Review Summary: An enchanting experience.
Metroid is and forever will be my favorite video game series of all time. It even tops the
Metal Gear Solid,
Mario and dare I say it?.. even
The Elder Scrolls series. Pretty much Metroid blows a lot of video games out of water, for me at least. One of the things that make the Metroid series so downright mind blowing is its tantalizing soundscapes and their undeniable generosity to the listener. Now as the above title suggests this soundtrack deals with not one but two of the Metroid series finest releases,
Metroid Prime and Fusion. While both on different systems (Prime for GameCube and Fusion on GameBoyAvd) both sound exceptionally well, each with their minor quirks and charms. So throw out those old post-rock albums and fall into the demented world of
Metroid
You might not think a video games
”Title” could hold much interest but Metroid is a whole different space pirate.. Well those are actually two different species but anyway this, “Title”, sounds like the sick hatching of some vile alien insects. You can positively feel the slime touch your skin. Dark, eerie synthesizers soon twist into effect and prove to be absolutely creepy. If you think the track
”Menu Select” sounds a little sketchy than you need to stop doubting Metroid right now and go play the game. The bugs from the previous track are swiftly racing onto the next. Squirming to get out of their eggs now as a very godlike mourn is enticing them, chanting behind them. Yes, these are actually conveyable themes and emotions described while hearing the tracks “Menu Select” and “Title” screen..
Planet Tallon IV. I can almost feel the lush rainforest thick with moisture, hiding beauty and a stench of evil. A very hollow sounding moan scales at the mountains, somewhere beyond, I can almost
taste it. Feeling almost godlike it’s easy to get lost within the atmosphere of each individual piece. A masterful mix of seduction plays heavily, fabricating a certain energy. These gripping atmospheres underline every single track on disc one. Breathtaking would be an understatement.
Chozo Ruins is instantly a place that I would gladly spend the rest of my life exploring. Soft tapping and intricate rattles feed at this haunting realm and yet somehow it all retains a divine beauty. Even the poisonous sound of the chirping synthesizers wouldn’t keep me away, it’s almost unreal. Unfortunately it is. It’s almost heartbreaking to know that the serene sound of
Ice Valley is just that, only a sound. The small twinkles and slick dripping make this seem an unbearably pleasant place to visit, someplace to lose yourself within. A swift piano breaks the surface from literally nowhere, swaying and brushing at your ears, absolutely swallowing you. It’s no surprise that one of the most beautiful passages,
Ice Valley, takes place in one of the most visually stunning areas in the video game,
Phendrana Drifts. It’d be redundant for me to try and tell you how and why each of these tracks is seamlessly gorgeous. While some of them are rather short they’re all instantly captivating and pleasing in bite sized pieces. The opening of
Wrecked Ship Frigate might just twist your imagination on how wonderful computer generated sounds can be. Tightly woven pianos twist within themselves like vines and something always seems to be watching you from a distance. I could fall into the soothing landscapes for hours, listening in my dreams. Playing this as you fall asleep isn’t a bad idea.
So before I completely lose myself in this absolutely enthralling world of Metroid Prime there is still the second disc. If you thought the second disc would just be a tag along, again, we are talking about
Metroid.
Metroid Fusion Arranged Version opens in squeaky, riveting pockets of flashes and sharp, high audio tears. It’s actually quite surprising how well this sounds for a Game Boy Advanced game. While definitely more straightforward than the previous disc the sounds are still crisp and expertly produced. The simplistic racing on “Aranged Version” proves that even though these sounds came off of a handheld system they still flow fluid and evenly. Even the “would be” flaws like an occasional cheesy synthesizer sequence or effect can be easily disregarded as there are just too many good parts. It’s quite astonishing at how dark and ambient a lot of these tracks are, simplistic as some may come off as, (“Environmental Sound - Silence 1”) most remain just as suspenseful as the track before it.
Last Instructions opens with pounding drums and quickly recalls “super hero” themed music. The tracks play their cards best during the smoother, slower portions and it’s easy to see the developers played it smart. Fans will instantly suck up the 56 second epic
VS. Neo Ridley in which you’re assaulted by strange “waaa’s” and daunting rattles. At times the tracks just seem downright bizarre but in an intriguing fashion. Sometimes however the tracks do seem a little too short, (lots of mild fanfare here) and usually only loop a sequence once. This might make some of the tracks from disc two not catch your attention as quickly. However this will lie in the fact that the two different systems in which both games came from varied greatly in processing power and there where technical issues. All in all disc two is a more simplistic yet retains a high quality and is an interesting, if not short listening experience.
So there it is, a two disc, two soundtrack outing for one of the greatest series of video games ever crafted,
Metroid. Add that to the fact that both of the titles,
Prime and
Fusion are undeniably brilliant games. Yes, Prime’s side is deeper and immersive to the point of astonishment. The Fusion soundtrack side, while less entrancing is well worth a listen and many of those tracks are on par with Prime’s tracks in terms of mood, suspense and atmosphere. For those of you who know and love the video game series, get this. For those of you hipsters who don’t know what this is, it’s kinda like spacey, electronic post rock. Listen in small doses or all at once. This is really something to sink into.
