ReMix: Cave Story 'The Angels of Hell'
Download MP3
Play Preview
- Game: Cave Story (Studio Pixel, 2004, WIN)
- ReMixer(s): Random Hero
- Composer(s): Pixel
- Song(s): 'Cave Story (Theme Song)', 'Running Hell', 'Scorching Back'
- Posted: 2010-12-30, evaluated by the judges
Just in the nick of time! Random Hero, aka Ryan Roberts, has had a single mix posted each year in '06, '07, '08, and '09, and we couldn't let that mix-a-year track record lapse, so here at the 11th hour we've got a Cave Story arrangement of his for your listening pleasure. He writes:
"This remix came about from watching my brother, known as ‘jmr’ on the site, playing Cave Story, and in particular, a special level which has become known as Hell, a name well-earned. He spent hours trying to finish it and to my knowledge still hasn’t. But the music that plays during that level caught my ear and I knew something good be done with it and “The Angels of Hell” is the result.
For this song I really tried to make the instruments sound more real using many more of the advanced features in my sample library that I haven’t touched before. Things like Key switching. Samples recorded with mics positioned in different places with respect to the instrument being sampled and so on, but it is still hard to get the realism of the actual instrument and musician playing the material. What I wouldn’t give to hear an actually professional orchestra to play this or any of my songs. One can dream!"
Epic, dynamic orchestral, with lots of tempo fluctuations, running patterns, and orchestral percussion, and myriad string articulations. Ryan's asking a LOT of these string samples, and a little of that shines through at times, although some tweaking here and there may have masked it more. But what an arrangement! There are darker, starker moments, juxtaposed against epic, major key fanfares, and the sense of adventure and storytelling is superb. At almost six minutes, the artist does an excellent job of keeping things moving and keeping them interesting, filling the time with substantive arrangement and tonal development. CHz writes:
"Fairly nice arrangement. The short usage of the main theme starting at 0:36 stuck out a bit to me, since the happy lilt of the melody is a odd contrast to the darkness and intensity of the rest of the track. That's a relatively minor nitpick, and the rest of the writing is spot on. I especially liked the second half, starting at about 3:07 or so, when it stops following Running Hell's structure and mixes things up. The sequencing is definitely this mix's soft spot, especially those string articulations, but I've heard a lot worse. Otherwise, a job well done. Let's see if this gets posted before 2011!"
...and it does! You had doubts? Very elaborate and striking arrangement that packs in a lot of ideas & substance and employs a wide arsenal of instrumentation and articulations to drive home the point. I'd love to hear this arrangement performed by an orchestra, too - maybe the Gamer Symphony Orchestra? (wink wink, nudge nudge) At any rate, great stuff from Random Hero, who keeps his annual mix track record intact!
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the I really enjoyed the mix itself as well, Cave Story is a game I only discovered last year but I instantly fell in love with it and it's old school music. Hearing the Hell theme on a more grand scale was a lot of fun, the mix takes a bit of time to get going but the theme was plain as day once it started, providing instant visions of that second part in hell where you are constantly barraged by angels. Orchestral mixes can be pretty hit or miss sometimes, this one I definitely feel preserved the feel of the original though.
Great stuff, hopefully all this positive feedback means we'll get more than 1 mix this year :lol: .
- ZealPath on January 10, 2011
This was definitely a fun song to work on and I still catch myself listening, and analysing it from time to time. I'm very proud of it, flaws and all. I wonder if anyone picked up on my little homage to the theme song from Fringe at about 3:10? ;)
I am also very glad that I didn't miss 2010 with a mixpost! lol
I know a few people have said I should do more, and I do actually produce more then one mix a year. But I don't submit the 'not so good' stuff and there is a bit of that. I should start work on 2011 mix now and maybe get 2 in this year! haha
And for all those that loved it, here is the alternate ending to the song, which was just cut off the end of version posted here. It features music from the original WII version of Cave Store, not the updated one! ENJOY
Click here to listen to [b]The Angels of Hell alt ending.mp3[/b]
- Random Hero on January 10, 2011
Though the old ending was pretty hilarious.
- Emperor Charlemagne on January 7, 2011
- WesternZypher on January 2, 2011
Very neat arrangement ideas for this one. This could adapt to a live symphony quite beautifully! The production could've used a little bit of touch-up, though. The samples were nice for the most part(with the exception of some string sections), but personally I think you could've spent a little more time doing audio mastering/adjusting EQ/etc. It just needs more punch!
Overall though, I enjoyed it, and it's a worthy take on Cave Story's music! The arrangement is what matters more here, and it's fantastic. Keep it up! :D
- Matt E. Waldman on January 1, 2011
- Level 99 on December 31, 2010
Please, Mr. Random Hero, make more good music.
- Chernabogue on December 31, 2010
- Crulex on December 31, 2010
http://twitter.com/nicalis/status/20656209812000768
Nicalis wrote: @ocremix Angels of Hell Remix= FAWESOME! Who's responsible for this?!?
Luckily Jeffrey's on Twitter, so he's going to bat for you, Ryan! :-P Get on that Tweeter thing sometime!
- Liontamer on December 31, 2010
Great to see this out of the WIP stage! Although I do miss that (admittedly silly) ending of dying and trying again... but I suppose that for the sake of the seriousness of the mix it had to go.
I must admit don't download many full-on orchestral remixes from this site, but I have to say this is incredibly awesome and so worth it. Loved this theme, and this interpretation suits it very well. It barely even feels like its six minutes, in the best way possible. Good work guy!
- Tables on December 31, 2010
- Capt. Stupidity on December 31, 2010
- OA on December 31, 2010
On a side note, I had no idea Random Hero was JMR's brother. That's awesome. :<
- zircon on December 30, 2010
WolfenAmphithere;742075 wrote: I was hoping you'd submit a 2010 mix! And I believe this is the first Cave Story mix here? I'm listening to it in a second tab right now, and what I've heard so far has not disappointed me :)
Well, [URL="http://ocremix.org/game/486/cave-story-win"]not quite[/URL]. More Cave Story isn't a bad thing, though, and it's always nice to hear the things people posted in the WIP forums going up to the front page. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :mrgreen:.
I liked the blend of multiple Cave Story themes in this track, though (especially the haunting Cave Story theme sprinkled throughout). I feel the instruments could've been a bit more natural sounding; the strings and some of the winds seems to have too much delay on the attack too often, for my tastes. Ah well, it doesn't take away from the overall orchestral sound too much.
I'm liking what you've got going here. Great way to end the year, for sure :-D.
- Gario on December 30, 2010
