Jam of the Day: The Warg by Oscar Araujo (Castlevania ~Lords of Shadow~ Soundtrack)

My reaction when I first heard that Michiru Yamane wouldn’t provide the soundtrack to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was less than favorable. Afterall, since 3D Castlevania games don’t have a good track record, I looked forward to the soundtracks more than the games themselves.

Oscar Araujo’s score is definitely different. The entire OST is easily mistakable for a movie soundtrack. And it’s not just the overall style of the music that gives me that impression. Mostly, it’s how prominent a central “main theme” seems to be throughout a large number of tracks. I’m instantly reminded of the repeated use of a central “Batman” theme in Danny Elfman’s score of the Tim Burton movie.

Calling it similar to a movie soundtrack isn’t exactly a negative thing to say. I think the music is quite enjoyable, though I have yet to hear it in the context of the game to determine how “fitting” it is. But there’s no getting around the fact that it is very different from anything Micheru Yamane would have done.

Would I have liked a score by her better? Probably. But sometimes it’s nice to shake things up.

Jam of the Day: Tank Corps by Jeremy Soule (Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Original Soundtrack)

I finally got to try out the co-op mode in Peace Walker last night and I have to say it is quite fun. I remember when I first heard Peace Walker’s soundtrack, I was very surprised to see that Jeremy Soule did one of the tracks. It’s just not terribly common to see non-Japanese composers featured on Japanese games.

Jeremy Soule’s done a lot of things, but I first was introduced to him on the Secret of Evermore soundtrack. More recently, I saw him at an orchestral game concert (from a distance) at which music from his Guild Wars score was featured.

Jam of the Day: Snake Eater by Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack)

I love Metal Gear Solid, but after I had played the second game, I figured the story and characters would never be as cool as the first again. Then came the third. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the best in the series as far as I’m concerned. Taking away all the sci-fi nonsense of nanomachines and what not, you controlled the REAL Snake in the 60’s. The whole experience had an ultra classy “spy flick” feel to it, but with Hideo Kojima’s trademark insanity still in tact.

To go along with the 60’s spy movie feel, the game features a vocal theme song that is very much a spoof of the ones found in James Bond films. Norihiko Hibino, along with vocalist Cynthia Harrell, have crafted a priceless theme that always puts a smile on my face. Above, I’ve embedded the game’s intro sequence the music plays during, thus allowing you to see the visual Bond parody as well.

Jam of the Day: True by Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtracks)

Akira Yamaoka is a master of sound design. Even stripped of all context, the soundtracks of the Silent Hill series are haunting. The soundtrack to Silent Hill 2 is masterfully put together, with a great sense of flow from track to track that just isn’t found in other soundtracks.

I love the combination of ambiance and hip hop beats present in much of Akira Yamaoka’s work. While “True” is a song with more of a focus on melody than the more ambient tracks, it still represents that unusual sound I enjoy so much.

Jam of the Day: Disappearing at Tiffany’s by Shinji Tasaka and/or Satoko Minami (Akumajo Special: Boku Dracula-kun!)

Just as Parodius is Konami’s parody of their own Gradius series, Akumajo Special: Boku Dracula-kun! is a lighthearted, comical spoof of Castlevania. The soundtrack contains some wacky renditions of classic themes (such as Castlevania 3’s “The Beginning”) as well as original music that would feel more at home in one of Capcom’s Disney games than anything related to Castlevania.

However, my favorite track entitled “Disappearing at Tiffany’s” is considerably less jovial. The tone is much darker, but is incredibly catchy. The irregular groove combined with clever use of vibrato on the lead gets this song stuck in my head.

Note: There’s another song after it within the same track on the official OST and in the video above. Today’s text only applies to the first song.