OCR04539 - *YES* Final Fantasy 8 "The Tolls of Stringent Obligation"

[Liontamer]

Title: The Tolls of Stringent Obligation

Source: The Landing (FF8)

0:12 to 0:40 - Cello and flute reference the original theme's intro.

0:55 to 1:00 - References a small chord progression / melody from the original

1:02 to 1:32 - Lead guitars through here play main motif from original

1:32 to 1:45 - Guitar and cello plays main motif variance 

1:45 to 1:55 - Violins play melody from the original

2:00 to 2:08 - Violins play continuation of melody from the original, hard to hear though

2:14 to 2:28 - Guitars play harmonized melody from the original

2:29 to 2:38 - Guitar plays some of the orchestral runs from the original

2:38 to 2:53 - Guitars play the main melody / motif

2:49 to 3:13 - Guitar and piano playing main melody / motif

3:14 to 3:27 - Guitar playing main melody / motif

3:28 to 3:42 - Guitar playing main melody / motif and bass playing counterpoint from source

3:43 to 3:57 - Guitar playing main melody / motif

3:57 to end - piano playing main motif

 

[MindWanderer]

I liked this just fine when I evaluated it for the album, and I still like it now. Seems influenced by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, especially the section that sounds a lot like the Choir of the Bells. It's a great rock orchestral adaptation of the source with a lot of creative flourishes and some cool pacing.

Production seems overfiltered, a smidge light in both the highs and the lows. The guitar especially seems squashed, but guitar over orchestra is pretty darn hard to mix. I'm not hearing any overbearing problems.

YES

[prophetik music]

i got the same vibe right away, MW - definitely feels like a TSO song.

intro is very evocative between the guitar, cello, and chimes. big hit at 0:40 to build up a very full band sound. the adaptation to 6/8 - and particularly the inspiration to alternate your measure groupings between triple and duple - is great, really adds a ton of energy. 

there's a drop around 1:32 that brings it back to focus on the orchestral elements with some drums helping to amp the energy over time. this builds for close to a minute before finally really hitting hard at 2:14. i really liked the harmonized lead guitars here over the top of the very active bassline. this section felt heavy in the right ear, almost certainly driven by the lead guitar.

there's another break and another big band section starting around 2:58. there's a few bass runs in here that don't feel 100% in the right key, but they don't sound like wrong notes, just key choices that i don't think are as supported as they could be. there's one big blow through the main motif and then some keys bring us home.

i don't really have any major complaints. this is yet another great ZP track from this album. excellent work.

 

 

YES

[Liontamer]

The string lead at :11 has the right sense of somber, foreboding sadness before things shift to rock. Great stuff. The direct reference to TSO's track (the piano lead at 1:40 of that piece, the 8-note "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" melody) is around from 1:31-2:14, and is in tandem with arranging "The Landing". I've always been a big fan of this theme, so it's great to hear how ever-present it is in the arrangement. I didn't pick up on the minor panning critiques MW had mentioned, although I felt the final swelling section from 3:43-3:57 was muddy and lacked sharpness, just not poorly enough that it would cause any concerns with the vote. Wonderful concept in arranging "The Landing" this way by Zack, with Chromatic Apparatus, Zack's better half Pearl Pixel, Cyril the Wolf, and Masikus all breathing tons of life into it!

YES

[Chimpazilla]

Interesting anecdote:  My husband Steve was in a band called Mariah in high school, waaaay back in the day.  Steve played guitar, they had a drummer named Mark, and the bass player was John Middleton.  John now goes by Johnny Lee Middleton, and he is still the bass player for the Trans Siberian Orchestra which was an offshoot from his other band called Savatage.  They all still keep in touch.  Johnny Lee has the interesting side-hobby of beekeeping.

As for the remix:  Oh yeah, I can hear the TSO influence!  Gentle intro, busting out into some truly excellent guitar playing.  Elements are balanced really nicely.  The soundscape is often quite full, but all elements are audible.  I'm loving the varied and interesting 6/8 arrangement and competent performances, wonderfully full of emotion.  Terrific stuff, let's go.

YES