A J-pop Review Blog

Composer: Takeharu Ishimoto
Release Date: October 10, 2007
Label: Square Enix
Personal Rating: 4.5/5

1. Fragments of Memories -d.m.w.-
2. Theme of Crisis Core “Succession”
3. Mission Start
4. First Mission (FFVII ‘Opening – Bombing Mission)
5. Mako City
6. Patriotism’s Moonlit Night
7. Encounter
8. Theme of Crisis Core “Dreams and Pride”
9. Last Order-crisis mix (“Last Order FFVII” remix)
10. The Importance of Truth
11. Wandering in the Afternoon Sunlight
12. Conflict
13. Manipulating the Iron Beasts
14. Theme of Crisis Core “Under the Apple Trees”
15. The Summoned (FFVII “Those Who Fight Further” remix)
16. The Burdened One
17. Just Before the Raid (FFVII “Those Who Fight” remix)
18. Secretly Maneuvering in Dark Suits (FFVII “Turks Theme” remix)
19. A Building of Iron and Pipes (“Last Order FFVII” remix)
20. Combat
21. Theme of Crisis Core “Scar of Friendship”
22. Flowers Blooming in the Slums (FFVII “Aerith’s Theme” remix)
23. Sky Blue Eyes
24. Theme of Crisis Core “Together with Pride”
25. Melody of Anguish
26. Marching on the Frontier (“Last Order FFVII” remix)
27. A Moment of Courtesies
28. Flapping Black Wings
29. Theme of Crisis Core “The True Project”
30. The Way Pride was Lost
31. Why (FFVII Crisis Core mix)
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Since this is a pretty long tracklisting, I’ll review this soundtrack a bit differently than the way I review J-pop releases. (Soundtracks do make quite the difference compared to J-pop releases.) I’ll start with a brief opinion of the song and then write about how the song suited the part of the game. Well, here’s my first soundtrack review and I’ll be as brief as possible!

As some sort of “prelude” for the Final Fantasy VII era, Fragments of Memories -d.m.w.- is actually based off of the “opening theme -Bombing Mission-” from the original Final Fatnasy VII. The song is pretty intense for a mini game overview before you see the actual game menu. Loved the new arrangement. The way the song was played with the music…I thought that the song was pretty awesome.

There are so many Themes of Crisis Core and it starts with Theme of Crisis Core “Succession” which is the song played when you see the game menu screen. A very calm yet sorrowful piano playing pretty much matched with the game’s theme. (The picture on this soundtrack’s cover is the picture on the menu screen)

Mission Start is actually a pretty that is used in the long cutscene right at the beginning of the game. Unlike interludes, soundtrack music is all about timing with the actual game animation so that totally explains the quietness at the beginning of the song. It fitted the movie really well.

Now this is the actual remake of the original First Mission (FFVII ‘Opening – Bombing Mission). I thought that Takeharu Ishimoto did a great job with maintaining the original melody of the song. (Loved the new additions of strings instead of MIDI elements!)

Mako City is played whenever you’re in Sector 7 or in the Shinra building. It’s a pretty happy song and very refreshing to listen to. Especially after beating your very first mission.

You’ll hear the Patriotism’s Moonlit Night BGM when you visit Wutai. It sounds like you’re in a very sinister place so the emphasis of the song adapted to the actual gameplay really well.

Encounter is another one of those songs that you’ll hear whenever you encounter a random battle. With Takeharu’s profession, the electric guitar, playing in the background, we would get the impression that he really loved writing this song. At least the song doesn’t get boring even after you’ve encountered like 500 random battles.

Another Theme of Crisis core, also slow paced but this time with strings. If you compared the Theme of Crisis Core “Dreams and Pride” with the first version, you’ll probably already notice the similarity and thus, you will know what the main theme sounds like.

Ever watched the Final Fantasy VII 30 minute OVA? Last Order-crisis mix (“Last Order FFVII” remix) sounds just like the original song except there’s more intensity with the guitar synchs. Pretty cool.

A short piano melody, The Importance of Truth happens to be one of the many piano melodies in this soundtrack. It’s really slow but if you listen to the other piano melodies within the OST, I’ll say that this is my least favorite.

Another sinister but a bit happier song, Wandering in the Afternoon Sunlight is played when you visit Banora. Just listening to this song made me a bit nervous on what kind of boss battles I would face in this place…

Conflict is another “random battle” song. I thought that this was more into the “battle mode” than Encounter since there’s no guitar riffs at the beginning of the song.

I thought that Manipulating the Iron Beasts sounded like Last Order because of the strong electric guitar riffs but if you intentionally compare the two songs, you’ll know the slight difference. One of my favorite fight songs.

Instead of the sad strings and piano arrangement,Theme of Crisis Core “Under the Apple Trees” sounds a bit laid back, now with light drums in the background. (Not my favorite version….yet.)

I liked the Black Mage’s version of “Those who Fight Further” the best but the The Summoned (FFVII “Those Who Fight Further” remix) track totally took me by surprise. I liked the new arrangement with the calmness in the beginning and then the entrance of loud guitars followed.

One of my favorite piano melodies ever, The Burdened One was really beautiful. It starts with the sad piano playing but then is followed by a series of really high notes on the violin. The sound of the violin totally refreshed me during the gameplay.

Now the Crisis Core version of “Those who Fight” is probably my most favorite version. (besides the piano version played in “Advent Children”) Just Before the Raid (FFVII “Those Who Fight” remix) actually makes a really uplifting entrance and instead of creating nervousness in a battle, it actually makes the battle more fun. Really fun song!

I never actually liked the “Turk’s theme” but I thought that the Secretly Maneuvering in Dark Suits (FFVII “Turks Theme” remix) sounded a bit catchy. Loved how the song was played when the returning characters from the original game , Reno and Rude, were first introduced to the game.

Another great arrangement is A Building of Iron and Pipes (“Last Order FFVII” remix) which was also played in Last Order. It pretty much sounded like the original version so there wasn’t really much of a difference.

I think that Combat is heard more frequently throughout the game than “conflict” and “encounter.” Pretty intense at the beginning but I think that “Conflict” is my favorite battle song. The last of the random battle songs.

Man, that’s still not my favorite Theme of Crisis Core version but the Theme of Crisis Core “Scar of Friendship” sounded better than the first few. The thing about this version is that it pretty much doesn’t sound like the original theme. I don’t know, I just can’t hear that original arrangement with this song…

The cool thing about Flowers Blooming in the Slums (FFVII “Aerith’s Theme” remix) is that it’s Aerith’s theme all over again except there’s a guitar playing in place of the original piano. Pretty sweet. (Especially with Zack’s romantic scenes with Aerith. Awwww…)

I wouldn’t exactly consider Sky Blue Eyes a piano melody but it has pretty much the same elements as “The Burderned.” With the piano and high violin. I’m so glad this song was used for one of the most touching moments of the game…it’s really beautiful.

Back with the original melody, Theme of Crisis Core “Together with Pride” sounds nice and all but I pretty much think that this was my least favorite of the Theme of Crisis Core tracks.

Yes, another piano melody. Except that Melody of Anguish sounds more sad compared to the first few.

I liked this song very much. But when Marching on the Frontier (“Last Order FFVII” remix) was played during the most critical part of the game (later on) I started to cry whenever I heard this song. (It’s a hint that you have to play the game in order to get this really sad feeling…)

Finally, a happy piano melody! A Moment of Courtesies lifted my spirits after the part when…..erm no more spoilers. I really like how Takeharu Ishimoto applies a nice feel to all of the piano melodies.

A electrical battle theme, Flapping Black Wings sounds pretty cool when you first hear it. I started to dislike it when I heard it during one of the most frustrating boss battles though.

Yes! My favorite Crisis Core theme!!!! Theme of Crisis Core “The True Project” actually doesn’t sound like the original arrangement either but doesn’t it sound beautiful with the suspenseful piano and violins? Totally worth a listen!

Another one of my favorite boss battle songs, The Way Pride was Lost has plenty of guitar riffs at the beginning but after watching that “revealing the secret identity” scene, this song was probably the best song to suit the mood. Too bad it only plays for one boss battle.

Now everyone knows why Ayaka became so well known with Why (FVII Crisis Core mix). Actually ,this is a piano mix of it so there’s no vocals yet but it does sound like the original version.

Well, there’s my first soundtrack review. Expect a review on Disc 2 after my three day hiatus!

Personal Rating: 4.5/5