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


Liontamer
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MIND WELL AND TRULY BLOWN!

Without a doubt my Fave Ocremix album. The Legend of Zelda Tracks are epic. The Kirby Stuff Beastly, the Monkey Island stuff explosively, giddily funkiblobbily sexy.

Thanks to everyone for bringing thins monstah into the world.

Cannot gush with more praise. The best album on the site and that's no mean feat.

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Let's go track by track (yeah I suck at reviewing) XD

01 - Samus

Got blasted, awesome intro for the album. The atmosphere kicks ass. That's it, nothing to add.

02 - Mother Brain

Digging the genre A LOT. Pads add a kinda 'maleficent' sound to the track. And WTF Vincent Price and chipmunk-thing laugh cameos. xD Enjoyed the track a lot.

03 - Guybrush Threepwood

Wasn't expecting metal for this one, but it is very well done. \m/ The vocals are very cool, reminds me of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' songs.

04 - LeChuck

Ethnic cool stuff, lovin' it. The chiptune break was awesome and unexpected. I was sure LeChuck's track would be a heavy metal arrangement, but this ReMix rocks.

05 - Kratos

BRAAAANDOON, yeah. \m/ I made so many headbangs listening to this. Great job, Mr. Strader, you prooved once more you can match OCR's big names! (Now get FF1 finished =P)

06 - Zeus

Wow, samples are amazing. Lot of drums in the intro, loved that. Interesting and weird track, mixing many genres at the same time.

07 - Axel

I was looking for some guitars from Will, but this electro arrangement is soooo cool. Reminds me zircon tracks and that's a good thing!

08 - Mr. X

zyk0 always takes interesting directions when remixing a song (*looking at some DoD entries and DKC2*), but they're always great. This one rocks. Loving the weird sequences too!

09 - Mega Man

Each time I'm hearing anosou's music (or whatever is your artist name now 8D), I discover something new. This take on the classic theme was so cool, good job!

10 - Dr. Wily

Again, I was thinking MM's and Wily's theme would be very epic electro stuff. But this take is very different from all other Wily ReMix and I appreciated a lot the direction taken.

11 - TMNT

Nothing to say on this one. bLiNd rocks once again and the track is truly epic and awesome.

12 - Shredder

Danimal Cannon! \m/Love how all the electro stuff was mixed with the metal stuff. Also, some weird moments not so necessary but adding a lot of fun to the track (I thought my PC was broken AGAIN lol)

13 - Link

Funny thing I listened to The Amazing BrandO's stuff on his website recently. This rap version of TLoZ is so cool and groovy I wanted to dance around my table (*dances around the table*)

14 - Ganon

The intro reminded metal albums intro (like Rhaposdy of Fire stuff). Vocals were a bit strangely mixed, but the take on the theme ins very strange and interesting to listen. Cool guitar stuff before the end.

15 - Ryu

zircon. One of my biggest ReMix heroes. And this track was great, loving the ethnic stuff and the calmness of the mix.

16 - Sagat

Yeah, acoustic track. Loving the way it was interpreted. Nothing to add to this, I enjoyed the track.

17 - Kirby

halc and Ben Briggs. This is an epic combination. Chiptune goodness pushed to the maximum. I lol'd at the Kirby SFX used, very fitting to the track.

18 - King Dedede

So, it's a chiptune-oriented battle, huh? I loved the way the brass + piano were mixed with the chiptune and electro stuff. The lead is a little bit muffled but the track very was enjoyable!

19 - Simon Belmont

Awesome. I thought SnappleMan was doing a metal cover of this one, but Mustin's version is sooo enjoyable I'm very happy with it! Simple but cool track.

20 - Dracula

Western/Morricone intro, the 'Illusionary Dance' (or is it 'Poison Mind'?) theme was very well introduced (reminds me a lot of virt's ClockWork DoD entry). And then METULZ! \m/ Slow metal, digging the 'Walk with Death' atmosphere. Nice ClockWork cameo at the end. Awesome track!

I'm really surprised by the quality of all these tracks. I was hopping for a great album... I got an epic one. Congrats and good job, everyone!

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Hey all, Flozax here.

Thanks to Mazedude, Ktriton, The Bad Dudes and OCR for bringing me on board to do the album artwork. This was a ton of fun and I'm super stoked to listen to the results of everyone's hard work! I've put some high quality poster prints for sale on my website if any of you are interested in a swanky, signed piece of art to hang on your wall! Rock on, Heroes and Villains alike!

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This project was a blast to put together, and hearing it in its entirety here, I freakin' love every moment of it. Even though I heard this came together every step of the way along with all the WIPs, I've put the finished product on loop here for the past several hours, and it's still an amazing listen.

Recipe for an amazing remix project:

1. Take a whole bunch of talented remixers

2. Put them at each other's throats so they really have to ramp up the talent

3. Enjoy the result!

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Sonic got scrapped huh? Sega's gon be pissed. I'll get around to listening to all it, but for the moment I did the obligatory one track taste test and it's pretty awesome. For some strange reason the Kirby track makes me want to...go shopping.

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I can't help but just sit back and marvel. You guys made me skip one of my classes today so I could sit in a corner and just soak it all in. I couldn't help but smile half the time while listening...this album feels like a culmination of this community's amazing growth.

I love sports and it was this album's friendly-competitive nature that drew me to it from the beginning. The project directors put it best when they said that having a remixer at their throats ready to dual them brought out everyone's A-game, it's like everyone brought out their big guns as if their lives depended on it. I'm compelled to write track reviews with the hyperbole of a sports commentator.

There's been a lot of good vibes throughout the VGM community lately, with virt mixes showing up on OCR, OUS peeps showing a lot of love to the work of OCR artists, even Protricity offering to write code for VGmix. What better way to represent this new-found harmony than with the Bad Dudes and OCR trying to kick each other's asses in music supremacy. Enough talk, let's get to fightin'!

Round 1. FIGHT!

samus.jpg?w=133VS motherbrain.jpg?w=150

Hype Factor: 9/10

As the first announced match-up way back around the project's birth, the excitement level for this pairing was already pretty high given the track record of these two all-stars. Stylistically, you typically know what you're getting from BGC, and you know it's going to kick all kinds of ass. Mazedude, on the other hand, is notorious for adapting to any type of playing field you want to throw at him. So when the sneak peak came out on Youtube showing that he was turning Mother Brain's track into a COLOSSAL D'n'B track, the hype factor went up a further notch.

Commentary: You could not ask for a better kick off or opening pitch than BGC's track. The tone has been set, the gauntlet has been thrown down, and we know that OCR is not going down without a fight. We've all heard these sources before, and for the most part BGC doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, he just makes it sound even sharper and more atmospheric than ever before.

Mazedude counters with yet another one of his left-field, where-the-hell-did-that-come-from mixes that defy rational characterization. This is downright sinister stuff, a perfect counter to the tone of heroism that BGC brought with Samus. The end has a schizoid intensity that reminds me of Squarepusher. Frightening on so many levels, especially when I remember that this is the same guy who makes music as smooth as Sagat's Moonbike.

Verdict: SLIGHT SLIGHT edge to Mazedude. This match was as close as it gets. BGC delivered some serious shots that sent the Bad Dudes reeling but Mazedude's insane creativity gives him the tiniest edge, and it's as close as it gets after Round 1. I hate to pick a winner in any of these matchups since we're all winners like djp said, and this one was especially heartbreaking to decide. Both are A+++ mixes.

tbc...

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1. Big Giant Circles - Bounty of a Brain 3:55

Samus Aran (Metroid) - Super Metroid

It starts out classic BGC style; Mr. Hinson hasn't lost his touch at all. Everything builds and builds continually... intensity rises clear past the minute mark... 1:12 brings in some awesome guitar to really kick the album, and the battle, off. 1:29 or so gets the melody rockin' right on. 1:47 gets Samus' theme in the mix. 2:09 isolates the theme from the rest, only to reacquaint it with everything else bit by bit starting at 2:25. By 2:55 it's all back together, with more than it started with. A finale for the track seems imminent, as everything slows down at 3:20. Ambience kicks in shortly after, and carries the track through to the end.

2. Mazedude - Dieselbrainage 4:20

Mother Brain (Metroid) - Super Metroid

Ambience continues, picked up by the first of the Bad Dudes, Mazedude. Infamous for his quirky tracks, Mr. Getman really keeps the mood eerie right off the bat. 0:52 brings in some rhythm. The drums 'n bass genre works well for this track. Creepy sounds punctuate the soundscape like bats in a cave, only intensifying and amplifying the spooky atmosphere of the track. 1:59 brings in Samus' theme, but it's quickly silenced. After a brief breakdown at about 2:25, it all returns at about 2:58. Massive breakdowns much like the breaking of the glass around Mother Brain's dome are plentiful in the later seconds of the track. By 3:46 the speed has slowed down considerably. 3:56 starts off a very basic rhythm. One dude down, many more to go. On to the next battle!

3. audio fidelity feat. Eric Griffin, Derek Meler, Marcus Affeldt - Pirate Shout 3:32

Guybrush Threepwood (Monkey Island) - The Secret of Monkey Island

Ooh! Tropical! I like it already. And epic guitar at 0:13. audio fidelity didn't waste any time. Screams of YO and HO add to the piratey feel. There's awesome guitar and awesome chanting here. A flute comes in at about 2:20, only to be usurped by guitar again at 2:39. A PIRATE'S LIFE WAS MEANT FOR ME, TRIM THE SAILS AND ROAM THE SEA!! Think that's the lyrics... they work. Awesome guitar to end.

4. Diggi Dis feat. Alex Jones - Voodoo, Roots 'n Grog 3:45

LeChuck (Monkey Island) - The Secret of Monkey Island

Acoustic guitar now? And drums too? Awesome! This song has a nice rhythm... enjoyable. Some funky styling comes in at 1:03 or so, and the feel permeates the entire track. It's quite groovy as well. Oh damn, chiptunes at 1:55 or so. This song has everything! More traditional instruments return at 2:24, with some awesome piano. A very fun track to listen to, only for all the funk and groove and general awesomeness... To the next battle!

5. Brandon Strader - Born of Ashes, Baptized in Blood 5:25

Kratos (God of War) - God of War

Starts out very dramatically, worthy of the character this battle is for. The question is, is the battle for the music or for Kratos' very soul? Guitar comes in at 0:34 or so. Intensity builds at 1:05. Very nice guitar work done here by Mr. Strader. A bit of a mix comes about at about 2:20. Awesome bass at 2:44 or so. This song is more metal than the liquid metallic hydrogen seas of Jupiter. Yes, I mean the planet, not the Roman god, since this is Greek mythology-inspired. 4:35 brings in more melody, and it carries through to the end.

6. Kunal Majmudar - Wrath Industrial 3:01

Zeus (God of War) - God of War

Well the title's not far off... this does sound very industrial. And bagpipey too; how that's industrial I don't know but it works. A very ambient piece... some electronica sounds come in at about 0:50. Guitar at 1:05 or so, and strings at 1:20 or so. Also a very unique track. More guitar at 1:46. Charging at 2:20 for awesome guitar at 2:25 or so. Song ends with a descent at 2:55. To the next battle!

7. WillRock - Bare Knuckle Blitz 4:00

Axel (Streets of Rage) - Streets of Rage

Whoa! I thought this was from Streets of Rage, not Dance Clubs of Passion. Regardless, Mr. Harby comes through, and rocks this track from the start. Signature WillRock sounds permeate the track like Febreze in a small dorm, and it's a very good thing. 1:46 is an example of great guitar work by Will. This little bit continues until 2:14, when the main rhythm takes center stage. Everything breaks down for a bit unti 2:45 or so when it restarts in grand fashion. The song sort of takes a life of its own until 3:51 when the end begins.

8. zyko - Mr. Z 5:57

Mr. X (Streets of Rage) - Streets of Rage

Ah yes, zyko. A more versatile musician is hard to find, but we already have zyko so why bother looking? We've got some guitar, tense drumbeat, and electronic sound effects. Yep, it's zyko. Laughing at 1:48 breaks the music down, but it slowly builds back up. By 2:24 or so, it's back. Organ comes in at about 2:50. A solo of sorts busts out at about 3:05, with organ backing it up. Another sudden stop occurs at about 3:36... At 3:55 it all explodes back onto the scene. An awesome guitar solo picks up not long after, and continues more or less until 4:36. The end of the track is definitely building up. Sound clips from the game work well... after 4:45 or so weird effects and guitar go back and forth until the 5:25, when guitar comes back. It quickly vanishes and the main rhythm takes over and the end really does begin. To the next battle!

9. Mattias Häggström Gerdt - Screw Wily, I'm Taking a Vacation 4:08

Mega Man (Mega Man) - Mega Man 2

Piano and electronica. Typical of Mr. I-have-too-many-umlauts Gerdt. A very happy track worthy of a vacation. Some nice guitar comes in at about 0:53. The guitar comes back in at about 1:40 or so. I hear some Mega Man 9 title theme at 2:05 or so. This continues until 2:56 when a basic breakdown occurs. Everything returns back to the main source at 3:08 or so. The guitar takes prominence at about 3:18. More MM9 title at 3:40 or so. Heads up, last time Rock tried taking a vacation we got GUTSMAN'S ASS soo... yeah...

10. Joshua Morse - Screw Mega Man, I'm Taking Over The World 3:19

Dr. Wily (Mega Man) - Mega Man 4

Basic Morse style, and it's never been more beautiful. Many parts working in harmony to create beauty. 0:45 isolates the main rhythm, punctuates with some bass and horns, and returns it to normal at about 1:00. At 1:28 we have some Wily Stage 1 from MM2. 1:52 brings the main rhythm back. The instrumentation is magnificent in this track, not surprisingly. A quick simplification occurs at about 2:45 or so and continues until the end. To the next battle!

11. bLiNd - Go Ninja, Go 4:13

T.M.N.T. (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Go bLiNd go! We're halfway there! What a very mystical sounding track... it's beautiful and awesome. Everything starts to come in at 0:44 with epic guitar. A very fast-paced track, worthy of them heroes in a half-shell. Breakdown at 1:40 or so. Everything comes back at 2:11 with a solo of sorts. Breakdown again at 3:00 or so. I guess the turtles learned how to shred... suppose that cancels out Shredder's shredding or something... This very basic part continues until the end.

12. Danimal Cannon - Enter the Shredder 4:09

Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) - TMNT IV: Turtles in Time

Now can Shredder outshred the turtle's track? Let's see what Dan can do. Fast-paced guitar and drums starting at 0:03? Very epic. Forgive any future typos; my face might melt over my eyes blocking my vision. Super-fast stop at 0:54 and restart a second later. Another breakdown at about 1:40 or so. Chiptunish sound effects take over... guitar returns at 1:58 or so. More basic rhythm at 2:25. 2:49 brings a feminine voice clip saying Enter the Shredder, only to bring in one of Dan's signature solos immediately afterward. This solo continues on until the end of the track, only to start breaking down near the end much like the Technodrome does ALL THE TIME. Ends with laughing. To the next battle.

13. José the Bronx Rican feat. zyko - He Ain't a G 4:22

Link (Legend of Zelda) - The Legend of Zelda

José starts off rapping immediately. Good instrumentation. YOU MUST BE HIGH IF YOU WANT TO RULE. Okay, this song wins already. The lyrics are good, as is the rapping. I heard Treecko... I love all the double entendrés here. zyko takes over rapping at 2:14 or so. The echo effect on his voice works well. José takes over at 2:48. The only tracks on the entire disc to be worked on by all involved in the particular battle, and it's better for it. The track is passed on at 4:04 with instrumentation and the line, "Take this."

14. zyko feat. José the Bronx Rican - Bladewalker 7:19

Ganon (Legend of Zelda) - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

A basic retelling of A Link to the Past? Wouldn't surprise me, but that's why I like me some zyko. Randomness in music is his forte. And I mean that in the best way possible. Voiceovers like ones from a movie are played, and they're as well-written as the lyrics in the Link track before this one. A very basic rhythm plays throughout this part. The final battle theme takes over at about 2:00... 2:49 brings in some lyrics. They're as well-written as the previous vocal parts, and the instrumentation is good. 3:50 brings in some guitar. Each time the verse seems about to end, it continues. Very well-done. I AM ERROR. Okay, now the Link track has some competition. The guitar sounds very raw, and that fits Ganon's pure unbridled hate. Probably the reason it's so raw sounding. More spoken word at about 5:40. And then, José at 5:50 or so. I think. Organs at 6:33 or so. Laughter at 6:40 or so. From here everything slows down to the end. To the next battle!

15. zircon, Joshua Morse - Satsui no Koto 2:57

Ryu (Street Fighter) - Street Fighter II

Wait? JM is on both sides? Okay, guess that works. Very Japanese sounding. Nice instrumentation. A bit of a solo at 0:45. Chiptunes at 1:15 or so. More strings at 1:39. Electronica at 1:56... this sounds like Morse's part of the song. Piano at 2:08. Signature JM sound at 2:28 or so. Calmness through to the end.

16. posu yan, Joshua Morse feat. Stacy Morse - Coconut Milk 3:40

Sagat (Street Fighter) - Street Fighter II

After the introductory rhythm, main instruments come in at about 0:25. Another tropical track, moreso than the previous though. A very happy track too. A bit of an acoustic guitar solo at 1:34. More solo afterwards. Everything calms down at about 2:30. At 2:53 it picks back up. A finale is definitely imminent. Sure enough, it begins at 3:13. And it ends at 3:36. To the penultimate battle!

17. Insert Rupee (Benjamin Briggs, halc) - The Life and Death of Kirby 3:54

Kirby (Kirby) - Super Smash Bros.

It slowly builds... some nice bass and sound effects kick this off. Rhythm comes in at about 0:38, and melody at about 0:46. Chiptune champions Briggs and Wheeler take on this track with style and aplomb. It's a great rendition too; happy, fun, chippy... what else needs to be said? Still think the band name should've been halchthonic, though. Solo of sorts at 2:00 or so. 2:40 or so brings a bit of breakdown. It works magnificently, especially at 3:00 when it takes on a unique feel with removed notes; a wondrous sound it makes though. Everything slowly tapers to the end at 3:45.

18. Mazedude - Hot Air Penguin 3:37

King Dedede (Kirby) - Kirby Super Star

He's back for revenge!! Mr. Getman takes on Dedede's theme wonderfully. Everything kicks in at 0:27. Chiptunes are present here; guess it's a battle of the retro sound chips. At 1:11 the chippiness is really evident. Horns come in at 1:24. At 2:00 the horns and chips cohabitate the soundscape of the song. Piano is also used a lot here. 3:02 brings all instruments back for one final push. 3:15 signals the beginning of the end in piano chords. To the final battle! Who shall win? Let's see!

19. Mustin - The Prodigal Son Returns 3:49

Simon Belmont (Castlevania) - Super Castlevania IV

Mustin's not playing for the Bad Dudes here? Intriguing... just like the start of the track. Funky track for sure right here. 0:50 or so brings in some main source usage. 1:10 or so has piano for source usage. There's also a whip sound effect throughout the track. Fitting. 1:42 brings in some of Mustin's signature funk, probably borrowed from his own OneUp Studios hardware and/or software. Very mellow and calm. 2:17 signals a return of source usage... and whip. 3:08 brings in a solo, perfect for the end of the track.

20. Ailsean - A Walk with Death 4:16

Dracula (Castlevania) - Castlevania

And now, for the final song. Bad Dude vs. Bad Dude... who shall prevail? It's tough, for this track starts out slow and calm, with ahh-ing and stuff. 0:33 brings in some simple guitar. 0:49 brings in more complicated guitar, still acoustic though. 1:04 makes it electric to great effect. 1:36 brings in more source usage. 1:51 has some laughter in the background, and again at 1:59. 2:08 returns to a very basic rhythm, and the ahh-ing returns. 2:39 brings back the awesome guitar. I'm expecting some epic guitar soon, Ailsean. Please don't let me down. 3:11 returns the simplistic style of earlier in the track. 3:29 brings in what I was hoping for, epic guitar solo. Thanks for not letting me down man. Even though it stops at 3:45, it was still awesome. Acoustic returns at the four minute mark, only to stop at 4:10 to the end.

CONCLUSION

Well... it's a bit hard to tell who came out on top here. If it was Heroes vs. Villains, then both sides battled bravely and built a balanced bout. If it was Bad Dudes vs. OverClocked ReMix, then each side masterfully manipulated music to manhandle the melee they momentarily met with. All alliteration aside though, this was a phenomenal album.

The warning in the included readme file isn't far off, either. "But don't freak out when your face starts melting. We warned you." They most certainly did. Great work from all involved; I think this battle's a stalemate. Until next time, game on!

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Very disapointed that sonic didn't make the cut, but I did like most of the tracks on here. That metroid track, and the two ninja turtle tracks were probably my favorite tracks. Thanks all, heroes should battle villains around here more often.

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Cool concept and fantastic remixes across the album.

My favorites were zyko's "Mr. Z," and zircon and Joshua Morse's "Satsui no Koto."

Generally, I run screaming from VG rap (it's an exaggeration, but it tends to be too hammy for my tastes), but the two Zelda remixes kept me listening, which means a lot.

Lastly, a word of thanks goes out to all the collaborators; amazing job!

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