Posts Tagged ‘Metroid’

Been rocking this album with mad swag as I hustle and grind. While I am trying to get mine, you should get this album. City of Thieves mashes up Himself of Shadowrunners’ swaggering lyrics against some wild video game beats. Max out that swag to 100% and start a New Game +.

Escape with The Electric Witch into a world where NES games are always playing, and their music breezes across your ears like a soft wind. There is a word for that feeling, and The Electric Witch calls it NEScapism. Listen to this album when you are driving alone at night, or as your life is flashing across your eyes.

In the wake of the acclaimed Metroid fan arrangement project Harmony of a Hunter, Shinesparkers has announced that it will release a 101% Run companion album. It will cover material not remixed in the previous release, ensuring that every trail and crevice of the Metroid world will be explored. Harmony of a Hunter project director Darren promises that 101% Run will feature just as many artists and arrangements as before, with the same care and attention to quality. Be sure to check out the first preview on YouTube and prepare for a launch later this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtV_Wvc7oyI

Hot on the heels of the Harmony of a Hunter tribute album, remixer Theophany released his Metroid remix EP Crystal Flash. The release celebrates 25 years of Metroid whilst exploring lush, ambient IDM styles. The track “Avien” from the EP was recently posted on OverClocked ReMix and honors the memory of late remixer Christopher “Avien” Powell. Theophany is planning further Metroid releases with equally striking quality and depth, which is sure to please fans. The artwork for Crystal Flash was designed by Mike Grier based on a sketch by torokun.

The original Metroid was released on August 6, 1986 and went on to become a successful and enduring video game series. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Metroid enthusiast website Shinesparkers released the fan arrangement album Harmony of a Hunter. The release covers various music from the series remixed in a variety of genres.  Some of the biggest names in the arrangement community have contributed to the album, including OverClocked ReMix regulars DarkeSword, Mazedude, The Orichalcon, prophetik and zircon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBrI7pzU_Hg

I am not even sure where to begin with this post. As soon as I fired this album up I was blasted with such incredible energy and fantastic musicianship that it’s been a challenge to simply write this article rather than just rock out and air guitar for the entirety of this album. Unfortunately there isn’t an onomatopoeia for ‘headbang’ yet, so I actually have to write about this album with only the vocabulary at hand.

From their humble beginnings Metroid Metal has become an incredible live force to be reckoned with, having played to thousands of fans at the Penny Arcade Expo and MAGFest and releasing one of the best albums of last year. Looks like they aren’t satisfied though, as they aim to have the greatest album of this year as well. The group has recently announced the release of six newly recorded tracks from the whole band, and called that release, Expansion Pack.

For those who have not had the chance to see them live at PAX or MAGFest, you have been missing out. I had the good fortune of getting to see them perform earlier this year at PAX East and was simply blown away. It can be difficult for a group without a lead singer to gain traction with folks, but Metroid Metal had a stage presence all their own. You would be hard pressed to turn your attention away from them at any part of their live set. Luckily for the folks who could not travel out to Metroid Metal sanctioned events, the group has taken several songs that they have been performing live, and gone into the studio to create Expansion Pack. This EP is freely available to download via Metroid Metal’s bandcamp page. Now don’t consider this a mere extra to their amazing debut album though, as we have half an hour of incredible arrangements starting with the highly memorable theme to Metroid Prime to kick this album right into high gear.

This album is definitely more than a simple expansion, boasting six songs and clocking in at half an hour. Leading from the amazing opener, we also hear incredible music from one of my personal favorite games, Super Metroid, with the themes to Brinstar and Criteria. Brinstar’s ominous beeps are transformed into full on guitar and the effect is incredible. It’s hard to imagine that these songs were ever written any other way. In the same vein, Crateria’s fiery depths are also recreated brilliantly by the group. Keeping the same dangerous atmosphere of the original while still creating a head banging wall of music to rock out to.

Expansion Pack also boasts two songs from the NES days with Norfair, a driving, intense, track that builds into an epic boss fighting and destroying end. Then we have the incredible rendition of Tourian/Mother Brain, which pushes forward just as hard as the other tracks. With stomping guitar riffs and spiraling out of control solos. The group took another amazingly ambient Metroid piece and made it feel like it was only ever intended to be an immense metal song.

To close out this amazing EP is a medley of Prime 3 Theme/Bryyo. This track starts out hard, but slowly morphs into an atmospheric rock anthem. This final track alone is incredible and varied enough to leave any Metroid fan happy, not to mention exhausted from all the headbanging that will be done. So grow your hair out and get ready to head bang by downloading Expansion Pack right now.

(click to enlarge)

< –Previous comic | Next Comic –>

Much like last weeks comic, this one is also quite appropriate, since last week I felt pretty hungry at least several times, and once for pizza even. There is no real segue to plug this but I will anyway. WEST COAST WIGOUT 2. If you are in Los Angeles around E3 time then check out the show info through this link. If you missed the news last week, like our name, we have hit four years of VG inspired music news. We continue that tradition today, as we have got some news, some video, and some sweet new tunes for you.

• Wolfire’s take on the Activision indie games competition via Wolfire Blog and Nobuooo
• VIDEO GAMES LIVE | Trailer | PBS (Video) via Video Games Live
• Series remixes streaming on Metroid: Other M website iva Nobuooo
• The Guardian interviews Red Dead Redemption composers via The Guardian and Nobuooo
• Operation Nerdcore: Mega Ran & K Murdock’s Forever Famicom via 1UP

When you think of lonely and hostile alien planets teaming with evil monstrous creatures and long forgotten ruined civilizations, what else do you think of? If you guessed metal you are damned right! Lucky for you too, as Metroid Metal, number one in hostile alien parasite metal, has announced an all new studio album known as Varia Suite and featuring the crew of Metroid Metal Live! Also that album is available for pre-order right now! The album is available for pre-order in two packages, $8 for just the CD, or you can go all out and get the album, plus an amazing MM shirt and sticker for a cool $20.

The album is set to feature all new recordings and rearrangements of classic Metroid tracks spanning a good chunk of the series and will be released September 8th (so suck it all you 09/09/09 release dates!). For aural proof of the amazingness that is this album, just watch the preview video below. Also, if you are in the Seattle, Washington area, be sure to see the band at the Penny Arcade Expo for a sure to be incredible performance Friday, September 4th!

Stemage of Metroid cover project, Metroid Metal has just posted up a new track – a massive, swirling cover of Downed Frigate from Metroid Prime. Go check it out over at the Metroid Metal MySpace page or through metroidmetal.com.

In fact, while you’re over at metroidmetal.com, grab yourself a cut-price t-shirt, and a seriously sweet ZIP of live Metroid Metal tracks, recorded at Magfest earlier this year. Also, stay tuned for a “huge announcment” coming soon from Stemage…

Some cool things happening on the Metroid Metal front right now:

Hi everyone,

Metroid Metal live is happening – believe it or not. Since March, I’ve been working with a pile of sick musicians to help take the Metroid Metal project to the stage. It’s now official! At MAGfest of next year (Jan 1-4, 2009 in Alexandria, VA), Metroid Metal live will be taking the main stage with a great list of bands.
Check out metroidmetal.com for details.

Also, NEW SONG! It’s Torvus Bog from Metroid Prime 2. Hope you enjoy! I use the Korg DS10 game for DS on this track.
Why not right?

Best,

Grant

And if you’ve never checked out some MM before, now’s your chance. Check out the new track on the MySpace page, and there’s a load of mp3s on his site (Kraid’s Theme is one of my faves).