Black Mages 3 Teaser Site

[Arcubalis]

M4G got the jump on the news that a teaser site for The Black Mages 3: Darkness and Starlight went live today:

http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=816

What do you guys think of the clip? Two months away from release!

[The Tiger]

About damn time!

[Skummel Maske]

Oh yes, about time. I'm not really sure what I think of the clip, though it's kind of *meh*.

[Fishy]

It really was quite meh wasn't it. Apart from the guitar, everything else is just slightly better sound qaulity then then original, and the guitar is still fairly crap sounding.

I hope the rest of it is MUCH better.

[linkspast]

its not amazing... but its nostalgic thats why you listen to it.

[DarkeSword]

Apart from the guitar, everything else is just slightly better sound qaulity then then original...

Uh, that's kind of the point, isn't it? I mean it's an album full of covers by the guy who wrote the original music. It's par for the course, and consistent with the last two releases.

Just enjoy it. :roll:

[KyleJCrb]

It really was quite meh wasn't it. Apart from the guitar, everything else is just slightly better sound qaulity then then original, and the guitar is still fairly crap sounding.

I hope the rest of it is MUCH better.

It's Black Mages, so I suspect it'll be more of the same of the first two. Personally I think it's starting to get a little drawn out. I guess they're running out of battle themes, but arranging the non-battle songs doesn't really fit their style.

[SomeCrazyGuy]

It's Black Mages, so I suspect it'll be more of the same of the first two. Personally I think it's starting to get a little drawn out. I guess they're running out of battle themes, but arranging the non-battle songs doesn't really fit their style.

Agreed.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I honestly hope for less vocalizations, as they have been nothing but ass whenever they've used them in the last two albums
(I can almost imagine them trying One-Winged Angel... *shudder*).

[1337 1]

Agreed.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I honestly hope for less vocalizations, as they have been nothing but ass whenever they've used them in the last two albums
(I can almost imagine them trying One-Winged Angel... *shudder*).

no, they've already been there: Uematsu had to remix OWA for Advent Children. For the record, it was pretty good.

[Tenucha]

Agreed.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I honestly hope for less vocalizations, as they have been nothing but ass whenever they've used them in the last two albums
(I can almost imagine them trying One-Winged Angel... *shudder*).

I liked the female vocals used in Otherworld on the second album... however I hate Blue Blast... total crap!!

And technically they already did One-Winged Angel... in Advent Children
To agree with l33t 1, It is pretty good... I really dig it.

Looking forward to this 3rd album! Hope I dont get suckered into a Maya Records bootleg like I did for Skies Above.... Grrr!!

[CHIPP Damage]

Isn't the founding member/guitarist that Sekito guy who made the Brave Fencer Musashi soundtrack?

If the Black Mages wanna impress me, they'll death metalize Eyes On Me from FF8. MWAAAAAHAHAHAAAAA!

Edit: Tsuyoshi Sekito is not the founding member, but he and the keyboard player were the start of the thing when they arranged some of the FF pieces and brought it to Uematsu to listen to. I KNEW the that Brave Fencer Musashi guy had something special in him! Hahaha.

[Skummel Maske]

Heh, I preferred the original Otherworld. And I didn't really care about Blue Blast either. However, The Skies Above was great. I hated the vocals at first, but they grew on me.

[Fishy]

Uh, that's kind of the point, isn't it? I mean it's an album full of covers by the guy who wrote the original music. It's par for the course, and consistent with the last two releases.

Just enjoy it. :roll:

I love the last two albums (minus the vocal tracks), this isn't anywhere near the same production quality. When I say this is only slightly better sounds then the original, I mean literally only slightly better then the original smattered with ott guitar, making it feel cheap and uninteresting. This isn't par for the course imo, it sounds like they're getting lazy.

I know what the point of the black mages is. They were one of my main influences when I started remixing. :roll:

[The Orichalcon]

I'm gonna wait for the album before I comment. The sample wasn't exactly thrilling, but it might be better to listen to it whole, from the start.

[atmuh]

However, The Skies Above was great. I hated the vocals at first, but they grew on me.

a hated them at first
i still hate them

[Zeldrak]

even thoguh you hate them, they still make good music. and i just can't wait for this album.

[Mustin]

Uh, that's kind of the point, isn't it? I mean it's an album full of covers by the guy who wrote the original music. It's par for the course, and consistent with the last two releases.

Just enjoy it. :roll:

Kinda hard for me to enjoy it with the likes of bands like ARMCANNON and Smash Bros., nevermind arrangers like housethegrate, his brother ashane, Snappleman, Danimal Cannon, etc...

If you're going to have a band? Have some believable sounds... :roll:

[bucky o'hare]

I find their arrangements to be hit or miss, so they usually have a couple tracks per album that keep me interested. I'll be surprised if this release isn't more of the same.

And yes, their vocals make me want to barf. Good thing those tracks are a minority.

[DarkeSword]

What's unbelievable about it? It's guitar, drum, and synth? How can synth be unbelievable?

[The Orichalcon]

What's unbelievable about it? It's guitar, drum, and synth? How can synth be unbelievable?

Maybe it's faux-synth. Real instruments trying to sound synthetic.

[anosou]

Maybe it's faux-synth. Real instruments trying to sound synthetic.

Oh the horror!
Also, I like the previous Black Mages. It's fanboy-metal and super clean production. woo!


EDIT: aaand after listening, I hate it. :3

[Tensei]

The hell, this sounds like something I'd record in one afternoon. Where's the incredible guitar solos a la Maybe I'm a Lion =(

I agree with Fishy, the rest of this album better make up for this.

[SwordBreaker]

Been a fan of them ever since I heard of their existence a couple of years back. I think the appeal of The Black Mages is that these are real game composers who got together and did something like this. Anything that's official catches on with us Final Fantasy fans. No offense to the super-awesome videogame rock bands we all know and love, though.

But yeah...some of their arrangements are pretty hit or miss, especially with people like us who constantly check out the videogame music remix community. We can immediately compare some of the awesome fan arrangements and cover bands to the official ones. Still, though, I cannot wait for this album despite being pretty disappointed by the "Bombing Mission" teaser they have on their site. While the intro (which plays in the teaser video) sounds excellent, the mp3 teaser sounds low quality and the arrangement isn't that exciting. I'm sure that they've pumped up some awesome tracks nonetheless...makes me wonder of the final tracklist they have planned. Any predictions on that font, anyone? I, for one, would love to see FF1's town theme arranged in a similar manner to the Matoya's Cave remix in their second album.

[Synchronicity]

....Meh.... (bombing mission clip)

[1337 1]

Been a fan of them ever since I heard of their existence a couple of years back. I think the appeal of The Black Mages is that these are real game composers who got together and did something like this. Anything that's official catches on with us Final Fantasy fans. No offense to the super-awesome videogame rock bands we all know and love, though.

But yeah...some of their arrangements are pretty hit or miss, especially with people like us who constantly check out the videogame music remix community. We can immediately compare some of the awesome fan arrangements and cover bands to the official ones.

Exactly; especially considering the fact that VOTL was released not too long ago (and it also had a remix of the very same song that the Black Mages used).

[Zechs]

It's about time a 3rd album was to be released. The first 2 were just amazing, the Advent Children soundtrack was great. I can only imagine what is in store in the 3rd Black Mages entry.

[SwordBreaker]

Exactly; especially considering the fact that VOTL was released not too long ago (and it also had a remix of the very same song that the Black Mages used).

Yup, yup. Snapple and norg's version of the battle theme wipes the floor with the The Black Mages version. One Winged Angel is right down the middle between the huge OCR collab and the Advent Children TBM remix...both versions are cool in their own unique ways.

[SwordBreaker]

http://www.dogearrecords.com/tbm3_eg/index.htm

English site and new movie uploaded. There's a fuller version of Bombing Mission playing in the background of the interview, and towards the end there's another teaser song playing. Additionally, the final screen lists the Japanese and *GASP* North American/UK release dates of the album, although the latter is TBA obviously. Nonetheless, it seems that they're planning to release this album in a broader scope. Nice.

[The Tiger]

http://www.dogearrecords.com/tbm3_eg/index.htm

English site and new movie uploaded. There's a fuller version of Bombing Mission playing in the background of the interview, and towards the end there's another teaser song playing. Additionally, the final screen lists the Japanese and *GASP* North American/UK release dates of the album, although the latter is TBA obviously. Nonetheless, it seems that they're planning to release this album in a broader scope. Nice.

"Premonition" gives me some hope.

Nobuo can't seem to stop playing with his hair.

[SwordBreaker]

New teaser video up, guys. They hint that TBM are actually going to SING in one of the remixes. Hopefully they do well 'cause I'm not a fan of the vocal stuff in the previous album. Also, they're planning for digital distribution in the US/UK. Hell yes.

[APZonerunner]

Track listing is out.

1) "Opening ~ Bombing Mission" [Final Fantasy VII] (Kenichiro Fukui)
2) "Neo ExDeath" [Final Fantasy V - The Final Battle] (Michiro Okamiya)
3) "The Extreme" [Final Fantasy VIII] (Michio Okamiya)
4) "Assault of the Silver Dragons" [Final Fantasy IX] (Arata Hanyuda)
5) Kuraminokumo [Final Fantasy III - This is the Last Battle] (Kenichiro Fukui)
6) "Distant Worlds" [Final Fantasy XI] (Kenichiro Fukui)
7) "Premonition" [Final Fantasy VIII] (Tsuyoshi Sekito)
8) "Grand Cross" [Final Fantasy IX - "Final Battle"] (Keiji Kawamori)
9) "Darkness and Starlight" [Final Fantasy VI - "Mario and Draco"] (Tsuyoshi Sekito, Kenichiro Fukui, Michio Okamiya)
10) LIFE ~in memory of KEITEN~ (Original Composition by Nobuo Uematsu)

...and the track they sing on is the FF6 Opera.

Don't panic. Nobuo says that it's Japanese Orchestra Concert singers who sing the actual song - the band themselves actually just sing some backing vocals in a section. He also says the FF6 Opera TBM version is over 15 minutes long.

Digest movie with song clips for every track:
http://www.dogearrecords.com/movies/TBMdigest.wmv

[Skummel Maske]

Ooh. Assault of the Silver Dragons was my favourite track back in the day, and I've been hoping for a good remix to come out. Also, The Extreme and Grand Cross. I'm finally looking forward to this release again! :D

Edit: I listened to the clip. The tracks that did impress me were Assault of the Silver Dragons and Distant Worlds.

[SwordBreaker]

That's a pretty cool track list. It's going to be interesting to listen to Maria and Draco in rock form. I loved "Dancing Mad" from their first album so here's hoping they do this track justice, too. :)

[BluefoxIcy]

I'm so getting this when I move out. Err... wtf? I mean, when it comes out. :s

Seriously, huge Black Mages fan.

[The Orichalcon]

Grand Cross is the final battle music in FF9, right? At least I think that was one of the attacks Necron uses, so I'm assuming so.

[Skummel Maske]

Yeah, it's the theme from the Necron battle. :)