My votes:
Battle Bull and Off the Edge of Despair

Battle Bull

Airship

Battle Bull - Title Theme (4-1) and, in what I think was a huge upset, Final Fantasy XI: Airship (3-2) advance.


Round 1, Fight 11 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Gargoyle's Quest - Breager's Castle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ADcGnpMSE4), by Harui Fujita, Yoko Shimomura

vs.

Super Mario Land - Rocket Ship Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3Ij30btVao), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

Breager's Castle by a hair.

Round 3, Fight 2 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Clash on the Big Bridge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMTXyExkeI), from Final Fantasy V

vs.

Chateau d'Oraguille (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaTmeeQLFZ0), from Final Fantasy XI

-------------------------------------------------------

I'll personally take Chateau d'Oraguille over Airship any day, but it's got to be Clash on the Big Bridge in this fight.

I've always liked Clash on the Big Bridge okay, but around the internet I get the impression it's one of people's favorites from the FF series. Interesting. I gotta go with the other two.

Rocket Ship Ride

Chateau d'Oraguille

Rocket Ship Ride & Clash on the Big Bridge

Rocket Ship Ride

Chateau d'Oraguille

Need some votes...

Rocket Ship Ride

Clash On The Big Bridge

Thanks! I really didn't want to end a fight with two tracks that impressive on a 2-2 coin toss. Super Mario Land - Rocket Ship Ride (4-1) and Final Fantasy V: Clash on the Big Bridge (3-2) advance.


Round 1, Fight 12 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Gargoyle's Quest - Dark Road (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvN0elzk-yo), by Harui Fujita, Yoko Shimomura

vs.

Kirby's Dream Land - Green Greens (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCH6nQYflwY), by Jun Ishikawa

-------------------------------------------------------

Dark Road might not be quite the catchy, instant classic, but at the end of the day I'd say I enjoy it more. Reminds me of Yuzo Koshiro's ActRaiser... Plus if I was going to pick a Kirby track to advance, Big Forest was a way more creative Game Boy song. Green Greens would sound good on any system.

Round 3, Fight 3 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Seymour Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWE0nlhpdq8), from Final Fantasy X

vs.

Find Your Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn0T6Xh5VXY), from Final Fantasy VIII

-------------------------------------------------------

Find Your Way

Dark Road

Find Your Way

Dark Road

Seymour Battle

Dark Road

Find Your Way

Seymour Battle

Gargoyle's Quest - Dark Road (4-0) and Final Fantasy VIII: Find Your Way (3-2) advance.


Round 1, Fight 13 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

X - Tunnel Scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTzPj_RcIy4), by Kazumi Totaka, Hirokazu Tanaka

vs.

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0E-EZ-u86A), by Ryuji Sasai

-------------------------------------------------------

Heartbroken as I am about the loss of my favorite Game Boy song in the first round (Theme of Another Dimension!), here's to hoping Holy Ruins can pull through.

Round 3, Fight 4 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxKb48wvt60), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Ancient Castle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLxGFQqcfME), from Final Fantasy II

-------------------------------------------------------

The Decisive Battle

Holy Ruins

Decisive Battle

Also, Video Games Live 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vOGI5KB9DE)

Holy Ruins

Decisive Battle

Need some votes...

Also, update (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkYoBtQvLrk) from Tommy Tallarico with bonus dog tricks.

The Decisive Battle

Holy Ruins

Decisive Battle

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (4-0) and Final Fantasy VI: The Decisive Battle (5-0) advance.


Round 1, Fight 14 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXdogIIwXw), by Hidehiro Funauchi

vs.

Ninja Gaiden Shadow - Stage 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtrzRvQXI9E), by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki

-------------------------------------------------------

Evil Gods

Round 3, Fight 5 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Aerith's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CK2hx377iU), from Final Fantasy VII

vs.

Freya's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Uft-9CV4g), from Final Fantasy IX

-------------------------------------------------------

Freya's Theme by far.

Evil Gods

Freya's Theme

Evil Gods

Freya's Theme

Ninja Gaiden Shadows

Aerith's Theme

We get a little downtime between votes and schools around here are closed the next few days, so I thought I'd drop the most interesting video game related links I've run across recently:

(Almost) Every NES game start screen in alphabetical order (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOvaSOFLtJU)
Satchbag's reflection on Chrono Cross (http://normalboots.com/video/chronocross/)

Also, Chrontendo (http://chrontendo.blogspot.com/) returns from its 13-month hiatus tomorrow. I've plugged this series before. It's still the best researched, most encyclopedic chronogaming series in existence. Along with Red Letter Media videos, this is one of the few video series that immediately makes my week/month as soon as a new entry is posted.

Evil Gods

Aerith's Theme

Interesting links Arthur. I'll check them out tonight if I get a chance. And it's good to see some new people weighing in their votes recently. :)

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (4-1) and Final Fantasy IX: Freya's Theme (3-2) advance.


Round 1, Fight 15 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Fist of the North Star - Heart, Uygur (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xXXhQLbd2w), by Unknown (I could not identify a composer for this, but I thought it worthy of the rumble mix.)

vs.

Mega Man II - Air Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEOaTIkMf8c), by Kenji Yamazaki

-------------------------------------------------------

Air Man

Round 3, Fight 6 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Prelude (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOALvPFyhAA), from Final Fantasy IV

vs.

Opening Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZJqRbmxMEY), from Final Fantasy VI

-------------------------------------------------------

Opening Theme

Air Man

Opening Theme - The Prelude is an all-time classic. But I still remember the first time I put in FFVI and watched the opening animation. I was eleven then, and I can remember it like yesterday, because I was completely blown away, to the point that every sensory detail was getting burned into my memory. How many pieces of music can do that to you?


P.S. The composer for the Game Boy version of Fist of the North Star was Tomohisa "J-Walk" Mitsuyasu (proof (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yX9RSjGL14#t=20m24s)), who also composed the NES (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo4txFOkRIo#t=22s) iteration's soundtrack. More info (http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Tomohisa_Mitsuyasu).

http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/images/a/ad/Tomohisa_Mitsuyasu_-_2.JPG

P.P.S. I am very curious to see if FFVII survives this round. Despite being one of the most esteemed soundtracks from this franchise, it only has two songs left in the rumble.

Fist of the North Star

Prelude

Air Man

Opening Theme

Mega Man II - Air Man (3-1) and Final Fantasy VI: Opening Theme (3-1) advance. (Interesting note: prior to this round, Prelude was 13-0)


Round 1, Fight 16 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Ripe Seeds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=puh-OomYatg), by Hidehiro Funauchi

vs.

Tetris - Type A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S13eCW9BgM), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

Tetris

Round 3, Fight 7 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Within the Giant (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL2b7E7TA6c), from Final Fantasy IV

vs.

Red Wings (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGhGuKqKnA), from Final Fantasy IV

-------------------------------------------------------

Oh bother. One of these must fall.
Red Wings

Tetris

Red Wings

Within The Giant

Last fight of Game Boy Round 1. Gotta go with Tetris.

Red Wings

Ripe Seed

Within The Giant

Sorry, I never saw this get flagged for new posts and thought no one had responded yet. >_>
Tetris - Type A (3-1) and Final Fantasy IV: Red Wings (3-2) advance.


Round 2, Fight 1 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Gargoyle's Quest - Dark Road (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvN0elzk-yo), by Harui Fujita, Yoko Shimomura

vs.

Link's Awakening - Tal Tal Heights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOo5yr76RJs), by Kazumi Totaka, Minako Hamano, Kozue Ishikawa

-------------------------------------------------------

Tal Tal Heights

Round 3, Fight 8 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Phantom Train (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pse4gcBprLk), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Sealed Away (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6N0U9U5OWo), from Final Fantasy V

-------------------------------------------------------

Phantom Train

Tal Tal Heights

Phantom Train

Phantom Train

Gargoyle's Quest

Phantom Train

Gargoyle's Quest

Phantom Train

Tails wins the toss. Gargoyle's Quest - Dark Road (2-2) and Final Fantasy VI: Phantom Train (5-0) advance!


Round 2, Fight 2 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Robocop - Title Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZBDNQ3gas), by Jonathan Dunn

vs.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXdogIIwXw), by Hidehiro Funauchi

-------------------------------------------------------

Evil Gods

Round 3, Fight 9 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Last Dungeon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9a-4TzFzVU), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Devil's Lab (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIlGeT6N6Xs), from Final Fantasy VI

-------------------------------------------------------

Last Dungeon

Tal Tal Heights lost? Man...

Evil Gods - With apologies to Jonathan Dunn, who is so often unsung

Devil's Lab

I know, right? So is Tetris a shoo-in or is the turnout of this rumble going to be less predictable than usual?

Evil Gods

Devil's Lab

And I'm back! March is always a PAIN for me and work.... plus FF Shrine being down every other day it seemed like.

My apologies to Arthur regarding Tal Tal Heights - wish I was there to save it.

Castlevania II and Last Dungeon this round.

Robocop

Devil's Lab

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (4-1) and Final Fantasy VI: Devil's Lab (3-2) advance.

Round 2, Fight 3 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru - The Prince's Adventure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5lL9_jGX78), by Kazumi Totaka

vs.

Mega Man II - Air Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEOaTIkMf8c), by Kenji Yamazaki

-------------------------------------------------------

Air Man!!

Round 3, Fight 10 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

To the Place of Gods (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ2rw-VDwfA), from Final Fantasy XII

vs.

The Extreme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkcmx2l3WA), from Final Fantasy VIII

-------------------------------------------------------

To the Place of Gods

The Extreme

The Prince's Adventure

The Extreme

Air Man

The Extreme

Air Man

To The Place Of Gods

Have you guys checked out the soundtrack to Bram Stoker's Dracula for the NES (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al9i-RgU8Fg#t=18)? I hadn't heard it before, and I just saw that we hadn't included it in our NES rumble. It's really good.

I don't think I have, or if I have I've completely forgotten. Just finished listening, and I agree. Thanks for the link!

Mega Man II - Air Man (3-1) and Final Fantasy VIII: The Extreme (3-2) advance.

Round 2, Fight 4 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Praying Hands (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6mftPOyQX0), by Hidehiro Funauchi

vs.

Super Mario Land - Rocket Ship Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nr7xFTFC2w), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

Rocket Ship Ride

Round 3, Fight 11 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Dreadful Fight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4-fXuTwb8), from Final Fantasy IV

vs.

Eruyt Village (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOAD58HCB-c), from Final Fantasy XII

-------------------------------------------------------

The Dreadful Fight

I think these are two of the top songs in the Game Boy rumble. But I'll go with Rocket Ship Ride

Eruyt Village

Rocket Ship Ride & The Dreadful Fight

Praying Hands

Dreadful Fight

Praying Hands

Eruyt Village

Super Mario Land - Rocket Ship Ride (3-2) and Final Fantasy IV: The Dreadful Fight (3-2) advance.

Round 2, Fight 5 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Yakuman - Main Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGTy_Fu4eVw), by Hirokazu Tanaka

vs.

Tetris - Type A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S13eCW9BgM), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

Hmm! A Tanaka song advances, and two more square off. I'll take Yakuman. I like how both songs are 8-bit interpretations of folk music.

Round 3, Fight 12 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Forgotten Capital (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE8-z8wW-c4), from Final Fantasy XII

vs.

Valley of the Fallen Star (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJVNzQDdCY), from Final Fantasy VII

-------------------------------------------------------

I was never particularly moved by Valley of the Fallen Star to be honest, and I'm pretty irked that it beat The Place I'll Return To Someday last round. The Forgotten Capital isn't my favorite FFXII track by a long shot, but I'll take it.

Tetris - Type A & Valley of the Fallen Star.

Tetris

Valley of the Fallen Star

Tetris


I was never particularly moved by Valley of the Fallen Star to be honest, and I'm pretty irked that it beat The Place I'll Return To Someday last round. The Forgotten Capital isn't my favorite FFXII track by a long shot, but I'll take it.
x2

I perfer Cosmo Canyon over Valley of the Fallen Star more cuz I'm more used to that title. But that's my vote.

Tetris - Type A (3-1) and Final Fantasy VII: Valley of the Fallen Star (3-2) advance.

Round 2, Fight 6 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DViKKIoIJ1o), by Ryuji Sasai

vs.

Pok�mon - Gym Leader Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OO5VAKk0d8), by Junichi Masuda

-------------------------------------------------------

Holy Ruins

Round 3, Fight 13 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Cloud of Darkness (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOqyn5kdTCo), from Final Fantasy III

vs.

Bombing Mission (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8NGDsnv34M), from Final Fantasy VII

-------------------------------------------------------

Bombing Mission

Holy Ruins

Bombing Mission

Bombing Mission

Holy Ruins and Cloud of Darkness

Gym Leader Battle

Bombing Mission

Holy Ruins

Bombing Mission

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (4-1) and Final Fantasy VII: Bombing Mission (5-1) advance.

Round 2, Fight 7 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Mega Man II - Clash Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGL2uzeohc), by Kenji Yamazaki

vs.

Metroid II - Metroid Hatchling Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgxl2Kh8I04), by Ryoji Yoshitomi

-------------------------------------------------------

Two of my favorites here. Metroid Hatchling Theme wins my vote by a hair.

Round 3, Fight 14 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Anxiety (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzy56sHGWjE), from Final Fantasy XI

vs.

Dancing Mad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbXVNKtmWnc), from Final Fantasy VI

-------------------------------------------------------

Dancing Mad

Dancing Mad

I'll go with
Clash Man
Dancing Mad

Clash Man

Dancing Mad

Let's not let the 25th anniversary of the Game Boy go by without some recognition: 25 fun facts about the Game Boy (http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/21/nintendo-game-boy-25-facts-for-its-25th-anniversary).

Clash Man

Dancing Mad

Clash Man

Dancing Mad

Metroid Hatchling Theme

Dancing Mad

We're getting so much activity lately that I think I can bring back the normal three day rotation. Yay.


Mega Man II - Clash Man (4-2) and Final Fantasy VI: Dancing Mad (7-0) advance.

Round 2, Fight 8 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Battle Bull - Title Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6CJoSx1lZE), by Takayuki Suzuki

vs.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIH943auRA), by Ryoji Yoshitomi

-------------------------------------------------------

Battle Bull is so epic. Even my favorite Metroid series song can't compare.

Round 3, Fight 15 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Silence Before the Storm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWoCTYqBOIE), from Final Fantasy X

vs.

Dark Messenger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBNBwZe6GTI), from Final Fantasy IX

-------------------------------------------------------

This is a surprisingly tough call for me. When I think of the battle songs--One-Winged Angel, Saber's Edge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz8ZOw392M8)--and FFX tracks--The Sight of Spira (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTptg9nedlM)!!--that have fallen by now, it's hard to imagine either of these options advancing to round 4. Dark Messenger is instantly memorable and perfectly suited for its place within the game and soundtrack, but some of its power is lost out of context, and it does not hold up well under repeat listens. The Silence Before the Storm is a more even-keel, safe track, lacking some of the evocative power of Uematsu's finest softer works, but I think it stands stronger outside of the game it was composed for.

Last fight of Game Boy Round 2 and penultimate fight of FF Round 3!

Surface of SR388

The Silence Before the Storm - Excellent breakdown of the two competitors, too

Surface of SR388

Dark Messenger

While I agree with Shad's analysis, we should also consider this: all of these tracks were created only to be played within the game, not to be heard out of context. Perhaps they should only be judged by how well they fare in the context of the game? Just a thought. I like Dark Messenger better anyway, but in another battle, I would probably vote for the one that fit better in the game (assuming of course I've played the game in question).

Surface of SR388

Dark Messenger

Battle Bull - Title Theme

Dark Messenger ~ I always felt this was a good one even without context. I guess it's up for debate.

Surface of SR388

Silence before the Storm is one of my favorite tracks from X, but I feel Dark Messenger is just better all around, in and out of context.

Certainly legit points about how to value the selections. This discussion goes all the way back to the first rumble, and I think ultimately puts each person in a position of determining their own criteria. How a song relates to its game is a good one. But I've probably only played 25% of the games we've had songs from in the course of the rumble. So the degree to which a song or soundtrack can hold its own outside the game has merit, too. And we can look at the historical context: if you've got one chiptune song from 1987 and a fully orchestrated piece from 2005, does the 1987 song get bonus consideration because it was setting the tradition and/or limited by technical restraints? We can also judge by nostalgia. We can judge by age--I've seen people mention that they've heard one song 1,000 times but still love it, so that has to say something about its quality. We can judge by musical technique. We can judge by genre: is one piece a more remarkable example of its genre than another? These value assessments can also spring from how much other music we've heard. If one song appears to be patterned off an archetype we're familiar with and another sounds new to us, that can affect voting from one person to another.

Personally, I like choosing based on how it sounds outside of the game because of my ignorance of how much of our musical selections perform in-game. But if a song really enhances a key moment in the game and I know about that, I'll think a little harder about my choice.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (4-2) and Final Fantasy IX: Dark Messenger (5-2) advance. We're moving on to round 3 in the Game Boy rumble. :)

Round 3, Fight 1 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXdogIIwXw), by Hidehiro Funauchi

vs.

Gargoyle's Quest - Dark Road (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvN0elzk-yo), by Harui Fujita, Yoko Shimomura

-------------------------------------------------------

Gargoyle's Quest

Round 3, Fight 16 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQrtj3gCBnQ), from Final Fantasy X

vs.

Rabanastre Downtown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buu6Bd72MUk), from Final Fantasy XII

-------------------------------------------------------

I want Decisive Battle to win the whole rumble. Clash on the Big Bridge is the only song left that I might even consider voting over it.

Gargoyle's Quest

Decisive Battle

Decisive Battle

Evil Gods

Call me crazy, but I'm voting for Rabanastre Downtown.

As much as I like mixes of Bach's Little Fugue in G Minor, I'll have to go with Evil Gods for this one.

Decisive Battle.

Evil Gods

Decisive Battle

Gargoyle's Quest

Decisive Battle

Its a shame the server went down for a week right when we were picking up steam. Tails wins the toss. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (3-3) and Final Fantasy X: Decisive Battle (6-1) advance. FF3 and FF12 have been eliminated in the third round, but we're still seeing a nice spread of 8 games represented in the fourth.

Round 3, Fight 2 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Tetris - Type A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgtKSnmM5oE), by Hirokazu Tanaka

vs.

Super Mario Land - Rocket Ship Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PkY-_dbrmI), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

I'll stand by Yakuman as my favorite Tanaka Game Boy song, but I think I have to go with Type A here.

Round 4, Fight 1 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Extreme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkcmx2l3WA), from Final Fantasy VIII

vs.

The Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjw35-qkb_s), from Final Fantasy VI

-------------------------------------------------------

I always thought FF8's soundtrack was lousy, and this rumble has decisively confirmed it. A well-crafted, foreboding introduction betrayed by cheap beats and tinny, lifeless synth... I think I'll pass. Uematsu's genius for limited resource composition dried up after FF7, but he did not fully embrace his knack for orchestral composition until FF9. Really, I just do not get the appeal of this song. I hear "ooo" tones like Celes is singing and cannot fathom how this post-dates One-Winged Angel. The Decisive Battle

Type A, I think. Rocket Ship Ride is a nice song but just lacks something for me.

I must agree with you there; I honestly think 8's soundtrack is my least favorite overall. I still like The Extreme, but
The Decisive Battle
remains one of my favorites.

Type A

The Decisive Battle - Agree with you about The Extreme but not about FF8's soundtrack as a whole. My favorites--Liberi Fatali, Balamb Garden, Blue Fields, Find Your Way, Breezy, Martial Law, The Spy--don't make much of a case for his knack at orchestral composition, as you mention. But I do think they show off his facility for location themes using those limited resources you talked about. A song like Martial Law has a lot of elements in play and is dense enough to withstand multiple repetitions without becoming tiresome to listen to. Plus, songs like Balamb Garden and The Spy hold up for me despite the inclusion of an awful synth sound apiece.

Type A

The Extreme

The Extreme

Type A

The Extreme

Heads wins the toss. Tetris - Type A (5-0) and Final Fantasy VI: The Decisive Battle (3-3) advance.

Round 3, Fight 3 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Mega Man II - Clash Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGL2uzeohc), by Kenji Yamazaki

vs.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i40UFtPtcDs), by Ryoji Yoshitomi

-------------------------------------------------------

Surface of SR388

Round 4, Fight 2 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Dancing Mad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbXVNKtmWnc), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Bombing Mission (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8NGDsnv34M), from Final Fantasy VII

-------------------------------------------------------

I think Dancing Mad was the obvious favored track to win this rumble from the start, but there are a few songs I would vote over it. (I voted against it in round 2 actually.) It will have to knock out some pretty tough competition to win from here on.

Surface of SR388. I really like Crash Man but I feel it's generally a weaker song.

Dancing Mad.

Such a shame to see The Extreme eliminated. That was one fine piece of work for a final boss theme. Between Bombing Mission & Dancing Mad, 2 of my favorites......I'll go with Dancing Mad.

Clash Man

Dancing Mad

Surface of SR388

Bombing Mission

Surface of SR388

Dancing Mad

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (4-1) and Final Fantasy VI: Dancing Mad (5-1) advance.

Round 3, Fight 4 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvElI-6MR64), by Ryuji Sasai

vs.

Mega Man II - Air Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEOaTIkMf8c), by Kenji Yamazaki

-------------------------------------------------------

Holy Ruins is my second favorite song from my favorite Game Boy soundtrack, but that is not enough to carry it past the epicness that is Air Man. Theme of Another Dimension would have gotten my vote here. :)

Round 4, Fight 3 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Freya's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaGz7rkPd54), from Final Fantasy IX

vs.

Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQrtj3gCBnQ), from Final Fantasy X

-------------------------------------------------------

Decisive Battle

Decisive Battle

Air Man,
Decisive Battle

Air Man

Decisive Battle

Holy Ruins

Decisive Battle

Holy Ruins

Decisive Battle

Holy Ruins

Freya's Theme

Tails wins the toss. Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (3-3) and Final Fantasy X: Decisive Battle (6-1) advance. On an interesting note, 2 out of 4 of the songs in our Gameboy semi-finals advanced on a coin toss.

Round 4, Fight 1 // Game Boy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvElI-6MR64), by Ryuji Sasai

vs.

Tetris - Type A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vKxju-ccQ0), by Hirokazu Tanaka

-------------------------------------------------------

And I'm voting for one of them anyway. :) Holy Ruins!

Round 4, Fight 4 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Clash on the Big Bridge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0JnXdfoYpY), from Final Fantasy V

vs.

Airship (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-if85nnGWMg), from Final Fantasy XI

-------------------------------------------------------

Uh, Clash on the Big Bridge...

Tetris Type A
Clash on the Big Bridge

Holy Ruins & Clash On The Big Bridge

Here's another way of asking one of the earlier questions about the criteria with which we judge songs: How well does the music stand up to looping? Video game music isn't meant to be experienced the same way as other forms of music. Holy Ruins is a great song. But is that something I want to hear more than once or twice in a row? Tetris has more durability, which I suppose could be interpreted to mean it's simpler. In this case, I think that's true. But I can think of examples where it wouldn't be, and simpler doesn't equal worse in my mind. Tetris Type A for me.

Every time I hear Clash on the Big Bridge, I flash back to the first fight of the first rumble, which was nearly 5 years ago (!). I've probably said before that I don't quite understand its enduring popularity. In the context of the game, it's great. But against other FF heavyweights, I don't think it holds up. I would say this, though. There seems to be a lot of overlap between FF music fans and metal fans, which is to say the songs from FF that are metal-influenced tend to show up on a lot of lists of FF favorites. Maybe that explains it? I've gotta plead ignorance on that front and go with Airship, even though I doubt very much it has a snowball's chance in hell here.

Holy Ruins

Clash On The Big Bridge

Video game music isn't meant to be experienced the same way as other forms of music. Holy Ruins is a great song. But is that something I want to hear more than once or twice in a row? Tetris has more durability

I can't say I would leave Holy Ruins on repeat for hours, but when I was a kid I did keep a save file in the Talon temple just so I could load up that song whenever I wanted to hear it. I think for me its durability was more extended through time. It was one of those songs I'd get in my head for a month and have to listen to once or twice every day.


Every time I hear Clash on the Big Bridge, I flash back to the first fight of the first rumble, which was nearly 5 years ago (!). I've probably said before that I don't quite understand its enduring popularity. In the context of the game, it's great. But against other FF heavyweights, I don't think it holds up. I would say this, though. There seems to be a lot of overlap between FF music fans and metal fans, which is to say the songs from FF that are metal-influenced tend to show up on a lot of lists of FF favorites. Maybe that explains it?

I'm sure I'm the biggest metal buff that votes here, and I for one don't think there's a direct connection. If there's one persistent quality across all genres of metal, it's a lack of inhibitions. The willingness to go to extremes opens the door to explore the full gamut of musical aesthetics. It's not limited and bound by the same rules of modesty that bind virtually all other genres. (Even hardcore punk demands the virtue of simplicity.) The metal bands that do prescribe to rules tend to write their own independently of their peers--say, a need to be extreme or to sound like band x. It's why metal has way more sub-genres than any other style of music--and most that make it beyond their garage follow these rules only when it suits them. People worship Metallica not for their thrash centerpiece, but for their infusion of folk and classical and progressive rock that come together to create a unique, rule-defying identity. Limitations in early VGM rendered composers necessarily non-compliant. It forced them to be innovative to survive. The effect is much the same, and the culture of innovative composition has thankfully survived the transition into the world of limitlessness in which so many other genres impose their imaginary rules. So I think the connection between metal and vgm appeal is more an appreciation for conceptually unrestrained, open-minded composition that prioritizes the overall aesthetic of the finished product above the basics of structure and content.

Towards this end, I don't think anything intrinsic about vgm battle music makes it stand out above the rest. The tonal quality and harmonies of "The Place I'll Return To Someday" is way more in tune with my metal tastes than the crunchy bombast of "Dark Messenger". I only really like the latter song for its relevant stark contrast to an otherwise highly subtle score. "Other World" got a novelty vote from me in the first round because of the epic balls it took for Uematsu to give it the green light, not because I think it's an above-average song. Unprecedented by RPG VGM standards, it's a pop ballad compared to comparative efforts by actual metal bands.

No, I think the appeal of "Clash on the Big Bridge", "The Dreadful Fight", and "Dancing Mad" are more a consequence of VGM composers generally vesting more time and interest into battle music than most other songs in a game. And it's the less edgy, more introspective themes like Final Fantasy X's "Decisive Battle" and Final Fantasy XIII's "Saber's Edge" that top my list of battle tracks. "Clash on the Big Bridge" has a big advantage for me because it's my most nostalgic Uematsu track. I remembered playing a Final Fantasy V fan-sub back in '98, before any but the most devoted English-speaking FF fans had touched the game, and my fondest memory of it was discovering this song. It was my little secret--a lost Uematsu masterpiece I could call uniquely mine. I was completely enamored by Kansas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baExq6xNhQ8) at the time too, and the connection between this song and "Closet Chronicles" left a so-far-sustaining impression of "Clash on the Big Bridge" as pretty much the greatest thing that could ever happen to VGM. My regard for this song is more blind devotion than sincere appraisal, but that's part of what being a "favorite" is all about.

Great post. I was just thinking of that video yesterday afternoon, for no reason in particular other that it still makes me laugh.

Holy Ruins

Clash On The Big Bridge

Holy Ruins & Clash On The Big Bridge

For me personally, I judge the music based on what sounds better when it is a game that I have never played before (like all the Final Fantasy music). However, when judging games that I have played, I cannot help but recall my emotional attachment to the music and the context in which it was presented in the game. If you think this approach would bias one towards music they enjoyed in games they had played, I would submit that you would be correct!

Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V.

Link! Welcome back. The Zelda rumble is right around the corner.

Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (6-2) and Final Fantasy V: Clash on the Big Bridge (7-1) advance.

Round 4, Fight 2 // Game Boy Rumble

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Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Evil Gods (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXdogIIwXw), by Hidehiro Funauchi

vs.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i40UFtPtcDs), by Ryoji Yoshitomi

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I really didn't have a prediction of what songs to expect in the semi-finals of this rumble. My worst fear was that Type A, Rocket Ship Ride, and Gym Leader Battle would all carry to the end through mere familiarity, but that was definitely not the case. I think Type A is the best of those three all around, and it made it just about as far as I personally feel it deserved. Now we have two more songs squaring off for all of the right reasons, and while my pick is an easy one to make, I am really happy that Evil Gods, not Ripe Seeds or Praying Hands, made it this far. It's an appealing song that also showcases really innovative use of the Game Boy's capacity. So does Surface of SR388, and it does so with, I think, a much higher sustainability through repetition. It must have really grown on people since the Metroid rumble to have made it this far. :)

Round 4, Fight 5 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Devil's Lab (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIlGeT6N6Xs), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

The Dreadful Fight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4-fXuTwb8), from Final Fantasy IV

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I am not about to let my modest discontent with the quantity of battle themes creeping their way into the quarter finals influence my pick in this match-up. The Dreadful Fight is one of Uematsu's finest.

The Dreadful Fight

Evil Gods

Dreadful Fight!

Evil Gods

Devil's Lab

Surface of SR388

The Dreadful Fight

Surface of SR388

The Dreadful Fight

Surface of SR388

Devil's Lab

We were briefly talking about metal and vgm, and this left me curious. What do people actually think of when they hear "metal" these days? The stereotypical answers when I was a kid--Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, etc--are so far from anything I've listened to since the 90s that I have to wonder whether there are any commonalities at all remaining between mainstream "metal" and the sort of stuff pushed via genre-specific web forums. Do modern radio stations play Mastodon? Has everyone heard Blut Aus Nord's 777 trilogy because it got hyped on Pitchfork? Or are the newer metal bands that I think of as popular only really known to the people who would have made the effort to find them anyway?

We were briefly talking about metal and vgm, and this left me curious. What do people actually think of when they hear "metal" these days? The stereotypical answers when I was a kid--Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, etc--are so far from anything I've listened to since the 90s that I have to wonder whether there are any commonalities at all remaining between mainstream "metal" and the sort of stuff pushed via genre-specific web forums. Do modern radio stations play Mastodon? Has everyone heard Blut Aus Nord's 777 trilogy because it got hyped on Pitchfork? Or are the newer metal bands that I think of as popular only really known to the people who would have made the effort to find them anyway?

Static-X was my first metal band...course, i didn't get into metal till early 2000s, but that's irrevant.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (4-2) and Final Fantasy IV: The Dreadful Fight (5-2) advance.

FINAL MATCH // Game Boy Rumble

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Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvElI-6MR64), by Ryuji Sasai

vs.

Metroid II - Surface of SR388 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i40UFtPtcDs), by Ryoji Yoshitomi

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This is really tough. Metroid II and Final Fantasy Legend III are the two Game Boy games I played most as a kid by far. (Ok well, maybe Link's Awakening is up there.) I certainly enjoyed Final Fantasy Legend III more as a game, and it had a brilliant soundtrack. I struggled to cut myself off at four selections when I made this compilation. Metroid II was one of the best to be sure, and I think that Ryoji Yoshitomi crafted a more appropriate "Metroid sound" than any other composer in the lengthy series. I have to keep in mind that this is an individual track rumble....

Is Final Fantasy Legend III the best soundtrack on the Game Boy? I have no doubt. It would be a shame to not see Sasai come out on top in the end.... but I'd be lying if I didn't pick Surface of SR388 as my favorite here.

Holy Ruins

Holy Ruins

Holy Ruins

No Final Fantasy match this time for the other rumble?

I typically let the final match of a rumble go solo to give it a little more importance.

Holy Ruins

I typically let the final match of a rumble go solo to give it a little more importance.

fair enough.

We have a winner!




Final Fantasy Legend III - Holy Ruins, by Ryuji Sasai beat out Metroid II - Surface of SR388 by Ryoji Yoshitomi 4-1 to become the 20th rumble winner.



Round 4, Fight 6 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Phantom Train (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pse4gcBprLk), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Dark Messenger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBNBwZe6GTI), from Final Fantasy IX

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Phantom Train

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Future Rumble Vote

Best of the Nintendo 64 (64 soundtracks)
Best of the Commodore 64 (64 songs)
Best of World of Warcraft (64 songs)
Best of Zelda (192 songs, treated as 128)

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We don't really have anything in the way of short rumbles lined up at this point. These are the four that are more or less ready to roll. If the Zelda rumble does not start now, it will start automatically at the end of Final Fantasy. Please vote for each rumble that you would like to see start in three days, and whoever gets the most votes goes.

I'll take Nintendo 64, World of Warcraft, or Zelda. C64 would be our third low-bit rumble in the last four, so I'd rather put it off.

Dark Messenger

I'd be interested in doing a World of Warcraft rumble.

Dark Messenger

None of those rumbles really suit me all that well, but if I had to pick one, i'd go for the Nintendo 64 rumble.

Dark Messenger
N64 Rumble

What do people actually think of when they hear "metal" these days?

Because metal is so rife with sub-genres, as you mentioned in an earlier post, I'd guess that this question would result in a lot of different answers. I don't consciously follow bands in that genre (I listen to a metal album when it's been recommended to me by a friend or year-end list), but I have heard at least one song by everyone you mentioned. I'll ask some people who know more than I do what they think.

EDIT: Here was one former rumbler's response, giving some insight into metal's place in Argentinian culture:


Well, it's a very interesting question, maybe I should ask my nephew about it.

But on top of my mind I will say that these days, they'll still think of Metallica a little, at least here in Argentina. Specially this year because of the gig on Antartica and the gigs on La Plata, it's a Fashion to listen to Metallica. I bet if I put on "The Shortest Straw" they would be lost wondering from which band is that song.

Getting more serious about it though, I personally think that the younger generetaions don't listen to metal at all. You see, metal isn't what it used to be. You could say that with the turn of the Century things went more into the pop realm and MTV is more concerned about selling trash reality shows rather than music itself. At the end of the 90's Marilyn Manson was the shit for a lot of people. Starting the 2000's you have Korn popularity. And at this time Linkin Park was on the Rise. So with this "Nu Metal" stuff, it was more about of a teenage rebellious movement rather than the music. Of course the rebel part was always integral in many metal genres. But we all know that it wasn't the case back in the day for Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. And on top of that, extreme metal was becoming more popular, not that it ever became mainstream, but it was certainly easier to find people discovering Death and a lot of the Gothenburg Metal Bands or some of the Black Metal giants. And because of this, the 4 bands that come to my mind for the younger generations are

Disturbed
Killswitch Engage
Lamb of God
Avenged Sevenfold

Now I wouldn't go as far to say that these 4 bands are the equivalent of the big 4 of the Thrash Metal, like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth were. But these 4 bands while they were around for some time (Disturbed for example was around since 94') they are hitting hard these days. And you see that their sound is kind of like the legacy of the influence of Nu Metal on bands that grew listening to this genre while admiring Thrash. Pantera is a timeless beast for it's own. Sepultura as well. Basically, for the younger generations the so called "Metalcore" is most likely the thing they would listen to

As I lay dying, Bullet for my Valentine, and the other 4 bands.


No Final Fantasy match this time for the other rumble?

We've always done that for the final fight of a rumble. Nothing new. On a side-note, I think this is the first time I've missed a final fight. :( But a deserving song won.


As for my votes...


Phantom Train

Best of Zelda / N64

If I'm genuinely interested in a rumble theme, I give priority to the oldest one in the queue. And, Jesus, Link has been waiting since 2011. But is it ready? And is he around right now? His activity says he hasn't logged in since his last vote. If not, I'd go N64.

We've always done that for the final fight of a rumble. Nothing new. On a side-note, I think this is the first time I've missed a final fight. :( But a deserving song won.

Huh. Never knew that. Guess I forget easily. Oh well, least I know now...

Started May 27, 2009

Today is the rumble's 5th anniversary, and I�d like to take a second to thank everyone who has voted, created a theme, revised song selections, or otherwise supported the project. The spirit of the rumble is to create opportunities for people to hear new music or old music in new contexts, and I see that spirit still very much alive under Shad's excellent leadership. Thank you to Shad, and to all of you. Over the next few days, I'll post some extras to celebrate the last five years as we gear up for the next rumble themes.

Final Fantasy IX: Dark Messenger (3-2) advances. Time for a new rumble!

Oh, I heard this on Midnight Snacks (http://midnightsnacks.fm/) last night and thought some of you might get a kick out of it: DJ Cutman - Red Soil Reboot (https://soundcloud.com/djcutman/red-soil-reboot-for-sammus)

Round 1, Fight 1 // N64 Rumble

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Jet Force Gemini (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYi8o-RAWuk&list=PLQhKXYgOXl3sUPNGhM3rYyTtk7fwkumUL), by Robin Beanland, Graeme Norgate, Alistair Lindsay

vs.

Banjo-Kazooie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COM4bdU0R4I&list=PL840312217AF11534&index=2), by Grant Kirkhope

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Banjo-Kazooie is not exactly the sort of thing I'd choose to listen to on a regular basis, but it serves its purpose well. Jet Force Gemini sounded totally generic to me.

Round 4, Fight 7 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Opening Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZJqRbmxMEY), from Final Fantasy VI

vs.

Red Wings (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbQyqX9iu_M), from Final Fantasy IV

-------------------------------------------------------

Sorry my favorite second favorite (how could I forget you Toian Beauty?) FF4 track. Opening Theme

Jet Force Gemini

Red Wings

Banjo-Kazooie

Opening Theme

SO sorry I missed the Game Boy finale - would have definitely voted for Metroid II. Sorry to see that lose. The other was a strong contender, but certainly not 4-1 better.

Jet Force Gemini, Final Fantasy II.

As for the next rumble, obviously Zelda gets my vote, but N64 is a strong second place for me.

I was told that Zelda would come after Final Fantasy (so we didn't have to freaking long-ass rumbles going at once) so I hadn't worried about getting it too ready yet. I was even thinking of going back through and seeing if I could cut down to 128.

Banjo-Kazooie - Fun fact: This soundtrack was nominated for the “Most Journey-Worthy Music” award. It’s fun, silly, and catchy. Of greater importance, the entire soundtrack is notable for being interactive during game play. This means that if you jump in the water, the music changes into a harp arrangement. If you enter a haunted mansion, an organ starts playing the theme. That allows the music to reflect the environment around the character and, consequently, create a more immersive experience. That quality wasn't unique to this stage in video game music history (Super Mario World, for example, introduced new instruments depending on Mario's situation, such as adding bongo drums to the music when on Yoshi), but it was impressive in its execution and foretold what composers would continue to strive for on next-gen consoles. As an additional note, Grant Kirkhope has a website that's worth checking out, with a lot of background information on his compositions and his favorites from each soundtrack, including the never released SNES game Dream (http://www.grantkirkhope.com/samplecomposition.html), which eventually became Banjo Kazooie.

Opening Theme


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5th Anniversary Bonus #1
For the first bonus, I wanted to do something simple. The most gratifying part of this project has been to meet and talk to so many people regardless of geographic location, age, and to some extent even language. Though music is the universal means of communication, the participants--not the music--make this worthwhile. Back on the first anniversary (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/29.html#post1484405), I mentioned that I feel very privileged to be able to listen to and discuss music with you all. I mean by that both the obvious sentiment and also the historic privilege we have. Within my own lifetime and probably within the lifetimes of most, if not all, of you, this kind of forum was not technologically possible. Probably a lot of us used to be kids holding tape recorders up to our TVs. It's a privilege to have this technology at our disposal, a privilege I'm grateful for, though not everyone uses it to participate democratically with the rest of humanity. Now anyone with an internet connection can find almost any song ever recorded instantaneously. That can make people more insular and robotic. I know a lot of people who quite mindlessly download thousands and thousands of songs not out of an appreciation for the music, but out of some hunter/gatherer instinct or fear of impermanence or...who knows? The practice isn't about enjoying the music; it's about possessiveness, routine, and entitlement. And they've shown over a long period of time that they don't listen to what they download. For those of us who don't simply experience music passively or use this technology to alienate ourselves from others, it's rare and difficult to find a community of people who are willing to (a) discuss music as an art form and (b) do so in an open-minded, respectful way. These qualities should not be taken for granted. In that spirit, here is an acknowledgement of everyone who has participated in the rumble over the last five years and made this experience special:

775117724
aces4839
Another Mad Dancer
Bass260
butter building
ChazA4
Chocolate Misu
Dammit
decapattack
Denny
Derimu
dissident93
docrate1
Dr Shaneman
DragonKazooie89
Eshvoide
feralanima
Galad�n Nimcelithil
Gentleman Ghost
Heffy
impudent urinal
jakob
Jens of the desert
Jessie
Jitan Toraibaru
Lackadaisical
Lens of Truth
Link006
Lishy
LordBlackudder
Marceline
Master Megatron
Mercenary Raven
nadasaid
NARFNra
nebbish
Pos
Puea
Purrr
Q-Tip Trepe
ravenous19
Ryuji
saint seiya2004
Sarah
Shad
Shadow mage
Silent Ed
Smarty
solidsnake999
ssquared
superangelo128
Szczepan
Tascar
taylorLR
tebian
Terrordar
The Anti-Existence
thejobloshow
topopoz
UlicBelouve
Uvogin
vergil2010
Withope
wolfmaster913
Zetara22

Here was one former rumbler's response, giving some insight into metal's place in Argentinian culture:


Well, it's a very interesting question, maybe I should ask my nephew about it.

But on top of my mind I will say that these days, they'll still think of Metallica a little, at least here in Argentina. Specially this year because of the gig on Antartica and the gigs on La Plata, it's a Fashion to listen to Metallica. I bet if I put on "The Shortest Straw" they would be lost wondering from which band is that song.

Getting more serious about it though, I personally think that the younger generetaions don't listen to metal at all. You see, metal isn't what it used to be. You could say that with the turn of the Century things went more into the pop realm and MTV is more concerned about selling trash reality shows rather than music itself. At the end of the 90's Marilyn Manson was the shit for a lot of people. Starting the 2000's you have Korn popularity. And at this time Linkin Park was on the Rise. So with this "Nu Metal" stuff, it was more about of a teenage rebellious movement rather than the music. Of course the rebel part was always integral in many metal genres. But we all know that it wasn't the case back in the day for Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. And on top of that, extreme metal was becoming more popular, not that it ever became mainstream, but it was certainly easier to find people discovering Death and a lot of the Gothenburg Metal Bands or some of the Black Metal giants. And because of this, the 4 bands that come to my mind for the younger generations are

Disturbed
Killswitch Engage
Lamb of God
Avenged Sevenfold

Now I wouldn't go as far to say that these 4 bands are the equivalent of the big 4 of the Thrash Metal, like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth were. But these 4 bands while they were around for some time (Disturbed for example was around since 94') they are hitting hard these days. And you see that their sound is kind of like the legacy of the influence of Nu Metal on bands that grew listening to this genre while admiring Thrash. Pantera is a timeless beast for it's own. Sepultura as well. Basically, for the younger generations the so called "Metalcore" is most likely the thing they would listen to

As I lay dying, Bullet for my Valentine, and the other 4 bands.

Yes! The rebellion aspect definitely seems like the thing that empowered nu metal, and it came at an odd time when big business was regaining control of mainstream radio even as the internet was temporarily disarming radio's control over people's listening behavior. What corporations found in Korn and propelled into the spotlight was a form of rebellion that satisfied kids' desires for a general aggro outlet without any anti-establishment undertones. Gone were the days when Kurt could make a mockery of the media vultures in the very magazines they published and Zack and Tom could call for open revolution. Nu metal offered a safe sort of rebellion, with lyrics that targeted parents, girlfriends, and high school bullies instead of offering commentary on broader social concerns. Naturally adults (the actual musicians) that were still focused on personal childhood grievances without any grasp of a bigger picture were going to be fairly shallow and manipulable, so it suited the record giants well. (It always bugged me that System of a Down (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJi-W9o7uU) got lumped into the nu metal crowd, because they offered so much more musical and lyrical depth.)

Then, of course, Napster happened, and after eight or so glorious years Apple happened, and we're left with a most unusual gap. My generation was immersed in the diverse underground scenes that became available at the click of a button. Nu metal died a quick death. Forget Roadrunner Records; everyone was sharing the newest Century Media, Relapse, and Spinefarm releases. (Southern Lord came a bit later.) Gothenburg melo-death was all the rage, Opeth was the hottest band in town, and obscurer scenes like Kharkiv BM were sneaking at least a track or two into everyone's playlists. I remember my first gig back in '02. Me and all of my high school metal buddies didn't go to see Korn or Disturbed or some shit like that. We saw In Flames opening for Iced Earth. That was normal. That was "mainstream". That was what kids thought of when they talked about metal, for a time. Leave bands like Disturbed to the middle school losers and goth rejects. And if you asked anyone about metal who didn't know much but wanted to fit in, they would talk about Metallica, or Maiden, or Pantera.

My question might boil down to: what has happened since then? I took the Napster road and never looked back. Most of my contemporaries did the same. I think that, after spending a few sweet years reeling from the punches, corporate recording cut its losses and reinstated the grunts that stood faithfully by--Disturbed, Papa Roach, etc. I would like to think that kids don't actually listen to this shit. That, like me and my friends at 16, they have easy access to alternatives and a collective will to reject what the media's feeding them. But maybe not. The internet has changed profoundly over the past ten years, from a libertarian dream where anonymity was the highest virtue to a tightly controlled corporate state where everyone goes by their real names and you have to enter your private cellphone number to register a Yahoo! email account (truth!). It seems like ripe conditions for corporations to dictate what everyone listens to, and with names like Disturbed flying around, I fear that might be the case. Or is that just what it looks like to someone too immersed in the other side to realize that kids today still have their sources, like we had Napster and Something Awful, and like the next wave had Pitchfork and /mu/?

In either case, metal definitely seems to have split down two incommensurable paths. On one, nu metal holds equal if not greater rights than thrash to claim influence, and it remains the dominant sound today. Down the other, nu metal was wholly rejected shortly after conception, and music has evolved at a breakneck pace ever since. I think most of the best metal ever created was recorded in the past ten years (2011 alone might carry it), and none of it was by any of the bands mentioned in that post. It's hard to believe that the sort of stuff played on mainstream radio today was around during the second wave of black metal. That's pretty ancient history. >_>

I'm going to post up a few samples of some of the great things that have been happening my side of the metal spectrum lately, because I can. :)

Opening Theme

I think of Metallica when I think of metal. I always found most of the rock labels that are employed these days to be wholly unhelpful in describing the music. I've heard Limp Bizkit called everything from metal, to nu metal, to rock/rap, to alternative. What the hell does any of that mean? Who knows.

I always preferred Hard Drive's definition of "Extreme Rock" (a cross between hard rock and modern rock) and filtered everything through that lens. There are certain bands that I consider "alternative" (Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Incubus, the Killers) and some that I consider Extreme Rock (SoaD, Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed).

In an age gone by we were discussing music genres in the FFGurus irc channel and Jovianknight popped out of nowhere with something like "My band plays a mix of surfer toast and doctor five five". You are not alone.

Genre labels are shorthand for two expressions, and you have to be familiar with the label to know how much of each is implied. They mean "band c sounds sort of like bands x y and z" and/or "band c participated in the same cultural movement as bands x y and z". They don't take on meaning until you have actually engaged the bands involved. The more you come to share a common understanding of the terms with other listeners, the more meaningful they become.

Some terms are very, very generic, like "classical", "blues", "jazz", etc, but so common that we all have a general idea of them. For these, my definition of a genre rarely needs apply. If I told you "check out this blues band" and linked a Metallica song, you would understand that I made an error even if you can't name a single blues or metal band without stopping to think about it for a minute. Other terms have negative definitions. "Rock" means "a band that generally uses electric guitar, bass, and a standard drum kit, plays relatively peppy music with a standard progression of verses followed by a chorus, and doesn't fall into any other genre", "any other genre" being relative to the conversation. "Alternative" means "a rock band with roots in the 90s or early 2000s", etc.

Mid-range terms such as "indie rock", "grunge", and "thrash metal" lean more towards the cultural movement. "Grunge", for instance, means "participated in an early to mid-90s cultural movement in which bands largely from the Seattle area played modestly heavy rock that focused on abandoning 80s pomp and hairspray for a 60s grassroots ethos". "Indie rock" would be "mostly early-2000s, diy ethos, incorporates instruments beyond the rock spectrum, mostly acoustic, focal points in Portland Oregon and Athens Georgia". Since these are very general, you're likely to see a supporting tag like "riyl Neutral Milk Hotel".

Specific terms take on meaning only when you've got a really diverse understanding of their parent terms, and once you do have that understanding, you're going to find yourself accurately labeling bands before you even know what others are calling them. For instance, I termed Agalloch "post-black metal", Alcest "shoegaze black metal", and Peste Noire "black'n'roll" independently before any of those descriptions caught on. It's not that I am personally responsible for naming new genres. It's that these terms, despite having not been used to describe any previous bands, were the most logical combinations of words to employ. They conveyed to other listeners the most accurate idea of what other bands/general sounds they could expect to hear similarities to. "Shoegaze black metal" meant little more to me in origin than "wtf, they're obviously black metal but it's a total My Bloody Valentine vibe", but today this is a common label.

I hope that helps.

Oh, so Limp Bizkit, to answer your question: Every term you used is accurate to a degree, but they're coming from different contexts. As I said, the definition of "rock" is very relative to the conversation. Limp Bizkit were "rock" from the most generic of all contexts in that they were not classical, blues, rap, or jazz. No one who employs genre terms meaningfully actually uses "rock" this way, but as "rock" is a mainly negative definition, it can fly. So "rock/rap" means "it had elements of rap and elements that weren't rap or any of that other stuff I know general terms for", and it's a really stupid, useless description. "Alternative" is slightly more useless. In this case it means "They meet this really lame definition of rock and existed in the 90s". "Metal" is getting somewhere, and "nu metal" is just being more specific. "Nu metal" is the only proper genre label of the four you mentioned. It actually conjures to mind specific bands, specific places and times, and a specific musical culture. "Nu metal" is a pretty accurate definition for Limp Bizkit. So is "rap metal".

Shad's Believe It or Not! of the day: Three Dollar Bill Y'all$ was actually a really fucking good album. Like, seriously, Fred's screams are sick and Wes writes one hell of a crushing groove riff. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHyV9V-37zc)

Response to the metal conversation:


Nu metal offered a safe sort of rebellion, with lyrics that targeted parents, girlfriends, and high school bullies instead of offering commentary on broader social concerns.

This is an interesting thought, and I think points to one reason why I never got into nu-metal and, listening to that Limp Bizkit link, still don�t feel any connection with it. The sound of my teenage rebellion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuoFiIFkdAA).


I would like to think that kids don't actually listen to this shit...But maybe not.

I�m sure the kids have found something to call their own that�s not force-fed by a major music label. Every generation seeks out those niches. Whether or not those bands are any better than the corporate bands is dependent on the music, though. Your interest, I assume, is two-fold: what are these bands and are they any good?

Hey, I actually like Limp Bizkit a LOT. I don't know if that makes me musically cultured or not... but I don't much care. Significant Other was a fantastic album and I even liked Results May Vary (even though they varied a LOT for some people). Pollution is one of my all-time favorite songs!

Banjo-Kazooie (3-2) and Final Fantasy VI: Opening Theme (4-2) advance.

Round 1, Fight 2 // N64 Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Mischief Makers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uKtzlH5zAc&list=PLCAA3D36BEDB7B50D), by Norio Hanzawa

vs.

San Francisco Rush 2049 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2xXXe8SqAE&list=PL6611721F517C8C2E), by Barry Leitch

-------------------------------------------------------

I'm definitely a fan of Norio Hanzawa, but his style comes through a lot stronger on the Mega Drive. I'll take San Francisco Rush 2049.


Round 4, Fight 8 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Find Your Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn0T6Xh5VXY), from Final Fantasy VIII

vs.

Valley of the Fallen Star (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJVNzQDdCY), from Final Fantasy VII

-------------------------------------------------------

Find Your Way

Valley of the Fallen Star aka Cosmo Canyon

San Francisco Rush 2049

Find Your Way


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


5th Anniversary Bonus #2
The second bonus raises an interesting question. Below are the previous winners of every completed rumble we've done. Though I originally intended this as a way to listen back to a playlist of the winners, what I noticed as I put it together was how dominant the 90s have been in the rumbles. Three winners were from the 80s. Five winners were from the 00s. Eleven have been from the 90s. And that doesn't include Uematsu's win in the Composer's Rumble, though he both participated in and influenced the course of 90s vgm. The question, then, is if the 90s were the Golden Age for video game music?
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=Sonic1_box_usa.jpg)
Sonic the Hedgehog � Green Hill Zone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF9ZLNxHaBY)
by Masato Nakamura (1991)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=ocarina-of-time.jpg)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAMzIihPjAg)
by Koji Kondo (1998)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=MetroidPrime.jpg)
Metroid Prime � Underwater Frigate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2B3QqjJ284)
by Kenji Yamamoto and Kouichi Kyuma (2002)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=castlevania3boxart1.jpg)
Castlevania III: Dracula�s Curse � Beginning (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGq9VjJXVh8)
by Yoshinori Sasaki, Jun Funahashi, and Yukie Morimoto (1989)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=mega-man-2-title-screen.jpg)
Mega Man 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL02gX8hSTk&list=PL2F553EFB76F93B22)
by Takashi Tateishi, Manami Matsumae, and Yoshihiro Sakaguchi (1988)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=final-fantasy-vi.jpg)
Final Fantasy VI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLpjPht5mvg)
by Nobuo Uematsu (1994)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=IntegralWall.jpg)
Metal Gear Solid � The Best Is Yet to Come (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6miaTf1gF4g)
by Takanari Ishiyama, Gigi Meroni, Kazuki Muraoka, Lee Jeon Myung, Hiroyuki Togo, Maki Kirioka, Rika Muranaka, and Tappi Iwase (1998)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=boxart.jpg)
Final Fantasy VI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLpjPht5mvg)
by Nobuo Uematsu (1994)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=Sonicth_eur.jpg)
Sonic the Hedgehog (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoV0wUxFA-g&playnext=1&list=PL43622D6769FCEDB1)
by Masato Nakamura (1991)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=1271537907.jpg)
Chrono Cross (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J46RY4PU8a8&playnext=1&list=PLD60FDA0E024BE41F)
by Yasunori Mitsuda (1999)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=1096580470_megaman3title.jpg)
Mega Man 3 � Title (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2kTeh7FNl0)
by Yasuaki Fujita (1990)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/?action=view&current=Suikoden_II.jpg)
Suikoden II � Imprisoned Town (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6exvhdhIE8)
by Miki Higashino and Keiko Fukami (1998)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/VagrantStoryrumble.jpg.html)
Vagrant Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvSvSXSttRw&list=PLC7FA53EBA99B515E)
by Hitoshi Sakimoto (2000)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/vagrant-story-2.jpg.html)
Vagrant Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIDzmISasQM&list=PL49D6F5F3FC29A278)
by Hitoshi Sakimoto (2000)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/SoftheC1.jpg.html)
Shadow of the Colossus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1T-f3dIUZE&list=PL4B77AB01B4C2C5F8)
by Kow Otani (2005)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/uematsu-nobuo-4fd877b2a9120.jpg.html)
The Greatest VGM Composer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7RPY-oiDAQ&list=PL4562BAE6D669BE02&feature=plpp_play_all)
Nobuo Uematsu (1986-Present)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/250px-MetroidPrimebox_zps83b9fbed.jpg.html)
Metroid Prime � Ice Valley (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8oefrmJrWk)
by Kenji Yamamoto and Kouichi Kyuuma (2002)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/ghouls_n_ghosts_01_zps62667e84.png.html)
Ghouls 'n Ghosts � Main Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgCLAXQow3w)
by Tim Follin (1988)
<br>
(http://s658.photobucket.com/user/arthurgolden/media/Star_Ocean_Second_Story_zps1e6b0656.jpg.html)
Star Ocean: The Second Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLO91ihkK3Y&list=PL94C4DF160CC9F7ED)
by Motoi Sakuraba (1998)
<br>
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu301/arthurgolden/th_Final_Fantasy_Legend_III_Coverart_zpsc5ac9e1b.p ng (. html)
Final Fantasy Legend III � Holy Ruins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvElI-6MR64)
by Ryuji Sasai (1991)

San Francisco Rush 2049

Cosmo Canyon...Valley of the Fallen Star

GUESS WHO'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh...

Find Your Way

You'll be seeing more from me again. =D

http://www.greatwallforum.com/forum/images/smilies/other/cheers.gif http://www.greatwallforum.com/forum/images/smilies/other/cheers.gif http://www.greatwallforum.com/forum/images/smilies/other/cheers.gif Welcome back! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHx5hCVN26E)

biggest facebook thumbs up i've ever seen !

Where did everyone disappear to? Well, the show must go on. San Francisco Rush 2049 (3-0) and Final Fantasy VIII: Find Your Way (3-2) advance. Time for the quarter-finals!

Round 1, Fight 3 // N64 Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoOdo4oAJzo&list=PL1EEFA82475BD0D5A), by Hitoshi Sakimoto, Masaharu Iwata, & Hayato Matsuo

vs.

Mario Kart 64 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTyeDZEnk9A&list=PL063FBBE00159AAB1), by Kenta Nagata

-------------------------------------------------------

Ogre Battle 64


Round 5, Fight 1 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Dreadful Fight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4-fXuTwb8), from Final Fantasy IV

vs.

Dancing Mad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbXVNKtmWnc), from Final Fantasy VI

-------------------------------------------------------

Dancing Mad

Mario Kart 64

Hard choice, but, Dancing Mad.

Ogre Battle 64

Dancing Mad

Ogre Battle 64

Dreadful Fight - Tough choice, but I'll give it at least one vote.

Ogre Battle 64

Dancing Mad - Actually if it was against Fight 2 or Zeromus instead Dreadful fight. I would've voted FFIV instead.

Mario Kart 64, Final Fantasy VI.

Ogre Battle 64

Dancing Mad


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


5th Anniversary Bonus #3
The most important aspects of the rumble are obviously the participants and the music, which I�ve covered in the first two bonuses. But over the years, I spent a lot of time working on the visual presentation of the rumble, too. I worried that a sub-forum with far less traffic than Downloads would need a kind of gimmick to survive�a fear history has proven wrong. But creating an interesting look for the rumble was frustrating, to say the last. The forum creates enormous obstacles to that goal, and I probably spent 1-5 hours per rumble working out new designs that I had to ultimately abandon, either because of inconsistent or unexpected results. Some of that time was spent reading numerous articles on how to manipulate vBulletin, but a lot of it was just troubleshooting. It was definitely a challenge, although I think the variety of looks I did end up with are fun to look back on. So for the third bonus, I�ve created a visual history of the rumble with some brief notes.

My thought process about the progression of each round was set before the first rumble was started. In general, I wanted the focus to be on the music in the first round, with opportunities for voters to deepen their appreciation of the music in the subsequent rounds via added background information, fun facts, pictures, and the like. The original first round, seen below, was just a link and a description. Things evolved fairly quickly from there. By the first round of the Aquatic Themes rumble, I had started including more information up front, and then colored text in the first split rumble between Castlevania and NES soundtracks.

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/#post1253578) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/5.html#post1312683) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/9.html#post1343428)

Likewise, the second round designs built on each other quickly as I tried to figure out (a) what I could research and (b) what people might be interested in. When I was making the first rumble, I was reading a lot about sound chips in different consoles and decided to include that information in the fights, besides the composer, year, and a fun fact about each song. When we started the Aquatic Themes rumble, I also included which songs or soundtracks had been beaten in earlier rounds by a selection to see if voters would hold grudges. It worked, as some of you know. ;) As you can see in the Metal Gear/SNES split rumble, for a time I also included when during a game a song could be heard (useful info, but difficult to research).

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/2.html#post1269398) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/7.html#post1325613) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/26.html#post1467799)

As time went on, I reused the idea of the smaller silver-colored text as a heading and played around with the colors more, adding in linked pictures of the composers, then finally adding in full pictures within each fight. I�m still very happy with the way the PlayStation soundtracks rumble came out, since it involved a lot of tweaking with the font colors. The forum�s yellow works in small doses, but next to the picture it burned your eyeballs and made reading the composers� names unnecessarily difficult. The final choice (ridiculously named "LemonChiffon") was subtler and better, and at the time I thought was the best I could do in vBulletin.

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/21.html#post1436671) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/33.html#post1511856) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/52.html#post1746952)

Then I started working on the Composers Rumble. But before I talk about that, I should mention the semifinals as a drafting ground for some of those ideas. I always wanted the semifinals to be the round with the most comprehensive details about each competitor, so the voters could make the most informed choice about which songs got to the final. With that in mind, I would often include the link, composer, year, system, fun fact, description, and picture with each competitor. Sometimes that meant a wall of text and using colors and indentation to organize everything. Later on, I began to experiment with larger-format pictures and less text.

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/28.html#post1481838) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/47.html#post1679447) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/53.html#post1757498)

These experiments ultimately inspired the layout of the final rumble I did. I knew I wanted the Composers Rumble to be my best and most comprehensive rumble, but I needed to find a way to reduce how much was actually in the fight post and to categorize the information for a standard look. The result was a crazy amount of work, from finding all of those links and organizing them, to downloading all of the pictures and making them all the same size in Photoshop, to writing descriptions of the entire careers of 64 composers, to drafting that information in different layouts. It was a gigantic undertaking, and I was really proud of the end result. There was a lot of passion poured into the selection process by the group page people, and I wanted to return that with a well-designed rumble that I knew was going to be my last one. The rumble, as I�ve said before, is a collective enterprise. A sidenote: the changes made for the semifinals turned out well, although I could not convincingly photoshop Sakimoto into that damn picture of Uematsu, Shimomura, and Mitsuda. I needed a picture from the waist up to match the others and only a few were available. Thus, I had to use a picture where his lighting was totally different from theirs, and the more I adjusted the colors and brightness and resolution, the faker it looked. So he ended up looking a little ghostly. My apologies to Sakimoto. Sidenote to the sidenote: did anyone ever notice that the four-composer banner image at the top of the Composers semifinal linked to another hidden picture? :D

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/60.html#post2006728) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/64.html#post2114212) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/65.html#post2189162)

From the very first rumble onward, I jam-packed as much information as possible into the semifinals so that I could deliver a simply presented final round with only the link, a composer, and the year for each selection. With as much familiarity as voters had with the works by that point, I felt it was appropriate and also added a little elegance or formality to the end. I held true to that philosophy for the first two years of the rumble. But as time went on (and I got more comfortable with Photoshop) I wanted to add some eye candy, which you can see linked below.

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/3.html#post1279273) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/53.html#post1760517) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/56.html#post1835812) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/59.html#post1946878) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/65.html#post2194636)

The true spot where a single song or soundtrack could get the spotlight, though, was in the results post after the final round. I tended to reuse the link, composer, year, fun fact, previously beat list, and description information from earlier rounds while adding the winner�s record in each round and some additional pictures if available. I also sometimes added onto the description to tie in discussion points from the voters or my own concluding thoughts. I like these final posts (which are all linked in a previous 5th Anniversary bonus and also in the OP of this thread) because they were a celebration of good music that had endured. Every time I posted the results from a final round, I felt like there was a satisfying sense of accomplishment and finality to the act. I hope there was a similar sense of satisfaction (at least, more often than not) for the voters�and I hope you enjoy walking down memory lane with me. I intended this post to be short and LOOK at how long it is now. I'm insane.

(http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/3.html#post1281618) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/22.html#post1443546) (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/66.html#post2201504)

Huh, looks like I stopped recieving emails from this thread and missed a few days. Oops...

Ogre Battle 64
Dreadful Fight

Ogre Battle 64 (6-2) and Final Fantasy VI: Dancing Mad (6-2) advance.

Round 1, Fight 4 // N64 Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Gauntlet Legends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29g1BIG-FHo&list=PL7183AE5FA2F27FFA&index=1), by John Paul, Barry Leitch, Joe Lyford, and Michael Henry

vs.

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLIQOVOEFng&list=PLA1AE456B3FC54CD2), by Darren Mitchell

-------------------------------------------------------

Turok 2


Round 5, Fight 2 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Clash on the Big Bridge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMTXyExkeI), from Final Fantasy V

vs.

Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTxqsTfDgC4), from Final Fantasy X

-------------------------------------------------------

Yikes. Decisive Battle

Turok 2

CotBB

Decisive Battle

The N64 one was kinda difficult for me since they're both not really my cup of tea, buuuut....

Gauntlet Legends
Decisive Battle

The first fight is no contest for me. Gauntlet Legends' soundtrack is competent (favorite track (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0E_0bPCbFA&list=PL7183AE5FA2F27FFA&index=4)) and even better on the PSX. But Turok 2 is percussive, thunderous, and thrilling (favorite track (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivKN72rWsoc&list=PLA1AE456B3FC54CD2&index=3)).

Decisive Battle


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


5th Anniversary Bonus #4
On numerous occasions while running the rumble, I got rude PMs from outsiders criticizing one thing or another. The messages ran the gamut from sarcasm (�Maybe you could let more than one other person make selections, thanks�) to mild criticism (�your rumble sucks�) to outright rage. In each case I explained the rationale I was using for the rumble and invited constructive criticism. In each case, the person disappeared, sooner or later. Now, I know as well as the next guy that the internet encourages this kind of human to human interaction, and�without going into a lecture�we live in a time of heightened rhetoric. But over this, a game about video game music, people were going to sit down and write a message cursing me? I thought that was totally bizarre. Then it happened again. Then it happened again, on two different occasions after I had just finished complimenting the individual on their own video game music project.

So we�re passionate. That�s obvious. And some people suck. We already knew that. But I think there�s something subtler happening that points to our relationships to other members of a subculture. We need them, and we need them to be on board with our own canon. Otherwise, our relationship to the music can feel threatened.

There is a positive side, too. I�ve heard plenty of stories about the redemptive power of music. I�ve gotten plenty of compliments. I�ve seen people come back to the rumble at a new place in their lives and find their bond to the music had actually strengthened over time.

With that in mind, I wanted to share a comedy bit (http://www.tallarico.com/files/audio/misc/Tallarico.mp3) by Aziz Ansari in case any of you hadn�t heard it before where he talks about the subculture of video game music and notices something about us that reveals an absence in his own life. As soon as he says �what level of nerdom,� you'll know sorta where he's going, but by the end he offers something much weightier and funnier to think about.

Gauntlet Legends

Decisive Battle

Austin Wintory, composer for Journey and The Banner Saga, is being fined $50,000 (http://kotaku.com/journey-banner-saga-composer-might-get-fined-50-000-1589048563) by his own union for composing for video games.

After reading Arthur's anniversary series, I think I'll revive the tradition of posting previous records in later rounds.

Decisive Battle (5-1) and Turok 2 (3-2) advance.

Round 1, Fight 5 // N64 Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Glover (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0V6k-NZAHI&list=PL93A96AEE8D0E30DC), by Rob Load, Paul Weir, & Mark Bandola

vs.

Banjo-Tooie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP2mKpUvXl4&list=PL7EFB226AC90A54D3), by Grant Kirkhope

-------------------------------------------------------

Banjo-Tooie


Round 5, Fight 3 // Final Fantasy Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

The Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjw35-qkb_s), from Final Fantasy VI
(6-2, 4-3, 5-0, 3-3)

vs.

Opening Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZJqRbmxMEY), from Final Fantasy VI
(7-0, 4-1, 3-1, 4-2)

-------------------------------------------------------

Opening Theme

Oh man, I've always loved Glover's OST. Banjo-Tooie is nice but I still am gonna have to go Glover.

Hm. The Decisive Battle. Funny how I've voted for songs called that twice now.

The Decisive Battle

Banjo-Tooie

The Decisive Battle

Banjo-Tooie

Opening Theme

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


5th Anniversary Bonus #5
About a year ago, one of you told me you'd finished high school in the time the rumble had been running. Its history has overlapped with major moments in my life, too. Much of the power of any stable institution comes from the instability of everything else. When I posted the first fight in 2009, I was in a hotel killing time before my brother�s wedding. Now he has two kids, lives in another state, and (as happens once friends and family members have kids) our relationship has substantially changed. I was also just beginning to work on my Master�s thesis, which meant no more classes�the end of my formal education and the beginning of many other things. You could say the rumble marked the beginning of my adulthood. I was teaching classes I�d created, writing on my own terms, recently married, a homeowner, finishing school. A year later I was saying goodbye to grad school friends, returning home, getting a new job, and reinserting myself into relationships that had dissipated in my five-year absence, some friends no longer reachable, some dead, some friendships more powerful than before, some new friends. Then there was learning to assert myself in personal and professional environments, understanding more deeply the code of values I had been forming my entire life, shifting my identity from a writer to a teacher, learning to balance work and family, learning healthy coping mechanisms for my and my wife�s emotional needs, making personal goals to extend my education. In other words, all of the complexities of adult life, intersected on a daily basis with video game music. That�s where this turns profound, I think. This is just one feature of one medium I loved as a child, yet this game allows me the pleasure of revisiting that time every day despite all of the other stresses of adult life accumulating and intensifying. Thinking about any hallmark moment of the last five years, I see a rumble post from the same time. What did it feel like to move back home in fall 2010? Here�s the answer (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/34.html#post1528094) (under the spoiler). What was I doing during the awful spring of 2011 when a jealous colleague was trying every day to intimidate me? Writing 1,000 words about Suikoden (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/43.html#post1630634) and listening to FF covers that topopoz posted (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/49.html#post1700073). The rumble has been the constant through all of that, for me and for others, and I still use it to function as a stress reliever.

For that reason, I am so thankful to Shad for taking over and doing such a magnificent job. The five-year anniversary bonuses wouldn�t conclude justly without an acknowledgement and appreciation of his work. I know more than anyone what�s it like to organize something like this (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/66.html#post2222151), to write something like this (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/72.html#post2320580), to plan ahead of time (http://forums.ffshrine.org/groups/vgm-rumble-group-procrastination-station/), to advertise (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/76.html#post2402335), to be visually consistent and precise over long periods of time when other things (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/67.html#post2235441) are happening (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/80.html#post2555430) (notice the dates). My Word doc of everything I posted for the rumble is 553 pages long�117,710 words. It is a lot of work, hours and hours, with the end results open to scrutiny if you make a mistake. Yet things have drummed along fantastically because Shad is awesome, and knowledgeable, and dedicated, and enthusiastic, and generous. What he has done is everything I hoped for when I stepped down, plus more. Not only is he extremely well-informed, lucid, and pointed in discussing areas of vgm history that I emphasized while running the rumble, he has extensive knowledge of other eras outside of my expertise and shows a willingness and desire to learn more. Do I need to say more? Probably not, but I'm going to anyway. Shad is organized, Shad is diplomatic, Shad is funny, Shad gets angry sometimes. And that's what I want to end the 5th Anniversary series on. Some of you may remember way back to the SNES soundtracks rumble. On March 28, 2010 (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f63/official-video-game-music-rumble-66118/24.html#post1455697), the god of randomness threw us a curveball when in the seventh fight of the first round, Super Mario RPG drew a match against Chrono Trigger. A day of infamy for the rumble. Super Mario RPG never had a chance, as you might expect, losing 10-0, and consequently a soundtrack that Shad loved (and that I loved) and that really should have been in the semifinals ended up with the same record as Kendo Rage. It's time to right this wrong. In honor of Shad, I'm naming Super Mario RPG the "Most Screwed-Over Selection in a Rumble Ever." Hopefully, this helps restores order to the cosmic balance. I've included a link below so it can get the spotlight, as it should have so long ago. Thanks for the memories already made, friends. Here's to the next five years. Play me out, Mario.


(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d25OY306LP4&list=PLSHMcAUZYM-747dALKoLQgcwc_H-mzU9b)

Why settle for just five years, dood? We could go decades if we wanted to.

Agreed. I think that sentiment is pretty clear from my posts. Hopefully, people aren't getting the idea that I'm putting a limit on the rumble's future.

Thanks Arthur, I appreciate all you've done to keep this running for so long. It is definitely interesting to look back on key events in my recent life and see how they have effected my posting behavior. Aside from a tendency to offer less commentary when things aren't going so well, it looks like I've been pretty even keel through it all.

In what was, I think, a surprising upset, The Decisive Battle (3-2) advances, along with Banjo-Tooie (3-1).

Round 1, Fight 6 // N64 Rumble

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Animal Crossing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUebQUIP50M&list=PL46AAE9DF81FADE09), by Kazumi Totaka, Shinobu Tanaka, Toru Minegishi, & Kenta Nagata

vs.

Command & Conquer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWbl4KBpZW4&list=PL3C1FCC901A2EB478), by Grant Kirkhope

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Animal Crossing


Round 5, Fight 4 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Dark Messenger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBNBwZe6GTI), from Final Fantasy IX
(5-3, 5-0, 5-2, 3-2)

vs.

Find Your Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn0T6Xh5VXY), from Final Fantasy VIII
(5-3, 4-2, 3-2, 3-2)

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Find Your Way. Go go last remaining non-battle song!

Dark Messenger

Command and Conquer

Dark Messenger

Animal Crossing - Command and Conquer really loses something without the voice samples (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlsSiEpZMQY).

Find Your Way - Several years ago (I can make statements like this since I recently went back through the whole rumble ()), Link made a comment about how context is everything. Did I think Find Your Way would be in the semifinals? Nope. But I think it's the better song here.

EDIT: Also (), apropos of nothing.

Animal Crossing!

Find Your Way

Animal Crossing

Find your Way

Command & Conquer, Final Fantasy IX.

Find Your Way (4-3) and Animal Crossing (4-2) advance. Semi-finals are up!

Round 1, Fight 7 // N64 Rumble

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Mario Party (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhEH0aZAyCo&list=PLE233196829C872E9), by Yasunori Mitsuda

vs.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjSt1GpdGSM&list=PLbYy8mitnHrMTymS7x_T4erQJWnkmHQqZ&index=1), by Darren Mitchell

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I don't know what surprised me more here: that Mitsuda was composing for Nintendo on the N64, or that it wasn't particularly good. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, like its sequel, is pretty interesting. I knew there had to be a reason why I enjoyed this game in spite of hating most fps's......


Round 6, Fight 1 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTxqsTfDgC4), from Final Fantasy X
(6-1, 3-3, 6-1, 6-1, 5-1)

vs.

Decisive Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjw35-qkb_s), from Final Fantasy VI
(6-2, 4-3, 5-0, 3-3, 3-2)

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Final Fantasy X!

Turok

FFVI

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter - Ditto on the Mitsuda note. I first heard this for the Mitsuda rumble. Some of the tracks are okay, but how did this happen?

FFVI

Turok, Final Fantasy VI.

Turok

FFX

FFX

I'm not a fan of advancing tracks to the finals on a coin toss, so I'm going to hold out a bit for another vote.

We need feralanima or NARFNra to step up!

I actually voted this time! Whoo.

Cheers! Final Fantasy X - Decisive Battle (4-3) and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (5-0) advance.

Round 1, Fight 8 // N64 Rumble

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Rayman 2: The Great Escape (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJep_bDgC94&list=PLgl6fbabd1rjBEXON8rOkEkTssKmMWO7d), by Eric Chevalier

vs.

Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4wNZ9WXq7g&list=PL845B952A7CC23B8C), by Koji Kondo & Toru Minegishi

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Rayman 2 based on the tracks I sampled, but I think these are the two best soundtracks I've heard in this rumble so far. I'll have to listen to them in full tonight and reconsider.


Round 6, Fight 2 // Final Fantasy Rumble

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Find Your Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn0T6Xh5VXY), from Final Fantasy VIII
(5-3, 4-2, 3-2, 3-2, 4-3)

vs.

Dancing Mad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbXVNKtmWnc), from Final Fantasy VI
(7-1, 3-1, 7-0, 5-1, 6-2)

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Find Your Way's unexpected run has been fun to watch, but it's bound to end somewhere. Dancing Mad

Find Your Way

Majora's Mask

Dancing Mad

Dancing Mad

Rayman 2

Dancing Mad


Sorry for missing out on breaking the tie for that last fight, my internet had been out for most of this past week.

My general rule of thumb for ending a fight is every third calendar day so long as there have been five votes. The problem is that there hasn't been much participation in the N64 rumble. I had to advance after three votes earlier, but I know that giving Majora's Mask the boot 1-2 is going to cause a bit more grief than when Mischief Makers lost 0-3. Since I don't normally post two fights during a final round anyway, what I'm going to do is leave voting on Majora's Mask vs Rayman 2 open until the end of this next battle. Please spare me some confusion and don't re-vote if you already have.

Final Fantasy VI - Dancing Mad (4-1) advances, and now for a fight long, long in the making............ (mouse over for links)


FINAL MATCH // Final Fantasy Rumble

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSJkrIziqUc) VS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQrtj3gCBnQ)

Dancing Mad was a revolutionary new idea in video game music. A song that seemed to stretch on for eternity, evolving as one of the longest fights in Final Fantasy unfolded, Dancing Mad became the musical embodiment of one of the first RPG villains with a truly complex personality. Kefka was a man obsessed with destruction not because he was a mere "bad guy", but because he derived a sick yet strangely human sense of joy out of that final fleeting feeling that immediately precedes it. He wanted to create something beautiful in order to experience it dissolving into nothing. He might be the only final RPG boss with a legitimate reason for waiting for the heroes to arrive in order to enact his plans, and you might say the final battle was his final goal--not the destruction that would have followed should he have won. Nobuo Uematsu crafted a song that really better defined Kefka's mind than the actual in-game dialogue.

Decisive Battle similarly taps music's capacity for juxtaposing beauty and desperation. It doesn't tell a story, and it could only be as relevant as FFX's ho-hum plot would allow, but it's a more mature effort that strikes me independently of its in-game context. Another day and time, Dancing Mad's relevance might tip the scales in its favor, but lately I've been voting based on more direct appeal.

Dancing Mad

Dancing Mad

Dancing Mad

Gotta join the chorus. Dancing Mad

Decisive Battle

I know a lot of people say that Kefka is a great villain because of all the things you mentioned Shad. Personally, I've never agreed with any of it. Kefka characterization never went beyond "He's crazy! He's evil!", and as far as I'm concerned, that's lazy storytelling. And, it really stands out in a game with otherwise fantastic characters.

I definitely agree with you that a lot of Kefka's complexities are read in to the game by its fans. In fact, the game openly denies that Kefka is acting rationally by explaining that his brain was damaged when he was selected as a test subject for a prototype magitek suit. Who the hell makes one of their three top ranking generals a guinea pig for technological research? Final Fantasy VI's progression, when you really look at it, is pretty weak. If you are prepared to take it at face value, you have to swallow a lot of situations where one character or another is acting completely irrationally for no obvious reason and accept that the origin of their behavior is merely a matter of poor planning by Square. (You locked General Celes in a basement with multiple entrances and two guards in an occupied city instead of taking her to Vector???) Yet the myth of Final Fantasy VI has persistently outmaneuvered all attempts by Square to digress the game back to its intended state (I always used to caution people against the PSX remake before it was itself ancient history), and people still attribute to the game a lot of plot and character elements that simply are not there.

FF6 did have a lot to brag about. It boasted the best graphics and music that anyone had ever experienced on a home gaming console at the time. It also offered a degree of immersion that few other RPGs could by approaching the story-telling in a fairly novel way (by video game standards); it (like FF7) began in the middle of the story, with characters already acquainted in such a way that you are compelled to speculate about their history from the beginning rather than wait to be told. The steampunk setting was totally novel in a sea of standardized fantasy, and I think it also compelled players to attempt to rationalize rather than accept each scenario. And the game was packed full of Easter Eggs. Shadow's dreams, Gau's reunion, Doom Gaze, etc...

In short, Final Fantasy VI begged players to ask "why" and rewarded them for seeking answers. But the effect was even stronger than Square intended due to one entirely unforeseen factor: a terrible translation. What should have been an obvious reference by a man in a cave in WoR Veldt became the hidden ninth dragon I spent hours farming to no avail. (Let's not forget that Nintendo Power's official strategy guide actually MISSED some of the Easter eggs because they were so obscure. I was justified in my hunt.) A typo became Siegfried's doppelganger, Ziegfried. Surely there is some complex backstory to this. How do we unlock it? Censorship of Cyan's girly magazine became a secret instruction manual for some hidden weapon or plotline. The list can go on and on. Because there were no answers--these weren't even intended to be questions--we never stopped looking, and talking, and building the game up to a higher level.

These speculations formed the content of the very first posts I ever wrote on the internet. (My screen name for going on 20 years now derives from Shadow.) A game with a lot to talk about happened to coincide with a revolutionary new means of talking, and on Nintendo's old LoudHouse forums (good mother of god, a duckduckgo search for nintendo loudhouse just spit out me as the fourth search result) the Final Fantasy VI rumor mill ran wild. Was anybody about to accept, in the midst of all this, that Kefka was just some loon? I think not.

Love the discussion and this is completely off-topic, but I ran across something bananas (http://www.gamegavel.com/item.cgi?show_item=958029). Apparently, the world's largest video game collection was just sold on eBay for $750,000. The link includes regular pictures of the collection, panoramic pictures, a video, and some background information on the seller, with additional links to the game list. Surprisingly, he missed out on a lot of the best games for the SNES, including no Final Fantasy VI.

And with that brilliant segue...

What's crazy is that only works out to $68 per game.

I remember back when the Suikox forums were still thriving, newer fans to the series often complained that the original Suikoden was out of print and consistently sold for $100+ on ebay. I'm sure he got a lot of these for $1 or less in bulk bargain sales, and the most popular RPG classics probably don't find their way into those. Still, I can't imagine many pre-NES titles going for so little. He's got complete sets for systems I've never even heard of. I bet some of those games only have a few dozen copies left in circulation.

We have a winner!


http://zotaku.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/kefka.gif

Final Fantasy VI - Dancing Mad beat out Final Fantasy X - Decisive Battle 4-2 to become the 21st rumble winner!

(And oddly enough, Rayman 2: The Great Escape beats Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 2-1 despite remaining open for two fights.)

The Zelda rumble is going to be done a bit differently. Link has seeded the songs, so the selections will not be random. We'll kick off as soon as I get the list from him.

Round 1, Fight 9 // N64 Rumble

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Mario Party 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBZ6c9R0298), by Hironao Yamamoto, Shohei Bando, Kazuhiko Sawaguchi, & Yasunori Mitsuda

vs.

Space Station Silicon Valley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkRS-rJ2iRg&list=PL121E34A022B4C381), by Stuart Ross

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I will post my vote tonight. I'm packing up to go on vacation tomorrow, so I'm a bit rushed for time. (Assuming the internet works there we shouldn't see a break in rumble updates.)

Space Station Silicon Valley

Space Station Silicon Valley

Going with Mario Party 2

I agree with the selection in the Final Fantasy Rumble. As a total Final Fantasy outsider/hater listening to the music with NO connection to the games whatsoever, I'm surprised that the Final Fantasy IX title theme didn't make it further. I think it is one of my favorite title themes ever and by far my favorite Final Fantasy track.

I'll go Space Station Silicon Valley for this one.

Shad - prepare for the Zelda list via PM!

Space Station Silicon Valley advances 3-1. Time to get this show on the road!

Round 1, Fight 10 // N64 Rumble

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Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw3Uxwlznp0&list=PLF40B1D5A82D3740D), by Koji Kondo

vs.

Conker's Bad Fur Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh0EEB5ozpE&list=PLFBC9FE6A6C4AF94D), by Robin Beanland

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Ocarina of Time


Underworld Round 1, Fight 1 // Zelda Rumble

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Title/Opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM1j2zp3gx8), from A Link to the Past

vs.

The Great Sea (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7plKQ4T0980), from Phantom Hourglass

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Opening Theme

Conker's Bad Fur Day

Title/Opening

Conker's Bad Fur Day is awesome (if you haven't played its multiplayer games, it still holds up), but Ocarina of Time

Opening Theme

Ocarina of Time

Opening

Conker's Bad Fur Day

Opening Theme

Who would have thought that someday I'd vote for a soundtrack with a fart sounds instrumentalization in one of it's songs...

I considered changing my vote for effective use of poop noises, but Peste Noire have me spoiled (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pp44rWLgqA). Ocarina of Time (3-2) and A Link to the Past - Title/Opening (5-0) advance.

Round 1, Fight 11 // N64 Rumble

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Super Smash Bros. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6U1b9SSd68&list=PLB1DE9CC5D8EF63C1), by Hirokazu Ando

vs.

Yoshi's Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7i8ZHDNHyM), by Kazumi Totaka

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I'll vote when I have more time.


Hyrule Round 1, Fight 1 // Zelda Rumble

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Intro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5biIXoKAHo), from Legend of Zelda

vs.

Papuchia Village (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQt4j6Ff9-8), from Spirit Tracks

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Intro

Super Smash Bros.

Papuchia Village is the best song off a weak soundtrack and a worthy contender, but it can't beat Intro

Super Smash Bros

Intro

Hmmm.... Super Smash Bros.' lack of original material makes it a hard sell by my standards. I don't know that I would have included it, personally, but even as a remix album it definitely outclasses Yoshi's Story.

If my original count was correct, 23 of the 45 songs on the official soundtrack are original, which was enough by my estimation to earn it a place over the leftover soundtracks. I didn't consider the remixes in my above vote, and even without them, I do think the soundtrack is substantial enough to beat out Yoshi's Story--though I don't believe it's strong enough to win the entire rumble considering how many wholly original soundtracks are in this thing.

Super Smash Bros

Intro

Super Smash Bros. (4-0) and Legend of Zelda - Intro (4-0) sweep the competition.

Round 1, Fight 12 // N64 Rumble

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GoldenEye 007 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oL7VN78Zz8&list=PLAA1F6AE3357F26CB), by Graeme Norgate, Grant Kirkhope, Robin Beanland

vs.

Harvest Moon 64 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHBAJ7DkD_g&list=PLAE8B24B8B8BA53D6), by Tsuyoshi Tanaka

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Harvest Moon 64 is pretty disappointing. It has so much potential, but we're left with another relatively boring, repetitive Tsuyoshi Tanaka score. Imagine what someone like Miki Higashino could have done with this. GoldenEye 007


The Golden Land Round 1, Fight 1 // Zelda Rumble

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Overworld (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpEzYEoV9qY), from Legend of Zelda

vs.

The Sacred Grove (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTRnOUaBlu8), from Twilight Princess

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Both of these songs showcase melodies we're likely to hear continually throughout this rumble. The fact that Overworld did its first certainly does not make it the best, but The Sacred Grove is a pretty half-assed attempt to make a classic song sound spooky. It's more annoying than anything else.

GoldenEye 007

Overworld

I will attempt to give some commentary on the Zelda rumble as we go through... I've only been waiting for this for a few years now!

If you're filling out a bracket to keep score at home (and frankly, why wouldn't you?), The Golden Land would be the bottom right region on your bracket. Each bracket is seeded 1 to 32 and the earliest the #1 seeds could meet each other would be the semi finals. This is to eliminate unlucky draws for strong (but perhaps not top seeded songs) so they don't face a powerhouse early and get relegated to a first/second round exit (a la Ninja Gaiden III.... and no, I will NEVER let that go).

I have a bit higher of an opinion of Sacred Grove than Shad does. The melody is not aiming for spookiness at all - the middle portion is actually the "battle" version of the track. When you are fighting enemies in the sacred grove, that is what will play. Ocarina of Time introduced the concept of "battle" music to the Zelda series that played outside of a mini-boss or boss battle. With that in mind, I think the track works well.

Still, it can't hold a candle to one of the rumble's four #1 seeds, Overworld. I have a feeling that this one will be going a LONG way. I felt that The Golden Land was the #3 bracket overall, so I therefore tried to give it the third best #1 seed and the second best #2 seed. I'm not sure if we'll have any #32 seed over top seed upsets in the rumble, but I'm pretty confident this won't be one of them.

Goldeneye 007, Legend of Zelda.

---------- Post added at 10:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------

I missed the first two Zelda fights thanks to work and the holidays. But, suffice to say, neither would have been upset picks for me. Hyrule should be your bottom left region in your bracket while Underworld is your top left region. Hyrule is the #1 overall bracket, which means that the Legend of Zelda has two of the four #1 seeds and that the intro to the first game of the series enters the competition as the top overall seed. After listening to Papuchia Village, I almost feel bad serving it up to Intro like that. I think it could be argued that it was underseeded. I fear the strength of schedule was factored in heavily in its seeding because, as Arthur mentioned, it had little to no competition to get into the rumble, as Spirit Tracks had VERY few worthy candidates. In fact, I think that both of the Zelda representatives from the two DS games have been knocked out of the tournament, which leaves that system the first to fall in the rumble. The Ocean track from Phantom Hourglass hearkens back to Wind Waker, but I suspect that the original will have a MUCH better showing than it's little brother... or cousin.

There was a time during the rumble prep stages in which the Title/Opening for A Link to the Past were two SEPARATE tracks. I decided that a track of only about 15 seconds probably didn't qualify for inclusion on its own, though many Zelda fans would say it is one of the most iconic pieces of the series all by itself.

Anyway, my votes would have gone to both of the #1 seeds so make it straight sweeps for the #1 seeds of at least 5-0 so far!

GoldenEye 007

Overworld

GoldenEye 007!

Overworld

In another double sweep, GoldenEye 007 (5-0) and Legend of Zelda - Overworld (5-0) advance.

Round 1, Fight 13 // N64 Rumble

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Pok�mon Stadium (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgWwTPcnUnQ&list=PL6BDC851DC87AB459), by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, & Toru Minegishi

vs.

Super Mario 64 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhadLMDWcGA&list=PL5DFFB80A07748DE3), by Koji Kondo

-------------------------------------------------------

It's unfortunate these two are meeting in round 1. I'm kind of feeling Pok�mon Stadium right now.


Termina Round 1, Fight 1 // Zelda Rumble

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Gerudo Valley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8GRDNU50b8), from Ocarina of Time

vs.

Vaati (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldjZIw-vdWQ), from Four Swords

-------------------------------------------------------

Vaati

Super Mario 64

Gerudo Valley

Super Mario 64

Vaati

A while ago I said that I would post up some samples of the directions metal has been headed in lately, but I kind of dropped the ball. I kept writing and discarding posts that were ridiculously long and bound to never be read. It's kind of like trying to show someone what video game music "sounds like" without asking them to read any history or listen to more than six selections. I think the bottom line is that you have to want to engage it in the first place in order to ever appreciate it. The problem is that while a lot of the most famous vgm songs are quite good, metal is full of red herrings that discourage anyone from engaging and exploring. The band names that were dropped in our discussion earlier are almost all garbage and fail to represent anything but stylistic stagnation among the corporate dictators of fashion.

When I first really started getting in to metal around 1999 and 2000, my gateway albums were Blind Guardian's Nightfall in Middle-Earth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MBrEPUZh-U) (1998), Opeth's My Arms, Your Hearse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0edDklFDIY) (1998), Nokturnal Mortum's Goat Horns (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U_QYi6spxs) (1997), and In Flames' Colony (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3t5VN1m5A) (1999). Maybe these still form a good starting point, though Nightfall is the only one of the lot that would still make my top 10.

The influence of these four bands over the past two decades is certainly hard to overstate. Blind Guardian's bombastic take on power metal really marked the end of that genre and the beginning of a tendency by many fantasy-oriented bands to become more inclusive in their pursuit of epicness. Opeth showed the world that "progressive metal" didn't have to mean scale-regurgitators in nut-hugging leather spewing out a billion notes a second with zero appreciation for aesthetics. From the mire of a black metal sound that was growing stale, Nokturnal Mortum inaugurated the folk and pagan scene that would dominate metal above any other sub-genre in the 2000s and place Kharkiv on the map as a bastion of musical talent. And In Flames stood at the forefront of the melodic death movement that finally divorced extreme metal sounds from ideals of machismo debauchery. None of these bands were exclusive in their influence, of course, and musical scenes often emerge as a sort of stand-alone complex. If there exists any one band that can be credited as doing it all first, that would be Sweden's Bathory in the late 80s, but his works are mediocre in the wake of what followed.

The tracks I linked above alongside Electric Wizard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0bjJt9UV58) and Orchid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uYtqhxCmrc) should give you the best starting perspective you can hope to find in six songs of what was happening at the end of the 90s. Keeping in mind that bands ceased to exist in isolated spheres with the birth of the internet and that post-rock (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUTTmpwD0c) had more influence on metal than any other non-metal movement since the 60s, you can begin to imagine what might have followed. Maybe I'll make a post later reaching towards the bands that I admire most.

The Termina bracket will also be on the right half of your bracket if you are scoring at home, and this first round matchup pits the final #1 Seed Gerudo Valley against the #32 seed Vaati, one of only three songs to make it from Four Swords in an era in which Nintendo was fascinated (to the point of exasperation) with creating a multiplayer Zelda. Gerudo Valley was constantly sited as one of the strongest performers for the overall classical soundtrack of Ocarina of Time, which won Rumble #2 (Koji Kondo soundtracks). One would expect it to do well here.

If the voting holds true to now, the #1 seeds will have breezed through their first rounds without a single vote against them. The previous three have all won by 5-0 margins. Where will the first upset come?

Not today:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64.

A while ago I said that I would post up some samples of the directions metal has been headed in lately, but I kind of dropped the ball. I kept writing and discarding posts that were ridiculously long and bound to never be read. It's kind of like trying to show someone what video game music "sounds like" without asking them to read any history or listen to more than six selections. I think the bottom line is that you have to want to engage it in the first place in order to ever appreciate it. The problem is that while a lot of the most famous vgm songs are quite good, metal is full of red herrings that discourage anyone from engaging and exploring. The band names that were dropped in our discussion earlier are almost all garbage and fail to represent anything but stylistic stagnation among the corporate dictators of fashion.

When I first really started getting in to metal around 1999 and 2000, my gateway albums were Blind Guardian's Nightfall in Middle-Earth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MBrEPUZh-U) (1998), Opeth's My Arms, Your Hearse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0edDklFDIY) (1998), Nokturnal Mortum's Goat Horns (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U_QYi6spxs) (1997), and In Flames' Colony (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3t5VN1m5A) (1999). Maybe these still form a good starting point, though Nightfall is the only one of the lot that would still make my top 10.

The influence of these four bands over the past two decades is certainly hard to overstate. Blind Guardian's bombastic take on power metal really marked the end of that genre and the beginning of a tendency by many fantasy-oriented bands to become more inclusive in their pursuit of epicness. Opeth showed the world that "progressive metal" didn't have to mean scale-regurgitators in nut-hugging leather spewing out a billion notes a second with zero appreciation for aesthetics. From the mire of a black metal sound that was growing stale, Nokturnal Mortum inaugurated the folk and pagan scene that would dominate metal above any other sub-genre in the 2000s and place Kharkiv on the map as a bastion of musical talent. And In Flames stood at the forefront of the melodic death movement that finally divorced extreme metal sounds from ideals of machismo debauchery. None of these bands were exclusive in their influence, of course, and musical scenes often emerge as a sort of stand-alone complex. If there exists any one band that can be credited as doing it all first, that would be Sweden's Bathory in the late 80s, but his works are mediocre in the wake of what followed.

The tracks I linked above alongside Electric Wizard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0bjJt9UV58) and Orchid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uYtqhxCmrc) should give you the best starting perspective you can hope to find in six songs of what was happening at the end of the 90s. Keeping in mind that bands ceased to exist in isolated spheres with the birth of the internet and that post-rock (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUTTmpwD0c) had more influence on metal than any other non-metal movement since the 60s, you can begin to imagine what might have followed. Maybe I'll make a post later reaching towards the bands that I admire most.

Seems we came from the same kind of breed. Mentioning My Arms, Your Hearse and Nightfall, rings all kinds of memories. Where you bring In Flames. I was more with Dark Tranquility and At the Gates. For example. And it wasn't until well, My Arms Your Hearse to learn to appreciate them. When (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ZHajw3-3s)blew my mind

Given that my first memory of contact with Metal was a 4 year old listening Theli from Therion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIW2dVv8GU&list=PL625588DD0CBDB163), one does not suprise. Sweedish guys creating the Symphonic Metal genre mid-90's.

Yeah, Opeth were great at decodifying the Progressive aspect with their Death Metal. It took me a while to actually like them, as I was finding myself enjoying a lot more the Melodic Gothemburg or the more intricate riffing with good old Chuck Schuldiner's Human (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZvI1mXY3QQ)& Symbolic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbp60IX_jFQ).

With Power Metal, well at 1998 a lot stuff was happening, a year before Rhapsody (I know you hate them) did Legendary Tales and that very same year Symphony of the Enchanted Lands was released, At the end Nightwish appeared with Oceanborn almost completely dropping their Folk and Doom Roots with a bombastic Power Metal Album. It's true that after that, fantasy was everywhere. But it was a nice change considering that Stratovarius lyrics weren't really much significance, save Dreamspace. And BG was doing their Fantasy stuff right from the start in the 80's with Helloween too. Only that with Nightfall Hansi dropped the bass and went to use every technique he could get from Freddie to create a voice oriented majesty. My fav from them though is actually Imaginations from the Other Side (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M0SDtCbK50&list=PLUPs8D55DP7EzFtzY-9PvxOCrDoHxFvTv). I don't know the second half of Nightfall just falls flat to me compared to their previous which every single track is a genre masterpiece to me xD.

There's a lot of great stuff to dig from the 90's, pick Conception for example. A Norwegian band which split at 1997-98, if it were to release again their last 3 albums around 2006-2012 again with a couple of gigs to promote, they would fill their pockets.

Anyways, sorry to drift way. Lots of good memories. :)

Hah, Theli and Symphony of Enchanted Lands were definitely present in my earliest metal collection. To Omega Therion was one of the first metal songs I ever downloaded as an mp3, and I definitely don't hate Rhapsody. I actually think they're quite good, though that doesn't stop me from making fun of Turilli's cheesy lyrics and Jay Lansford's insanely bad narration. The other albums I left off that list that I was listening to daily are Iced Earth's Something Wicked This Way Comes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmPaXFN9unY) and Children of Bodom's Hatebreeder (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv-oswyPzak). When was actually my favorite Opeth song at the time too, but Demon of the Fall was what got me listening to them initially.

That could be an interesting study in its own right: to look back on the bands that I was listening to in 1999/2000 and take that to be a pretty accurate picture of what was popular at the time. Ayreon, Sonata Arctica, Symphony X, Katatonia, and pre-Angela Gossow Arch Enemy were all making the rounds. Classic second-wave black metal was not on my radar at all, and my first exposure to that genre came in the form of Cradle of Filth, Emperor's weakest effort--IX Equilibrium--and a pretty drab Swedish scene crowned by Marduk, Naglfar, and Dark Funeral. You can understand how my love of black metal took some more time and experience to develop. The one exception was Dimmu Borgir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtx_UisuXAY), who deserve a bit more credit than well-informed critics like to give them.

The initial process of discovering metal for me unfolded between 1999 and 2001. If it started with the likes of Blind Guardian and Opeth, it ended with Falkenbach (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrgGqkQUG5g), Windir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFj2qwJbCZs), Thyrfing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7iv4Gf3MXw), and Finntroll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qfbCzTLmeU). I distinctly remember hearing Ensiferum (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxvKmq2H5KU)'s self-titled towards the end of 2001 and thinking for the first time that I wasn't just experiencing a new world of music that had been closed off to me for years; I was hearing a new movement that would reshape the face of extreme music and leave the mainstream "nu-metal" sound choking on its dust. Metal had ceased to be about being angry or macho or emo. It was about culture and imagination, whether that was expressed through contemplation or a keg of ale.

At least, metal as I knew it did. I think you had two major branches of metal forming by 2001. Folk and pagan metal was deeply rooted in black metal thanks to bands like Bathory, Falkenbach, Nokturnal Mortum, and fledgling viking metal. It was also largely European. In America, you had a 1990s revival of appreciation for Black Sabbath and deep, plodding, bassy vibes. It's probably criminal that I failed to mention Neurosis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp7Dz4bh5UE) in my first post, but it's a movement I just don't know that much about. 1990s internet was for nerds, and nerds love their fantasy themes. I definitely cannot see myself having appreciated Neurosis as a teenager. I can't really comment much on what gave birth to stoner/sludge/doom/drone/whatever all you care to call it, but I think you can tell from that sample track how it might have fit in nicely with the post-rock scene. And post-rock too was a largely American movement, making the two somewhat natural allies. Post-metal as we have come to know it owes a lot to both genres. But stylistically, post-rock and black metal were destined for one another. The two had so much in common that it was virtually inevitable. It was only a matter of time before the folk movement would sufficiently dissolve black metal's veil of exclusivity to bring the two together.

Witnessing the development of post-black metal has easily been my most enjoyable and rewarding experience as a metal fan. I started kicking around the idea of it in 2003 when I finally fully engaged second-wave black metal and the post-metal and stoner scenes, and bands almost immediately began to fall in line with my expectations. Culminating in 2011, the development produced some of the most intelligent and inspired music ever written, and that is really what I would like to have an opportunity to share with everyone.

Advancement gets a little sloppy when we're down to four steady voters: I hate dealing with 2-2 ties. But 4 seems to be the norm right now, and I don't want to extend every fight until we get the magic fifth. So what I'm thinking instead is I'll do like I did with the Rayman 2 vs Majora's Mask fight and leave ties open during the next fight. As things stand, Four Swords - Vaati will be our first major upset, winning the coin toss on a 2-2 tie with Gerudo Valley. If anyone cares to influence the outcome in either direction, you have until the 15th. In the future, I'll hold off flipping a coin until after the three day extension. Super Mario 64 advances 3-1.

Round 1, Fight 14 // N64 Rumble

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Extreme-G (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ2Vb1t1-Js&list=PL5B82515552B35BE3), by Simon Robertson & Stephen Root

vs.

Armorines: Project SWARM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNDWZFSl9Q&list=PL0119504F38FBEC03), by Simon Robertson

-------------------------------------------------------

I can't say I have ever heard of Simon Robertson, but an odd coincidence is going to guarantee one of his soundtracks advance. Extreme-G


Underworld Round 1, Fight 2 // Zelda Rumble

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Dark Mountain Forest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcQYrJxpJIw), from A Link to the Past

vs.

Earth Temple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65c5y7Khm_w), from Skyward Sword

-------------------------------------------------------

Dark Mountain Forest

Armorines: Project SWARM

Dark Mountain Forest

Armorines: Project SWARM

Earth Temple

and Vaati for the previous one

Armorines: Project SWARM

Dark Mountain Forest

P.S. I'm out of town dealing with some family stuff, but will try to grab a computer when I can. Hope everyone's doing well.

Four Swords - Vaati (3-2), Armorines: Project SWARM (3-1), and A Link to the Past - Dark Mountain Forest (3-1) advance.

Round 1, Fight 15 // N64 Rumble

-------------------------------------------------------

Perfect Dark (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3jIDf7cRvQ&list=PL561A40AE5860D871), by Grant Kirkhope, Graeme Norgate, & David Clynick

vs.

The New Tetris (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuKL1XG8Fas&list=PL794D0FC9218538DA), by Neil Voss

-------------------------------------------------------

Perfect Dark. I have no idea what The New Tetris is, but did anyone else play the shit out of TetriNET online back in the 90s?


Hyrule Round 1, Fight 2 // Zelda Rumble

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Top Floor/General Onox's Castle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3vGTrJlR94), from Oracle of Ages

vs.

Ganondorf's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc2k6xX_lRo), from Ocarina of Time

-------------------------------------------------------

Ganondorf's Theme might be the most boring song to ever make it into a video game. I'm not too impressed by either of these, but definitely Top Floor/General Onox's Castle.

Perfect Dark

Top Floor/General Onox's Castle

Perfect Dark

Top Floor/General Onox's Castle

I feel Ganondorf's Theme works alright ingame, but it really is meh outside of it. Voting same as quote.

I would agree with NARFNra - Ganondorf's Theme at the time Ganondorf is introduced in Ocarina of Time is a superb melody and fits the character perfectly.

I agree with the victory for Dark Mountain Forest. If you count my vote that makes it a 4-1 blowout affair, which it appears most of the fights have been thus far with the exception of the unbelievable upset.

I am STUNNED by the victory (or even tie) with Vaati against Gerudo Valley. I really don't know what to say. To think that a #1 seed could have fallen in the first round is unthinkable. Vaati was literally one of the final four tracks to make it into the rumble and I thought, at the time, a marginal inclusion at best (as you saw with the other #32 seeds). To have it come away with a 3-2 victory is something that I could have not foreseen. I feel bad for Gerudo Valley - such a strong melody and one of the most iconic tracks from perhaps the series' greatest game. I'm very perplexed by that result. I'm also very interested to see how far Vaati makes it now - that section of the bracket certainly opens up for the rest of the field.

In this week's battle, we move on to the #16 seeds vs. the #17 seeds so these should all theoretically be very evenly matched tracks. You could have fooled me with these first two battles however. I prefer Ganondorf's Theme here - I think it provides a spooky melody with a high degree of uncertainty - just who is this dark skinned man from the desert kneeling before the King of Hyrule that this Princess is warning me about?

An upset in my mind, but not in the seeding - I think the opponent is one of the stronger handheld entries into the rumble. No shame for Ganondorf to go down here, but Ocarina of Time fans appear to be poised to suffer a second straight defeat.

In the other rumble though, I never played Perfect Dark... but man it sounds good!

Perfect Dark, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time