OCR01464 - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon 'Time's Anxiety'

[djpretzel]

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

[Dhsu]

Wow, this is almost a completely different piece compared to what I heard on VGMix a few months ago. And I have to say, the wait was completely worth it. Congrats to both Rexy and Gray for a very impressive arrangement.

[spineshark]

First thing was of course "New Circle of the Moon ReMix!" Fucking sweet!

I suppose I found it a little hard to follow on the first listen, but I really liked it, especially the part a little after 3:30...reminds me of "Dezoris Winter" :)

[Jillian Aversa]

Lovely! This piece really reminds me of some of Ray Lynch's work, particularly "The Vanished Gardens Of Cordoba." (That's a very good thing.) Always lookin' for more New Age on OCR... The arrangement is seamless- great job!

[Navi]

been privy to this in its various incarnations over the past few months. very cool stuff from rexy and gray.

oshit my birthdays comin up. :(

[Liontamer]

It's Shake 'N' Bake, and I helped! :lol:

[Dhsu]

So you're saying Rexy and Gray did the shakin', while you provided the (moldy) bacon?

[MrBogus]

Besides being a spectacular remix, this is especially interesting in that I really cannot pick out neither GL's nor Rexy's particular trademark styles in this piece. I can usually recognize either artist just by hearing a few seconds of any of their given songs. This time around, their talents mesh so well that it seems it was a fusion of two minds into one.

Very well done. Superb production values, a fresh new take on Clockwork, and it's quite catchy to boot. Something I could easily chill out to.

[Rexy]

So you're saying Rexy and Gray did the shakin', while you provided the (moldy) bacon?
Almost; I think he tried to smuggle the remains of his pubefro somewhere. :P

Anyway, yeah, for me this has been a long wait. For those unaware that there was another version out there, I initially had it written for one of RPGamer.com's "Splendid Performance" auditions, with Gray helping out on the rendering ever since I was stuck with Anvil Studio all summer (which explains djp's noting of the quantisation). Even Gray said he wanted to work on it some more after the deadline, and it took a lot of on-and-off time to even reach where it is now. It was worth the wait, I'm sure.

For those that like it, glad you liked it. For those that don't, glad you shared your opinion.

Now while this moment continues to bask on, I need to pull the remaining pubes out of the download... ;)

[stevens]

I liked the old version but this one knocks my socks off. Terrific work Rexy and GrayLightning.

[xamgis]

This is one very spiffy tune I must say. It's kind of interesting, this is the only song on my playlist right now and I have it set to repeat when finshed and the song just flows back into itself. I don't know of any other songs that do that. Probably not the intention, but nicely done anyways.

[BlueMage]

First big difference I noticed was that the original's ... laid-back, or at least, mellow tone (perhaps conveyed by the 'dryness' of the winds?) was missing .... this feels more ... awake, I guess.

The drum bit (rythym keeping?) really does do the title justice - it gives the impression of a clock's rythymic ticking, yet in such a way that it almost comes across as nervous.

More grand feel overall though ... the first version had, to my hearing, a very dignified feel, whereas this one is more upfront.

Ah, I'm glad the ending remains relatively unchanged :)

Great work Rexy, but then, I loved the original too :) Oh, and you too Gray, good stuff :)

Easy 7 (>85%)

[draculalucard]

Circle of the Moon has always been underappreciated, both as a game and for its music. Personally I found that its musical style helped in forming a more unique CastleVania experience and it’s nice to see it shows through in this remix. What I’m getting at is this doesn’t sound like your typical CV remix, and that’s a good thing. Just like the game it creates a unique mood.

I never heard the original so I can’t comment on how it differs, but as is I love this remix. The percussion is very effective and the unification of tempo helps to bring out the theme. It’s not meant to be dramatic, rather more soothing.

Nicely done.

[PumaJones]

yes, yes, yes. thank you, thank you, thank you. Keep up the good work!!!

[meccaneer]

Wow. Very interesting version of this tune. I almost like it more so than the original.

But, seriously... when are you new-agers gonna join us in the 21st century? ;)

[Fusilliban]

This is good stuff. Seeing GrayLightning and Rexy both attached to it, I shouldn't be surprised.

I hear similarities between this and some of the other stuff I've heard from Gray (Mahabarath Highlands in particular, to a lesser extent Sacratus Bellator and maybe even AfterLife) - maybe it involves the same sound fonts or something? In any event, the similarity's not bad, I like all of those.

I can't easily draw similarities between this and Rexy's other stuff, except for the part where I like it.

I didn't think of Ray Lynch when I first heard this, but now that I see it mentioned - yeah, there's a bit of a similar groove. (I like this more than the Ray Lynch I've heard, though.)

I do think a bit more variation in tempo and less quantization would have helped...

It's possible I'm misinterpreting the term "quantization," but I like it. Given that the original piece is called Clockwork, and the remix title is "Time's Anxiety," I like the driven-by-clock-pulse feel that a lot of the piece has. If it came on too strong it'd probably be too much for a 6:14 piece, but as it is I'm a fan.

This is pretty damn good. I generally approve of the Rexy/GrayLightning combo and wish them success with any possible future endeavors.

[Mr Azar]

Great remix. 9/10 8)

[Garde]

Wow, I'm glad I came back for the April Fool's Joke. I haven't been here in a while, but I remembered April Fool's was yesterday and got to see the silliness that ensued. But what really caught my eye was a new mix from GrayLightning. After talking to him briefly, it seems as though the mix was mainly composed by Rexy, and GrayLightning revamped the instrumentation and added his subtle yet well-known touches on top of the song.

I really like this song. I haven't been listening to OC ReMixes lately, but this was really a breath of fresh air in comparison to all the Epic Metal I've been dousing my ears in (I've been trying to get a good feel of what metal is so I can compose it easier for a fighting game I'm working on). Listening to this song really made me realize what I've been missing out on while I was listening to non OC ReMix stuff. Anyway, on to the ReView.

The song starts out quiet with that bell synth. Then an oboe comes in with the melody. It sounds really good. When that next synth comes in, it reminds me a bit of a few Legend of Mana songs, though I can't remember exactly where they would be (I think one of them is the Mekiv Caverns song).

At 1:37, when the strings start arpeggiating, that really reminds me of an Ys I song, even the progression itself, though I can't put a name to it right now. Right afterwards there's the distorted bell sound, which totally reminds me of Temple of the Ancients from Final Fantasy 7 (another song I liked).

After that section, I really like the clocktower feel until 2:35-ish. At 2:44, I really like this part. I can't even put my finger on what it reminds me of, but I think it just sounds awesome and is not a bit out of place.

I really like how the bell-ish sound in the background really gives the feel of a clock ticking somehow. The strings are great, as well.

At 4:52, the song sort of has an anti-climax, but quickly recovers into a new subsection for the ending.

I have listened to this song so much, but I can't get enough. Damn it, Gray, why is it that every song you have a role in creating has this effect on me? I really like the instrumentation here and I'm not sure if it could be better chosen.

My only problem is at the end it sort of throws a whole bunch of new material that wasn't presented anywhere else, but even that works and sounds good. I really like the detache strings that hop into the mix every now and again.

2:44-3:05 is the highlight of the mix for me, though. I'm not quite sure why, but that part really seems powerful. I got it! It reminds me of a few of the songs from the OVA, Tsukihime (where Vampires actually play a main role, very fitting). I'm impressed that there are so many different elements crammed into one song. It really makes it full of flavor and interesting. I will continue to enjoy this song for a long time.

Good job Rexy and Gray, this is awesome, and a new favorite of mine.

[Rexy]

Hey, thanks for the comment on the track :) Your in depth coverage is much appreciated.
It's actually pretty amusing that you liked the 2:44 bit; I actually did something clever there as far as the arrangement goes for that part. From then til 3:28 I put in some (slightly liberal) easter eggs relating to Castlevanias 1-4. Only Gray seemed to know about that prior to the mix's posting; I was surprised no one really spotted it up until now.

I spoke with Liontamer on VG Frequency concerning the original version of the song just over 6 months ago, and I mentioned how it reflected some of my Summer experiences. That said, other musical influences I ended up feeling when incorporating some parts of the mix down included Chrono Cross (the opening progressions are almost remeniscent to the opening of "Time's Scar"), Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (the music box progression at 2:35 had a similar approach in mood to "Truth" from the game's score) and Starfox (5:22-5:39 has a chord progression that matches at least the first half of the map screen music; another track I've somehow grown fascination with).

If anyone wanted to know that, now they do ;)

[GrayLightning]

This one took a while due to my really busy schedule so I could only work on it in bits and pieces, much to Rexy's chagrin. :lol: I'm personally very pleased on how this turned out. Collaborating with Rexy was really fun and I'm glad that chance took place. Hopefully it won't be our last.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and your time.

[MooMan1]

Holy God, they made the Clock Tower song all calm and stuffs. Wow. I am amazed. Really. No, really. I mean, holy crap. Wow.

[kingcomrade1]

I was looking through my old folders and found that I have the old version of this song which was uploaded to perhaps VGMix or somewhere, I don't remember. I have to say, I definitely prefer the old version. Collaborations can do great things but this one suffers for it. The simplicity and melancholy mood was sacrificed for fruitless (and somewhat obnoxious) embellishment. Also, a lot of the instruments were changed and I don't understand why. They typically went from high quality samples to lower quality synth.

[Fusilliban]

Is the old version still published? I'd be interested in hearing it for comparison - there's sometimes something to be said for minimalism.

[Rexy]

You're currently lucky because the original VGMix edit was hosted here (http://www.rpgamer.com/music/compo/sp/audition3.html) among other entries in the third round of RPGamer.com's "Splendid Performance" competition from last year. Gray did the sound render on that version too (I couldn't do anything production-wise with a cheap general midi interface at the time) so don't assume that it's a "collab gone wrong" as falsely accoused (sorry to say that).

I thought I was more proud of this version to be honest, especially with the additional production embellishments and the abandomnent of an odd choice of using a low flute instead of a timpani roll in a few sections. In an essence, the arrangement in both versions is still at least 85% all me, yet in both versions Gray was there to help out in making the track come to life, no matter how long it took.

While the comparisons are being made (or lack thereof?), can someone tow Liontamer in here? I remember he played this on one of his VG Frequency "best of" shows, so he might know a little more of what's being talked about.

[kingcomrade1]

don't assume that it's a "collab gone wrong" as falsely accoused (sorry to say that).
My mistake. I still like the original much better.

[Subz1987]

After listening to both versions, I prefer the collab version. It works better with the additional instruments and it moves smoothly throughout. Excellent

When I was listening to this song for the first time, I was reading I, Robot. And now, for some reason, everytime I think about this song I think about robots, the Three Laws, Trantor and the might of the Galactic Empire as well as the genius of Psychohistory.

[windkirby]

A very great piece - it sounds a little dark but has wonderful emotion. I don't mind the "lack of humanity" because of said emotion, and also because it makes it seem a little more nostalgic somehow.
I'm afraid I wasn't a big fan of the big sunshiny happy ending - I would've much prefered something that went with the rest of the piece's minor mood, or at least something that didn't sound so outright happy, at least not when the rest of the piece is somewhat dark. Still, the rest of the song is so good that it's just forgiveable. That may sound pessimistic, but it's not a bad listen by any means - goin' on the player.

[Rexy]

3 months late in response, but I'll reply anyway :)

Concerning the ending, a darker ending would have been something that I almost did, but prior to writing it out I personally felt the subdue nature of the rest of the mix meant that something like that could be overkill. And even if I did, the mix's title would have been entirely different (its original name was "Betrayal of Time" when writing it, fact fans).

The lighter ending ended up coming from a personal experence that I faced with family relationships (hah, same source of inspiration as "Tomorrow's Wake"; go figure). Things started to become somewhat brighter in spite of facing a personal struggle, so I needed to try and reflect that mood as a source of inspiration. (Hah... I am a complete sucker for stuff like this.)

And there we have it, the direction for the ending in a nutshell. :)

[OA]

Though some sections drag, there are some pretty nice parts too. It didn't really grab me as a whole, but it was pleasant listening while I worked for a few times through.

[DarkX]

...I have no advice to offer, nor criticisms to make. Just gratitude that I deeply owe you for composing such a beautiful reinterpretation of an already wonderful song. The image this portrays in my mind's eye is a frozen City, with a giant Crystal clock tower. The falling snow never loses rhythm, nor does the pace of it's inhabitants. It is a silent and lonely place...

Sorry if that was a bit deep, but I had to say something. To pass up such musical splendor and not write about how it makes me feel would be a crime against it's very existance. And I won't have that! The instrumentation all moved gracefully, as do the tides of time as they march on...

I'm a particular fan of the ending and can bask in it's awe and the sound that promises a new beginning. Your works are wonderful and I hope you continue to grace the world with your genius.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart,

DarkX.

PS: I apologize if I come off as flattering, but I really do love this piece. :)

[Polo]

There's nothing like a mix that can sing, hum, float, and glisten the whole way through. Blessed instruments with angel polish create a fresh atmosphere I can set my spirit adrift in.

Right away I noticed how the bouncy chorus (0:53 - 1:15, 3:50 - 4:12) follows the notational progression of the CV3 version of Clockwork rather than the Circle of the Moon one. A deliberate return to the source tune's roots? If so, +1 nostalgia for that. I also like how, after the quiet half-pauses following the mini-climaxes, the mix snaps back to "let's hurry along now" mode, particularly with the addition of the subdued percussion (0:30 and 3:28 ) and the drum-like quadruplet (2:16). When things start to wind down, there's some unique shades of anticipation for the end: 4:35 seems to gear up for another climax, 4:46 feels lost in ethereal space, and 4:57 wants to linger while being tugged by a decisive hand. The last half minute or so sounds like a mother gently putting her child to bed: "I'll bet you'd want to gaze out the window all night... It IS a very lovely view with the stars twinkling... Well, it's time to tuck you in, little one... Sweet dreams."

Love it. A+

[Brandon Strader]

I'm loving the ePiano early on, definitely sets up a mood, almost like a 90s soap opera. Like I would expect to hear this while something heavy was happening on "Days of our Lives". It quickly transforms into a more game-music vibe at 0:53. The multiple instruments playing the lead was a very nice touch. The variation between the volumes of each lead makes it a detail that you are subconsciously drawn to. The dark atmosphere is fantastic, even reminding me of The 7th Guest at a couple points. Some of the instruments are pretty raw, some of them piercing as well -- like that accordion sample. It may just be my headphones or the volume I'm playing this at, but those those notes are pretty shrill. The wider-panned string ensembles are a bit too dry, and too loud considering they are more of a background element. I really liked the subtle choir section at 4:48. As a whole, this is a really enjoyable mix with a strong arrangement.

[Tuberz McGee]

The opening is somber and always draws me in.
The slight percussion in the back is what makes the mood without you realising it.
The imitation section makes me happy every time I hear it.
That, and the remix has always reminded me of James Bond. Not a bad thing. ;-)

3:07, when the horn comes in... things get awesome!
The percussion picks up shortly after which is perfect.
5:00 onwards always gives the perfect outro to the piece. Slowing it down accordingly.

This piece could easily be a film score. It's lush and beautiful.