Board 8 > B8 helps azuarc rank OSTs, part 2 [reverse ranking]

(+) Yeah! (+)

502: 27, 71, 40, 9, 53

+5: Dustforce - Cider Time
+4: Xenogears - Flight
+3: Gimmick! - Paradigm
+2: Deadbolt - Blood on the Dancefloor
+1: Dragon Quest VIII OST - Over the Sorrow

Cider Time is definitely my favorite song in this block and I suspect that, if I ever listened to every song in this contest, it would probably wind up as my #1 out of all songs. ...Though as I've only heard my nominations and these five, I might be jumping the gun a bit.

Flight initially bored me; I'm not typically a fan of...whatever this genre of music is actually called (I wanted to call it orchestral, but there's an Orchestral Album for Xenogears, so clearly that's not right and I don't have the time to try to research it right now), but it did start to grown on me towards the end and I'll admit that it's a good song. Just not one that's really for me, personally.

I enjoyed Paradigm, but I have a soft spot for 8-bit music. It's probably helped that it's 8-bit-y-ness causes it to drastically stand out from the other available songs.

Blood on the Dancefloor isn't exactly bad, but... ehhhhh....

Over the Sorrow is nice enough, but so forgettable that it left no impression on me at all. I'd easily take a bad song over one so bland... not that there were any bad songs, but still; it's as far below all the other songs as Cider Time is above them.

Also, full disclosure: I have never edited a sprite sheet or added anything into a Google Doc (or whatever the correct term for that particular online sprite sheet is) before. I imagine it's simple enough that I shouldn't be able to mess anything up, but if anyone has any advice about doing so, that would be appreciated.

Also, I'll take my next Block whenever; I'll get to it later this afternoon.
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dowolf posted...

Gimme another, though I probably won't get to it for a while.

So, 506, I guess.

Snake5555555555 posted...

I will now take a block please.

405

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

Also, full disclosure: I have never edited a sprite sheet or added anything into a Google Doc (or whatever the correct term for that particular online sprite sheet is) before. I imagine it's simple enough that I shouldn't be able to mess anything up, but if anyone has any advice about doing so, that would be appreciated.

Or you can just let me do it. It is simple, though. Just a grid of text blocks. Click in the one you want to change and add the info.

You can do 507.
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dowolf posted...

FC best ending song tho.

I mean I'm the one who nominated it and I still agree with this.

DragonImps posted...

March of Time's buildup gets kinda repetitive. It probably works better in context

This is pretty much the story of every Fata Morgana song to be honest.
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Block 206

+5 Silent Hill 3 - Clockwork Little Happiness
+4 Xenogears - The One Who Bares Fangs At God
+3 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - Amaterasu of the Nine Luminaries ~ Sunlight Reburst
+2 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Reunion ~ Theme of HERO 55
+1 Deadbolt - Heynong Man

Not gonna lie I really didn't like anything from this group. Like, I'm pretty sure I liked my +1 from group 203 better than all 5 of these songs. I guess the only one I actively disliked was Heynong Man, so that's a plus I guess.
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+5 Deadbolt - The Way of the Dodo
+4 The House in Fata Morgana - Sanctus
+3 Original Sin 2 - Rivellon
+2 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Illusionary Blue Flowers
+1 Dragon Quest VIII - Remembrances ~ Cursed Trodain Theme

- The Way of the Dodo is a fun funky number, with some awesome drumming and great bass.
- The operatic vocals in Sanctus are beautiful, I'm reminded of DMC a little bit.
- Love the build-up in this song along with the western style elements
- IBF keeps it fun and light, enjoyable.
- A little too long and repetitive for me, was bored by the end.

I shall take another.
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Oh and I'll claim block 207 as well then I guess.
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Block 410:
+5 Deadbolt - The Banality of Eternity
+4 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - A Part of Their Story
+3 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Count of Darkness
+2 Silent Hill 3 - Walk on Vanity Ruins
+1 Dragon Quest VIII - Sanctuary

Close match between the top two, but I give it to Banality just for being more memorable imo

It's chill and kinda aimless, with some interesting sound choices. And it ramps up later on to keep things interesting.

Walk on Vanity Ruins is also pretty unique. A bit monotonous, though.

Block 302:

+5 Silent Hill 3 - End of Small Sanctuary
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 - Odyssey to the Deep Star
+3 Street Fighter EX Alpha - Strange Sunset (Theme of Guile & Allen)
+2 Gimmick! - Lion Heart
+1 The House in Fata Morgana - Sanctus

I have very little interest in Silent Hill games, and I'm not sure if I've even played one, but I have always liked their music.

I was taken aback by the Bullet Heaven song because I was not expecting it to be that of that style based on the art.

Strange Sunset is a nice multi-genre song. It isn't something that I will likely listen to again and again, but it's nice.

Lion Hart isn't one of Gimmick!'s finest, but it's totally inoffensive.

It's not like I dislike the type of song that Sanctus is, but it needs to be more dynamic as it just sounds like the cult version of a church song.
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I will take another block unless we have to select our own blocks
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+5 Dragon Quest VIII Sky, Ocean, and Earth
+4 The House in Fata Morgana Dira "Minchia!"
+3 Gimmick! Sophia (Take 2)
+2 Silent Hill 4 Clockwork Little Happiness
+1 Bullet Heaven 2 Of Sand and Wind

The top two are really good, and I came up with some insights to the second since it was my nom and I was familiar with it already. Again will add this to the sheet, and looking to the next block. That would be block 508, right? I can claim it myself from now on if that's correct.
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Okay, I think that I understand this rotation/block thing after taking a look at the spreadsheet. I will take 305 if that's okay.
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Block 305

+5 The House in Fata Morgana - Giselle
+4 Silent Hill 3 - Uneternal Sleep
+3 Star Control II - Spathi Theme
+2 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Caves of Va'No
+1 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Cradle Where Feelings Rest

Is Giselle really from the same game as Sanctus? Whoever composed it made the excellent decision to eschew piano (at least I didn't hear one) for a more interesting combination of instruments.

Uneternal Sleep I feel required for me to know its context to fully appreciate, but for how brief it was, I think that I enjoyed it.

I like how Spathi Theme changes things up constantly, but its novelty wore out before it ended.

I could tell that Caves of Va'No was building up to something, but I can't say the payoff was worth the wait.

My feelings toward slow, piano songs are well-known. I don't hate them as I really like the piano, but the oversaturation of them on B8 VGM-related contests has made them lose their luster.
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+5: Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - cheap treasure
+4: Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Rivellon
+3: Street Fighter EX Alpha - Rising Dragoon (Theme of Ryu)
+2: Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Illusionary Blue Flowers
+1: Dragon Quest VIII - Remembrances ~ Cursed Trodain Theme

cheap treasure may have an odd title, what with its lack of capital letters and the song not sounding cheap or treasure-y, but it's easily one of the best and most unique songs in the contest.

Rivellon is pretty. I'm not as wild about it as the YouTube commentors that seem to consider it a spiritual experience that resonates within their soul, but, it is pretty.

Rising Dragoon is...weird. I nominated it and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Is that a keytar?

Illusionary Blue Flowers is nice enough, but not one of my favorites.

I'm starting to think I just don't like the DQ8 soundtrack and have nothing to say about this song.



Tried entering the information on the doc myself this time. Everything look alright?

EDIT: Also, I'll take a third block when you have time to assign one ; I won't get it to it until later this evening, so no rush.
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Snake5555555555 posted...

I shall take another.

406 would be next.

DragonImps posted...

Block 410:

Please take them in sequence unless you had strong reason to do otherwise. (I know I set a bad example, but I wanted to avoid my own soundtrack, and the first rotation has a high repeat rate from block to block.)

KCF0107 posted...

I will take another block unless we have to select our own blocks

Presumably you are doing 305 unless NFUN grabbed that one without me noticing.

Okay, I think that I understand this rotation/block thing after taking a look at the spreadsheet. I will take 305 if that's okay.

Guess we're on the same page. =)

Sceptilesolar posted...

Again will add this to the sheet, and looking to the next block. That would be block 508, right? I can claim it myself from now on if that's correct.

Correct.
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Raetsel_Lapin posted...

Tried entering the information on the doc myself this time. Everything look alright?

EDIT: Also, I'll take a third block when you have time to assign one ; I won't get it to it until later this evening, so no rush.

Looks good. 509.
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Update:
Rotation 1 - 5 complete, 1 assigned, 9 unassigned
Rotation 2 - 5 complete, 2 assigned, 8 unassigned
Rotation 3 - 4 complete, 1 assigned, 10 unassigned (KCF currently unslated)
Rotation 4 - 6 complete, 0 assigned (none of the rot 4 ppl have requested more, though 406 is next)
Rotation 5 - 6 complete, 3 assigned, 6 unassigned

If this were a race, list 5 looks to be winning. They do have 3 people, though, and most of the lists only have 2.
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alright I'm claiming 306 then can't let those bastiges win
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+5 Dragon Quest VIII - Sky, Ocean, and Earth
+4 The House in Fata Morgana - The March of Time
+3 Dustforce - Upside down Stalagmite
+2 Gimmick! - Paradigm
+1 Divinity: Original Sin - A Part of Their Story

Lotta relaxed tracks oh boy. Feel like taking a nap.

208 is next right? I'll take that one.
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Shonen_Bat posted...

208 is next right? I'll take that one.

So it would seem.

Going out for a bit.
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azuarc posted...

DragonImps posted...

Block 410:

Please take them in sequence unless you had strong reason to do otherwise. (I know I set a bad example, but I wanted to avoid my own soundtrack, and the first rotation has a high repeat rate from block to block.)

I was just about to post 412 :p

I'll hang onto it. On to 406! Unless someone's already working on that.

+5: Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Sins and Gods
+4: Dustforce - Light Pollution
+3: Street Fighter EX Alpha - Amusementive Crime (Theme of Skullomania)
+2: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Daemon's Court
+1: Silent Hill 3 - Flower Crown of Poppy

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Light Pollution is not half as good as Cider Time, but still pretty good. It's one of the better soft, relaxing video game songs I've heard.

Amusementive Crime is another weird song. It's this almost discordant mash-up of like a techno fight theme, a broken amusement park attraction, and faint background vocals I can never make out. I don't dislike the song, it's just...weird.

"Daemon's Court" sounds like a court jester's theme to me. Like, I can easily envision some fool dancing about for the amusement of generic townsfolk while listening to it.

Flower Crown of Poppy is stressful and intense. It probably works for the Silent Hill series, but it's not something I'd choose to listen to.



Third block finished. I guess I'll take a fourth block whenever.
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+5 Xenogears - Bonds of Sea and Fire
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Caves of Va'No
+3 Deadbolt - Heynong Man
+2 Silent Hill 3 - Uneternal Sleep
+1 Star Control II - Spathi Theme

<3 Bonds. Caves is really cool, one of the neater new things I've encountered through this. Heynong Man I can appreciate intellectually, but it isn't my style. Uneternal Sleep is... I don't get it. But it still beats Spathi because the way Spathi divides into left and right channels, especially at the beginning, is actually physically painful to me.

Toss me another one whenever.
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Block 207

+5 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Count of Darkness
+4 Dustforce - Elvish Piper Academy
+3 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Sing to Me (Lohse version)
+2 Star Control II - Yehat Theme
+1 Gimmick! - Lion Heart

No standouts in this pack, but the top 3 are all reasonably solid songs at least (and probably could be interchanged pretty easily). Yehat Theme didn't do much for me but was at least a fine song. Lion Heart I did not like at all.

I'll take whatever the next 200's block is now also, though it won't get ranked until tomorrow night I think.
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Is it okay if I do block 308 instead of 307? I would prefer not to rank a block that does not contain one of my songs.
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+5 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - cheap treasure
+4 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Cradle Where Feelings Rest
+3 The House in Fata Morgana - The House in Fata Morgana
+2 Deadbolt - The Banality of Eternity
+1 Silent Hill 5 - Flower Crown of Poppy

Found Half-Minute Hero underwhelming before but cheap treasure was really good. Claiming 210.
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KCF0107 posted...

Is it okay if I do block 308 instead of 307? I would prefer not to rank a block that does not contain one of my songs.

I feel like you should avoid blocks with your songs...

not like it matters since 308 has one of my songs too, but
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Whoops, I used a double negative by accident. What I meant to say was that I would prefer to rank a block that doesn't contain one of my songs.
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Oh wow, this topic's popping now. I'll hit this up tomorrow.
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oh in that I'll do 307 since it dont have mine
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DragonImps posted...

I was just about to post 412 :p

I'll hang onto it. On to 406! Unless someone's already working on that.

Got in late, so I'll address the rest of the thread some time tomorrow. (Jeff, do whatever's the first thing available in rotation 1.) However, I'd like to address this just to explain. The problem with picking the blocks you want to do is that you'll seek out the tracks that you know, which will inevitably lead to confirmation bias. Sure, you might end up with that block anyway, and if you do, then it's not a problem, but unless you're going to do the entire list of 75, and therefore do all 15 blocks yourself eventually anyway, it really isn't wise to do anything other than play the hand you're dealt.

Ironically, it's precisely the reason why I passed over a couple blocks. The numbers in each list aren't random. They're done by going down the master list, assigning positions in each rotation by counting by the same number throughout. However, the issue with rotation 1 is that the number I'm counting by there leads to successive blocks essentially repeating the same games. I was simply getting too many repeats, and they were of my own nomination. I gave two of those tracks a +5 and very well might have done the same for the other three if I didn't make an effort to dodge them. I don't believe that should be an issue for the other rotations, although if you do feel you're getting too much game repetition, I'll understand if you call a balk.
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I'll do block 106 tonight :)
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Simoun posted...

I'll do block 106 tonight :)

EDIT: Oh I just saw your latest post. I can wait for a block that you wanna give me...

106 is fine and what I would have given you, assuming Jeff comes back and takes 105. I was responding to someone who was taking them out of sequence.
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Raetsel - 511
dowolf - 510
pyre - 209
NFUN and KCF have things worked out between themselves. Carry on. If you two want to just work together to carve up that second rotation, that's AOK with me.

Oh, and I'm taking 109.
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By the way, I think this is going to be my fifth block whenever I get around to it tonight. Do you want me to keep taking more after that or should I let everyone else try and get up to 5?
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Block 109
+5 Street Fighter EX AlphaStrange Sunset (Theme of Guile & Allen)
+4 Dragon Quest VIIIRemembrances ~ Cursed Trodain Theme
+3 DustforceIt's Not Supposed to be Snowing
+2 XenogearsBonds of Sea and Fire
+1 Gimmick!Paradigm

This pack contained five songs of mostly equal quality. Strange Sunset stood out because it wasn't ambient background stuff, and Paradigm gets the short end of the stick, but these tracks were somewhat interchangeable. Even the slow, placeholder-y DQ8 music, which was quite lovely when one listens more closely to it.
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pyresword posted...

By the way, I think this is going to be my fifth block whenever I get around to it tonight. Do you want me to keep taking more after that or should I let everyone else try and get up to 5?

Considering there are only two people assigned to your rotation, you do you, man.
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I'll just forget about 412, then. I was also wondering about how how many blocks I should be doing. Guess I'll stop at five for now, wait a while to see if there're any other takers.

Block 406:
+5 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Looking Up at the Sky (Ending Version)
+4 Deadbolt - Heynong Man
+3 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Caves of Va'No
+2 Dustforce - Elvish Piper Academy
+1 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - A Tangle of Mystic Flowers ~ Warning Glory!

This was difficult to rank. They're all really nice, but not especially standout.

Warning Glory kinda just blends in with the other Touhou tracks on the list.

DragonImps posted...

I was also wondering about how how many blocks I should be doing. Guess I'll stop at five for now, wait a while to see if there're any other takers.

Assuming no additional people show up to do ranking, I might need more from you if you're willing. Rotation 4 is currently the farthest from completion (by a small margin) and losing its most active member won't help. But I guess this is more a conversation you need to have with FL81 and snake55555555555555555555555555555555555555555.
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Lol Rotation 3 only has two rankers
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Apologies for being late with my next block.
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NFUN posted...

Lol Rotation 3 only has two rankers

So does 2.

Snake5555555555 posted...

Apologies for being late with my next block.

Not really any such thing, unless we're all literally waiting for your rankings to compile the scores. I apologize if it sounded that way. The only reason your name came up is because you're on the same rotation as someone who has 5 done and is debating doing more.
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Ah good, I was worried I was holding things up or something.
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+5 Deadbolt - Blood on the Dancefloor
+4 Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Looking Up at the Sky (Ending Version)
+3 Street Fighter EX - Rising Dragoon (Theme of Ryu)
+2 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Sins and Gods
+1 Silent Hill 3 - End of Small Sanctuary

Blood on the Dancefloor/Looking Up at the Sky is the first really close ranking I had to do. The rest were okay.

That was five, but these ended up taking less time than I thought they would so I'll take 211.
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+5 - Gimmick! - Strange Memories of Death
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 - Christmas is Here!
+3 Star Control II - Yehat Theme
+2 TitS the 3rd - Black Ark
+1 The House in Fata Morgana - The March of Time

SMoD's the clear favorite, and there's a huge jump between 4 and 3. I'm not sure why Black Ark was nommed. March of Time is just sorta there, I guess?

512 is next, so I guess I'll claim that one? I'm not going to get to it right away, so yell at me if I screwed up.
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511

+5: Dustforce - It's Not Supposed to be Snowing
+4: Xenogears - The Wind is Calling
+3: Dragon Quest VIII - Traveling With Wagon
+2: Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Battle of THE BLACK VENUS
+1: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Annual Festival

Dustforce continues to have the best soundtrack in the contest. These songs are so great that they're kinda making me want to play the game just for the music.

I really enjoyed "The Wind is Calling", though I honestly don't know why. It's not objectively the best song of the contest, but it's thus far the only non-Dustforce song I'd want on my mp3 player.

Traveling With Wagon is the best Dragon Quest VIII song in the contest, but I'd still place the other two songs in this Block on a whole tier above it. I'm sorry.

THE BLACK VENUS feels like standard JRPG FINAL BOSS music. It's nice for what it is, but I doubt I'll go back and listen to it very often.

Meh.



I'll take my fifth block whenever.
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Raetsel_Lapin posted...

Dustforce continues to have the best soundtrack in the contest. These songs are so great that they're kinda making me want to play the game just for the music.

I was debating between three, but it appears I made the correct decision. The game is a rank-based platformer that is known for how challenging it is to complete the game. I enjoy it a lot, but it isn't for everybody, and the soundtrack is the best part.
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Yeah Dustforce definitely the surprise of this contest so far for me at least.

Admittedly I don't think I've actually heard all the games though.
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Sorry, was a bit busy last night. I'll take another block now @azuarc
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Block 308

+5 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Count of Darkness
+4 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Looking Up at the Sky (Ending Version)
+3 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - A Part of Their Story
+2 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Voice of THE VENUS
+1 Star Control II - Thraddash Theme

Count of Darkness feels like a long intro to a rock song, but in this block, it easily earned the top spot

Looking Up at the Sky is an ending song that I feel like I've heard in dozens of JRPGs, and I would bet that I have played far fewer than the average B8er. It's far from a bad song, but it's one that I can sort of like for one listen then never plan on listening to again.

A Part of their Story song is a standard fare fantasy song. That is neither a good nor bad thing in my book.

I'm not sure that Voice cracks my Top 3 HMH2 songs with Venus in their title.

Thraddash seems like two minutes of the same thing being looped 10 times.
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+5 Dustforce - Elvish Piper Academy
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Caves of Va'No
+3 Deadbolt - Heynong Man
+2 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - A Tangle of Mystic Flowers ~ Warning Glory!
+1 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Looking Up at the Sky (Ending Version)

- Production is top notch, love the wooshing synth and the percussion.
- Caves has both an ominous and adventurous feeling to it, I like it.
- Feels like I've heard Heynong Man somewhere before, but I can't quite place it. Either way, I like the industrial feel the song presents.
- A little too busy and hectic but not terrible.
- Vocals are powerful and well-done but it's at the cost of boring instrumenation.

So do I go on to 407 next then?
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