Board 8 > [VGMC] d94: Deoxyribose vs L.L., EXPAJA vs EXEC_Z/.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to today's topic for Video Game Music Contest 14, a tournament of the best tracks from games, as decided upon by you, the voters.

Links:
Contest info - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VNrPnFRI7nJ4PqFiURBW0NWqxvXiuasoq8Sn_O169ss/edit#gid=320804650
Bracket - http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=473292
Discussion and results thread - https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/78714595
Bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1REnVI_W6yELaDP6Zac8b0Wq
ToC playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RE-TQMj19D0k5nm-0zeH12J
VGMC compability sheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lpX4faqnn_geI0y4i6MrZ2AXpV6SWXoWrIA6_eyx-yM/edit

Rules:
- Listen to both of the songs. Links have conveniently been provided for both songs. Even if Song A is your favorite of all-time and Song B is from a series you hate... Listen. To. Both. (If I have suspicions your vote is not based on a fair and impartial preference, it will be disqualified.)
- Obvious contest rules apply (no alts, one vote per person, no rallying, etc.).
- Please make your voting options clear, rather than burying them in text.
- Each set of matches lasts 24 hours, even if the new one isnt up by then. (Matches do not begin until at least 10:00 EDT.)
- Always vote on the versions of the song provided, not versions from different sources.
- If you know ahead of time that you're not going to be around and you want to vote in advance, post your choices in the discussion/bracket topic.
- Please do NOT post tallies/score updates in the middle of the match, as this has a tendency to directly influence matches.
- You don't have to vote in all the matches, but it'd be cool if you did!

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Match 1

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlmYYyzek48

Project Cerberus - L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkmSDjjJg08

Match 2

Ar nosurge - Class::EXPAJA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO3fakuPlGE

Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1p18O6ac1c

.

Easy vote form:
-[Deoxyribose]- / L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Class::EXPAJA / EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

Continuing with this half of Divison A that I don't really care for, Exec Z is probably my least favorite song that I'll be voting for in Round 3. And considering that I said it was an acceptable wildcard winner, that's a pretty good thing. Sure it was the lowest one for me to qualify, but that's still a qualify. And this means that every single other match has at least one song on Exec Z's level! This was a thing I thought about earlier, though it feels less positive right now since I think Exec Z dropped a bit for me since I called it an acceptable wildcard winner. Oh well. All the other matches do indeed have songs I care about though.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.
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L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.

L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Class::EXPAJA

L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

Easy first match, kinda close second one

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-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA

Close matches.
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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.

why is that second match allowed to happen pre-retirement azuarccccccccccccccccccccc

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Project Cerberus - L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.

LL > the rest

but the rest are good too

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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
Ar nosurge - Class::EXPAJA
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-[Deoxyribose]- (3rd) / L L ~Infinite Beating ver~ (5th)
Class::EXPAJA (15th) / EXEC_Z/. (32nd)

To heck with y'all for making me have to pick a winner in match one.

I have L L Infinite winning in my faves bracket, but the match is basically a 50/50. I am hotter on Deoxyribose right now. This is more than likely going to be my strongest four pack all contest.

-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA

Match 2 is one of the closest remaining matches in the contest to me. doesn't help that they're literally both vocal exa_pico lol. may flip my vote there later
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-[DEOXYRIBOSE]- (13th) vs L.L. ~Infinite Beating.ver~ (35th)
Class::EXPAJA (58th) vs EXEC_Z/. (5th)

the song i'm worried about here is the one that is NOT my nomination oops

DNA
EXEC Z

caps

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NFUN posted...

DNA

I don't see anything about nucleic acid in these songs.

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Beating
Class

I will not be enrolling
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My top two Gust choices have already lost, unfortunately. RIP Ar-Ciel-Ar-Manaf and LastPandemic.

-[Deoxyribose]- <3
Class::EXPAJA


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Project Cerberus - L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.

I'm sad that because the wildcard put EXEC_Z in L.L's side of the bracket, one of L.L and EXEC_Z has to lose next round if they both win their matches today. I had both songs retiring in my favorites bracket.

L L ~Infinite Beating ver~ > EXEC_Z/. > Class::EXPAJA > -[Deoxyribose]-

Wow. Somehow we actually got two Hymnos in the same day and neither ended up as my least favorite of the day. Or did they? I went back just to confirm that I actually liked Deoxyribose less than the Hymnos and instead it ended up rising clear past Infinite Beating. And maybe so did the Hymnos? This is one of those days where I feel like I like whatever I heard last the most. EXEC_Z should be more my style than EXPAJA, but it clearly isn't.

-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA


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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.

-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.
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L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.

Whoa, I don't know why but LL just clicked with me today for some reason, basically jumped from a 7/10 to 8/10 and so I must betray my favourites bracket
The Exa Pico songs in this contest are way better than the ones that have retired!


thanks youtube recommendations

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53.13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
vs.
62.Project Cerberus - L L ~Infinite Beating ver~

What I had:
Megaraph Fleet > Deoxyribose

I don't really have a lot to say about Deoxyribose. I've listened to it multiple times since nominations and it's yet to really make much of an impression on me. Nothing really stands out, good or bad; everything feels pretty muddy production-wise, and I don't think it's the link because I found another link that still sounds the same. I much prefer Isoleucine. I did still take Deoxyribose to round 3 because its pack of four was even less inspiring. The one bit that sticks out is actually all the way at the end, when the song totally changes up and slows down. That's always a nice, unexpected discovery.

Fortunately for Deoxyribose, it's up against one of the only five round 3 songs I'd give below 5/10 to. (Like I said, this is a pretty solid remaining field.) These sorts of heavy metal cheesy rock opera songs don't often appeal to me, and that pattern holds true here. Not much to say about this one because I want to stay positive, but yeah...not my favorite remaining.

-

9.Ar nosurge - Class::EXPAJA
vs.
33.Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.

What I had:
Miracle Matter > An Endless Desert (wildcard)

EXPAJA is one of my favorite EXA PICO songs. I love how deadly serious this song is: from the opening vocals to the bombastic symphonic backing, you know EXPAJA means business. I've never bothered to learn the English lyrics, but IIRC it's the counterpart to EXSPHERE? Either way, I love how it doesn't play around. A lot of EXA PICOs build up gradually, but EXPAJA plays all its cards right out of the gate, which is risky, but it sustains my interest the entire time! I had it losing in round 1 (hi there Miracle Matter) but winning the wildcard and losing to Battle Tower.

EXEC_Z is cool too! Very different from EXPAJA. Whereas EXPAJA is mostly static throughout (this isn't a knock against it, because, like I said, it still holds my attention), EXEC_Z has more in its bag of tricks: pulling away the instrumental backing, a chorus that's sung slightly differently than the verses (less reverb and more intensity), even a breakdown at the end. I do find my attention waning in a few parts (it also doesn't help that I don't like the last twenty seconds), and while ultimately the full package isn't as impactful for me, I still appreciate what it does.

-

Votes:
-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA

Project Cerberus - L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Ar tonelico III - EXEC_Z/.
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L.L.
Expaja

somehow I end up voting for the one song today I didn't support during nominations. Without looking, I have to imagine this will be the best day of R3, and maybe thereafter.

hbthebattle votes:
L. L. Infinite Beating
EXEC_Z

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deoxyribose
expaja
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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Class::EXPAJA

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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
Ar nosurge - Class::EXPAJA


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-[Deoxyribose]-
EXEC_Z/.

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-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA

deoxyribose - first encountered: Prody's guessing game (listed as Boss Theme 1); soundtrack version first heard in deogenerate's guessing game - trend: slightly down
-it occurs to me that deoxyribose doesn't really have a 'prep phase'. that's too bad-- I like the prep phases in other 13 sentinels battle tracks. in general this is one of the things I miss in this track that appear in the other battle tracks-- the shifts in mood and dynamics (this track mostly leans on the quieter choral parts and the 'results phase' for this). this is a bit more uniform in construction, which can be a strength if it catches me at the right time, but it makes those moments a bit more specific.

ll infinite beating ver - first encountered: this vgmc - trend: steady
-I've probably mentioned-- too often, at this point-- that this style of composition and arrangement isn't really my cup of tea. it seems pretty effective at delivering a track in that style, which always feels like a backhanded compliment if that's all I have to say about it.

class expaja - first encountered: pretty hard to figure out-- at some point soon after the soundtrack's release I did a listenthrough of it, but did I go through the genometric concert sides fully? not sure - trend: steady
-such ostentatious grandeur. I think I wish the vocals played off each other a bit more. my attention keeps hooking onto 2:11 every time I listen to this (in a good way). I think it's set up by the tension of the melody that starts at 1:44-- 2:11 feels like a pretty rewarding payoff for it. "bestow upon me the power to advance through the wasteland"-- the (translated) lyric leading into it-- seems a fitting entrance to this resolve-filled section.

exec_z - first encountered: listenthrough of soundtrack around the time of release, including hymmnos concert sides - trend: steady
-I wish the vocals played off each other (and with the non-vocal instrumentation) here too! it's one of the elements I like in (some) other hymmnos. (it's been a while since I listened through AT3 but I remember finding less in that vein than in the first two.) I said this in round 1 but I really can't shake the anime OP/insert song impression, especially when it hits the chorus at 1:32.

L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
EXEC_Z/.

-[Deoxyribose]-
Class::EXPAJA
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-[Deoxyribose]- > L L ~Infinite Beating ver~
Class::EXPAJA > EXEC_Z/.
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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - -[Deoxyribose]-
Ar nosurge - Class::EXPAJA

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