 | Album Title: Thousand Memories Original Soundtrack Vol. 3 |
| Record Label: noisycroak Records | |
| Catalog No.: NCRI-0025 | |
| Release Date: September 20, 2016 | |
| Purchase: Buy at Amazon |
Overview
The Thousand Memories Original Soundtrack Vol. 3 is the third digital release of music for the mobile game of the same name. Composed by Keisuke Ito of noisycroak, how does it compare to the first two volumes?
Body
The album opens with “When There is a Will, There is a Way,” a militaristic march with a decent B-section melody, thanks to its woodwinds and softer sounds. However, it fails to stand out in a meaningful way. “Victory March” also features a martial sound, incorporating industrial tones, electronic elements, and operatic vocals to create a decent atmosphere, but is largely forgettable. Similarly, “DEAD OR ALIVE” is a percussion-focused bass line with strings and brass in the melody line; it features choir and some industrial tones. It’s dramatic and tense, but once again, forgettable. Likewise, “Clash of Powers” features both electronic and orchestral elements with a focus on dramatic choir, but comes off more generic, despite having a decent atmosphere.
“Brilliant Dream” is a tune with a Hamauzu-esque sound. Electronic beats, strings, chimes, and harp contribute to an ethereal quality, with a melody that is quite upbeat and a decent overall result. “To the Glorious Future” also has a Hamauzu-like sound at times, particularly in the melody. The overall tone is one of a celebratory march, but it doesn’t stand out. “Blossom Dance” is one of the more unique tunes on the soundtrack, combining light electronic and woodwinds to give off a Falcom/Gust-like sound. The end result is a tune with a clear Asian influence in its melody. Similarly, “VS Asura” incorporates techno beats, light orchestral elements, and a stronger focus on Japanese instruments, but it feels out of place on the album.
“Journey of Treasure” is uninspired; it has a very generic Pirates of the Caribbean sound, with a high-seas orchestral approach and choir. The melody itself is serviceable, but the end result is unappealing. “Devil’s Cry” is a tense tune with an edgy sound thanks to the electronic elements, while the orchestral aspects help to build atmosphere. The end result is a decent tune. “Light of Hope” offers electronic beats and a strings-driven melody that gives the tune a sense of innocence, although the end result doesn’t particularly stand out, either. “Road to Knights” is a tune featuring operatic vocals, distorted electronic tones, and techno beats. The end result is an atmospheric tune, but one that isn’t too special either. Lastly, “Symphony of the Night” redeems slightly with its jazzy piano and techno beats, while boasting a decent melody.
Summary
Compared to the previous two volumes, this one certainly continues the hybridized approach with fairly decent production values, but many of the tunes on this volume fail to stand out, sound generic, or are forgettable. I’d recommend the first two volumes over this one, but if you are a completionist, perhaps this is for you.
