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#and no this isn't me being salty about not being good at piano I'm actually pretty good if I do say so myself
styrmwb · 4 months
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Favorite Final Fantasy Music (FFXIV - Shadowbringers)
It is finally time for the best expansion. From the moment the first trailer dropped, to logging into the expansion for the first time, you know this part of the soundtrack is different. A lot of heavy songs, both in genre and in meaning, for an amazing combination of bangers and tearjerkers that I'm sure everyone who has played this expansion appreciates.
Like Stormblood, I would regret putting in any of the past game/other game remixes in here in lieu of XIV original tracks, but know they're all amazing (that fucking cover of Force Your Way dude. Holy shit)
5. Knowledge Never Sleeps In a way, this is kinda also a spot for Tomorrow and Tomorrow, but I just personally really like this version specifically. This is the music for the Crystarium, but only during night time (which is a big thing for the story so it has like, significance, rather than just being a nice night time theme). The song starts with a really nice piano/orchestra version of the Shadowbringers theme, but then once the actual Tomorrow and Tomorrow motif comes in, that's when I really love it. The violins playing it up, then the song getting more lighthearted with the harpsichord and other strings, and finally the ghostly, yet beautiful choir. The song is already really emotional, but this version gets to play a lot more frequently, and so is like a reminder of your journey, as well as still being a great theme for the city it plays in.
4. The Black Wolf Stalks Again This is a really interesting song. The previous weapon fight was hard rock into choir of death, and now here, against Emerald Weapon, it starts again with the Primals cover of Ultima, but then in the second phase, you get something a lot more subdued. A slower tempo, yet still a song that goes hard. That intro guitar on top of the reveal that "Oh shit it's installed with Gaius" gives you that chill down your spine, and then it goes into the empire theme to really create that menacing aura. The song overall is not AS in your face as some songs are, but give you a heavy beat to bop your head to during the fight. I love that really cool metallic bouncing sound that plays, that to me sounds like echoing metal in the water, perfect for a fight against Emerald which originally was in the water (I choose to believe this was on purpose). I also love the more bitcrushed sounds as well. Finally, that fucking final guitar feature where it just SHREDS on you, is just beautiful. The last point I want to give to this song, is the title. The Black Wolf Stalks Again is so fucking raw, that even just reading it alone gives me chills.
3. To The Edge The only reason this song isn't higher is because I was the last person in my raid group to get the Gwiber of Light and NO I'M NOT STILL SALTY ABOUT IT. That aside, this song is beautiful. The fight is beautiful. my fucking reaction when I saw we were facing off against the actual original FFI box art Warrior of Light? aaaaaaaaaaaaa! The clock ticking in the background echoing Amaurot? AAAAAAAAAAA! The percussion in this entire song is so good, I love how it's really subtle compared to some of the other rock songs, but unique enough to bring attention to itself. The way the vocals start with a whisper and the main Shadowbringers theme, into a sort of low quality radio sound, feels like it's supposed to represent Elidibus's fading memories. Also, you gotta love the Riding Home sound whenever it comes in. All of this leading up to the build up to the chorus and the actual chorus itself, giving you this hard rock version of the Amaurot theme is enough to make the screen somehow really wet and blurry and I don't know why I can't see the boss guys??? This song is a perfect end to the overall Shadowbringers story, and it just gives you that Little Extra Gutpunch when you find out it was written when Soken was at the peak of fighting off his cancer. Shit man. (DEEP INSIDE, WE'RE NOTHING MORE, THAN SCIONS AND SINNERS!!!!!!!!)
2. Shadowbringers Like I said at the start, the moment that first trailer dropped, you know this soundtrack was gonna be something else. This was my first expansion release for FFXIV, and I craved the longer and longer versions more and more (Dawntrail's doing that to me right now goddammit). That solemn intro with the visuals of death and darkness and fire, the Exarch's words playing in your head whenever you listen, but also this part of the song used for a lot of the heavier parts of this story has its own legendary energy... but then the guitar starts. The guitar and the rising orchestra. Those whispery vocals. It sounds like a barren desert, perfect for the WoL walking forward, exhausted. The vocals in general alone make this song addictive, Jason Charles Miller fucking slays this whole song. The band getting more involved, which can I just say is VERY unlike the previous trailers, hypes you up like no other, especially with this losing battle on the screen as the WoL goes through all of his previous jobs. Then the song reaches its peak. The whole section starting with "AUTHORS OF OUR FATES" is so hype, but then that fucking CHOIR. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME! RIDING HOOOOOOOOOOOOME! SHIT MAN! THAT'S MY GODDAMN FAVORITE PART. I MISS LOGGING ONTO THE GAME EVERY DAY AND HAVING THAT HEAVENLY CHORUS BLAST INTO MY FACE, IT'S LIKE THAT GIF OF LOUISOIX GETTING BAHAMUTED. IN THE PRIMALS VERSION THEY ADD THIS SICK GUITAR SHREDDING IN THE BACK WHICH JUST LIKE, HOW DID YOU MAKE IT EVEN BETTER?????? Then the song goes into Eternal Wind???? OH SHIT IT'S FFIII TIME! I stand by what I said when I said Eternal Wind is the greatest thing FFIII did for the world, and this is the peak of that point. I also still get shivers, again, the Exarch's lines always playing in my head when I hear it. That finale, the WE FAAAAAAAALL, with the sight of the light sky being cut in half showing the dark, and the reveal of the Dark Knight? Dude. This was as much of a "I love this song" as it was an "I love this trailer", because the two are intertwined.
1. A Long Fall This song, is the pinnacle of "What the fuck." Because, this is the song, for just a Random Dungeon. Like we've had dungeons go hard before! But this is another level. That intro beat goes absolutely insane, and the song does not chill out at any point, you are bopping and banging 100% of the time. It's also like, absolutely perfect for what this dungeon is??? It's a combination of eScape, Omega's battle theme, representing the Garlond Ironworks, and the Crystal Tower theme, cause duh, you're in the Crystal Tower (also a little bit of the Prelude cause why fucking not???), and it's all just expertly weaved together to make an amazing song and an amazing storytelling device. I know I'm not ranting and raving about it as much as Shadowbringers, which might seem weird that it's a place higher, but I truly do not have more to say about this song. You can listen to it, you'll probably fucking understand! I can listen to this song on repeat for hours, and I still won't sick of it. It also gets bonus points for the meme (shoutouts to TheTwinning.mp4) and it getting official fucking recognition in the actual Primals music video. This song is legendary, and again, it's just for a random fucking dungeon. Soken who LET YOU COOK BECAUSE THEY SHOULD LET YOU DO IT AGAIN
Honorable mentions go to: Four-fold Knowing, Rencounter, Insatiable, What Angel Wakes Me, In The Belly of the Beast, Full Fathom Five, Neath Dark Waters, Mortal Instants, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Blinding Indigo, Landslide, Floundering in the Depths, Primal Angel, Return to Oblivion, The Queen Awakens, Wrath of the Harrier, and Seven Flames, as well as all of the FFVIII and NieR remixes.
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singingvio · 3 years
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teacup-tyrant · 3 years
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SHADOW & BONE REVIEW: EP 7
On this episode: Going on a tangent about how Kaz refuses to ~look~ at Inej in various situations, octuple beheadings, and historical costume references from every century because why pick just one?
...and then I take MAJOR OFFENSE at a certain someone scoffing at a certain someone else when he says he believes in himself and go off on a huge rant about how confidence is nothing to be ashamed of.
Did you think these reviews would lead to a pep talk about self-esteem? Well, strap in, because I'm about to give you one.
- I love these little hand jutsus that Grisha do
- Stop making me feel bad for the Darklingggggg. His hair kind of looks like a mullet though.
- Oh shit octuple beheading!! Wicked. The cut is such a simple skill. All it does is slice a person in half. Nothing fancy here. I kind of love how simple it is.
- Baghra is amazing. Zoë Wanamaker is SO GOOD.
- Ohhh those black veins. I suppose that’s what Nikolai looks like.
- Ohohoooooo here comes the fold!!!! That music when they’re looking at it... epic.
- Ya gonna... stitch her up, Kaz? Wink wink.
- (*edit) Side note about touch here... as much as Show Kaz is a little more open with his ~words~ and ~emotions,~ not only is there the whole not touching people thing (which isn't actually mentioned at all, how funny is that?) but he totally cuts himself off when it even comes to looking at Inej just in case he might even think about it. The scene where she's giving her aerial silks demonstration? She had a lot of tight clothes on and bare arms and Kaz would not even look at her. Here she's about to give herself stitches and she's got her shirt pulled up and her abs out and Kaz just nopes right outa there. He's got this attitude like... well I know what I can't have so I'm not even gonna look at it, do not tempt me.
- ...Excuse me Kaz are you giving up? Excuse meEEEe?! WHO ARE YOU.
- No offense to your props people but this fake snow is very fake snow. You need that salty compound they used in LotR.
- The stag is so pretty! They should put him on a train and take him across the fold. Emotional support stag.
- Good god Mal, why are you ALWAYS getting shot?!
- You cut the stag's antlers all to pieces, you ASSHOLE. Those would have looked SO GOOD mounted on your wall. >:|
- Kaz: Look Inej, I killed a rabbit for you! It was that one from episode 1 that Mal saved in Keramzin! Inej: Cool, Kaz, uh thanks I guess?
- "What do you believe in? "
- "Myself."
- Ok. Ok. You know what. Lemme pause so I can anger dump here a bit. I know this is part of a setup for Kaz to say his next line, but I really take with issue with Inej scoffing at that. Kaz should believe in himself because he's fucking smart and he knows it. Is being smart wrong?! If you're smart, you should be proud of that. Everyone should. Confidence is important, and self-confidence is rare, especially in younger people (as an Old Person,™ [LOL] I can say this). Belief in yourself can take YEARS to cultivate. The percentage of people who don't believe in themselves compared to the percentage of people who do is definitely a lot lower. How much lower, you ask? 85% my dudes, I looked up an actual stat for this.
So don't ever let anyone tell you not to be confident or proud or not to believe in yourself. Because that is garbage.
This is reminiscent of the moment in SoC during the fight at the Exchange when Geels says "sure of yourself, aren't you?" And Kaz responds with "myself and nothing else." I fucking love that line. And Inej scoffing at him saying something similar just put her in the position of Geels here and really, really, is that the hill you're leaving her to die on? I'm reading way too much into this I know. I know Kaz is usually overly confident which leads to arrogance, BUT STILL. Ok. Let's finish the scene shall we?
- "And you."
- ...oh fuck. ok here come the Kanej feels.
- "My crows."
- YOU STOP THIS RIGHT NOW.
- These are book lines! Book lines! And there is piano music! Ludovico is here in spirit! *bursts into tears* I need to rewind this all and watch it again. Maybe 10 times.
- Is this why everyone said this is the best episode?
- So my favorite part of the soundtrack is these loooovely bassy-sounding downward slurs. Nnnnrowwwww just like that. That’s exactly how it sounds, yes.
- I kind of don't like how amplifiers look? They kind of creep me out how they’re just sunken into their skin. I mean it looked like a pretty cool necklace as it was, why couldn’t they just have attached it to the top of her skin?
- GENYAAAAAAAA so good :''''(
- "I’m a man if my word!" Pfffft, sure he is, until he’s not.
- Shadow Man. Good one Mal, we’ll call him that from now on.
- Omg look Jesper is wearing true Barrel flash!!! Very swave!
- No no no way is that Milo the Goat coming to save the day. Are you kidding me. This goat is so fucking precious.
- Can you... can you actually use a bullet in that way? I want to know this science. I feel like this isn't actually possible.
- Oh wow, Alina is all dolled up! I didn’t even recognize her. Are they getting married or something?
- Ok this is where my love of historical clothes comes in. You dress the nobles at the fete in 1870s bustle gowns with all these gathers and then you give Alina this pretty medieval neckline looking number that laces up the back. I want to see the skirt part. Let me see! Ok it has some kind of box pleats! Or knife pleats? Idk but it’s an odd place to have a seamline. Le shrug. Weird execution.
- Shadow Man said the line! The villain line!
- And inej gets to dress up like a boy again! I love that little capelet. You know what’s not great about coats with attached capelets though? Wearing a backpack is impossible. But I digress.
- Alina’s cloak tho! That I like. Good embroidery down the front. And a pretty good kefta-looking dress! So that other one was just a throw away dress for one short scene, good.
- Hold up, why are there passengers on this skiff? These people aren't military, the military shouldn’t be doing passenger transportation, should they? You can’t just like, hop on a navy boat because it’s going the same direction as you.
- And that woman wearing an ill-fitting double-breasted coat, with FLARED SLEEVES, WTF? And almost some kind of Victorian walking skirt and it’s pastel and no I don’t not like that, throw it out.
- I love the crows' popped collars though. Always popped collars with them.
- Ok sorry this turned into costume commentary. Sorry, can’t help it.
- NO MOURNERS. NO FUNERALS.
ep1 | ep2 | ep3 | ep4 | ep5 | ep6 | ep7 | ep8
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thesoundofmadness · 5 years
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“Take Your Son to Work” Day (TLNM Fanfic)
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I'm salty about this picture so here's a fanfic about it. Lloyd's 6-7 in this fic
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"Mommy, what's this?" Lloyd pointed to a thing on the wall.
Instead of going on a field trip like he was supposed to, it was "Take Your Son to Work Day" for Lloyd and Koko. Koko has gotten permission from her superiors to let Lloyd hang and help out with her at the museum. It took some convincing, but she managed to get them to let her. Lloyd was having a much better time than he would ever have on some stupid field trip.
Tugging on Koko shirt sleeve, Lloyd pointed to a painting on the wall. "It's you! That lady in the drawing is you!" He says excitedly.
Koko looked at the painting and smiled. It was an artwork of her time as the Lady Iron Dragon. She remembered the battle well.
"Actually Lloyd, that's not me." She says.
"It isn't?"
"No..it's a painting of the Lady Iron Dragon. Can you say Lady Iron Dragon?"
"Lady...I..I-Iron..." He stutters. He pouts, fustrated.
"It's okay, Lloyd. Try again. It's all right."
"Lady...I-Iron...Lady Iron Dragon!" He says.
"Very good, Lloyd! You did it!" She smiles proudly at him. He says it again.
"I did it!" He says triumphantly.
"Yes, yes you did. Do you know who the Lady Iron Dragon was?"
He shakes his head.
"The Lady Iron Dragon was a brave and strong warrior. She protected the innocent from harm."
They continued their little tour around the museum. Every time Lloyd asked a question, which he asked a lot, Koko would awnser. Koko was glad Lloyd was having a good time. Lloyd suddenly let go of her hand and ran up to something.
"It's a piano! Mommy, look, a piano!"
Koko caught up to him. "Yes, Lloyd, that is a piano. Very good!"
"Can you play it??" He asks. "Can you???"
Lloyd was very aware of his mother's piano skills. Sometimes, she would take him down to the library by their apartment and play for him. He admired her piano playing.
Koko sighs. "Lloyd, this piano is very old. It was mined from the bottom of a river. I can play it, yes, but it'll sound weird."
"Hm...if you can't play if, can I????"
“No, Lloyd, you ca-“
She was cut off by the sound of a key being pressed. The sound of the key was quiet and disoriented. It was like the key had lost it’s voice and was trying to say something, but couldn’t get it out right. Lloyd giggled. “It sounds funny, Mommy.”
Koko sighed and smiled. “You know, if you want to learn, I can teach you.”
Lloyd’s eyes lit up. “Really??? I can learn and be as good as you someday????”
“Yes! We just can’t use that piano. It’s too old and damaged to play anything.”
Lloyd’s smile grew wide. “Can we start now?? Can we can we???”
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