ReMix: Final Fantasy VII 'Lunatic Moon'
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- Game: Final Fantasy VII (Sony, 1997, PS1)
- ReMixer(s): Sixto Sounds, zircon
- Composer(s): Nobuo Uematsu
- Song(s): 'Cosmo Canyon'
- Posted: 2007-11-03, evaluated by djpretzel
- Album: Featured on Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Sixto teamed up with Andy on this one, combining rock and electronica elements. Early in the stages for the VotL project, Andy expressed his goal to me that almost every track on the project be postable on OverClocked ReMix, and it's amazing the extent to which the album has succeeded thus far and will most likely continue to succeed with this vision. Don't worry, we'll still be posting plenty of new stuff you HAVEN'T already heard, but these VotL tracks are hot, there's a lot of them, and they're simply fantastic. Introing with simple breaks and a synth pattern, things build up to Juan's rather conspicuous entrance at 0'24" - if you didn't know there was going to be guitar on this track, you do now. There are some small but detectable timing issues on this blazingly fast section, to my ears, but the pairing of blistering guitar and electronica is interesting - I've heard aggressive synth paired up with equally aggressive guitar before, to be sure, but the sheer velocity this puppy travels at is rather different. Things break out at 0'56" to a mellow, halftime shakuhachi-led rendition of the main theme, then cut back into the mad milieu of menace for a bit more, then back to the melody, this time with Juan joining in at 2'18" for another iteration with a badass counter-melodic solo that trades with a synth lead from Andy but busts back in at 2'44" with Guitar Hero-style noodling. Speaking of which, I just picked up GH3, and damn do I wish this track was on there :) Andy sez:
"Sixto kicked off this one; he sent me an MP3 of the first part of the mix, prior to the ethnic stuff playing the main theme. I thought what he had was very much like the Black Mages in terms of performance and style, but even more interpretive. I then added the ethnic section, sent it back, he loved it, and we went from there. The end result is a heavy, driving mix that really owes its high level of energy to Sixto's fantastic guitar and drum work. Though, I did have fun soloing!"
This is some supaa high-energy adrenalinified mojo-pumping bidness, getting all in your face time and time again, and each time backing away for a nice half-tempo melodic bit, making you think it's gonna stay prim and proper, before rudely continuing with its original face-melting cadence. Which works for me; I could put this on my alarm clock and I think even on two hours of sleep, it'd be damn effective. More excellent VotL stuff from two of the album's largest contributors.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the This song... that solo in it... it's wonderful. I love it so much;
it's also a 45-second guitar solo so that helps. Every time it's
about to end, it picks up again. Great pacing, and wonderful
listen. We need more Sixto/zircon remixes; it's been a while.
- Mirby on December 26, 2011
- Mirby on December 26, 2011
This is by far one of my favorites. When the finale guitar solo
comes in it sounds like the stuff Megadeth was doing back in the
mid 90's when marty friedman was still on lead guitar. That
guitaron this track is screaming and the tone is great, (sometimes
the tone of a guitar is bad and almost sounds out of tune and ruins
the whole song), but NOT in this track!!! Success !!!
Totally love the subtle synth arpeggios right before the guitar solo.
It also has the nice squarepusher style breakbeats in the beginning!
THANKS YOU FOR MAKING THE GREATEST MUSIC EVER!!!!
- bobby1983 on May 24, 2011
Totally love the subtle synth arpeggios right before the guitar solo.
It also has the nice squarepusher style breakbeats in the beginning!
THANKS YOU FOR MAKING THE GREATEST MUSIC EVER!!!!
- bobby1983 on May 24, 2011
My second favorite track from "Voices of the Lifestream", just
behind "Mark of the Beatsmith". I love everything about it: the
guitars, the drops, the in your face that just melted pickups. This
is one that I crank up every time.
- Mockingbird on June 1, 2010
- Mockingbird on June 1, 2010
one, if not THE, favorite track on the album
others i loved were motor crazy cycle and black wing metamorphosis
- Nishay on March 30, 2008
others i loved were motor crazy cycle and black wing metamorphosis
- Nishay on March 30, 2008
Amazing track, and probably my personal favorite off of VotL. The
solo at the end is epic Good job Sixto and Zircon! :nicework:
I actually use this song as my cell phones ringtone. It is awesome. :<
- Zombie on March 29, 2008
I actually use this song as my cell phones ringtone. It is awesome. :<
- Zombie on March 29, 2008
I certainly echo that Zircon. I often listen to both of them and
they both have their different variations on the same idea. It's
refreshing to see that, because if we didn't have that same
perception, you guys wouldn't be making ReMixes now, would
you?
But as for my take on the track? Dr Rod beat me to the punch. I absolutely loved the speedy intro, and when the calm drops in, it's just... wow.
- jayc4life on March 24, 2008
But as for my take on the track? Dr Rod beat me to the punch. I absolutely loved the speedy intro, and when the calm drops in, it's just... wow.
- jayc4life on March 24, 2008
I like those transitions. They make the heavy sections feel even
more effective. There's a very powerful forward drive in them as
they are, and the breather works really well.
--Eino
- evktalo on March 20, 2008
--Eino
- evktalo on March 20, 2008
I had to create an account specifically for this song.
I really love the music that this remix is based on, the cosmo canyon theme.
This song does the single best representation of that song that I've ever been able to find, but only during the slow "ethnic" sections.
I really wish an arrangement of this remix could be made available without the hyper-techy/heavy sections, because I really dont think those sections capture the spirit of the original.
However, your slower melodies are really quite beautiful.
I also love how the song slowly picks up near the end, starting around the 3minute mark and climaxing at the 3:45 mark with the heavy section. That particular transition is very nice, but I think it should be the only section of the track with the fast and heavy tempo.
- Kennylpj on March 20, 2008
I really love the music that this remix is based on, the cosmo canyon theme.
This song does the single best representation of that song that I've ever been able to find, but only during the slow "ethnic" sections.
I really wish an arrangement of this remix could be made available without the hyper-techy/heavy sections, because I really dont think those sections capture the spirit of the original.
However, your slower melodies are really quite beautiful.
I also love how the song slowly picks up near the end, starting around the 3minute mark and climaxing at the 3:45 mark with the heavy section. That particular transition is very nice, but I think it should be the only section of the track with the fast and heavy tempo.
- Kennylpj on March 20, 2008
Killer production, great playing and creativity, but something has
always bugged me about this track, so i'm not as enthused about it
as i should be.
The reason is that for the first half of the song, the transitions seem really forced, and the second repetition seems like a cut and paste of the first. I love the concept and each section is executed near-flawlessly, but the shift is so jarring even when expected. It's like you were listening to the radio and just changed stations. There is some synth work that comes up in the ethnic section on the repeat that ties the sections together when shifting back to the heavy part, but when going to the ethnic there is no real connection save for the root note.
The second half of the track is the best part, as it is both impeccibly put together, and coherently transitioned.
The good in this far far far outweighs the almost trivial transition issues. The guitar tone is excellent while still fitting in with a super-packed soundfield of synths and percussion. Getting something like this, with all the competing frequencies sounding good is advanced stuff. Kids, don't try this at home!
Overall great stuff with just 1 flaw that happens to be my personal bane. Killer work, guys. \m/
- OA on February 14, 2008
The reason is that for the first half of the song, the transitions seem really forced, and the second repetition seems like a cut and paste of the first. I love the concept and each section is executed near-flawlessly, but the shift is so jarring even when expected. It's like you were listening to the radio and just changed stations. There is some synth work that comes up in the ethnic section on the repeat that ties the sections together when shifting back to the heavy part, but when going to the ethnic there is no real connection save for the root note.
The second half of the track is the best part, as it is both impeccibly put together, and coherently transitioned.
The good in this far far far outweighs the almost trivial transition issues. The guitar tone is excellent while still fitting in with a super-packed soundfield of synths and percussion. Getting something like this, with all the competing frequencies sounding good is advanced stuff. Kids, don't try this at home!
Overall great stuff with just 1 flaw that happens to be my personal bane. Killer work, guys. \m/
- OA on February 14, 2008
Mindblowing. Prodigy buys ESP heavy guitar and meets Uematsu-san at
the counter.
This Remix, rapid "shock lights", some /plenty of alcohol running in my veins and a crowded, hot dancefloor would make any of these days.
- Transient on November 20, 2007
This Remix, rapid "shock lights", some /plenty of alcohol running in my veins and a crowded, hot dancefloor would make any of these days.
- Transient on November 20, 2007
I love the solo at the end...so amazing.
Great work is all I have to say :D
- Peconomusman on November 15, 2007
Great work is all I have to say :D
- Peconomusman on November 15, 2007
zircon;339156 wrote: Thanks for the comments everyone! Especially you Harmony, as you don't post a lot :)
Hyperion: I never really think of other remixes as 'competition'. "Ascenion to Cosmo Canyon" is completely different than this. We weren't trying to make a souped-up anime soundtrack-esque cover of the theme at all. I suppose if we were, we very well would pale in comparison to Reuben Kee's take, but we were trying to do something more like the Black Mages. I think multiple remixes of the same theme can co-exist peacefully and be enjoyed in different ways, personally.
They can and they do. I love this piece but when i hear it cant help but draw comparisions. I am not trying to take anything away from yours. I am just trying to explain what i hear. :)
Insaintan;339235 wrote: Oh, there was a contest?
Not so much a contest but a question of what i liked more. This is one of several pieces that had others before it of exceptional quality. Granted the genre type would be different where as this one is high speed rock the other was more instrumental/tribal. But when you get multiple mixes of same tracks you really cant help but draw the comparison. Especially when both come out at such fantastic quality levels. I reiterate my original stance this mix ROCKS.
- Hyperion5182 on November 6, 2007
Absolutely sick song. I only got to listen to it just now on crappy
speakers and it still sounded amazing. Very different sections that
all flow together smoothly - I didn't have any problem with the
transitions. I can't wait until I get home and I can listen to this
on a proper system.
- Palpable on November 5, 2007
- Palpable on November 5, 2007
This was the first sample that I heard from the VotL soundtrack. I
only heard the part that made the sample sound much better then the
actual song. The insanely heavy bit was also well done, but I felt
that the transitions were absolutely the worst I have ever heard.
At the beginning, the song lays down the heavy stuff, then all of a
sudden, without warning.....it stops. Then after a little bit of
lighter stuff, WHAM! It hits you again. Are the two styles good?
Yes. Can they blend together better? I would say that is very
possible. Did this song deliver? I think so. But the transitions
are just so bad that it takes the song out of the top ten of the
soundtrack. At least in my opinion. Great job to both of you. I
mean that without sarcasm.
- Thin Crust on November 5, 2007
- Thin Crust on November 5, 2007
Definitely one of the more chaotic, aggressive mixes from zircon. I
like it. It's hard to pull of these rambunctious dirty guitar
remixes off and maintain a pleasing melody. Before this I thought
Waste Water Wipe out was Zircon's style living on the wild side but
this is much much heavier.
Very well done.
- Flare4War on November 4, 2007
Very well done.
- Flare4War on November 4, 2007
