ReMix:Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals "The Very End" 5:24

By Nekofrog

Arranging the music of 3 songs...

"Battle #3", "The Final Battle", "The Prophet"

Primary Game: Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (Natsume , 1995, SNES), music by Yasunori Shiono

Posted 2010-09-15, evaluated by djpretzel


Oh hey, remember that Nekofrog fellow who kept popping up last year, with four mixes posted? Well, he up and done joined the military, which probably explains at least a little why he's been less omnipresent this year. Justin writes:

"I had made several attempts at doing something with Lufia, all of them metal remixes of various battle themes throughout the series. While they were good, they never really clicked with me, so I shelved them. I still had a nagging urge to revisit Lufia material (that nagging urge being Arek the Absolute on OCR's forums), and the instant I started playing the clean opening notes, I knew I had something. Originally planned to feature the vocal talents of starla and drumultima, I simply could not write lyrics that didn't ruin the song due to sheer cheesiness, so I scrapped that idea. Doug still contributes to the mix in the form of a line of spoken dialogue near the end, encompassing Maxim's thoughts and feelings as he comforts a dying Selan, their fates sealed as the floating island crashes ("Just rest; I'll hold you till the very end. I promise.") Ultimately, my goal was to prove to myself that I wasn't stuck in one genre (metal), and that I could branch out into something more melodical and slower-paced. Hopefully I'll be able to revisit the more mellow-approach I took here with something else."

"Mellow" is really a relative term; this might be more laid back compared to Justin's other stuff, but the drums are still pretty meaty (kick might be a bit TOO thick), the guitars still have some edge to them, and there's still attitude. Things open with a cleaner pattern/progression, but the drum entrance alone lets you know it's gonna get at least a bit heavier. Lufia 2 really lends itself to this specific genre; sort of a rock ballad, but with balls. I mixed one of the source tracks here with super-fakey gigasampled lead guitar way back in 2001, and it's nice to hear it done up proper with a legit lead guit, in a fashion that blends in additional sources to form a coherent arrangement.

I don't hate fadeout endings like some people, and think that in certain instances they work, but this one probably should have had a longer tail and exponential decay, as the very end of 'The Very End' (get it?) is a bit abrupt. Other than that, Neko staves off any cries of "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" and reminds us all how great his five previous mixes were while at the same time coloring outside those lines a bit and giving us something new. Gotta love it - solid concept, strong integration of themes, and great execution = our first Lufia mix this year, and a hot one.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Songako
on 2015-10-23 11:04:50

"Just rest; I'll hold you till the very end. I promise."

Emotion overload! I remember getting teary-eyed at the end of the game. It didn't even help that I had played the first game before, so I should have known how it would end. I think this line is perfect. What a great way to epitomize such a tragically epic ending.

I love this song. I've been listening to it ever since it was posted on OCRemix. The fadeout is rather abrupt, but I don't mind that it is a fadeout. In fact, I think it works really great given the title of the song. It seems to contradict itself, like an oxymoron. If this was the intention behind it, then hats off to the poet that you are.

The very end never really ends. We are the ones fading away.

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alrubedo
on 2013-05-20 11:00:08

Listening to this brought to mind Dynasty Warriors for some reason, and I'll say it's mainly the guitar work. This is beyond solid, though - this is adamantly one of the top notched remixes I've heard, and from Lufia II!

And the only real gripe I have is the cymbals crash too much for me, but hell, combine it with the overall track and it fits anyways. So it's nothing but a trivial thing.

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Crulex
on 2012-05-01 09:22:30

Nekofrog is simply epic on guitar, he really is. This really has a "just before the real fight begins" feel to it, with melody and beat just waiting to break out. The fade out doesn't bother me considering the sound this brings. The voice clip was a little tough to hear, but really I can't find a problem with this ReMix. Nice work.

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Emunator
on 2010-12-11 03:18:11

This is one of those songs that manages to make me want to sit in deep, somber contemplation while simultaneously wanting to rock the hell out. This is definitely my favorite style of metal and it's one that, thankfully, you're extremely adept at bringing to the table. The orchestral elements work great as well, and the guitar tone is pretty much as good as it can possibly be. Altogether, a very cohesive package that I've got a hard time finding fault with.

Definitely my favorite Neko mix here :-D

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Mirby
on 2010-11-21 19:28:15

...one of which is from Lufia 1 and 2 called "The Very End". It's nothing like anything I've done before or since; it's a mellow symphonic rock piece that to this day is still my favorite.

So he said in our interview... and I can see why he likes it. I love this track! Great work, Nekofrog!! Can't wait to hear more.

It's beautiful and haunting, with the same level of polish and finesse as his other tracks. A definite winner... This is a must-listen, must-download!

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ddavis1979
on 2010-10-09 07:48:06

I think the ending is fine and this may be my favorite submission of the month!

I would say for the year but its been an incredible year with "Electrodispenser" and "Lonely Waltz" and many more, but I would put this in my faves for the year.

10 out of 10!

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Nekofrog
on 2010-09-23 16:41:19

your face peters out

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Martin Penwald
on 2010-09-23 15:45:17

Very somber piece; good, but nothing I'd listen to over and over. It's just...too depressing, and the sound of the guitar adds a lot to this impression. Considering that this is what the remixer was going for, I'd say this is a job well done.

The fade-out is weak, though. A piece called "The very end" shouldn't just peter out.

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Jevedor
on 2010-09-21 15:45:29

I'm so glad this song finally got posted. :razz:

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Vandril
on 2010-09-18 11:14:47

Love it, plain and simple.

I'm a huge fan of the Lufia series. I even sat through the bad graphics of the Gameboy Color's Lufia 3, and the horrible fail that was Lufia 4: Ruins of Lore just for my love of the first two games. So I'm ALWAYS happy to see more remixes from this series. Always.

This remix in particular grabs my interest. It's not so mellow that it's background music, but it's not so heavy that it gives you an adrenaline rush just by listening. Personally, that sort of mid-way on a very emotional source works perfectly.

As for those who have not played the Lufia games, try them. You'll never regret it. They are easily the best of the best RPGs for the Super Nintendo. Arguably better though less popular than the ever-loved Chrono Trigger. Lufia 1 and 2 are for the SNES, so I'd at least try those. Also, if you're new to the series, as odd as this may sound, play Lufia 2 first, because it's a prequel to Lufia 1 and makes more sense that way o.O

Anyway, amazing mix. Hope to hear even more from you.

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Chernabogue
on 2010-09-18 06:42:50

I'm not familiar with the sources, but this mix is great. Great job!

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Janus83
on 2010-09-18 06:30:16

I dont know this game but this remix is sick. Sometimes a bit too loud (@1:15), but still very very nice! Would like to see more guitar remixes..

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Shhteve
on 2010-09-17 02:11:12

I remember hearing this remix on Youtube before it was posted on OCR. I thought it was a cover worthy of this site's listing so I'm pleased to see it's here! Good job!

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YoshMaster
on 2010-09-16 22:42:47

Argh.. this theme (and this game) always makes me cry...!!!

There is much emotions in this song (the original and remix) and I keep seeing the ending in my head (one of the rare sad ending in a game!) while listening to this...

Great work, I'll keep this song preciously with me as it's well done and also because, sadly, Lufia is rarely remixed..

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DragonAvenger
on 2010-09-16 21:52:39

Dave said it right that Lufia music works really well in this sort of genre. I love the gritty feeling of it, and combining it with the story of the game really adds a lot of emotion. There are a few points where I would have liked the drums to do some other rhythms that would have supported the melody better, but I think they do get the job done as is. Good listen!

Sources Arranged (3 Songs)


Primary Game:
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (Natsume , 1995, SNES)
Music by Yasunori Shiono
Songs:
"Battle #3"
"The Final Battle"
"The Prophet"

Tags (2)


Genre:
Rock
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Electric Guitar
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Lufia_2_The_Very_End_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,279,206 bytes
MD5:
f35774a4a535e0c336fb7fd08773a750
Bitrate:
128Kbps
Duration:
5:24

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