OCR01068 - Ninja Gaiden II 'In the Atrium'

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[Kamikaze Noodle]

If I was a woman, I'd want Jason Merrill to be the father of my kids. I mean, this is very, very impressive. The singing is much better than in Tororian Love Song, with the exception of those almost painful harmonies at the very end, and the playing is spot-on as well. The drums sound fake as hell, but eh, whatcha gonna do. For being fake, they sound pretty good on the whole. Not many complaints comin' from me, I have to say. Keep the sweetness comin Jason!
:nicework:

[darkportal]

:?: how can you do that to one of the best pices of ninja gaiden.. that was the most well imo, suckest remix i had ever heard... its just the voice.. mabe if it was instrumental it might of been decent.. 8O

[Darkone]

I think this sounds like a combination of Bon Jovi and Santa Esmerelda... as a whole it's a good mix. I have no major complaints except that I agree with Kamikaze about the end.

[Vortex RuneCutter]

Downloaded when it first came out on VGMIX... I liked it then, I like it now.

[Zaku II]

You guys may not win any awards for the best voice :lol: , but the lyrics were prety cool and so was the overall music. Good job. :)

[Thallon]

Lyrically this is a step forward over the TLS. You're avoiding "expected" lyrics, keeping the song fresh.

The vocals are, in all due honestly, a large step back from TLS. The emotions came off as whiney and over stretched. though I'm sure you're better singers than I :lol:. It also felt like this was a first take.

Now, instrumentals, there's this song's shining grace. far more expressive and self aware than Toronian Love Song.

I expect great things from this remixer.

[smh]

i already gave this song a lengthy review over at vgmix, but i'd just like to repeat my statement that i am completely humbled by this mix. i wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. sure, it may not sound professional, but that's not the point. this guy knows how to bring out the right emotions in a song, and create something that is rough, yet quite sincere.

[Ryan8bit]

Yes, it's quite odd that it only came out a couple days ago on vgmix, and shortly appears here. Sometimes I wish artists would only contribute one song to one site so that other artists could make it in on this one, but then some artists couldn't get all the coverage that they have. Like definitely more people will come here.

Anyways, I also gave a review over there, so no need to repeat too much here. I do like the song, but I'm really picky about vocals. You are a good singer, but I just can't get into your voice. Just a personal preference really.

[Baldrash]

I'm duly impressed. Although I do see the qualms with the vocals at the end, the whole piece feels like a serious improvement over Tororian Love Song. Well done silent. I look forward to more.

[danny B]

As you may remember, I completely trashed Tororian Love Song.

This song is better in every way, and is far more enjoyable. The terrible cliched lyrics are gone, the singing is exponentially better. The recording is of higher quality. The guitar parts are quite impressive.

My only major beef is the drums. I can't find myself anything less than hating them. One major piece of advice - Drummers can only do limited fills while riding on the hihat. This song has pretty complex drum fills that already don't make much musical sense, and the fact that a hi-hat is droning impossibly doesn't help much. Drum sample quality is terrible, and it seems as though mastering and EQ'ing wasn't even considered. But that's only one blemish on an otherwise excellent song.

You've got the ballad form of rock music down pretty well, the acoustic break was rad, but like it has been mentioned before, the harmonies are very wrong, and I kept expecting a grandiose finale. If the harmonies were replaced by a buildup to a triumphant reiteration of the emotional and pleasing chorus, I'd wanna have babies with you. Great work, you're improving rapidly, and I've almost forgotten about Tororian Love Song ;). Great Work.

-Daniel

[AarowSwift]

Wonderful instrumentals. I just wish "Silent" would remain silent in his songs. But then, it's a rare day that I like anything with recognizable vocals.

[Villainelle]

The lyrics don't sound like much of an improvement on "Toroian Love Song." They're the usual cliché rock verses about loneliness, despair, sunsets, etc. At least this time they're a bit more appropriate to the actual game, unlike TLS, but it still comes off like someone's bad poetry slapped on top a video game song. I also thought the singing sounded strained in many parts--trying to blurt out words fast enough to fit inside the melody. As has already been pointed out, the attempt at harmony at the end is...rather unpleasant.

I feel the same as several other listeners: great instrumentation, bad singing. Too bad there's no non-vocal version.

[bladiator]

Man, that was great. All except the ending, I concur with the others 100%. Wow, that was bad. On purpose, no less. But kudos otherwise.

[MacDaddy Mike]

If I edit out the ending, I think it'll be one of my favourite remixes on the site.

No offense intended.

[Fray]

This is really superb -- personally I think it's like 300% better than Toroian Love song (although I may not have the most recent version of that). The vocals are really spot-on except for that part at the end and the first few notes being a little shaky. The guitar playing and tone are wonderful. It's really a lot more daring and ambitious than most remixes -- even the really good ones -- and you pull it off very well.

[Christopher Blue]

djpretzel, could you please post the lyrics to the song description. TY.

For now I will see if silent has a website.

[Tappy]

I must be the only one who doesn't mind the ending. It's clear to me that from 5:25 on, it's intentionally sloppy and off-key. At least, I sure hope it is. :D I mean the song could have easily ended at 5:25, and silent decided to keep the ending anyway, so I would have to think it's there for a reason. But even if it's not intentionally off-key, I still liked the ending. It's very atonal, but in a good sense. The ending reminds me of Radiohead in a way, although I can't really pin down why...

But ending or no, this is the best thing I've downloaded off OCR in a month. Bravo.

[MacDaddy Mike]

I second putting lyrics on.

[Garde]

I guess I'm less picky and less trained in judging music than most of the people reviewing this song. I definitely do not have any problem with your voice, I find it better than most bands nowadays, so good job,although your singing sort of sounds not so good at 5:27 (it sounds off tune and well, it could use some work, imo) but everything else is good. They lyrics overall are good and better than TLS, although I also like TLS a lot (everyone's bashing that song, but it's good imo). This song has lots of energy in it, and it flows very smoothly, and when first listening, I was saying, "I wonder what this one is gonna sound like...", and then the lyrics popped in, and a smiled popped on my face. I'm not a musician, and I don't know drums or how to mess around with EQs other than treble/bass boosts, so whoever said the drums are bad is probably right, but to an untrained ear (like mine) they sound fine, although for the style of song this is, I think it wouldn't hurt to give them a bass boost (raising the low end on the EQs) and maybe raising the volume, since they're pretty quiet. Overall, I'd say this is an awesome song, I'm gonna go over to VGMix right now and rate it for ya!

~Garde

[Paragon]

This just pales in comparison to Toroian Love Song, in my opinion. Everything about it is, well, good, but. . .missing something. I can't really fault it for anything, but nothing really stands out as praiseworthy. It could very well be the choice of song to arrange rather than the fault of Silent himself, though.

Thought that just occurred to me. . .the verses of this sound like a sort of dance/polka song. Just an offhand comment. :P

[luminaire23]

No

[fisherman]

Awesome work! I love when remixes put live vocals or instruments in, it just makes it so much more ORGANIC. The effort is well worth it! His voice gets bashed, but seriously... you hear singers on the radio who aren't that good. It works with his style. The controversial 5:28-end section? Yuck. I wouldn't even call it "harmonies" as some people have - it's just dissonance. The rest of the song is great though...

I agree 100% with this:
the acoustic break was rad, but like it has been mentioned before, the harmonies are very wrong, and I kept expecting a grandiose finale. If the harmonies were replaced by a buildup to a triumphant reiteration of the emotional and pleasing chorus, I'd wanna have babies with you
As I read this, I could practically, hear the ending that way. A couple more loops, building in insensity, winding it up, jamming, winding it up, and on the last note - cutting out and finishing quietly with just the voice, maybe a mellow guitar chord. Would've made this absolutely phenomenal.

[damathacus]

I thought the vocals were really professionally done. This is the best new rock song I've heard recently, and I wouldn't have expected to hear it here. I also downloaded the final fantasy iv mix, which I skipped over when it first came out, because the title didn't grab me, and I didn't care much for ff4's music, but I found that to be quite good as well, though I think I prefer this one just slightly.

By the way, although a few people trashed the vocals, bear in mind that some (not all) people who visit this site are videogame freaks (not that I'm not) and have tastes in music which are somewhat limited. Maybe they can't all appreciate your style, but I think a lot of people who've never heard of Ninja Gaiden would, so kudos to you for broadening horizons.

I liked the lyrics as well. I think everyone should bear in mind that if you take the lyrics to most of your favourite songs seperately, you'll probably find that it seems like bad poetry as well. When you add music though, it just...works.

Not to criticise your criticisms, but they did seem rather nit-picky.

[Silent]

to each his own :)

[Spoom]

Excellent, innovative work. Need more. ;)

OK, well, the first part is a bit silent, still a good intro though. Guitar very nice. Everything in the middle is top notch I think, very nice. Last bit is interesting, I think it might be better if the dissonance were more... organized, but meh, not like I could do better. Very nice :)

[TiKiMoN]

I always give songs a chance, even if they give me that "bitter beer" face when it first plays. I hate it when people call others close-minded or simpletons because they can't "broaden their horizons" to accept something they just don't like. The instrumental version of this song may be decent, while not incredibly groundbreaking. Still, it's a catchy ska/polka style spin on the game tune.

The vocals, however good the vocalist is, totally ruined the track for me. It reminded me a lot of how Japanese bands put vocals over video game tracks... just seems misplaced, unless they originally contained the lyrics. Now, had the lyrics been funny, as sort of a spoof song, it would've been mildly entertaining. But you just can't make fun of Ninja Gaiden. I think the only other instance where you can get away with alien vocals is if you can't really interpret the language of the lyrics (say, Latin chorus addition to One Winged Angel). That way it's an addition to the work, something that supports and refines the original piece, not vocal graffiti sprayed over top of the music, completely drowning out most of what was originally there for most of the listening experience.

Instrumental... enh. With vocals, pppppbbbbbttttt. However, I think any original tunes your band has might be interesting to listen to.

[Silent]

welll, my page is http://silent.sectionz.com

chk it out for my originals :)

[AhrenNighthawk]

Well, as you can see, I'm a bit new to these forums. But I've been visiting OC Remix for a little less than a year, which is when I discovered it. Since then, I've downloaded more than 300 Remixes, but have kept only an approximate 60, the others not fitting to my...taste. :P

That said, InTheAtrium rocks. I like the guitar, and I'm a obsessed with finding good guitars and pianos. This song has the former, and I'm thoroughly impressed. I enjoy the lyrics, and I've even tried singing along, but, I sing as well as Kurt Cobain would if he were to get severely drunk, high and took a few sleeping pills. Jason has an okay voice, and while I think he should take lessons to develop it, it's still enjoyable. My only problem is the ending. It should have ended at 5:26 or within that little space of emptyness. So, to start my ratings whenever I talk about a Remix, I give this song an 8/10. -1 point for the voice that needs a wee bit of work, and -1 for the ending.

[Christopher Blue]

welll, my page is http://silent.sectionz.com

chk it out for my originals :)

Could you post more lyrics on your sectionz website please?

[Goldeneye]

Okay. I signed up finally, and I guess this was the song that did it. At first I was put off by the lyrics because I was so used to OCremixes being totally instrumental (or electro-instrumental) but after a listen or two, this became one of my favourite songs. Up there with The Wingless's Godspeed, Beej's Fragments of Gold, and Jared Hudson's... well, everything. The best part of the song, IMHO, begins right at 4:45, when he starts by almost speaking and slowly breaks into song midway through "resistance". Booya! Awesome song. Alas, I have to agree with a number of the other complaints about the strange ending. Although I get the feeling that was the purpose, sorta, out of breath finale, but I could have done without it. But hey, who am I to judge. Well done!

[Shonen Samurai]

PROTIP: Use SoundForge and cut off the ending.

[Lutej]

Any Chance of getting Lyrics? I'd really like the lyrics to this song! It is one of my favorites on OC Remixes.

[Sefy]

Any Chance of getting Lyrics? I'd really like the lyrics to this song! It is one of my favorites on OC Remixes.
DITTO. At 100%

[djpretzel]

I emailed Jason and posted the lyrics (http://www.ocremix.org/detailmix.php?mixid=OCR01068#lyrics) he provided.

[McFadden]

Wow, this mix is amazing! Now if only someone could tab it...

[Silent]

new version of atrium! TOTALLY redone

http://www.sectionzmusic.com/detail.asp?SZID=18384

free download, no signup. tell me what you think :D

[Wicked]

..........

I'm stunned. And I mean that in a bad way.

Man, I hate to be offensive because I love the older version so much and this...I can't think of what to say other than something mean. It's a pile of shit. First off, your voice is much better when it was raw and natural, not effects laden. Not only that but it sounds like the tempo of this was raised and it makes it sound really rushed. The original sounded relaxed, like there wasn't a care in the world any more. Plus certain instruments are way too loud and some way too far in the background, like the guitar right before the vocals start.

Now, as we transition into the soft part, I start to dig it again. It sounds like you're singing from maybe a bathroom or somewhere dark and damp, lonely and the like. Then your voice goes severely off-key several times and I want to shove sharp objects into my ears. However, the revamped ending with just the guitar rubs me the right way and is one of the few good things I like about it.

I don't mean to sound like a complete hardass but I think this is sort of the same deal that was with the remake you did of Tororian Love Song (Over and Under). Your original recordings of both are so many levels above the remakes because they concentrate more on YOU and YOUR playing rather than on trying to be fancier and sounding more like say, a more well-financed effort by a more upscale musician. I think that's your strongest point is your ability to completely expose yourself and come out completely strong. If you were signed onto a label, I think your live show would be so much better than your CD. Get the picture?

I miss the organ. :(

[Sinewav]

Actually, I think I'm liking this one better than the original.

First of all, I have know idea what Wicked was talking about when he said the original was relaxed and the tempo felt rushed. I think you nailed the feel of the original, while upping the quality quite a bit.

Intro rocked. I loved it, sounded 100% better from the original.

I love your voice, but I gotta agree with Wicked about the effects; I like it better when it was raw and dirty and not effects laiden. Same for the accoustic guitar at the end. But the whole effects thing is really a minor complaint.

Your (sorta clean) rhythm guitar that you're strumming on the off beats needs to be turned way down on the verses.

Also, the acoustic guitar seems to just completely drop out at the end of the song. Leaves you hanging, in a bad way. Needs an ending, even if it's just a singe diamonded tonic chord.

That annoying miditechnocrap thing that comes in at the climax (2:50-3:02) needs to die. This is my only major complaint. I'd rather chew and swallow a sardine flavored glass grenade than listen to that again. This is the kind of thing you use to interrogate prisoners. Delete it completely. The ending has enough energy on its own to sustain itself. Sometimes less is more.

Honestly, this has always been one of my favorite songs. I always hoped you go back and re-record it, and it seems today is my lucky day. It probably seems like I'm railing on this song a lot, but that's only because it's almost perfect. Good job.[/b]

[djpretzel]

While it's all good for Silent to have posted a link to his newer, debatably improved version, please restrict further review posts to the version posted here at OCR.

[Silent]

sorry about any confusion.

[Larryboy]

You have some serious talent boy 8O
The parts where you sing "and maybe someday both of us will see" and the one from 5:02 to 5:24 are sung with so much feeling I can seriously consider you one of the singers with the best potenital I've ever heard. There are still things you need to polish, but with time you can become a huge singer.

[Br0]

okay - im sure you've heard this several, if not hundred times; I love you.
secondly, Your Second mix sucked - the More raw first version was AWESOME - So much emotion, less bullshit.
It makes me tingle every time I hear you hit those high notes. This is easily one of my favorite songs, ever.
Please become famous, so you get the fame you deserve.

[PlastikBag]

This just randomly came up on my playlist and I was very impressed. I immediately added this to my favorites after hearing it. I totally dig this type of stuff and I was delighted when heard it. Great stuff! I didn't like the ending, so I cut the ending off and put in the ending of your newer version. Overall, I like the old (OCR) version better. I didn't like the vocal effects you put in the new version, and I just dig the raw sound. However, I must say that the drums sound a lot better. This easily became one of my favorite songs on this site.

Edit: The second version really grew on me. The introduction has a lot more character and the drums are just a lot better.

[Dafydd]

I don't know what happened at 5:30 and on.

The rest is very nice.

[OA]

Pretty nice singing throughout, and a cool arrangement. I wonder what happened to this guy.

[Bahamut]

Can't say I care about the lyrics that much, but I agree with OA, nice arrangement & overall sound here.