ReMix: Castlevania 'Grim Reaper'

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Memblers has his own sound, for sure, and I think it's a good one . . . he tends towards minimalist arrangement, with LESS instruments & motion than in the original piece, but that's okay by me, and works especially well with this 'Grim Reaper' theme from Castlevania. It was done in a tracker, but the acoustic guitar sample used is quite decent. This piece has its own unique feel to it, and is quite bit "spookier" IMO than the original. Give it a download and see if you agree.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
I was into the the guitar stuff in the beginning - it was simple and elegant. Then, about a minute in, it kinda shifts gears entirely into some kinda of dance/organ thing. It did sound out of key, especially at the end - it was a little grating.
I think it should have stuck with the guitar. Reminded me of Rodrigo Y Gabriela.

- meccaneer on May 16, 2012
As many other Ocremixers here, this was my very first song I ever heard in this site and I loved it. It's been hundreds of years since I didn't come around the site and now recalling this song I happily find there's a complete version of it. I have to agree with Andino that this new version (see his tread or go to http://membler-industries.com/music/remixes/castlevania%20-%20Grim%20Reamer.mp3) is a WAY much better and stylized version AND it has an ending. Memblers thanks for re arrange it ^^ I't been so many years for me to hear this nice song and you made it. Thanks and thanks to Andino to make this subject clear.

- Thórel Eladan on February 28, 2011
As can be seen [URL="http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31385"]here[/URL], there is another version of this song with a much better sounding organ. I'm still not 100% sure there were some actual encoding errors, but the "newer" version sounds much better to me anyway. It even has a real ending :)
Here is the [URL="http://membler-industries.com/music/remixes/castlevania%20-%20Grim%20Reamer.mp3"]direct link to the new version[/URL]

- AndiNo on September 30, 2010
This is much better than his Gradius mix IMO. Obviously it's still tracker stuff, especially with the infuriating non-ending (cause a lot of tracker music is supposed to loop).
I think the guitar and organ had some neat parts especially. around :37 was very well done, and I actually liked the organ at 1:38 (though it would probably infuriate most people for being so deliberately offkey).
This could have been a really nice arrangement if it was expanded and had some better sounds. As it is, I'm not gonna write it off cause of some of the neat parts, but it's not something I'd really listen to.

- ella guro on December 4, 2009
That hiss is very noticeable, and quite distracting, I have to say. The guitar sounds pretty decent, but compared to that hiss, and later the organ (especially at 1:38, yikes), I'd have to say this isn't working in my book. No, thank you.

- DragonAvenger on December 4, 2009
Starts out pretty weak with a constant and loud hiss. The guitar sample is actually pretty decent, but that bass hiss and the organ are not so good. Pitchbend on the organ is MADNESS, and the part is either way out of tune, or you are writing in 2 different keys.
It needs an ending as well.
Sorry, I don't really like this one.

- OA on December 10, 2007
Well, I honestly thought a fight with the Reaper should have a bit more of a wall-of-sound feel, like many of CotMM's works. Honestly, I don't think "spooky" is quite what you're after when you're fighting the Destroying Angel himself.
On a complete tangent... Why the hell did they make the ANGEL of death a boss in DRACULA'S castle? It just don't make sense. Oh well.

- SixthFlyingMan on May 6, 2005
The guitar was great and so is the whole song it really got me addicted to it i listen to it everyday.

- Super Metal Mario on May 5, 2005
I love the guitar in this track. It sounds almost slightly flamenco. The bass is understated and supplements the track well. I also think that the juxtaposition of the Organ and the Guitar are perfect for the track. My only complaint is the abrupt ending. However, I heard that there is a version with a proper ending which would be great.

- DragonFireKai on August 18, 2004
This was a great track! If only it wasn't for that sudden ending. It soulded like it was cut off.

- CatfishGuru1982 on February 16, 2004
I also really don't like the ending. I thought my download had screwed up, it's completely cut-off. It doesn't sound intentional at all and I don't like it. It's a shame, because other than that, it's a cool mix.
Edit: Just listened to it again. Sure this isn't a mistake? The note it ends on doesn't seem like the right note to end it on, and it seems partially cut off. Was this thing uploaded correctly?
Edit again: Nevermind.
Ahhh, so nice to see new contributions from our 'veteran' ReMixers . . . well, the Site ain't even 1 year old yet . . . but you know what I mean :) Memblers, as I have previously stated, has his own unique thing going on. Many are confused when listening to his ReMixes because they're all short and often cut off abruptly, like this one, but take my word - it's SUPPOSED to be that way. The songs, originally, looped, and instead of a fade Memblers has just opted to truncate at the loop point.

Still think you could come up with a better signature than that though.

- damathacus on December 14, 2003
The begining is great. If I were to judge it just based on the acoustic guitar and some of the early organ stuff I would give it a 9/10. When the organ first comes in, it seems to have a little trouble blending with (and not drowning out) the guitar, but it still makes a good addition to the arrangement as the acoustic guitar would have become repetative if used by itself for the whole 3 minutes. The off-key-ness of the organ after 1:38 really drags it down though, and it needs and ending. It sounds like when djpretzel was downloading it the download got cut off toward the end and he forgot to go back to it. Because of the sour ending by the time its over you almost don't remember what it was that made it so great. Fix the organ and give it a proper ending (hopefully doing one final run of the guitar by itself in the process) and I would rate it truly excellent.

- Gnam on July 24, 2003
I've heard Midi's that sound better and you need to fix that organ..it sounds like its on life support. All though the beginning was a little bit better
4 / 10

- SpikedBladeZero on June 27, 2003
If vgmix ever comes back up, or you want to go to their chatroom on irc.scene.org and use an fserve, get The Grim Reamer by Membler. He actually had an ending on it. Just incase anyone didnt know.

- EdgeCrusher on December 26, 2002
I just listened to the original for the first time a minute ago. I thought the same thing about the organ being out of tune, especially beginning at 1:38--or at least something strange about it. But instead of it being out of tune, I think Memblers is just using different intervals for this part than the original. The resulting dissonances made, to me, a section that's infinitely "spookier" and more unsettling than the original. I can say the same about the rest of the piece. I love it when I can be made unsettled or uncomfortable by a piece. You don't need a lot of instruments or other complexities to have a great piece; this is the proof.
Ending's quite abrupt, but that's tracker music for you.
I'd almost want to try this one myself, but it wouldn't be as good or as original as Memblers'. Very good work.

- MC on December 26, 2002