 | Album Title: Toukiden Original Soundtrack |
| Record Label: KOEI Tecmo Games | |
| Catalog No.: KECH-1656/7 | |
| Release Date: August 28, 2013 | |
| Purchase: Buy at CDJapan |
Overview
The Toukiden Original Soundtrack, composed by Hideki Sakamoto, with portions arranged by Keisuke Itou, features a very traditional Japanese sound to accompany a Monster Hunter-esque game about slaying demons. How does this work compare to some of Sakamoto’s more popular scores, and does it fit the style of the game?
Body
The album opens with “The Age of Demons,” presumably the title-screen music and the first introduction of the main theme. It features a frenetic sound full of taiko drums, Japanese woodwinds, and beautiful string work, creating a very engaging theme that provides a good sense of the atmosphere you’ll hear on the soundtrack. This theme appears throughout the soundtrack; it is featured quite prominently in the opening tunes. In “The Melodies of Nakatsu-kuni,” it has a very quaint, rural Japanese sound with plenty of shamisen and shakuhachi tones. “The Melodies of Nakatsu-kuni Again” is a variation of the theme that is more woodwind-focused and, in some ways, gives off a nighttime feeling. The rendition heard in “Fighters” starts off quite peaceful to establish the main theme, but the rest of the tune takes a more militaristic approach. Lastly, “Oni Utsu Mono,” presumably the credits theme, incorporates the main theme in a very heroic and triumphant manner. It is one of the better renditions of the main theme on the album. There’s also a rock arrangement featured at the end of the soundtrack performed by the noisycroak band TEKARU. While some of the triumphant sound is lost due to the modern instrumentation, it is a fun listen nonetheless and perhaps a preview of what to expect from their next album.
There is also a hodgepodge of tracks used to convey different parts of the soundtrack, such as events and area themes. “Ephemeral” is a stunning composition with a wonderful melody focusing on strings, piano, and woodwinds, creating a warm and beautiful atmosphere. “Memories” is a haunting and beautiful strings-led composition with a very melancholy tone. “Relief” is another very traditional Japanese-sounding piece led by woodwinds and accompanied by strings. It manages to incorporate the main theme with a nicely resolved atmosphere. Unfortunately, the area themes do leave a bit to be desired. “The Region of Miyabi” is a very traditional Japanese-sounding tune with plenty of shamisen and woodwinds to provide an air of mystery. It isn’t as memorable as some of the other tunes on the soundtrack, but it provides a nice atmospheric listen. “Kue Mountain” is a much more action-oriented piece, but it doesn’t really manage to stand out melodically. However, it does create a nice tense atmosphere, and the electronic accompaniment works very well with the frenetic strings and ominous tones of the piece.
There are also some “Art” tracks that work in the context of the game. “The Art of War” is an ominous piece that has an air of tension with some militaristic influences. However, there is a focus on melody at times that helps provide a slightly peaceful atmosphere. “The Art of Battle” is another piece in the same vein as “The Art of War,” although it is definitely more ominous and focuses more on atmosphere than on melody. On the flip side, “The Art of Rebellion” is a piece that focuses on woodwind and piano to create a more mysterious atmosphere and focuses less on tension than the previous two Art tunes. Lastly, “The Art of Ancient” features a very traditional Japanese sound with some martial influence. It is one of the better Art tracks that manages to engage in terms of overall sound.
Given this is a game about hunting demons, there are plenty of battle tracks to enjoy, some with varying success. The track “Attack” comes off as a bit lackluster in intensity, although it does feature a militaristic vibe and gives off a tense atmosphere due to its tempo. Tracks like “Deep in the Abyss” and “Desperate Struggle” offer a more intense atmosphere but feel somewhat generic. “Decisive Battle” incorporates the main theme in a great way, and despite its slow tempo, manages to create a very tense atmosphere. The boss themes impress more in terms of creating a fitting atmosphere. “Fire Bird” incorporates heroic brass that contrasts with exotic strings and Japanese flute flourishes interspersed throughout the piece, while also incorporating the main theme well. “Snake Woman” creates a tense atmosphere but also incorporates some more heroic passages, primarily with the main-theme manipulation featured in this piece. There are plenty of ominous moments, particularly in how the rhythm is handled. “Gou Enma” is definitely one of the more frenetic battle themes. Flurries of strings dominate the track with pounding taiko drums in support. However, it loses some creativity compared to other battle themes on the album. Lastly, “The King of the Night” manages to close out the battle themes with a fairly impressive soundscape. There is a slight electronic accompaniment that works well with the beautiful incorporation of the main theme in brass and woodwinds, while the tense atmosphere of a final battle is created through militaristic percussion, ominous choir samples, sinister strings, and Japanese flute flourishes.
Summary
In the end, the Toukiden Original Soundtrack is very fitting for the game; however, on a standalone listen, some of the tunes are hard to distinguish from others and the synthesized instrumentation can be questionable at times. It does feature a strong main theme, and when it is used the tracks certainly shine, but this may not appeal to fans of earlier Sakamoto works where a more personal sound is heard.
