OCRA-0022 - Heroes vs. Villains (OC ReMix vs. The Bad Dudes)

[SempaiMiles]

Just so y'all know, I only have a few more posters available for sale (like, 4) It'll be a while before I can print another run of them so git on that shiz!

[42]

One of the things I really love about this album is the amount of chivalrous interplay between the tracks and artists, for example Mattias Häggström Gerdt and Joshua Morse mirroring each other's track titles, Zyko and José the Bronx Rican featuring each other on the other's track, Joshua Morse teaming up with Zircon for Ryu's theme, Insert Rupee titling their track "The Life and Death of Kirby", and Mustin titling his track "The Prodigal Son Returns".

It's the little things like that that make me grin big.

Oh, wow. I love that album art so hard.

I won't lie: I wish I had it in a desktop wallpaper size. >.>

[Velocifero]

Kick ass album! Loving everything so far. I always thought Ridley was more of a nemesis than Mother Brain, though. He was in over double the games, keeps coming back, and is constantly showing up at the worst times for Samus. I think he had his own theme?

[Mazedude]

Ah... feeling the love...

http://gamergyrl.com/news/heroes-vs-villains-will-melt-your-face-off/

http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/matt/heroesvsvillains.shtml

http://www.destructoid.com/the-bad-dudes-take-on-oc-remix-in-epic-musical-clash-193667.phtml

... and we're LOVING that so many of you are getting into the "battle" aspect of the project; by all means, keep the reviews coming!

~ Mazedude

[morrigan666]

This is a pretty cool work guys. Although I am more addicted on samus aran track

[Bahamut]

And it's back to the reviews!

Link (Jose the Bronx Rican feat. zyko) vs. Ganon (zyko feat. Jose the Bronx Rican)

This is an amusing battle in that they both collab with each other for both their tracks. zyko's track doesn't really fit the battle mantra, which he knows as is evident from the comment section of the tags. Jose's track is solid, mocking Ganon throughout.

zyko's track on the other hand is a serious track & unusual in its combination of rapping and singing, along with a song structure that is out of the box for most hip hop with a fuller backing track that could evolve into a different song on its own.

I love this battle - it's one of my favorites on the album because I enjoy listening to both tracks. I have to give the edge to zyko here, but both tracks certainly deliver.

Ryu (zircon, Joshua Morse) vs. Sagat (posu yan, Joshua Morse)

Wait...Joshua Morse vs. Joshua Morse? Crazy. He certainly shows his influence on both tracks.

The zircon/Joshua Morse combo for Ryu is solid, keeping relatively conservative with the melody in comparison to the posu yan/Joshua Morse combo. The latter track is solid & fun, but for me I just enjoyed the Ryu one more for some reason so I have to go with zircon and Joshua Morse (JM wins either way it seems ).

Kirby (Insert Rupee, halc, cthtonic) vs. King Dedede (Mazedude)

This is an intriguing matchup. halc & cthtonic approach Kirby with the standard fare that you'd expect them to do, and then Mazedude goes completely off the wall with his source, although it might be harder for people to appreciate.

For me, the more traditional take by the Insert Rupee, halc, and cthtonic duo wins out, but I've been growing to like Mazedude's track more and more with each looping of the album.

Simon Belmont (Mustin) vs. Dracula (Ailsean)

For some reason, these two tracks is a strange way to end the album to me after all that transpires. They're both solid, but I find them harder to enjoy after the rest of the tracks in the given flow of the album. The styles are also drastically different - Mustin goes for the smooth sound while Ailsean goes with a dark & somber ballad.

I think I might actually prefer Mustin's track here, though both tracks are solid.

All in all, I enjoyed this album a lot. The album flow was weird at times since some of it was just people doing their own takes on songs, but that's fine. All of the tracks had a good deal of merit to them, so I'm just glad I got to listen to a good collection of music for free.

[Geneson]

Alright I got lazy with my reviews. Here's the rest of my decisions:

Streets of Rage: Thought WillRock won easily during the first couple of listens, but his track didn't hold up to repeated listens while zyko's just kept getting better. 'Go Straight' was melded into 'Fighting in the Street' pretty ingeniously. I'm a big fan of the source zyko got to work with and thought he had the right idea turning it into a big booming Latin club song, which he almost nailed. I'm not a fan of the lead guitar here carrying the song, I do find zyko's signature guitar sound unique and exemplary depending on the context, but here it completely drowned out that big booming beat that I love. The rhythm guitar sections do work really well though. Would have absolutely hit this one out of the park with some Latin guitar or something noodling around that sick booming bass. Nevertheless, advantage zyko.

Mega Man: LOVE the playful song titles. Good route for Mr. Gerdt turning the familiar MM2 theme into a lounge jazz tune. I wanted this piece a little bit more dynamic. Morse's track, on the other hand, moves in all kinds of crazy directions and IMO is one of his most fluid and fun arrangements. I'm slightly disappointed that JJT couldn't assume the Wily role, but more Morse is never a bad thing.

TMNT: Aside from the Zelda rap duel, I thought this was the matchup with the most hype. I was excited to hear the juxtaposition between one of the best electronic artists against one of the best rock/metal artists. Plus there was a little bit of extra motivation after the scuffle for the rights to the Shredder track...surely Danimal wanted to prove he was worthy of handling a song bLinD wanted so much. The end result is even more amazing than I had expected...both artists throw curveballs and briefly put on their opponent's hat! I thought Danimal's electronic elements worked better than bLinD's guitar sampling which came off a little bit too harsh for my tastes. On the first few listens I was definitely leaning Danimal; from 1:40 on, you can tell he completely pushed himself to new limits here. The guitar shredding on the theme is more interpretive than in the first minute, and I'm totally a HUGE fan of the glitchy CD-skip effects that close the track. I know a lot of people don't like them, but I thought it fit with Shredder's personality and the whole time-distortion aspect of Turtles in Time.

bLinD's track was an awesome homage to the radical turtles. In my head I can imagine different sections dedicated to each turtle; the meditative Asian sections are for Leonardo, the guitar parts for Mikey and Raph representing their dichotomy of free-flowing fun vs aggression, with the warbled dubstep segment reflecting Donatello's mechanical knowledge and calculating mind. That might just be my interpretation of it and I don't think bLiNd intended it that way, otherwise there would have been more distinct parts between Raphael and Mikey. Personally I can't get enough of the Asian sounds, everything else is just extra cheese on this wonderful pizza pie. I initially favored Danimal because he really pushed his creative powers to the limit on this matchup, but I find myself listening to the track from bLinD much more.

[Geneson]

Zelda: THE most hyped match of the whole thing in my mind. Rap battle was a genius idea and I had really high hopes for this one. The end result is fun and an awesome effort but perhaps made me realize my expectations were a bit too lofty. I think both these guys have done better rap songs in every facet, Niggaz 4 Life and Spittin Narcissism both exhibit better production, lyricism, and flow in my humble opinion...

zyko's 'Bladewalker' is an interesting companion piece to 'Rime of the Wanderin Seafarer' as Zelda storytelling songs, but I don't think the execution is as strong. The rap delivery in both songs felt a little bit off-beat and awkward at times. As far as guest verses go, zyko's verse on 'He Ain't a G' hit much harder than Jose's verse on 'Bladewalker.' Part of the reason for that though is because Jose provided an easier hip hop beat to rap on, I have no qualms about the Zelda theme arrangement and therefore proclaim Jose my winner here.

"nigga I'm a cavalry Hyrulian, chop you down as I cut through your whole fuckin battalion!"

Street Fighter: watermelon flava to the ice cream truck to garlic to...coconut milk? hell yeah. Lots of tasty treats from posu and Mr. Morse over the years, and this Sagat mix proves there's still boundaries untouched in the theme that will never die. zircon is no slouch either and I favor his song probably 4 out of 10 times...but my heart still says to go with the irresistible mix from posu and Morse, an undeniably infectious and groovy mix that feels so organic and alive.

[Geneson]

Kirby: Dudes, I love this matchup. Both songs sound drugged out as hell, like if Shnabubula decided one day to Play Kirby While Taking Mushrooms. And to read that Ben Briggs wrote the ending to the Kirby song while hella drunk? good shit. Wonder if that title is a play off of AnSo's Life and Death of the Mario Bros, which was originally intended for this album. But anyway, this is some next level chiptune madness with all kinds of crazy stutter effects. Bomb diggity. Mazedude's track is a bit of a miss for me once that trumpet comes in. Certainly I applaud you for your artistic bravery, but the Dedede theme is such a satisfying tune and I can never get used to the bizarre nature of the second half. The chorus of the source, which gets stuck in my head at random times, only comes in once in this song in chiptune mode, leaving me very unsatisfied. I think it could have worked beautifully if you closed the song with one more refrain of that chorus played by piano (Bladiator, where art thou). Regardless, still a very cool battle, who knew that Kirby would be the trippy druggie battle (would have been even more perfect if Dedede was in ACID jazz). Insert Rupee ftw.

Castlevania: Haha love the title to Mustin's song, so fitting for a traitor . Why can't I stop picturing Mustin as Hulk Hogan everytime this song comes on?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwr1dTrLbY0

"MUSTIN is here! MUSTIN IS IN THE BUILDING! Wait, who's side is he on?" *Mustin promptly dropkicks a fallen Mazedude* "OH MY GOD. Mustin has betrayed the Bad Dudes!"

But I have to say, this is an awesome twist, and a matchup with great old school flavor. While we're all disappointed we didn't get McVaffe vs Mustin or Snappelman vs Ailsean, Mustin vs Ailsean ain't bad. I go with Ailsean on this track though for a brooding arrangement topped off with unexpected use of Clockwork. It's not that Mustin's track is too relaxed, it's just a bit too predictable and less dynamic than I'd like it to be.

My final tally: 6-4 in favor of the Villains, but overall I thought the Heroes side was more consistently great while the Villains had the bigger standout tracks. Hold out on volume 2 for a couple years guys, I'm still trying to catch my breath from this collection.

[WesternZypher]

Posu Yan and Morse...is a match made in deliciousness, to echo Geneson's earlier comments...

please put more coconut milk on that watermelon flavored ice cream. Yes indeed.

[Studio Eden]

I know that this album has been out for a while and I'm probably late with my review (life has been a pain in the ass). I have been diligent in checking the site as often as I can and looking at all the new stuff. Sorry guys, though I'm just a run of the mill member I feel like my opinion doesn't matter sometimes. XD

Okay, I don't know how I would go about splitting this up so I guess I'll go by sections? Oh, and the album art/poster? Holy frackin' shit, it was amazing to look at and I stared at it for half an hour like the horrible fangirl I am. -laughs-

Metroid:

• Samus Aran: The Bounty of a Brain - This was simply amazing. The haunting intro plus the digitized clicks really were a great way to start this song off. In all honest to goodness, I felt like I was playing Metroid Prime all over again. Samus has always been one of my favorite heroines in a video game since, well, I dunno ... she's so hardcore in her own silence? If that even makes any sense. But yes, the build up was incredible and when the main melody finally came into play, I was astounded. Percussion beat was well timed and guitar solo equates to phenomenal. The transition from hardcore to more mellowed out over halfway through the song was also great and I enjoyed it. It certainly gave it a more "Hero"esque feel for Samus, the conclusion closing out her theme perfectly for the following transition for Mother Brain's theme. Excellent job, Big Giant Circles - I shall make it a point to look forward to more of your works.
  
• Mother Brain: Dieselbrainage - Perhaps this is the gamer in me subconsciously trying to rise to the surface and express my deep hatred for this villain ... but I love to hate this song. But in the same sense, I hate to love this song. The tone is dark, sinister, and almost menacing ... then the infamous 8-bit pops up and I am left slack-jawed for all of two seconds before hearing psychotic maniacal laughter in my ears (Btw, was that laughter track taken from Michael Jackson's "Thriller"? -applauds- Bravo). Yes, I am blinking in astonishment at this point. If that wasn't a serious blast from the past, I don't know what else it could have been. Great job, again, for reminding how much I completely hated this boss fight with a passion. -smirks- Again, I say this all in a positive light - very well done Mazedude.
  

Monkey Island

• Guybrush Threepwood: Pirate Shout - I will admit, the beginning of this song had me thinking I was set up for a traditional "Pirate's Life For Me" sort of sound. Seconds end I come to find out that, again, I am mistaken and taken for a different spin. Heavy guitar and the actual shouts of a group of pirates was definitely a nice touch. I had to resist the urge to swing my arms in sync with the rhythm of their chorus ("Drink up me hearties, yo ho!" ^^) and opted for just bobbing my head instead. This is definitely a rich symphony of sounds using more guitar and metal influences. I enjoyed this piece greatly. Excellent job audio fidelity, Eric Griffin, Derek Meler, & Marcus Affeldt!
  
• LeChuck: Voodoo, Roots 'n Grog - This was certainly a stark compliment to "Pirate Shout" simply because it was so bouncy, uplifting and made a grin break out on my face. I was suddenly wondering who was the bad guy and who was the good guy, but then I'm reminded, of course, of The Jungle Book and how "King Louis" was technically supposed to be the "baddie" in that particular scene. But "yoo hoo hoo, I wanna be like you" is certainly a song that we all recognize as fun, catchy, and something you woudln't expect an antagonist character to have. The gut guitar and groove beats remind me of Leo's theme when he was disguising himself as "Mystere" in Lunar 2: Eternal Blue. Also, is the 8-bit throw in going to be a reoccurring theme for the Villains in games of old because if so, I certainly am getting more excited as I listen and I'm only four tracks in! Conclusion of the song was timed well, ending Monkey Island and allowing us to enter into the next videogame series. Great job Digi Dis & Alex Jones.
  

God of War

• Kratos: Born of Ashes, Baptized in Blood - From start to finish, this song fits Kratos perfectly and sets an overall tone of what the game's atmosphere is supposed to be like. I am impressed and do not think for one second that any of this does not fit his character in general. The deep and almost soulful guitar melody is flawless and again, suits Kratos's character. The seemingly soft transition to a more somber sound also makes me, the listener, feel like Kratos is taking a pause from his tumultuous atmosphere to enjoy the effects his chaos has reaped ... in a way. -laughs- Perhaps that is just the weirdo in me, who knows? Fantastic job, Brandon Strader.
  
• Zeus: Wrath Industrial - Now just by looking at the title, I should have know that there was going to be some New Age influence in this - or at least some bits of electronica. However, seeing as this is Zeus, I expected more classic instruments. Again, I was not given what I was expected which, of course, is always a good thing. I enjoy surprises. The combination of orchestral sounds plus the digital effects were a welcome change of pace and I enjoyed the overall sound this gave the piece. Kunal Majmudar, I commend you.
  

Streets of Rage

• Axel: Bare Knuckl Blitz - From 0:01 all the way to the end, this screamed "I am a hero dammit! Hear me roar!" I loved it! Willrock delivered the feel that was needed for this classic game and I felt that it truly brought out Axel's character. It's uplifting, powerful and gives the listener energy. Perfect fight scene music for those of us who cling to music for literary inspiration. Even though 8-bit was not introduced into this track, the tight syncopated beat was enough to give the illusion that it was there. All the sounds that play out 1:27 to 1:48 was enough to blow my mind. Everything had a different beat, sound and flavor but none of it was terrible to listen. In fact, it was exciting! Truly something worth listening to again and yes, I have repeated the track at least three times while trying to write out my little reivew here. Percussion is spectacular and the build up a minute and change before the end of the song was leaving me wanting more and Willrock granted my wish, even though he didn't even realize it. Excellent job!
  
• Mr. X: Mr. Z - zyko, zyko, zyko ... he never ceases to amaze me. The menacing intro and the original sound bytes from the game are an excellent way to introduce this piece. Add that to the feel of it being a modernized/post-apocalyptic spaghetti western feel was enough to have me hooked. Add that to the guitar and steady tempo of the percussion beats had me already fearing for SoR's hero, Axel. But where there is a will, there is certainly a way ... but enough about our Hero. Let's get back to our villain. 1:04 to 1:20 inroduces us to what can only be assumed as a sick succession of guitar sound and sure enough, at 1:27, the guitar picks up with a taste of off-beat sounds to throw our senses a little off kilter but coming back to end it wonderfully with a hint of a build up at just shy of 2 minutes. We return to the rise in sound at about half past two and it is at this point that I am bobbing my head to the beat (the organ was a nice touch, zyko, by the way). Throw that in with a sparcity of different digital sound effects and we have ourselves a mixture of every kind of flavor you could possibly imagine (oh, and 3:52? -nods head in approval- Very nice job; a great way to pick the piece back up until its finish). Close it off with great guitar riffs and the "battle ensuing" and we've got ourselves another masterpiece. Again, zyko, bravo.
  

Mega Man II & IV

• Mega Man: Screw Wily, I'm Taking a Vacation - Okay, the title to this just made me laugh. My friend and I (who, btw, claims that Mega Man is/will be her husband someday) thought these were very amusing. The laid back feel to this theme had me feeling like Mega Man just has no idea of the shit he's going to be having to deal with through out all the Mega Man series. He's wanting a vacation at II? What's he gonna need when he finally hits IV? A Sabbatical? But again, this had a very laid back, jazzy feel almost in sync with "Costa del Sol" from Final Fantasy VII. I could imagine Mega Man soaking up some sun, drinking a cocktail and putting on those infamous "goggles that do nothing." The percussion was tasteful, as was the bass and piano bits that were included. There are probably a few instruments in here that I'm missing, (did I mention electric piano? I probably failed to and for that apologize) but overall I was pleased with this piece. Including the well known jazz stinger at the end. Well done, Mattias Häggström Gerdt!
  
• Dr. Wily: Screw Mega Man, I'm Taking Over the World - Again, title, love it. Also, the fact that the titles have anything to do with what kind of feel this piece will have just had me excited. After all, if I heard a jazzy laid back beat for Mega Man, can I expect a similar flow for this piece since the titles are so close in wording? I was not disappointed, not in the least. A mixture of groove, jazz and some funk just made this song exciting and upbeat. Fitting for Dr. Wily, though I wish that my dear Mega Man had not taken a vacation and showed us what his blue suited self was made of. Overall, I was pleased with the sound, especially piano and high points around 2:25 and onward. The fadeout was nice in transition to the stinger on Mega Man's piece. My only disappointment? ... I felt like this song ended sooner than I would have wished. But my love for it is still the same. Fantastic job, Joshua Morse! Oh, and do I hear Wily's Theme from Mega Man II scattered in here as well? -nods- Very well done.
  

[Part Two is to Follow]

[Studio Eden]

[Part Two Here:]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & T.M.N.T. IV: Turtles in Time

• The Turtles: Go Ninja, Go - Oh. My. God. bLiNd has done it again! As an avid listener of OC Remix from its start back in nearly ten years ago (or is it eleven years now?), I have not been disappointed with any of bLiNd's work when I first stumbled across him. This time is no exception. I am completely amazed from start to finish of this song just how incredible this piece is. NES T.M.N.T. pissed me off so bad because the game was so freaking hard, especially for a girl who hadn't even made it past the 1st grade yet. But that's neither here nor there. At age six to sixteen, this game is still a nightmare for some of us gamers and this song made me forget just how badly it whooped my ass. The rhythm has a "cruise" sort of feel - like something you would just blast in your car, windows down and your car set on cruise control for the long stretch of highway. But of course, bLiNd is known for his unpredictability in his music and not even a minute into the song, he's changed gears on us. Still going with the feel of just racing down the street, I feel like the splash of the Turtles theme with heavy guitar and in a "challenging" way suited this perfectly. Then, just shy of 2 minutes, we've transitioned back into that lazy highway feel. Enjoying the "starry" sounds that envelope my ears, I try not to allow myself to get too comfortable in the sound because bLiNd won't let me fall into that lazy sync. No, he's going to make my ears work to enjoy this piece and that's exactly what happened again. But oh no, what is this? 3:00 ... is the song over? I think not! Changing it up once again, the song has gone a completely different direction with a heavier tone and even heavier bass line - the skips and glitch reminscent of finally settling into something - the last bits fading out with a nice feel. bLiNd, you never cease to amaze me and you certainly hit home with this one. I commend you!
  
• Shredder: Enter The Shredder - Now when one thinks of "Shredder" in the musical sense, we think of some sick and killer guitar sounds. Danimal delivered flawlessly and on a theme from a classic game. God, Turtles in Time ... definitely an all time favorite for me - well, next to T.M.N.T. II. That one was always a bit closer to my heart than the others. Two minutes into the song, Danimal's changed up gears and added sound bits from the original game that go in perfectly with the song. In a way, it almost reminds me of a dirty mix. Add a sultry female voice saying "Enter the Shredder" and we'll all want to be flashing our Shredder Fanclub Membership cards. -laughs- The song goes on relatively in the same directed pace of heavy on the guitar and smooth on the percussion until we get toward the end of the song when things don't start syncing up anymore ... and then it sounds like a skippy CD to where, for once, I don'w want to freak out and whip out the CD cleaner to get the damn thing to play right. Danimal Cannon, great job, and I look forward to hearing more of your stuff.
  

The Legend of Zelda

• Link: He Ain't a G - -laughs- The titles of some of these songs are amazing and José the Bronx Rican's is no different. I always enjoy his rhymes in songs and was actually first exposed to his work directly when he did a remix of Vega's theme for the "Blood on the Asphalt" OC Remix album collaboration. This is definitely the best of the best of some of his work. And the fact that the classic "Overworld" theme is used for the main beat of the battle rap. I can't help but feel like this scenario is like the Battle from "8 Mile" with B. Rabbit and Free World. O.O Is that zyko I hear? Wow, again I'm amazed. Staying true to the "battle" mentality, Link is throwing hits left and right at poor poor Ganon (and when I mean poor, I say this in the sense of sarcasm - I hated that guy). Even was he tries to come back, he is ultimately stomped down by Link (as it should be) and well - guess that's all she wrote. Great job again, José.
  
• Ganon: Bladwalker - Oh Ganon, leave it to you to just well ... not do what needs to be done. The skit was amazing in the beginning, setting the stage up for Ganon's evil and cruel ways. Is he intimidating? Just a tad. But that's okay, because the rhymes he spits to battle back against Link may not be too terrible in dissing our hero, but they definitely have you worrying for the future. Stroking his ego to the max is probably what suits a villain best so zyko definitely played up and delivered that as well as it needed to. Great idea on the part of this being a "rap battle" and I think the feel was successful. I enjoyed this mix and though I would have to say that Link has won the battle once again, this is certainly something that I felt was different in flavor from zyko and a piece I thoroughly enjoyed. Again, well done!
  

Street Fighter

• Ryu: Satsui no Koto - Now then, seeing as how I'm not only half Asian, but a pretty avid listener of traditional Asian music, the fact that "Koto" was in this song automatically got me excited. zircon is definitely one of my favorite OC Remix artists on the site and, like with bLiNd, I am never disappointed with any of the mixes that he comes up with. So, of course, I was excited about this piece for various reasons. That and he has already done the Street Fighter genre for "Blood on the Asphalt" (Fei Long's theme was incredible, zircon), so I knew that I was going to be getting gold. Gold was definitely what I received. Joining hands with Joshua Morse, zircon was able to create a fantastic mesh of traditional instruments, jazz flavor with a modern accent on the bass/percussion beats. I have heard so many renditions of Ryu's theme that it's not even funny and while RyuInterpretation by ReMixer Malcos is still my favorite, I will have to say that zircon's new mix is now a close second in that category. Again, great job and the piece ended just as beautifully as it opened up. Kudos to you, zircon and Joshua.
  
• Sagat: Coconut Milk - Sagat? Are you getting ready to fight, or are you getting ready to offer Ryu some cool beverages near that expensive beach house you're showing off to everyone? -laughs- I enjoyed just how different this piece was in contrast to what I believed it to be. I mean, big and muscled up Sagat with such a pleasant, "Cheers" sort of theme feel? I admit, I was definitely caught off guard. Then again, what can I expect when the title is called "Coconut Milk", yes? I enjoyed the different instruments introduced in this song and my favorite part would have to be the xylophone (maybe?) solo followed by a deep bass transition that ultimately slowed the piece down. It soon picked up with the guitar, bass and upbeat of the percussion with the rim shots. Again, fantastic way to go about his theme and the change back down to piano with solid, reverb and tones to fill my ear drums was definitely an excellent bit. I do feel like the ending was a bit sudden, but the song in its entirety more than makes up for this. Applauds go to you posu yan and Joshua Morse.
  

Kirby

• Kirby: The Life and Death of Kirby - The fact that the 8-bit is actually in the hero transition was definitely a nice change of pace. Tack that on with the fact that it's freaking KIRBY and we have to assume that this will be made of greatness. The hashed sound effects similar to what would be thrown into a dirty mix had me bobbing my head back and forth as if I was watching Kirby doing his thing - eating his way through this that and the other. However, despite it being a dirty mix that made me bounce my head here and there, it was nothing close to it being all "oh yay I'm Kirby and I'm a cute pink gumball," but more along the lines of "I'm Kirby bitch and I'm gonna knock you out." The sound was much darker on the edges than normal Kirby themes usually go. I was able to see that this truly stuck with the "Heroes vs Villains" aspect since he is, technically, battling it out with his nemesis. Wonderful all around and I enjoyed hearing Kirby finally kick some ass, Insert Rupee. Thank you for that.
  
• King Dedede: Hot Air Penguin - Piano is a monster in this. Beastly and tied in great with the beats in the background - but don't get too excited. The sound mellows out with heavy percussion muffled in the back to give you the feel that yes, I'm taking a breather, but I'm coming back swinging hard. We hear the classic 8-bit (or similar) thrown into the mix and it's a nice little reminder that yes, the King has come a long way. Add that in with some jazzy drunken brass and I say we have something pretty fancy brewing here. Add to the fact that all of this sounds like one jumbled up mess and it just makes me happy. I wasn't upset or confused with the ... confusion. In fact, it just brought back old memories. Thank you, Mazedude, for another job well done.
  

Castlevania

• Simon Belmont: The Prodigal son Returns - Yes, we all know the story. Could have it been told in a better fashion? I think not. I always imagined Belmont's sound being very ... noble, almost regal. But none of that stupid "trumpets sounding" and "war drums banging" sort of deal. After all, darkness is where some of his origins hail so why not have a very gut guitar and bass heavy theme with the softness of piano added into that. Throw in some classical church bell chimes and the infamous whip cracks and I say we have another well created reMix on our hands. Still holding true to the hero element of the theme presented, this is certainly a fantastic way to have our heroes end their share of the battle - Belmont cracking his whip one good time to signal that if he's going down, he's not going down without a fight and whip crack to your face! Mr. M, switching sides are you? Well you certainly played your part well and ended the fight for the Heroes in a noble, fiery finish. Great job!
  
• Dracula: A Walk With Death - I daresay that the Villains will take this betrayal lightly and Ailsean is known for his sick guitar bits and seemingly haunting melodies. This is no exception and the fan in me of Ailsean wishes to cry out that this is easily a victory for the Villains in this battle. The stage has been set up and the ship has now docked (it is a ship, right? XD I fear my hearing is not picking up sound effects like they used to). Death is knocking on the doors of those foolish enough to open it and invite him in. Ailsean's dark, rumbling sound mixed with the guitar solos and chords are a welcome and expected sound for Dracula, the Lord of Darkness. Mixing that with the feel of, again, another Western scenario and I say that he will certainly be giving Belmont a run for his money. It just goes to show that Ailsean did not take this turn coating business as lightly as some would have hoped. Nice job, Ailsean!
  

Overall, as an album, this was another project well done. I am excited to see future collaborations between these two groups and am expecting great things (since all I have ever heard are great things at this point). This album shall surely be synced to my mp3 player as soon as I get done posting this review for you guys. Keep up the hard work! It's great and it's always a pleasure to know that this kind of thing - the things that you all love doing - are still available for free to the public for those of us too poor to be able to buy your albums ... at least right now. Though I may not post as fervently on the boards as I would like, know that I do support everything that you do at OC Remix and that what you all have given to the VGM community, we, as fans, will do our best to give back someday.

[Sansato]

I love it. It just oozes greatness from every track, even the ones I don't particularly like. Good stuff.

[Magnetic Ether]

I've been enjoying this for a while now, but now that I go to burn it to CD, I find that it doesn't fit on one disk! Oh well, it's still a great album.

[Cash]

Great work everyone, I'm loving it. My favorite tunes being Monkey Island, God of War, and Kirby.

[Clem Fandango]

I've skipped over this album over the years because it's not heavy on series where I know the music well, but it was only my loss. There are some fun tracks here. The Link/Ganon rap battle is a highlight, and for a former (but forever at heart) trombone player hearing some jazz-adjacent solo trombone in both the villain tracks for Monkey Island and Kirby was a treat I'm not used to getting. Neat concept and I'm glad I finally gave it a listen.