Forgive an eccentric man his daily whim, but-

I am so excited and psyched up about the impending TBM album release this 19th March!!!!! =D =D =D I really really am – the band is simply spectacular at song rearrangement, and nothing beats the powerful feeling of nostalgia that they provide through their metal reinterpretations of classic Final Fantasy tunes. I think it’s simply wonderful that they have come back after a four year hiatus, and by God, judging by the short track samples from the third album – Darkness and Starlight – that they have released on their website, it seems like the we’re in for one helluva treat come mid-March

Therefore, in the band’s honor, I have decided to list down my Top 5 favourite TBM songs from their debut album The Black Mages, and their sophomore effort The Skies Above. All full TBM songs were considered – even if they were largely based on synth support or the rhythmic organ; if it was on either one of the albums, it was considered for this list. I also took into account their Flame Demon Monster Gaspard guest performance on the Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange album as I thought it would only be fair to the band to do so.

What I did NOT consider for this list were the songs “This Is The Final Battle” – which was a bonus track on the soundtrack of the remake of Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS – and also the band’s scattered performances (sometimes as individuals, sometimes as a quartet) on the brilliant Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Original Soundtrack. The latter was because I wanted any evaluation of mine to be of the band as a whole, the former because it is apparently appearing on Darkness and Starlight (the one major complaint I have about the album so far =.=”).

So, this series of posts begins with my fifth favourite TBM song of all time. I am evaluating based on everything – musical soundness, rhythm, reintepretation quality, gut feeling…everything.

Let the countdown begin:

#5 :

Song: Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII)

Album: The Black Mages.

Track #: 8

The first ever song that I heard from the band also ranks as my fifth all time favourite TBM song. Those Who Fight Further – termed “Still More Fighting” in the original game soundtrack release – is perhaps one of the more famous Final Fantasy VII tunes after “One Winged Angel” and “Opening-Bombing Mission“. It is heard at any point in the game where one encounters an end-region “boss” and the game shifts into a fully-fledged battle sequence. What sets this tune apart from the rest of the tracks in the game is the fact that its notes are very distinguishable – after a short span of playing, you will realize that your fingers start getting tensed over the PlayStation (or PC) controls the moment you hear the first few digitized beats.

What it was.

The original begins with a hard synth staccato – very much like a digitized imitation of an electric guitar – whilst backed up by a synth base line which, one discovers, will follow the tune throughout the rest of its duration. A digital organ-piano synth enters after a bit, and takes over from the harder staccatos; at around 0.23 it starts jumping around and begins driving the sound in preparation for the main section, which is run by a slower, steadier holding synth. This holding synth builds for quite a bit, (I think this is a very clever bit by the composer, because at around this time the battling player should be starting a spell-casting routine, which is focused on building Materia magic sequences) before lapsing back into the beginning staccato – and we are back where we began in the loop.

What The Black Mages did.

The rearrangement stays very faithful to the original: it opens with a heavy guitar riff in exact imitation of the original hard synth; it also sure knows how to grab your attention – the electric guitars simply explode onto your speakers @.@ The organ appears a bit sooner – around 0.13 – to support the electric strings and descend into a fantastic up-down rhythm, accompanied by rapid drums within its pauses. The same organ then turns into a motif, pushing the song along the lines and notes of the original tune – while the guitar drops back to a holding role and provides power support in the background.

The real audio treat starts at 1.02 – the holding synth is reinterpreted as a keyboard section. Listen to Kenichiro Fukui’s solid imitation of the original holding synth and how he infuses it with a raw style to make it familiar, yet not redundant. Again like the original, the motif holds: Fukui builds you for a bit, makes you remember what you are listening to – and remember how you are casting spells here – then spins the keyboard round to bring you back to the rhythm guitars which have been waiting in the background; the opening riff reappears in full glory with super drum support.

The Mages’ play for a bit – keeping it going – then dump the tune with a couple of guitar revs; they are going to do the solos, two of them – simultaneously. Sekito begins first – you can tell by the steadier and calmer building tunes – Okamiya enters at 2.02, riffing furiously before handing it back to Sekito, who obliges with power chord play that serves to push the song to higher levels of energy. Okamiya’s next bit will be based on a downturn play, pushing the song back down – if you have good bass speakers, you can hear Kawamori’s haunting bass play here – for Sekito to finish. Another rev-

- then the 0.13 organ motif appears again, segueing smoothly into the guitar solos. The driving organ rhythm starts up again, and we are truly back in “Still More Fighting“. Fukui’s keyboard motifs now become steadier and more solid in play – there is nothing for the keyboard to build anymore – to prepare for the guitared finish. Then a vibrating keyboard press – real synth enters here, giving one a sudden feel of reminiscence as the game’s original sounds are merged into the metal rearrangement. The end is also near – Uematsu does the honours, a fancy bit of organ play enters amidst solid drum bashing and Kawamori’s bass; then the guitars enter, and the song finishes on two solid notes, with all instruments pushing at the same time.

Just brilliant, and well deserving of #5 on the list.

Those Fighting Further.

Best moments of the song:

1.) Powerful riff intro – a direct carbon copy of the original.

2.) Complicated organ – drum – bass intertwining just before the main organ driving section – this happens four times in the song @.@

3.) Dual guitar solos between 1.49 and 2.36.

4.) Very solid raw finish – the song starts strong and ends strong.

Next up: Number 4!!!