Posted 2012-01-24, evaluated by djpretzel


Ladies & gentlemen, wenches & rapscallions, I'm proud to announce the release of our 32nd arrangement album and FIRST album of the year, Unsung Heroes! Grab the torrent, check out the trailer & website, and please help us spread the news!

The album primarily celebrates RPGs like Suikoden, Persona 3, Secret of Evermore, and Lufia that, while far from obscure, haven't gotten as much attention from the VGM fan arrangement community, and features mixes of several games not previously represented on OCR - which is awesome. In fact, there are zero repeats - each track is from a different game. Album Director OA writes:

"The original concept was brought forth to me by Shaun "Avaris" Wallace back when we were still working on Echoes of Betrayal, Light of Redemption. We both agreed that while it is great to work with many well-known and often mixed themes - which are so loved for good reason - there should be no reason not to extend our hands into those games that have been overlooked for so long, but have genuinely beautiful themes as well. I'm proud of the work that these gentlemen and ladies have presented in this album, and hope that others will be able to appreciate the beauty of these tracks as well."

This album release also coincides with the birthday (HBD!) of Assistant Director Deia (DragonAvenger); she adds:

"I was brought onto Unsung Heroes as an assistant director after the success of the Final Fantasy IV project, where I was able to do a lot of organizational work to help for a smooth release. The project idea was really unique; there had been a lot of songs that I'd forgotten about and it was a joy to revisit them and see what exactly I could put together as a tribute to those games that had been passed over for more popular titles. I also have enjoyed working with both Andrew and Stevo; they both have done a great job keeping this project moving and encouraging the mixers to get their work finished. I hope to work with all these mixers again soon!"

I personally love the concept; while some folks on YouTube correctly pointed out that many of these games had - and still have - devoted followings, most of them haven't seen a ton of musical love on OCR or elsewhere; they're not so much forgotten as they are, well... unsung. Fitting, then, that this debut 7th Saga ReMix also features vocals and sets the stage for the whole album - Deia writes:

"The 7th Saga was one of those overly difficult games, and I will admit that I never did manage to get far in it myself. I did get to watch my brother play the game, however, and really found the music to have some wonderful and emotive themes. When approaching the music for Unsung Heroes, I imagined a bard and her band in a medieval tavern singing to the patrons about stories of old that may have never been heard because they had been lost to time. This became the main focus of the track, and "Heroes Unsung" was worked to match that image. The singer goes on to regale her listeners with tales of yore, enrapturing the audience and helping the tales pass on to future generations."

Andrew adds:

"This entire concept was Deia's, I just did what I could to get the right sound, and keep it from sounding overproduced. The intro and outro was me just turning the microphone on at a BBQ and recording people, and then adding the fire sound and some other homemade tavern noises. I think it gives a good tavern feel, and really helps set the tone of the entire album."

Awesome. Perhaps the first OC ReMix to feature the natural ambiance of... BBQ. It worked, though, and really helps sell the whole bard-in-a-tavern thing, which because I've been playing Skyrim too much is fresh in my memory. Good vocals from both Deia *AND* OA, with some tricky bass harmony bits, plus perfect lyrics that jive with the vision Deia describes. The mix works both as an excellent standalone arrangement of 7th Saga, previously unmixed on OCR, as well as a wonderful introduction to an album that sings the praises of fifteen games & their excellent music. Check it out, then check out the whole album @ http://unsung.ocremix.org!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 11 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Drakenwolf
on 2014-04-07 01:46:50

I can't really think of anything wrong with this ReMix, it has great music and awesome vocals. I especially love the acoustic guitar. I had a minor argument with myself about the intro, but it turns out that having a tavern full of people in the presence of bards really fits the mood. I just love a good bard story!

I give this ReMix a 9.5/10.

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RiverSound
on 2013-02-16 17:37:05

I, too, found the intro ambience slightly misleading; hadn't I read the writeup I would've guessed it being a marketplace or a fast food restaurant etc. Minor nitpick, though. A great track with an authentic live-feel to it.

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Crulex
on 2013-02-06 15:52:43

Wow, this is pretty cool. Deia's vocals go very well with the traveling bard/medieval tavern feel that the song was striving for, and OA joining was nice to hear as well. Nice intro and outro with the natural gathering sounds as well. It hit every mark it went for as far as I'm concerned and is certainly one of my favorite songs off the Unsung album.

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Bahamut
on 2012-07-05 22:58:02

A song as told by a bard, I originally wasn't a fan of Deia's vocals here, but given some time to digest it, I think it works. Deia's vocals are a little on the loud side IMO. Otherwise, I think it captures the atmosphere nicely and does a good job at putting together a quaint song of entertainment for all our patrons here.

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Zen00
on 2012-02-21 19:14:49

As the time went on I felt a little unsure about the choice of room ambience; it felt rather dry and wide for what could be considered a tavern setting, and even then it wasn't exposed on all the instruments represented. That to me could be seen as more of a nitpick more than anything, as the sounds themselves have been emphasized very cleanly even with the ambience concerns taken to account, and Deia's laid-back vocal complimented the medieval-esque instrument selection just as much - the travelling bard in the pack of musicians, throwing her wisdom into the face of adversity, with not much expectation to go by other than her own heart.

I always took it for more of a dock/open work area, not a tavern (hence the anvils and such clinking at the beginning).

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Rexy
on 2012-02-19 16:18:36

Having had Unsung Heroes floating around on my MP3 rotation in the past month, I say it's about time I take a look at some more of the flood posts. :razz:

The opening track managed to capture that serene moment of wanting to express feelings about telling of the games that have been unexpressed in the community. Arrangement-wise it's pretty straightforward, but it didn't need a complex arrangement with the lyrical writing, slight modifications to the melody on both the vocals and flute countermelody, and even then the components highlighting the source sell the track more than what appears to be lesser-stellar original components, give or take the string writing near the end which I thought managed to compliment the mood quite well.

As the time went on I felt a little unsure about the choice of room ambience; it felt rather dry and wide for what could be considered a tavern setting, and even then it wasn't exposed on all the instruments represented. That to me could be seen as more of a nitpick more than anything, as the sounds themselves have been emphasized very cleanly even with the ambience concerns taken to account, and Deia's laid-back vocal complimented the medieval-esque instrument selection just as much - the travelling bard in the pack of musicians, throwing her wisdom into the face of adversity, with not much expectation to go by other than her own heart.

So for a rather inspirational album it made for a very pretty opening track, and I hope the other contributions that both OA and Deia worked on whether together or with others would eventually surface too to compliment the raw emotive power behind this one :)

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Moguta
on 2012-01-26 00:12:16

Sweet album, and appreciate all the hard work!

It's obvious that a lot of work went into this song as well. So it frustrates me to say that I can't get into the vocals here. I'm not sure exactly what it is -- I'm no professional singer like Jill -- but they just don't seem to sit right. It's a shame, because I love DA OA's "Eminence Grise" to death, so I know these two can hit all the right spots!

Also, the reverb choice mystifies me. I understand it's supposed to simulate a tavern, so wide expansive soundscapes wouldn't be appropriate. Still, it sounds too harsh and echo-prone for my ears.

Wish I could get into this title track more, because the lyrics are adorable, and it's such a great remix idea.

Thanks for bringing this album to fruition! And don't think musical perfection is expected, least of all from efforts in your free time with no $ compensation. Keep on growin and challenging yourselves! :)

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uhhh6677
on 2012-01-25 22:12:59

Very nice vocal track. Usually I don't care for vocal remixes, but is an exception. The beautiful singing by DA paired with top-notch production and a fun atmosphere really makes for a nice mix. Great job, and an excellent way to open the album.

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BardicKnowledge
on 2012-01-25 13:23:05

I am totally pasting this into Skyrim to hear it as a bard song on command. Great work!

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Otakatt
on 2012-01-24 16:55:51

I remember when I tried 7th Saga. I really really gave it a shot but I couldn't get into it. It was just so fracking hard! I picked Esuna and picked up the little dwarf guy as my companion and marched into a dungeon thinking I'd kick butt with *two* people and I got trounced. So I ragequit and put it away forever. :\

The music always stuck with me though. I picked up the SPC and found myself enjoying most of the tracks, particularly the overworld and town themes, so I was excited to see one of the town themes had been covered!

I really like the atmosphere of this remix. It does the tavern/bard theme it was going for well. I also appreciate the melancholy to it because that was something I liked about the 7th Saga OST. Themes in other games usually presented happily (like town themes) were more melancholic in 7th Saga.

And I'm always happy to hear anything out of OA and DA, you guys make a great team!

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djpretzel
on 2012-01-24 16:17:28

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
The 7th Saga (Enix , 1993, SNES)
Music by Norihiko Yamanuki
Songs:
"Town D"

Tags (8)


Genre:
Folk
Mood:
Mellow
Instrumentation:
Acoustic,Acoustic Guitar,Singing,Vocals: Female,Vocals: Male
Additional:
Lyrics > Lyrics: Original

File Information


Name:
7th_Saga_Heroes_Unsung_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,088,596 bytes
MD5:
f079e6138f843e106ff9774c859271d6
Bitrate:
236Kbps
Duration:
3:23

Gather 'round, my young ones
Let me say my words
Let me sing my tale.

About a land undone
Where hope was gone
And of Heroes Unsung.

Those that gave their lives
Those who've sacrificed
Yet their deeds remain unsaid.

Won't you stay a while
And hear their tale,
Those Heroes Unsung.

Those who travelled far
And fought so hard
In lands as yet unknown.

Those whose blood would pour
So to end the war
To bring peace back home.

I'm sad to say
But, oh, what a shame
That those stories never may be heard.
My one request,
At their behest
Listen to Heroes Unsung.

Featured on album...

Unsung Heroes


album cover

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