know, Final Fantasy X is one of my top 5 fav games of all time, and the soundtrack IS my favorite soundtrack ever. So any track from this game is pretty much up for covering.

However, for this track I didn't really want to full-on "metal" it up. My mix of this song is made to feel very open, a lot of emphasis on atmosphere and feel, rather than technical skill or prowess. I felt that this song required some more ambience, and so I did just that. So I hope the judges enjoy!"

Equipment:

Lead Guitar: Schecter Diamond Series Demon-6
Rhythm Guitar: Schecter Diamond Series Omen-8
Bass: ESP LTD B-55
Pick: Hardened Dragon's Heart Pick
Strings: D'Addario NYXL
Interface: Scarlett 18i20
DAW: Logic Pro X
Mastering: FabFilter Plugins

Really cool work from Brandon, here; not quite post-rock, but with a lot of the minimalism & distant processing associated with that style, which suits this icy source quite well. I love the blend of plucked patterns with long, sustained tones, and the held bends @ 2'42" are spot-on perfect. Just a bunch of good ideas; the artist knows when to dial it back and make some room, when to heat things up, and how to transition & fill the space in between, and the amount of sonic territory covered by electric guitar, in all its incarnations, is wonderful. Judges were unanimous, but I think Emunator's decision summed things up best:

"Very brooding and emotionally compelling. The melancholy guitar work reminds me of what Nekofrog would make if he placed a heavier emphasis on percussion in his tracks. Though I found it strange to start off with the drums at such a high intensity, the arrangement quickly settled in and just kept getting better from there. When the heavy guitars and a more dominant lead finally entered around 2:40, I was hooked, and you completely won me over at 3:45 with the low-tuned rhythm guitars. Seriously badass. The last few minutes of this track were incredibly gratifying and, on a personal level, this has to be one of my favorite metal arrangements that I've heard in a long time."

I wasn't even thinking of this as "metal" per se, but I think it resonated with me the same way it resonated with Wes - great stuff, very effectively structured and spaced, with precise attention to texture & articulation. Fantastic debut, highly recommended - definitely hoping to hear more from SixteenInMono, and from the other two artists featured in this three-mix flood of newcomers as well - congrats to all!