Volume OneTrack 1

I know regular readers to the page are just sitting there wondering "WHAT IN THE HELL IS THIS"? Probably a good thing to wonder. No this hasn't turned into Rainbowflame's Video Games (hey it does have a good ring to it though), nor am I getting paid by an outside source to plug this stuff. Nope, neither. In fact, this is one of the few albums that have even inspired me to write about it recently. So what is the story? I know you are dying to be filled in.

Back in 1987 Konami released a game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (affectionately referred to as the NES) called Castlevania, that was a smash hit to put it simply. What has followed is a whole series of games, that all have featured some pretty cool tunes. Even the old Nintendo with its MIDI like music and limited audio capabilites had some pretty smooth tunes for its time, including the game music classic "Vampire Killer". Fastforward to the present, and 9 games later, Konami released Castlevania Symphony of the Night, which has one of the most bitchin game soundtracks I have ever heard with some killer music. As far as game import music cd's go, this one has achieved classic status already, when they released the music compiled on a soundtrack.

But what is this Perfect Selection stuff? In 1994, Konami got really smart, and decided to collect some musicians to form a band to make a studio album featuring heavy metal remixes of music from their Castlevania games. I have no idea who plays on this album, but whoever it is does a superb job with this music. Fans of the game, will instantly recognize some of the game tunes. "Bloody Tears" and "Vampire Killer" were instantly recognized by me, even though its been at least 8 or more years since I have played these games, and heard the game music. To those that wouldn't know what a Castlevania was from a Mario game, well... the nostalgia factor isn't going to mean anything, so that's why I am doing this album review and on to the music.

This album is all instrumental music, no vocals, just blistering guitar and some really haunting pipe organ and synth sounds. Its wrapped up in a very gothic sounding package, beautifully suited to the mood and urgency of the game. It all gets cranked up with the kaboom of "Beginning", a richly guitar infested treat, brimming with solos and thundering drums. "Requiem for the Nameless Victims" is one of the few songs that really tone this energetic collection down a few notches. Its sound is gentle and reflective, as to mourn the lost souls that have come and gone. A beautifully moving piece that starts out sad and wistful, yet peaks in the middle for a twisting and turning guitar soloing emotional rollercoaster. The delicate chimes tinkering like little fairy bells near the finale just help to add more mood and emotion to the song. The opening to "March of the Holy Man" reminds me an awful lot of Poison's "Unskinny Bop" but after the first few seconds, that is where the similarity ends. Its a very cool song with even a small piano section, almost divine and holy in quality compared to the crunchy guitar . "Calling From Heaven" starts with some almost bluesy sounding guitar, soulful and wailing, like the spirits calling from the realms beyond, the pipe organ really shines through on this track, stamping it with that Gothic sound, even moreso than the two tracks already mentioned. The gentle plucking coupled with the organ that builds in both tempo and volume near the end, really make this a memorable tune. "Bloody Tears" is one of my favorites, an energetic remix of the Castlevania 2 music, with some really blistering guitar, and a toe tapping rhythm. It keeps to the line of the original synth squawking tune on the NES so well, while expanding on it ten times over. The heavy organ solo for some reason makes me think of Dream Theater, which is then exchanged for an absolutely killer guitar solo. Speaking of killer, to round up this review, there is absolutely know way I can get away without mentioning the highlight of the album, the completely awesome remix and reorchestration of the original Castlevania music, "Vampire Killer". Set to a heavy bottom end heavy metal sound and given the breath of life with haunting organ and a triumphant overall tone, the first time I heard the beginning of the song, with its gritty guitar riffing but dominating keyboards, I just knew it had to rip in the middle, and rip and tear it does. The solo blows the middle of the song completely open, before it comes to resume the basic flow of the song again. Then it gets with it again with searing guitar all the way to the ending. Absolutely essential! I would have put this song at the very end of the cd, where it belongs. Killer finisher.

To wrap this up, this collection of 10 instrumental tunes is a great cd. I normally don't like instrumentals or even game music for that matter, but when I first heard this set of tunes I was completely in love. For those that love the game series, they will find this cd to be a very unusual treat and for those that simply enjoy some good heavy metal guitar driven instrumentals, I absolutely have to recommend this. The only drawbacks I can see is the fact that some of the songs may begin to sound the same afterawhile, with their heavy Gothic sound, and energetic tone, but with that, they also get points in the way the album flows together seamlessly, with nothing overly out of the ordinary to interrupt the feel of the collection. It may be odd, and out of the ordinary, but its more than worth a look.

Rating - 8.9
Alanna Evans

Since I have already touched upon the history of the two discs in the other review, I will simply stick to the music on this one. Due to the popularity of the first cd, Konami decided to dig out some of the more obscure ingame tunes and have their band rework them for another go around. Although these tunes won't bring back those memories of nostalgia as quickly as the first disc will, its the music that matters, and most of these tunes work really well in a heavy metal setting.

"Illusionary Dance" just kicks ass, and has an almost movie soundtrack style to its execution. The drums really pound and thunder almost Megadeth style, the rhythm is heavy and very prominent. A great little tune overall, that ends as it begins, the drums are good enough to headbang to in places. There's another version of "Beginning", this one taken from the music laid down on the Dracula X game, I thought one version was enough, but this one is alright too, it resembles the other too closely to matter much, so I usually skip it. But if there's a song that is going to get me talking and praising it, its the absolutely killer "Iron Blue Intention". This song rules my world, yeah I completely love it, its heavy backbone, addictive pulsating rhythm, various musical changes, and rising and falling guitar solos that twist and turn around each other in a very haunting way. Out of both Perfect Selection cd's, this is definitely no doubt about it my favorite tune. I would love it no matter what band was doing it. There is even a brief moment in the song where the guitar playing is a dead on Yngwie Malmsteen sound alike . Absolutely essential, do not miss this tune. "Reincarnated Soul" strangely sounds like metal flavored anime music, and has more of that game music feel than some of the other songs, but its still a great tune. "Theme from Legend of Dracula" begins with piano and what sounds like a flute type instrument, light and delicately airy, it gently pulls at the heartstrings.

Even though you will get more of a feeling that you are listening to remixes of game music, the album is still quite solid and stands on its own very nicely for those not a fan of the video games. I suggest trying out the first album and if its your thing, to pick this one up immediately , its a nice companion to it, with some even heavier hitting tunes than the first. Another nice one Konami, any hope of Dracula Battle Number III?

Rating: 8.5
Alanna Evans