Category: video game arrangements

Omnis brutalis lacrima

So, it turns out that I entered DoD once again. And once again it’s been about three years since last time… Maybe I should do this more often. Who knows. What we do know, at least, is this: this song is done and it is here. We also know, that out of eight entries I placed third.

I had just recently played Final Fantasy XV (finished it in early February 2020), so this DoD theme of Yoko Shimomura was pretty appropriate timing-wise. Not many songs in the game that I really even considered arranging, but of the two I considered seriously I decided to give myself a bit of a challenge with this one (OMNIS LACRIMA). And personally, I think I did just fine. But then again, I may be biased.

As far as styles go, this is pretty straightforward “drums, guitars, bass” style metal, although with some string and brass stuff thrown in. It’s in the background though, so you probably won’t really notice or pay attention to it.


Oh, books

So I entered DoD again, for the first time in years. Apparently it’s been three years. This time the theme was Symphony of the Night. Originally I thought about doing Wandering Ghosts but decided Wood Carving Partita would suit my style better. Out of 10 entries, I placed third.

Also I thought of entering only a few days before the deadline, so I was in a rush to finish the song. I thought I’d go back and add some synth stuff and change some lead guitar stuff to make it a bit more varied, but that didn’t happen. I decided it would be better to just think of this one as finished and move on to new songs. So this is the same version as DoD saw.


HOOOOO!!

My entry for the beat ’em up month at Dwelling of Duels. This was actually a request made by a friend some time ago, and now was a perfect time to do it. I lost the MIDI data for the drums while working on the song, so I was only left with what was supposed to be a temporary stereo mixdown. Would have probably made some changes to drums otherwise. But oh well. Might even be for the better.


Terror Land

My entry for Dwelling of Duels’ brevity month. Songs had to be shorter than 60 seconds. Mario Party 2. Death metal. Carnival.


Fire Still Burns in My Frozen Heart

Made this for the free MAGmonth DoD (december 2013, results were out early january 2014). Wanted to make something shorter, simpler, something that is not a medley. Just one song. This is what happened.


Mastering the Blaster

So, a Blaster Master medley. Took part in the Dwelling of Duels Blaster Master month (November 2013) with this, and placed first. I purposefully left out Area 1 (way overdone) and Areas 5 and 8 (didn’t like ’em!).


Brain Shuffle

Heyyyy another multi-game medley! This one includes music from the games listed above, obviously. Took part in the Dwelling of Duels 10th year anniversary month with this, and got 7th place (out of 53). I tweaked the mixing for this version, so it’s not quite the same as the DoD version.


Justice ninja

Originally my entry to May 2006 DoD (placed 9th). Features Dennis of Dissolution doing bass, and half of the guitar solos.

I actually did a re-make of this song in 2013, which is what you’re hearing here. Can’t remember exactly why, but I guess it was for posting on YouTube. Recorded new vocals, changed drum samples, and messed with the mixing. So guitar and bass performances, and drum programming are the same as in 2006.

If you really want, you can check out the original version, and an instrumental version of the same in the Treasury.

The moon shines bright
On me tonight
As I run through a plain
In the night
You can try to run
You can try to hide
But I will find you and it
Will be your end

PRE-CHORUS:
I am on a mission
For the Justice Division
Brace yourself!
Your time it is now!
Die! In the name of all that’s good
Evil shall be vanquished
Operating in secrecy

CHORUS:
Out of nowhere I strike
Filling evil hearts with fright
Punishment goes where it is due…
Oh, I’m coming for you!
If your mind is not right
Silent death awaits you in the night
Justice Ninja will cut you down

How you live
Is up to you
But you should
Always be nice
Who you are
I do not care
If you do evil
You’d better beware!

PRE-CHORUS

CHORUS x2


Quite the adventure

Entered June 2013 DoD (free month) with this one. My first DoD in years maybe. Got third place. Which was fine. The song is indeed what the title claims, quite the adventure.


Noble creature of snow

I did this one for an OCR disk covering the music of the Mega Man X series. Originally done in 2010(!), it was only released two years after because it was such a big project overall. Anyway, releasing this now a year after that on my own site. You can check out the whole disk here.


Zanarkander

My PUNCHFEST entry from last night. Raped “At Zanarkand” for Demonstray. And that’s pretty much it. Besides learning the song beforehand, I spent 3.5 hours on this.


Fortress of doom

My first ever PUNCHFEST entry. For PUNCHFEST X, held July 3rd.

This is a revised version, however, and not the one I had in the PUNCHFEST. I made some changes in the drums mostly, re-recorded some guitars that bothered me. Stuff like that. There’s still stuff to fix that I’m not going to fix, so here it is. Enjoy!


Fire and stuff

My cover/arrangement of the Llamarada theme from the game Lords of Thunder. Nice game and it has a kickass soundtrack too. Unfortunately the mixing is pretty bad, and then so… ansgaros to the rescue! Well, it’s not a 1:1 cover by any means, I gave it my own flavor I do believe, but enjoy anyway! It’s mostly a pretty straightforward cover. It was named by a friend.

Made for the June 2010 duel at Dwelling of Duels.

There is a video of me playing this song on YouTube.


Cradel of forest

Like it says, this one’s actually a re-mixed version. The original sounds so very bad. As the story goes, someone wanted to make Rock Band charts for this song and asked for separate tracks. I didn’t feel comfortable giving them the original mix, so I re-did the mixing and mastering. And that’s pretty much it. Sounds a lot better than the 2006 original though.

When I first heard the Silent Hill 4 OST I said to myself: “I’m going to make a power metal cover of this song! …..one day.” Then, 18 months later, when I saw that this month’s (September 2006) theme at DoD was Silent Hill I knew what had to be done. And did it. With this song I also secured my first DoD win!

The original mix can be found in the Treasury section though, if you really want to hear it.


A new dawn

My proper entry for the Ys DoD. Turned out just fine in my opinion.

Man, I really should write these writeup things right after I finish the songs, when I still have something to say about them (see below for another example)…


Five-finger discount

This was my alt entry for the Ys DoD. An arrangement of the shop theme.


To reminisce is to relive

This was originally going to be a 10 minute epic medley of songs from (sidescrolling) games I played when I was a young boy. In the end I decided to drop half of the songs to have at least some musical coherency in it. I believe that choice was the right one.

This song has a fade out. Some people hate fade outs unconditionally, some don’t mind them. When used correctly, I don’t mind.


Seiren

My alternate entry to the MAGFest 7/sidescroller month DoD. Someone requested Thunder Force 3 music from me so I did this.


Cyclops and Storm lose, Juggernaut wins

I think this turned out a bit weird. I couldn’t decide which one I’d do, Cyclops or Storm, so I did a medley. And I liked that Juggernaut ending song so much that I wanted to get that in this too. I was going for a “lighter” sound overall than my usual, so I dialed down the gain on the rhythm guitars to almost 0. See if you notice any difference.

I entered September’s superhero DoD with this song, and much to my surprise I placed first.

P.S. SnappleMan made me do it.


Fall of Garuda

My last month’s DoD entry. I must have done something right, since it was a free month and I won. And by a decent margin, too: I got 85 votes and M-H in second place got 51. Yeah, overall I guess it’s my best VG arrangement this far. It’s also my longest song to date.


Kefka gets decisive

I entered the December 2007 DoD (free month) with this song. Placed fourth (out of 46). I didn’t have my usual gear with me when making this one, so everything sounds pretty bad… I like the arrangement though. The reason why I didn’t release this before is that I was planning to remake this song from scratch. However, seeing how it’s been six months already since the initial release chances are that I’m not going to. So here it is!


Dangerous territory

My entry to May 2008 DoD, where the theme was Gradius. I got tied for third place. Basically a decent arrangement, but I’m not really happy myself. Still, I’m leaving this as is although it could use a bit of reworking arrangement-wise.


Level 6 fanfic

It all started with pingosimon’s thread on the Minibosses message board. pingo made his interpretation of the theme with vocals and everyone started making versions of their own in their own style and language. I made one, too.

Despite a few issues I’m generally happy with how it turned out.

Kellotornin läpi vie tie luo Draculan
Poimi taikakello ja voit pysäyttää ajan

Kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä huipulle kellotornin
Ylitä silta, vältä rotkot, väistä lepakot ja niiden tulipallot

Turhaan luuranko sinua luullaan heittelee
Tornin huippu häämöttää jo

Isot linnut kantaa kynsissään pikkumiehiä
Taikakellon mahti auttaa sinua selviämään

Kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä kiipeä huipulle kellotornin
Siellä Dracula odottaa, kohta koittaa hälle kuolema

Suojele kaupunkilaisia pyhäl’ vedellä
Ja vituikshan se meni taas

Nyt pelataan Contraa!


The phantom forest

Last night I was sitting here playing my keyboard (if you could call that playing…) and felt like doing something. Then I stumbled upon the thing that the strings play at the beginning of this song. I thought, why not! Then I estimated that it would take me about four hours to do this. Pretty much four hours later, I was done. The next day I tweaked some stuff for about 10 or 15 minutes.

This is a pretty straightforward cover. It plays the same thing twice and on the third time it fades out. Pretty standard stuff.


Heated standstill

Source song: Death volcano (plays at Mt Pyre). Made this one for may 2007 DoD (fire VS ice!) and got seventh place. I went for something different this time. My goal was to make this song atmospheric and mostly calm, and I think I succeeded pretty well. There’s “standstill” in the title because I think it reflects the piece’s feeling of “not going anywhere”. I know the fake sax is pretty horrible, but for now I can’t be arsed to do anything about that.