ReMix:Metroid "Vast Infinities" 4:32

Metroid is already kinda gritty, but if you're looking for something even grittier & incorporating some badass cinematic sound design, look no further than this inspired, engrossing arrangement from newcomer Gaspode (Peter Köller):

"Here's my latest submission, a remix of "Kraid's Lair" from Metroid (original score by Hirokazu Tanaka). Hope you like it. It is a very dark remix of one of my all-time favorite Metroid songs."

Right out of the gate, Peter has my attention with the primordial, larger-than-life howl/scrape/bloom on the intro, which is similar to what I was shooting for myself with the beginning to my Terranigma mix. In terms of source usage, things do take a while to get going, as the artist lays the stage for a more melodic, structured second half. There are shades of Vangelis, and the attention paid to texture & maintaining an expansive, grand soundscape ("vast infinities" indeed!) pays off with an immersive, exploratory experience. Chimpazilla writes:

"Ooooooooooo I love this intro, you've set up a spooky vibe immediately with those crushed bass swells. It takes awhile to build to the theme but it's a great ride. I love the stylistic crushing of some elements, while leaving the lead bell sound clean. Changing time signatures here... it seems like the mix goes from 4/4 with triplets to 3/4 at 3:09, either that or it's just written entirely in triplets from that point out, but it's seamless and I love it. The clock ticking is a great bit of ear candy. This arrangement is interesting, changing timbres as it moves along while still feeling totally cohesive. You captured a creepy vibe that I'm really digging. The mixing is good; it's a loud master though, peaking at 0.9db and hitting -6.8db RMS, but it's clean. Really liking this remix! Ok I just listened seven times."

It does take a bit to click and become recognizably Metroid, but the Metroid OST itself is all about building that anticipation & sense of sparse dread, and when the (absolutely classic) "Kraid" motif comes in, the groundwork has been laid and the arrival has all the more impact. This source is fairly substantive & flexible, for the Metroid series, and so a dark/cinematic take might seem obvious, but the devil's in the details, all of which Gaspode nails - sound design & composition form an atmospheric unity, with nothing sticking out at wrong angles. Like Kris, I can listen to this several times in a row, and be transported to the cold, unforgiving depths of intergalactic space each time. Towards the end, the aesthetic evolves into an almost dark synthwave direction, but still in keeping with the palette & vibe that's been established, perhaps channeling some of the score to Oblivion. It's an overtly cinematic, unapologetically modern sci-fi incarnation of a theme that absolutely lends itself to such an approach, but it's the execution & evolution which make Gaspode's vision resonate; superb debut, looking forward to hearing more, highly recommended!