I like Celldwellers tracks, but after hearing Doom OST…man, Mick’s affinity for 9 string guitars is just such an eargasm, his compositions just hit me like a truck. I have nothing against Celldweller’s tracks at all, really like Tusk and Arby’s but Mick is just like “i need to droptune this more” and I love it. Doom was twice as hype to play through because of his stuff
BFG Division and Flesh+Metal just blow my mind. I kept replaying certain areas of the game just to hear the music again while all hell broke loose
Pun intended
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I love the new tracks. Gargos is my favorite track.Gargos track has wicked riffage and thrash \m/ sounds like slayer. Rash theme is also amazing
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The only real problem I’ve had with this season is that they have mostly all been remixes of existing songs and Miras Oh HO Ho Ho part from Combo Breaker was really bad.
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I think they’ve done well, though there are some areas where I think things could be improved.
My main issue so far is the Ultra combos. For the most part the rhythms are spot on and work just fine, but some of them don’t seem to have the groove the older themes had, the sense of melody, and tend to overstay their welcome. Even the longer Ultras from Season 2 like Maya and Cinder seem to flow better than Kim or the latter half of RAAM’s.
The biggest issue I have with the new Ultras though? The music. I don’t know why, but I really can’t stand the way they’re mixed or the chord progression of most of them (Rash being a nice exception). Maybe of the music was more melodious, with deeper layering and more powerful sound, heavier percussion or more sustain on some of the notes I’d be more impressed, but it’s kind of a bummer to compare them to Jago or Orchid’s Ultra melodies, and even those using similar instrumentals to older tracks (i.e. comparing Sabrewulf and Riptor to Tusk and Mira, or Omen to Gargos, even Fulgore to RAAM) don’t seem to have the same level of impact.
Which is a shame, because a lot of the regular themes for characters like Gargos, Kim, Tusk, and Mira are F*CKING INCREDIBLE! There’s some excellent leads, epic driving riffs, even magnificent blending of genres like Mira’s Castlevania-esque fusion of electronica and Russian orchestral sweeps, the 80’s mash up of 8bit VanHallen that Rash exhumes, the intense battle drums and choral battle chants with driving Viking metal for Tusk, and Gargos’s furious speed metal assault.
Even RAAM impresses, and I had no real connection to the character. It seems marvelously fitting somehow. As far as just music goes, this season has been phenomenal! I would certainly arrange certain things differently -some more stuff like this here, make that the 16 hit theme instead, more references to classic themes, etc- but over all they’ve down pretty damn well.
Do I think all of it compares well to Mick’s work? Not all of it. I definitely love Mick Gordon’s work across a good chunk of his game soundtracks. Wolfenstein, Doom, and of course Killer Instinct all have magnificent tracks that he touched with a bit of genius.
Atlus Plug and Celldweller are doing rather well apart from the ultras, though if you ask me! 
I think his Kan Ra and maya shows how he can change the culture of his music to fit the atmosphere of the character.
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Taste in music is really personal. You like what you like and you don’t like what you don’t. With all due respect to people’s opinions I think this thread is pretty harsh.
Tusk’s theme is probably my favorite theme in the whole game. I think Kim Wu’s is great. Rash’s theme is awesome too. The only one I don’t care for is Gargos - because as @Marbledecker says I’m not into that kind of music.
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I don’t find it harsh…
As you said, people have different tastes, and that is what I was trying to figure out, how well the new guys hit the KI community…
I already said I think they make great music, but I just don’t think it feels like KI
If there’s a common opinion that Mick was better, don’t you feel like it’s our obligation to tell the team, so they can act on it?
I’m not saying we should decide, but if they’re the same price and equally easy and nice to work with and whatever other aspects that comes into play…
it might help them pick the right one for future stuff
On the old topic… I also feel like the passion is missing this time around.
You we’re NEVER in doubt about Mick’s passion for KI, and what an honor he thought it was to even be here…
Celldweller & AtlasPlug has been said to have passion for it, but I honestly haven’t been able to feel it anywhere… not even in their "making of"s, they seem very coolheaded and calculating about it… and Celldweller almost only mentions KI on twitter and stuff like that when someone praises him for it.
I’m not saying they don’t have the passion, but I can’t feel it at least.
Every time there was a video or interview with Mick, you could see the Christmas lights in his eyes and you could feel that he could just keep talking about it for hours.
We also haven’t seen them go to any real stretches any of the tracks, where Mick (although only in season 1) put a sick amount of effort into the small details, like smashing a real piano for “drum” sounds in Lychanthropy, tracking down a human thighbone flute AND learning throat singing for The Tiger Spirit… working closely with Swedes to get the Viking God kinda feel to Warlord
What we’ve been told from season 3, is that they have Skype “meetings”… also for the Bulgarian choir for Tusk
I might be missing something, but to me, the passion doesn’t really seen like it’s there
Edit: oh… and forgot.
Several people here as saying it’s amazing because it’s technical, but to me that just says the opposite.
KI music to me is ALL about the adrenaline of a fight and feeling it, and technical stuff takes away the feel…
To me it’s like trying to get a classical educated pianist who can follow a CRAZY composition to perfection, to make a blues jam, where it’s ALL about getting your feelings out through you instrument/guitar via improv…
I have a tremendous amount of respect for both kinds of skill sets, but a music based on feelings should NOT be made by the pianist
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OK, I’m out.
Hmm… you put the quotes up like they contradict each other, but I don’t see how…
It’s the “blues guitarist” that’s the feel guy… how is this wrong?
And yes, my explanation is very black and white, where I know everything is greyscale in this world, it it’s easier to explain to people with exaggeration
Edit: I’m also not trying to tell people how to feel… I’m trying to tell stuff from my point of view, and hear other people’s points too…
Love discussing stuff
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Since you asked, no I don’t. I think it’s harsh. I think it’s “let’s see if we can get a couple of guys who have been working hard fired, just so we can say we did it.” And the criticism is unhelpful of the “it just doesn’t have that certain something” variety. What are they going to do, run out and buy that certain something? Especially when my perception is that it has more to do with Mick fanboyism than any actual issue with the music. My personal view is that if God himself came down here and scored the game, a lot of people would say “I don’t know, it’s just not as good as Mick.”
[quote=“LordCrisp, post:47, topic:11458”]
I also feel like the passion is missing this time around.
[/quote]Yeah, a constructive and objective piece of criticism.
Okay. We get it. You really love Mick Gordon (by the way, tracking down a human thigh bone flute doesn’t sound passionate to me - it sounds terrifying in a psychopath kind of way). Call the thread “bring Mick Gordon back” and talk about why you love him. Don’t pretend you’re interested in a reasoned musical analysis.
But the good news is they will at least have all the helpful feedback of “act more crazy in the videos” to demonstrate your passion.
Music is personal. I have a different musical taste than probably most of you guys do. I really love orchestral movie scores and if John Williams scored KI I would lose my mind. But if they brought in James Horner I wouldn’t run around saying “isn’t this missing some of the passion that Williams brings?”
As far as your edit, I guess you want them to be less technically proficient? It’s just another nebulous “standard” that can’t be met.
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It’s a mixed bag because I think Mira has possibly the best musical ultra in the game and Rash’s is excellent, but the rest of S3 are all horrible.
Wow… really?
Have you read any of it at all?
I’m not a Mick fanboy… I wrote in the OP that I was one of the people being happy we had new blood coming to KI, as Mick seemed under too much pressure or whatever happened doing season 2.
I do not find him perfect in any way, and I don’t think he’s a better artist either… I’m saying I think his style fits KI better.
And yes, passion for something shows… on some more that others, but it does.
I also mentioned that maybe I was just missing it, but it was the way I felt…
NOTHING I say is final in any way… is expressing feelings illegal?
I’m not the narrowmined one here @BigBadAndy … I’m trying to have a discussion here… and you’re trying to tell me I’m wrong
Other than your last point which I feel got rather muddled, I agree - the passion doesn’t seem to be there. Arbiter’s theme only has that feel to it because they have a Halo composer involved and Tusks has it because they liked the idea of throwing everything in (drums, choirs, riffs, etc) it seems. Not to disrespect the attempts they’re making to make everything fit, I just don’t think it’s working in the grand scheme of things. I just think Mick set a high standard and that no matter what, we’re going to keep drawing comparisons between his work and any future composer’s efforts.
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My take: I feel the Ki soundtrack is EXTREMELY good in all seasons but to say there is story in every song is going a little far IMO…
Spinal’s music is the only one that gives me a story-like vibe.
But at the end of the of day a great soundtrack is…Just a soundtrack. No matter who makes it…
I sound very Jerkish don’t I?
I don’t think it’s the passion. Because It’s there…
I THINK it’s just a different style of music. And I’ll Glad take that over no theme at all…
When mick left… I was like: “OH NO! NO MORE MUSIC IN KI?!”
But of course that was not the case… Of course Celldweller and atlus plug are friggin amazing… But they’re not the same as mick… Which nobody should be thinking right now.
I feel KI’s soundtrack is getting better & better now. But that’s just me.
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I’ve never been called “narrowmined” before… Maybe you were going for "narrow minded " and just missed it? Either way it’s irrelevant. Maybe we could get someone in here that has more passion for spelling. Also, see how easy criticism is?
I said I thought the criticism in the thread was harsh. And I do. That’s how I feel. You said don’t you think we are obligated [to lobby MS to bring back the old composer]? So I told you “no.” You asked the question. And you characterized what you are doing.
Expressing feelings is wonderful. Feel and express to your hearts content. I’m not trying to stop you. But notice two things. The first person who substantially disagrees you jump all over, and you took a perfectly legit complement and turned it into a criticism of the composing team about their technical skill. You’re “expressing your feelings” by saying the new composers aren’t as good and then arguing with anyone who says anything nice about them. That’s not really a discussion. People always claim to want to discuss things, but in my experience they mostly just want people to agree with them. I’m not seeing any criticism that is actionable - other than “bring Mick Gordon back.” I guess “don’t have Skype meetings,” but did it ever occur to you that they might not have the budget to fly all over the world looking for body part instruments to make KI music great?
I will admit that this is a pet peeve of mine and I probably should just let it go more often. But I know from personal experience whenever you actually go out and make something there will be a horde of people waiting to tell you what’s wrong with it and why you suck. The Internet has made that 1000% times worse. I don’t know atlas plugged or cell dweller from a hole in the ground, and they probably don’t need (or wouldn’t want) me to be trying to defend their work in this thread.
That wasn’t my point - wasn’t trying to point out a contradiction at all.
I was saying that those two statements were enough to kill my desire to continue this discussion with you.
Really? You go to grammar-nazism…? Oh well.
And what is a discussion if not trying to get each other to understand the other ones points of view?
Discussions goes two ways, and how is it gonna do that if you’re not allowed to discuss what and why you feel like you do…?
All art/entertainment is in the eye of the beholder, so there is NO opinions that are wrong here… I’m trying to make others see my point, as I’m trying to see the point of others… if there’s something I don’t understand the point of, I’ll ask about it and/or argument against it from how I feel… none of the stuff in here is wrong, it’s a discussion.
How do you discuss stuff? If it isn’t exchanging of opinions on stuff and then mutually trying to figure out each others viewpoints and maybe broaden your horizon?
And yeah… I HAVE been giving criticism about Mick, but that is some time ago, and in probably the biggest thread we have about Celldweller & AtlasPlug taking over after season 2… I didn’t wanna include that in here, because that is not what this thread is about, Mick is out and now I’m trying to discuss our current artists
Back on point of the Ultra themes for S3… I noticed when doing the Ultra themes on an older stage they sound awesome but when doing an older season Ultra on a S3 stage…they sound out of place as do the defaults ones IMO
But you put Kim Wu on Cinders stage and it sounds very powerful!
Kims ultra sounds amazing on all stages especially Aria Hisako Sabrewulf and thunder. Even rash theme sounds good in Kims ultra