CJthemusicdude

Those first 30 seconds are nothing short of amazing. What an excellent way to start a remix. Cool wubs and even cooler arrangement! 😎

I have been summoned! Honestly, I'm glad I was because my original review was weak sauce. I couldn't really tell you the differences between this version and the one I heard originally, so this is basically a fresh review. In my quest to review as many OCremixes as I can, I found myself defaulting to giving a positive review to each and every review. I know how much of a difference even a small review or comment can make, and I wanted to be that positive force that encouraged others to make music! However, I have a very long and personal relationship with the FF8 soundtrack. And the Extreme is one of my favorite boss themes of all time. It is a soundtrack I am deeply familiar with and I'll be completely honest, I am not a fan of this remix. My original review was glib because I didn't say what I wanted to say. So my apologies to you for not leaving a genuine review. You are going to get one now though, definitely the longest review I've ever done on this site! (So far). I will try to be as constructive as I can with this review, and keep in mind this is all subjective opinion. I very much applaud and appreciate what you've done here and the clear care and passion you put into this. I'll start with what I enjoy. The transition to the spoken work/rap section from 6:00 to 6:24 was my favorite part of the track, those wood blocks were FIRE. The rap section and the spoken word bits in general were very cool. The intro soundscape was very enjoyable, specifically the first 30 seconds. and the usage of the FITHOS LUSEC WECOS VINOSEC source was very well done. On to my criticisms. My first one is the pacing of the remix. In my original review I mentioned that it uses the time well. Upon further review, I do not think that is not the case. Even though I think the intro is very cool, 3 minutes to ramp up into the energetic portion of the song is way too long, it could have been it's own remix and would have been great but in the context of a single remix it overstays its' welcome. I think a good minute could have been cut from the intro. Even though I enjoyed the rap section, it was way too short and felt very out of place, it really felt like it should be its' own remix as well. The long length of this remix doesn't really give me a good chance to latch onto anything in particular and kind of causes the whole remix to wash over you like a fog. My second criticism from a musical standpoint is that in the "Tension and Release" aspect of music, there was too much tension and not enough release. To start, after the song-length intro. We get to some energetic stuff starting at 2:52. That part was very cool, like many of the transitions in this remix. The rhythmic chanting voices, that super cool Buzzy bass.... the strings that come in at 2:58 were weak, but not a deal-breaker... but then it just kind of... shifts to 3:04 - 3:15. After all that build up and a cool transition it just kind of flops. I felt musically blue-balled, and it wouldn't be the last time. My favorite part of the original source is that epic climatic section that dives right into the somber piano/harp. It kind of encapsulates everything that makes the Extreme such a good boss music and a great representative of Ultimicia. However in this remix, I didn't get any of that. I felt like I got played at 5:04 and 5:26 and once again at 8:34. From a creative standpoint, I appreciate the subversion of the expectation, but as an enjoyer of the source, it felt incredibly unsatisfying. Production is a bit off as well. Everything felt kind of flimsy. Some of the lead synth instruments really needed some protein. (Especially that lead that comes in at 3:58.) The drums barely had any presence (Especially the snares) and tended to be very repetitive. The end result is that a lot of this remix doesn't really pack any sort of punch. Again, I hope this review doesn't discourage you. There are things I liked about this remix and would probably like more if this remix was chopped up into more cohesive regular sized remixes. Keep making cool music! 😄

That 4 note repeating pattern is very ear-wormy. The effects of the ear-worm are amplified by the excellent production of this remix. The intro and ending for this remix are incredibly strong. Excellent job with this remix!

This is definitely an underrated gem, I'm surprised no one has reviewed it yet! The instrumentation and arrangement are very well done, and I found myself enraptured in the remix for the whole runtime. It sets up a great atmosphere and I enjoyed listening to it! Excellent remix! :)

What a lovely remix! I listened to this on repeat without even realizing. This remix has a very nice soft feel which lends itself well to a background atmosphere. This was a treat and a half! Great job on this remix! :)

Everything from 2:30 to 3:30 was insanely cool. I really enjoyed that warbling synth that is present throughout that section. The percussion and atmosphere of this remix is exquisite. Overall this remix was super cool and I definitely enjoyed it. Bravo!

I really liked the jammin triplet time metal goodness! Bonus points for having an absolutely killer intro! Great remix!

When I saw this song's runtime, I mentally prepared myself so I could listen to this uninterrupted. This definitely fits the term 'Epic.' From the cinematic choirs, to the powerful piano, to the serene strings, it's all done very well. I never played any of the Dark Souls games so I am going purely based on the music itself, and what I hear is remarkable! This remix overall is very cinematic and packs a HEFTY punch to it. 10/10, would listen to again.

This is a very intriguing remix, it creates a varied and interesting vibe. I think my favorite aspect of this remix is definitely the percussion/drums. A lot of fun little things happening here and there make this a worthwhile remix to listen to! Excellent job on this.

The beat is ? for sure. I was tapping my foot along the whole time. The vocals were clear and easy to understand which is a huge plus for me when it comes to rap. I liked this arrangement of Bloody Tears, great remix!

What an interesting intro! I don't I've seen anyone get credits for crowd chants before, that's super cool! The remix itself is a foot tapper for sure. Equal parts chill and powerful, with some excellent guitar work to boot!

I felt a chill, and not just because it is overcast this morning, this remix definitely fits the vibe of a cold location. The bells sparkle and shimmer in the airspace like snowflakes slowly making their way down to earth. The percussion of this remix is definitely a stand out, super crispy and prominent enough to be impactful. Excellent remix! ? ☃️

You can't go wrong when the remix starts off with such a killer bass groove. This remix oozed cool and was an absolute delight to listen to. I like the tempo shift near the end. Excellent remix! ?

I am a fan of the Mako Reactor source, and I gotta say I really enjoyed this creative take on the source. I really enjoyed the bass and I REALLY enjoyed the leads and secondary lead instruments. Pretty much everything from 1:00 - 2:00 was music gold! Fantastic remix here! ?

This was definitely a treat. This remix is definitely a slow burn, starting off very chill and then ramping up slowly with the drums until that big powerful finale and a trail off of a lovely ending. Excellent remix! :)