RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Music Reviews > Salamander Pro-Fusion
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
Fusion; An Acquired Taste, Indeed.
Fusion is generally a type of music that mixes Jazz, Synth work and Rock into one formula that is very pleasant and pleasing to many music lovers in general. The wonderful team over at Konami labeled as the Kukeiha Club set forth and redid the techno laced soundtrack of the Salamander games, or Gradius as it's known here in the States and the result is one that is the biggest surprises you'll hear in a long while.
Dear Blue is a great song showcasing the elements of Rock as the electric guitar plays the melody line with so much emotion and conviction as the bass line slaps and pops its way along. The piano piece is also one to note, as it shows it's head here and there, evoking a somewhat ethereal experience.
Power Of Anger has a lot of synth sounds in the whole mix that makes up for the fluty sounds you might hear as well as the pipes. They also slapped some techno sounds on the drums to give it that echo sound as a jazz guitar strums and plucks a very smooth melody. Even the little hip hop/beat break in the middle is smooth without being overbearing.
Fire Tripper sounds a lot more dramatic than what I remembered back in the day, that's for sure! It starts off with a small piano piece that then cuts into a drum break to lead the very sorrowful, vibrato guitar piece into the song. The chorus line is simply one of the best I've heard in a while, and continues to be more and more powerful as the song increases. Here and there the guitar will drop back into obscurity as the piano takes lead with the bass to give the song a more mellow, dramatic sound.
Speed isn't what you would think it to be. I thought it would be a fast moving, bass line racing, drum tiring song of sorts, but it was rather a pretty smooth piece, that had sounds of triangles and other weird echo sounds moving the melody and played when the drums were sounded. Nothing's too fast on this song, not even the keyboards. Does sound like you’re in a forest, with little Ewoks running around, playing on their made up instruments. Oh. Um. Pardon me.
Pretty much all the tracks on here are good, smooth and the fastest thing tame enough for your grandparents. That's why I was so confused when I heard Salamander. It wasn't the best, I'll tell you that. The whole song sounded like straight improv. And I know some will like this kind of music, with synths ringing out here and there in a rather loud fashion, and the guitar sounding like it came straight out of an 80's band. I, for one, skip this song every time. This last song isn't the last song in my track list at all.
If you come looking for Rock, you won't find it here. And if you come looking for Jazz, you won't really find it here either. You'll find a nice medium of the two flavors that'll satisfy your appetite for some time to come.
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| Album Information | Reviewer Rank |
|---|---|
|
Salamander Pro-Fusion Published by: Konami Release Date: May 22nd 1996 Composed by: Konami Kukeiha Club, Motoaki Furukawa Arranged by: Motoaki Furukawa, Tappy, Mami Asano 1 Disc, 11 Tracks Catalog: KICA-7702 |
86 |
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
Fusion; An Acquired Taste, Indeed.
Fusion is generally a type of music that mixes Jazz, Synth work and Rock into one formula that is very pleasant and pleasing to many music lovers in general. The wonderful team over at Konami labeled as the Kukeiha Club set forth and redid the techno laced soundtrack of the Salamander games, or Gradius as it's known here in the States and the result is one that is the biggest surprises you'll hear in a long while.
Dear Blue is a great song showcasing the elements of Rock as the electric guitar plays the melody line with so much emotion and conviction as the bass line slaps and pops its way along. The piano piece is also one to note, as it shows it's head here and there, evoking a somewhat ethereal experience.
Power Of Anger has a lot of synth sounds in the whole mix that makes up for the fluty sounds you might hear as well as the pipes. They also slapped some techno sounds on the drums to give it that echo sound as a jazz guitar strums and plucks a very smooth melody. Even the little hip hop/beat break in the middle is smooth without being overbearing.
Fire Tripper sounds a lot more dramatic than what I remembered back in the day, that's for sure! It starts off with a small piano piece that then cuts into a drum break to lead the very sorrowful, vibrato guitar piece into the song. The chorus line is simply one of the best I've heard in a while, and continues to be more and more powerful as the song increases. Here and there the guitar will drop back into obscurity as the piano takes lead with the bass to give the song a more mellow, dramatic sound.
Speed isn't what you would think it to be. I thought it would be a fast moving, bass line racing, drum tiring song of sorts, but it was rather a pretty smooth piece, that had sounds of triangles and other weird echo sounds moving the melody and played when the drums were sounded. Nothing's too fast on this song, not even the keyboards. Does sound like you’re in a forest, with little Ewoks running around, playing on their made up instruments. Oh. Um. Pardon me.
Pretty much all the tracks on here are good, smooth and the fastest thing tame enough for your grandparents. That's why I was so confused when I heard Salamander. It wasn't the best, I'll tell you that. The whole song sounded like straight improv. And I know some will like this kind of music, with synths ringing out here and there in a rather loud fashion, and the guitar sounding like it came straight out of an 80's band. I, for one, skip this song every time. This last song isn't the last song in my track list at all.
If you come looking for Rock, you won't find it here. And if you come looking for Jazz, you won't really find it here either. You'll find a nice medium of the two flavors that'll satisfy your appetite for some time to come.
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