ReMix: Final Fantasy VII 'Full Frontal Assault'
Download MP3
Play Preview
- Game: Final Fantasy VII (Sony, 1997, PS1)
- ReMixer(s): SnappleMan, norg
- Composer(s): Nobuo Uematsu
- Song(s): 'Let the Battles Begin!'
- Posted: 2007-09-14, evaluated by djpretzel
- Album: Featured on Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Snapple and norg have the dubious honor of being last to finish, managing to beat even my own formidable procrastination skills and submit their mix a little *after* the actual deadline. Andy took a "Leave no ReMixer Behind!" attitude, though, and wisely so, since Andreas and George teamed up for some epic rockings. I briefly met norg at MAGfest this year, but wasn't familiar with his music/style until I heard this track. His synths pair up perfectly with Snapple's shredding - we're talking peanut butter and chocolate, wine and cheese, cheech and chong synergy, here - and it was cool to see a fresh face amongst so many OC ReMix veterans, so to speak. Andreas chimes in on the workload distribution:
"...it was completely 50/50. We sent the project back and forth, each one of us adding a new section to the song. In the end I ended up doing all the lead guitars and most of the rhythm guitars (all the 7 string rhythm work was done by norg), I did most of the bass, and about 65% of the drums. Norg did most of the synth and keyboard work, a good bit of the drums, and the halftime section in the middle of the song was all done by him. The arrangement went 50/50, while driven by norgs initial demo which we kept verbatim as the first minute or so of the song. I made it a point to divide the work evenly (mainly because I wanted to get as much of norgs unique style in the song as possible).
I think that goal was accomplished; while this mix has all the things you know and love and have come to expect in a SnappleMan song, norg makes his presence known, with synths that on paper might have seemed out of place but actually work really, really well. There's a lot of filter sweeping going on, which you don't hear paired up too often with aggressive guitar in the fashion norg and Snap have managed. This puppy is EPIC, too; it's the energizer bunny of rock FF7 arrangements, and keeps on kicking your worn-out posterior long after you've gone numb in the bum. Which is not to say you'll lose interest or that it's overkill, only that you should expect and be prepared for a thorough and comprehensive FF rock experience. Great stuff.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the I'm not usually a big fan of songs that absolutely kick your arse -
but I loved this!!!!!!
Brilliant choice of source material..
WOW, if you listen to the section between 1:44 and 2:44 and don't actually feel like breaking something haha...
Find that download button, put it on repeat, break something, go absolute mad shit!
Great work!
- cheema201 on July 8, 2012
Brilliant choice of source material..
WOW, if you listen to the section between 1:44 and 2:44 and don't actually feel like breaking something haha...
Find that download button, put it on repeat, break something, go absolute mad shit!
Great work!
- cheema201 on July 8, 2012
A great mix, but I just can't get over the drums. The guitar work
is great, but all I could focus on - the sole thing my ears were
paying attention to - was the sound of those kick drums. What a
great sound, and the beats didn't let up. You two gents need to
work together much more often.
- zarbit on March 10, 2011
- zarbit on March 10, 2011
This is just plain intense, the name Full-Frontal Assault is
fitting 'cause it feels like you, as the listener, are being
pummeled by a wall of sound. Great take on the battle theme - if
we're talking metal Final Fantasy remixes, I don't think it gets
much better than this!
- Emunator on December 19, 2009
- Emunator on December 19, 2009
Really driving, really awesome. What really brings this out is how
seamless everything is. It's hard to tell that this was a collab
based on how well things are meshing together, and the balance
overall is just right. Nothing feels drowned out or held back when
it's in the spotlight. This also really emphasizes the source in a
way that takes it up more than a few notches. Check this one out.
- DragonAvenger on December 19, 2009
- DragonAvenger on December 19, 2009
This is one of the most dynamic rock remix I've heard so far.
Being familiar with the source helps concentrate on the little details and additions...
er, excuse me, did I said little? I meant huge of course! :D
Scarse breaks and deviations everywhere, tempo changes and alternatives drum sections, crazy new harmonic parts and distortion all over the place.
This is a very creative and balanced take on the source... yet very naughty at the same time, if that makes sense.
What can I say: we have both Norg and Snappleman. What else should we expect apart from stunning arrangement goodness and a demonstration of pure skill?
A fantastic tribute.
- Dj Mokram on November 12, 2009
Being familiar with the source helps concentrate on the little details and additions...
er, excuse me, did I said little? I meant huge of course! :D
Scarse breaks and deviations everywhere, tempo changes and alternatives drum sections, crazy new harmonic parts and distortion all over the place.
This is a very creative and balanced take on the source... yet very naughty at the same time, if that makes sense.
What can I say: we have both Norg and Snappleman. What else should we expect apart from stunning arrangement goodness and a demonstration of pure skill?
A fantastic tribute.
- Dj Mokram on November 12, 2009
You know, if I had the near-impossible, heartbreaking task of
saving just one genre of remix in a hypothetical fire scenario, I
would probably save the entire 'badass/insane uber guitar
shredding' catalogue over the rest.
And this mix is why.
You don't just listen to a mix like this; subconsciously or not, you concentrate on every intricacy and layer it has. And at the end, subconsciously or not, you always say "That was... awesome!".
- Marmiduke on December 13, 2008
And this mix is why.
You don't just listen to a mix like this; subconsciously or not, you concentrate on every intricacy and layer it has. And at the end, subconsciously or not, you always say "That was... awesome!".
- Marmiduke on December 13, 2008
Heavy! The electric guitars and the synthesizer sound really cool,
and you guys crafted a sound that suggests an unrelenting
attack.
The drums keep the same heavy kick and the snare backbeat throughout the entire song, and that got boring. Also, I wish that there were more melody and development, but that's purely my own preference.
- Linearity on December 14, 2007
The drums keep the same heavy kick and the snare backbeat throughout the entire song, and that got boring. Also, I wish that there were more melody and development, but that's purely my own preference.
- Linearity on December 14, 2007
Those drums have punched a hole in my heart, never to be healed.
;_;
Being amazingly hardcore, they don't even care, and continue their wake of destruction. You've pushed them to the absolute limit that they could go to be powerful and punchy without sounding overdone. Andy Sneap could learn a thing or two from you guys, at least as far as the production on the newest Into Eternity album is concerned. Fantastic balancing act here.
Great collab, it really does a great job of featuring both of you guys at your strongest, great shredding work by both of you; I almost wish the synths were more prevalent in the mix overall, but they come out when they are most important. I love all the seemingly-but-not-really-random portamento and dives they do, especially in the half time section. Horns would be held high during this section if this was played live. \m/
Overall this is a super-intricate step up from the original, which was a great song in it's own right, but you guys have turned this shit up to [b]12[/b].
- OA on October 25, 2007
Being amazingly hardcore, they don't even care, and continue their wake of destruction. You've pushed them to the absolute limit that they could go to be powerful and punchy without sounding overdone. Andy Sneap could learn a thing or two from you guys, at least as far as the production on the newest Into Eternity album is concerned. Fantastic balancing act here.
Great collab, it really does a great job of featuring both of you guys at your strongest, great shredding work by both of you; I almost wish the synths were more prevalent in the mix overall, but they come out when they are most important. I love all the seemingly-but-not-really-random portamento and dives they do, especially in the half time section. Horns would be held high during this section if this was played live. \m/
Overall this is a super-intricate step up from the original, which was a great song in it's own right, but you guys have turned this shit up to [b]12[/b].
- OA on October 25, 2007
As much as I'm impressed with SnappleMan (and I always am) I'm even
more amazed by Norg!
Just came here and did some of the coolest synthwork I've ever heard.
+100 EXP, LEVEL UP, BONUS LEVEL!
- anosou on September 14, 2007
Just came here and did some of the coolest synthwork I've ever heard.
+100 EXP, LEVEL UP, BONUS LEVEL!
- anosou on September 14, 2007
Tensei-San;318182 wrote: So far I've heard two tracks from the project, and if they keep this quality up, I might have to kick the whole album down to my MP3 player. =P
I've listened to pretty much the whole thing, and I am now resenting the fact that I cannot find my MP3 player to put the whole thing on to...
As far as this song goes, I love it! Great take on the song, extremely expansive and I love how hard it rocks out. At the moment the awesomeness of this song leaves me without words, so all I will say is great work!
- Master_Yoshi on September 14, 2007
Hah! So Snappleman does have the skills to back up his
thrash-talking after all. Holy shit I am listen to it right now for
the first time and this rocks on a whole new level. There's just so
much going on and the production is amazing. I love the kick drums
punchiness, the mad synth soloing and the pristine lead guitar. So
far I've heard two tracks from the project, and if they keep this
quality up, I might have to kick the whole album down to my MP3
player. =P
- Tensei on September 14, 2007
- Tensei on September 14, 2007
