Another Eden Original Soundtrack 2
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Album Title: Another Eden Original Soundtrack 2 |
| Record Label: Sleigh Bells / Procyon Studio |
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| Catalog No.: SBPS-0036~37 |
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| Release Date: September 5, 2018 |
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| Purchase: Buy at Amazon |
Overview
Another Eden is a free-to-play mobile RPG with a time-travel setting done in the traditional JRPG style and is written by Masato Kato, best known for writing the Chrono series for Square. The Another Eden Original Soundtrack 2 features music by Mariam Abounnasr and Shunsuke Tsuchiya that was released after the initial Another Eden Original Soundtrack. How does the additional music compare to the music on the first soundtrack release?
Body
As this is the second volume of the soundtrack, things kick-off right where they left off. Opening with “Ancient Battlefield,” the listener is greeted with a dramatic choral and orchestral tune with strings, giving off a tinge of sorrow, accentuating the beautiful and mesmerizing melody driven by the choral elements of the piece. Another choral tune on the album is “Song of the World’s Demise,” it, too, featuring a dramatic orchestral approach. The violin melody is quite haunting and the operatic and organ elements to the piece help boost the overall melody. Choir is also featured in “Portent,” an exquisite tune with operatic vocals supported by choir and both “Dirge of the Sacred Sword” and “The King Guided by the Fate.” The former is dramatic and tense with orchestral backing with an extremely memorable melody while the latter is powerful and regal with a great usage of piano and tension, again sporting a fantastic melody, performed by strings and brass.
Of course there are also battle themes that take the approach akin to the ones featured on the first volume. “Tragedic Paramours” offers a rock/violin leads for an energetic and exhilarating tune and a wonderful melody, reminiscent of the type of battle theme found in Falcom games. This melody is also featured in “Stand Against the Darkness,” upping the intensity of the entire tune, with a stronger focus on percussion, a stronger rock presence, primarily in the lead melody line. “Four Great Eidolons” is a particular favorite with its electric guitar/violin lead with a spectacular use of strings and piano harmonies to give it a nice flow. “Painful Prayer” is a rock tune with a bit of funk and grit, which are accentuated by the jazzy piano chords present in the tune and gives off some Persona/Shin Megami Tensei vibes a bit.
There are also various area themes present on the album. “Serpent’s Bone Island” blends acoustic guitar, strings, and Celtic flute alongside light choral backing with an absolutely beautiful and melancholy melody, giving the piece a quaint and mysterious atmosphere while “Conyum’s” use of woodwinds and acoustic guitar gives it a bit of a Renaissance vibe. “Serpent’s Neck Igoma” features a more traditional Japanese aesthetic, with shamisen, flute, takebue, and strings to craft a tune with a great melody and a peaceful atmosphere with sweeping passages. “Purgatory Field” combines harp, glockenspiel, and strings to haunting effect, giving the overall atmosphere a touch of mystery and conjuring up images of Chrono Cross. Another Chrono-esque tune is “Toto Dreamland -The Lost Jewel-, featuring non-lyrical vocals by Noriko Mitose. The soft piano and strings creates a picturesque atmosphere that is reinforced by the melody. Another impressive area theme is that of “Ogre’s Fort,” a choral driven theme with moments of action and exhilaration with others being more peaceful and serene. The dichotomy between the atmosphere keeps the piece interesting while the incorporation of the militaristic elements, both in percussion and strings, gives the piece a nice backbone.
The trio of “Horai” tunes all complement each other quite nicely. “Horai -Village of the Wind” utilizes dulcimer and harp to create a peaceful and quaint vibe and establish a nice melody while “Horai – Town with a Distant Wish” expands on this with a more rustic and Celtic flair, in thanks to the acoustic guitar and Celtic flute and changes the atmosphere to a more jovial one. Lastly, “Horai -Hometown of Dreamers” is super festive in its approach and keeps with Celtic influence in full force with the addition of Ueillean pipes, fiddle, flute. It is an excellent realization of Mitsuda’s Celtic style by Abounnasr.
There are also some more atmospheric pieces on the album, although melodically forward. “The Girl who wore a Flower” is dominated by piano and strings and the overall mood is quite mysterious while “City of the Butterfly’s Dream” complements this style as well. “Princess of the Mysterious Forest” invokes woodwind and harp alongside soft backing vocals to create a enigmatic mood. Lastly, “Palace of the Sea Goddess” features erhu predominantly to give an Asian aesthetic to the overall piece with harp and woodwinds helping to strengthen the overall atmosphere of the piece. There are two tunes on the album, “Academy in the Open Sky” and “Delicate Frozen Floret,” that feel a bit out of place on the soundtrack, offering up a clear pop influence and while the melodies are nice, they are a bit on the superficial side.
Summary
Like the first soundtrack, the Another Eden Original Soundtrack 2 will certainly scratch an itch for nostalgia. While it isn’t as large of a release as the first volume, the music here is segmented into similar areas, much like the last release. There is a stronger focus on orchestral and choral elements in these pieces, as well as some more focus on ensemble pieces. It’s currently available in the West in digital format at Amazon and iTunes.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
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Posted on January 9, 2020 by Don Kotowski. Last modified on January 9, 2020.
About the Author
Don Kotowski Currently residing in Philadelphia. I spend my days working in vaccine characterization and dedicate some of my spare time in the evening to the vast world of video game music, both reviewing soundtracks as well as maintaining relationships with composers overseas in Europe and in Japan.
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