Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 8! LootingTheLourve / AlteredGenos / Sanctuary / LetItDie + REMATCH

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 15, an annual celebration of the best of the best video game music according to the voters!

Important Links:
Bracket: https://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=474630
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16XAaBMDuUnQ4c5AxQNL9ZhvD7VG5kQyrXWWZxnkrn-o
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/79443554
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0xt7lOF1eB-H4NpAaF1yAnU
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VNrPnFRI7nJ4PqFiURBW0NWqxvXiuasoq8Sn_O169ss
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
Discord: https://discord.gg/WDvMS4a

Rules:
- Listen to both songs in a given match, at least through the loop time provided (to make sure you don't skip before you've heard the whole thing!)
- Please consider the loop point listed when judging the song; if a video loops one minute 5 times, don't treat it as if it's a repetitive 5 minute song
- If it's a match between your favorite song ever and a song you despise, still LISTEN TO BOTH! Votes can and will be disqualified if there is suspicion songs are not being listened to, and you may be discounted for the rest of the contest for repeat offenses.
- No alt accounts, no rallying or begging, etc., etc.... You only get one vote! Swapping votes is alright, just make clear that you've already made a vote and are swapping.
- Make clear what your voting options are! Please keep votes separate from any comments, and use the titles given in the topic post.
- Voting in all matches is not mandatory, feel free to skip matches you do not wish to vote in.
- Vote based on the links provided, and not other sources of audio. Links are specifically chosen for best quality and the like.
- Don't discuss vote tallies in this thread, or in other threads, as they may influence votes. Likewise, please refrain from looking at the running tally before voting.

Voting Period:
- Today's matches will last 24 hours from the time of posting, or 24 hours from 10pm Eastern, whichever is the later time.
- Please note this may mean that two topics will be active at the same time!
- If you anticipate being unable to vote in a given day, please send an absentee vote to @banshiryuu or @Toxtricity, or post your absentee vote in the discussion thread!

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Match 1

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure - Looting the Louvre
Composer: Naofumi Hataya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlJU-

Altered Genos
sanctuary.
Glessing

I love Rhythm Thief, but beyond Phantom R/Real Chevalier/Courtyard Gardens, I'm not sure there's any I wholeheartedly support for VGMC. I suppose this is the most fitting of the rest of the lot (or maybe Gone With the Wind). It's good, just missing that spice that makes me think it's a good contender... oh wait. I Can Dance For You. That's the ticket

I'M SORRY MYCRO I'LL LISTEN TO ORTA SOON I PROMISE

There are a few songs that do things I love and ruin them with things I hate (looking at you, Heartless Being and of course you, Butterfly's Invitation), or at least sours the taste a bit (sorry Fingers Entwined). This tries to do that and fails. It was certainly jarring the first time I heard it, yet when I got used to the ejaculations I don't mind them at all. They really add a character to this song, and the electronic elements are incorporated pretty naturally. I think I'll award this song the "Most 'Song' Song In the Bracket" award. There is no other song here that is as much of a song as this one. This song is almost too much song

On the other hand, this song wins the "Most Definitely a Song Song In the Bracket" award. It is certainly a song.

the Ys begin. uh, this one lacks a bit of kick. It should be slapping me in the fact a little more. Melody isn't too interesting. Song really gets me pumping

Honestly this doesn't bother me at all. I actually love the start, how the song proper seems to show up way too soon when I'm never expecting it. Got a lot of personality. This is in the weird zone where I don't know if I can actually say I *enjoy* it, but I certainly appreciate it.


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Altered Genos
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

stupid tiebreaker

Fairfrozen

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme
---

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Rhythm Thief - I understand that stopping and starting is a thing in this series, but the constant jarring motion doesn't do much for me. I do like the repeating, descending bassline quite a bit, and the stock computerized "3 2 1 go" but not much else from it, unfortunately.
Panzer Dragoon - Peculiar. It sounds like it's going to be from an open-world Pilotwings flight or something, or maybe Skyward Sword Lanayru Sand Sea, and then it becomes a space-age exploration with a weak Monster Hunter fight drum going on underneath it. I don't quite know how else to describe it, but it's a mood.

TASOMACHI - Not a whole lot in the way of variance in this track, but the - is "staccato" the right term? - piano works very well with the underlying electronic elements. I wasn't expecting to like it after the opening but was pleasantly surprised.
Let it Die - It's an early 3D Sonic song mixed with a '00s movie soundtrack. It's aggressively above average to me.

No change in my views on WotW/Selicy.

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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

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Altered Genos
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Sad I missed Love Psalm day

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Looting the Louvre
Let it Die
Weight of the World / English Version

SLAM! JAM! SLAM! JAM! SLAM! JAM! SLAM! JAM!
When I was younger, things like Let it Die used be my absolute favorite things to listen to. I've cooled on them, but you know what? This still fucking rocks.


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Altered Genos
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World

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Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

I've got nothing for the first two. Don't have strong feelings for either.

Let it Die is my favorite song from The Lorax. the snail house track was good but the rock that it's opponent showed was right up my alley.

Please win this time fairfrozen

---

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure - Looting the Louvre
Let It Die - Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
NieR: Automata - Weight of the World / English Version
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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Looting the Louvre (2.8 - 64th place) / Altered Genos (9.5 - 4th place)
Sanctuary-SHU (8.6 - 18th place) / Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE (5.8^ - 53rd place)
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme (9.5 - 3rd place) / Weight of the World / English Version (revised 7.9 - approx. 31st place)

Honestly, my 2nd-5th place in Bracket A are all pretty much equal and could be put in any order. Sanctuary-SHU looks too much like my own first and last name =p


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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Why are there three songs in this tiebreaker easy form? Am I even allowed to vote for two?

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

LtL pretty fun the whole way through, but I kinda wish it did more. Mostly feels like just a rhythm or something. Altered Genos doesn't even have the "fun" part going for it, alas.

Tasomachi is a DUMB AND BAD NAME for a game. Not a fan of the song either. Let It Die song is pretty fun. I like it.

Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE > Looting the Louvre > Altered Genos > Sanctuary-SHU
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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

three two one GO

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Accidentally hit Tab+Space on my now-deleted post, pay no heed...

Well, after trying my song-a-day thing for a week, I think I'll continue with it! Though I certainly reserve the right to do smaller write-ups when I have some busy days, heck I might just give out a "song of the day" award without saying anything more...

Looting the Louvre was the clear choice today! I smiled to myself when I went to check that Flamander/Cathode had a nomination on it, because I remember they also backed DJ Hero - Groundhog and Space Invaders blabla - Invader Girl the last two years! These songs with in-game sound bites always feel so fun and immersive, and provide a really unique listening experience (apparently "sound bytes" is incorrect what). YOU MADE IT OUT THIS TIME BUT THIS ISN'T THE END *ahem* Louvre doesn't quite do the same thing, but those trumpet hits are still enough to make me gleefully imagine some cartoony minigame where you have to press B on the beat or whatever.

Also have to say that I love love love the seeding in match 2! Though I feel comfortable with my vote, I think the contrast between the songs is really great and I specifically felt that Let It Die was the song I wanted to hear when I got bored of Sanctuary-SHU, and that Sanctuary-SHU was what I wanted to hear when I got bored of Let It Die! Hope it does a bit better than Saudade from last year...

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Altered Genos
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World (EN)

This was.... a four pack I guess. Can I just vote Fairfrozen for any of the non-tiebreaker matches?

Sanctuary [6.5]
Let it Die [6]
Altered Genos [5]
Looting Louvre [4]

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Wow its Let It Die from Let It Die, my all time favorite piece of vgm from my all time favorite soundtrack (not to be confused with Let It Die, Let It Die, or Let It Die, all of which are also from Let It Die).

Jokes aside, I'm happy to see that it was able to make it in the contest this year. I was planning on saying what exactly I loved so much about this track that has kept it in my head for years but I couldn't come up with anything other than "It sounds cool". Its the type of song where the coolness it has ensures that every time I listen to it, it manages to stay fresh. There aren't many songs out there that are this timeless for me. For something as subjective as musical taste, I guess a reason like that makes sense.

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen

it's difficult to really separate rhythm thief songs from the levels, especially with looting the louvre, which is one of the most simple and fun ones in the game, and that sentiment seems to also have extended to my feelings on the song in general no matter how i look at it. unfortunately, simple just isn't a good trait for this match.
well i finally got around to listening to the tasomachi soundtrack yesterday and sanctuary-shu isn't really what i'd personally consider one of my favourites in it... but, that isn't really a bad thing. it has... quirks, but that gives it a bit of character to it while retaining the excellent overall style. i'm hoping to get to the game proper quite soon

Panzer Dragoon Orta - Altered Genos
Let It Die - Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
NieR: Automata - Weight of the World / English Version

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

One of the patterns I've noticed in what I gravitate towards this year is that I'm looking for a certain feel in the percussion, both in texture and rhythm. Looting the Louvre doesn't seem that far off! The main percussion loop is pretty cool. I think the track is let down by what I feel is overuse of the instrumental hit-- it demands too much attention given the frequency with which it appears, like constant confetti burst effects laid over a video. It suggests a context but without knowing it, it feels, well, invasive. [Later note: after writing this up I decided to check out a video of the gameplay associated with this track. Haha, that's actually super charming.]

There's something about Saori Kobayashi's music that just feels inimitable. Altered Genos's combination of instrumentation and composition expresses a sort of primal feeling I'd have a really hard time finding in other vgm. The way the track opens is full of ambiguity, wispy layers that suggest a progression but not letting it get too concrete. (I love the main instrument here.) Then the drums come in and it's just great. Kobayashi uses electronic elements here in a way that makes them clearly present but in a way that doesn't insist THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC TRACK NOW THAT I AM HERE. They work themselves in by expressing their own sense of mystery fairly subtly on top of the drums and flutes. It's a track that's really cool to re-listen to, focusing on different aspects each time.

You know, at some point in the past year I'm pretty sure I thought something like this: "I feel like listening to a new track with a minimalist feel, ideally expressed by piano, and some sharp percussion, maybe with an electronic flavour, occasionally doing that thing I like where it deliberately misses the first beat of a bar. And why not-- put some mallet percussion in there too that plays cool countermelodies off the piano, and choral vocals or vox to give it sort of a mysterious feeling. Let the track keep its unique flavour throughout but introduce small variations to keep itself fresh." I'm only half-joking. It's wonderful that this game and OST came out just before VGMC, to scratch that particular itch.

Let It Die reminds me of music I encountered more frequently during my high school/early university days. I don't really run into or seek this style out now, but I think this is a decent example of it. The lyrics feel mostly meaningless but one little quirk I like is that the singer doesn't "let it" finish until the second-last iteration, like the whole track is a denial of it. (I also think the idea of asking a whole bunch of artists make a song called "Let it Die" for the game's soundtrack is a neat idea.)

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Looting the Louvre
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

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Altered
Santuary
Frozen
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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World / English Version

First round was pretty easy. Louvre is a good track but there's something about Panzer Dragoon's unique vibe that makes it a very fun listen.

Second round was tougher. That Let it Die song is one kind of music I normally enjoy, but that kind of rock is also quite dependent on how good the vocalist is, and I wasn't quite feeling him here. On the other hand, I absolutely love ujico's work. Ultimately, this one was a no-brainer.

Listened to these tracks again, but nothing really changed my mind. Weight of the World is a really good song.

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World

-(vibraphone is my favorite instrument)-

-[oboe is my 2nd favorite instrument. Altered Genos as a single song may have influenced the course of a change in my taste in music more than any other single piece of music in the past year or so. When KCF used it in a guessing game i EXPLODED ; "jesus fuck this is like so exactly my favorite type of song it's insane" - me, 2019. during kcf's game. I already knew that I liked Saori Kobayashi, but i didn't realize quite how much. A couple years prior, I had gone to the magfest that she performed at in recent times, and accidentally stepped into a "secret concert" that was REALLY COOL and had no clue what it was. it was apparently her band. I did not know this, or really who she was, and i wish i had, because she LATER THAT MAGFEST performed the actual real BIG PERFORMANCE, which i missed to see something else instead; and i would have enjoyed Saori Kobayashi 20x more. I had no clue how perfect a composer she was to my tastes at the time, my first serious exposure to her sound was that "secret concert" (pretty sure they played Atolm Dragon, not that i knew what that song was yet) and i'm ashamed i had no clue what it was until long after. Panzer Dragoon Orta is a top 20 ost for me now, and this is almost definitely my favorite song on it. Panzer Dragoon Saga is not far behind though and might overtake it if i re-listen enough times.
~~~~~
i suppose saying my taste in music entirely changed wouldn't be true, after all my comment i quoted above implies that i already liked things that sounded "like that", but what changed was how i thought about it. This song isn't just "the music theory things Toxtricity likes like quartals and parallel harmonized woodwinds" as a cold mathematical faceless meaningless concept. it was THE WORLD of this blur. blur between artificial and natural. WHY i liked "leads where they are duplicated up a fourth or fifth" suddenly became clearer, it was the exotic IM PRETTY SURE RELIC CASTLE FROM POKEMON BLACK WHITE IS A HOMAGE TO saori kobayashi. this song made me realize how much i like certain instruments, and why i like specific instruments doing certain compositional things and prefer different instruments for different things. I normally don't think of broad form structure at all, but this song the timing of when every section happens is so significant to me, placed at exactly the right moment. I LOVE PARALLEL HARMONY and double reeds or things that sound like double reeds at least.....
~~~~~
ok but seriously 1:15 - 1:39 is one of the most absolutely emotionally striking moments in any piece of music to me. It's tension formed through that woodwind morphing its sound into a synth, and arpeggios atop these transposing planing chords that are exactly what gets me the most thrilled when it comes to chord movement. AHHHHH and that squishy synthetic tension is immediately followed with something really pretty and natural, but like SERIOUS, dark intense suddenly compared to everything before, and after THAT at 2:29 it's suddenly even deeper into this serigonsdfsmt(sergio cornaga's fortress) on that old ass sc88 sounding synth brass like how the fuck can someone even make a song that is this perfect to me? It's so many things that i like at the same time i wouldn't expect anyone to put together into the same song. and it doesn't even sound forced or disjointed in layering? these sounds belong together.
~~~~~
this song just FEELs powerful to me in so many ways; it's endlessly drenched in so many varieties of timbre i lean towards; from synthetic sci-fi to primal percussion to weird world woodwinds. It explores every range of emotion i want a song to explore. I'm glad Saori Kobayashi has become one of my favorite composers. It's funny, long before KCF's list made me come back to it, I actually listened to this ost because of Yutaka Minobe being on it (who composed my favorite Sonic Heroes song: Lost Jungle, which has a very similar feeling). In the end Saori Kobayashi did a lot more of what i like most throughout sega, but i'll never forget all the ways this style has worked its way into the sonic series from Minobe's end too. Lost Jungle, THE DOOM, Lost Impact, "XX", Minobe is responsible for an overwhelming amount of my favorite sonic stuff and deserves just as much credit for having a unique style that clearly intersected perfectly with Panzer Dragoon Orta as well.
~~~~~
every time i relisten to this song i just viscerally want to scream out I LOVE THIS SONG. like it's painful to hold it in. this song floods so many emotions into every corner of my body that if i don't scream it feels like i will burst. i would say i get this feeling with almost everything from orta/saga but none of them are quite as perfect as this one. i actually miiight rank certain songs above this one, but they are less "perfect", they just might have higher highs, or something. this song is the song that all around does exactly what i want this ridiculously specific style to convey
~~~~~
Thank you KCF]-

-{i am not sure there is a match i feel stronger about this contest. I haven't even talked about Altered Genos nearly as much as i could have}-

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-(oh man, steve reich-esque minimalism. one of the quickest ways to my HEARt. especially when you're integrating it with a simultaneous mixture of artificial and natural sounds. that piano and tuned percussion contrasts so well with these metallic drum hits, loud synth chords. AHHHHHHH WHY IS THIS SONG JUST LIKE KAZUKI YANAGAWA WHO WAS SCRAPPED METAL. cool weird neutral INSIDE A COMPUTER tonality. this track is minimal enough that i don't need to say a lot to express what it conveys. It has cool sounds, is hypnotic, entrances me with its mesmerizing and trippy geometric patterns. Fractals, infinite tessellations, illusions. I love you)-

-[i like edgy guitars. i was just listening to linkin park a lot today which is a band i unironically love a lot. this reminds me of the more primal aspects of why i enjoy them at a surface level, but without the details in composition or arrangement that make lp stand out to me. the sorta angular bits at 2:13 are sorta cool though. the aggressive vocals are actually my favorite part here though]-

-{"hi i like 'complex' music" my favorite composer is "steve reich" who writes "minimalism" which is music that has 2 notes in it}-

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--- 1. Altered Genos ---
--- 2. Sanctuary-SHU ---
linkage-alter
Twelfth Chapter ~ In the Sky
Obstacle
...
...
Ryoshima Coast
Level 6 - Face Shrine
--- 38. Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE ---
Roar of the Jungle Dragon
Fuse Man Stage
Suspenseful Third Day
Nekozamurai no Gyakushuu
Reach for the Moon, Immortal Smoke
Nefertiti (Ver.MMXI)
Fury Sparks
--- 46. Looting the Louvre ---

needless to say i will be very emotionally invested in a particular match today, i mean, honestly both, but ESPECIALLY the one. i did not really even realize i had set something like that up for myself
---

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-Shu
Weight of the World

Sorry for not voting every day. From now on Im going to try better to remind myself.

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

I don't really "get" Looting the Louvre. The way the music randomly pauses every couple of seconds is something that happens, but the song is short and it just kinda ends. Altered Genos feels like it's trying to do something at least.

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Sanctuary-SHU is pretty cool actually. Not what I expected when I saw "Snail's House", but it has the same sort of dissonant piano melody from the Caravan Stories songs that were nominated last year (or was it the year before), but also mixed with glitchy electronic music (I like this one more than the others). Let It Die sounds like the mid-'00s alternative rock music you'd find in a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game, which is something that kinda needs to be carried by nostalgia factor since on its own I'm not all that crazy about it.

---

tiebreaker match

A rare example of me going for the electronic song in all three matches!

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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

i love you looting the louvre :) especially the part at 0:46 its so great. i love the filtered drums at the beginning too

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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

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Altered Genos
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme
---

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

Don't Let Let it Die Die.

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Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World / English Version

---

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World / English Version

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Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Weight of the World / English Version

---

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

---

Altered Genos
Sanctuary-SHU
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

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Looting the Louvre
Sanctuary-SHU
Weight of the World / English Version

Looting the Louvre
Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme

Looting the Louvre (157th) vs Altered Genos (101st)
Sanctuary-SHU (105th) vs Let It Die ~ NOTHING TO DECLARE (192nd)
Fairfrozen: Selicy's Theme (43rd) vs Weight of the World / English Version (194th)

god louvre is such a funny song all the ?! STOPS ?! made me so confused the first time but then i actually saw the gameplay and now i can appreciate it fully.... which kinda sucks that you can't really divorce the context from the song in this case. cool song tho, but OOPS ITS AGAINST SEQUENCED SATURN weeeelp 1:44 is when the Super Saori Kobayashi instruments come in and I love those flutes so much/.////.... panzer und dragoons

IS THERE ANYTHING UJICO CANT DO FOR REAL holy crap. this song is just Cool Sounds and Cool Vibes the whole way through, which normally I'm kinda whatever on but this fits what I want to hear from this type of song to a T and it's such a pleasure to listen to~~~ aaaaa WHIPLASH TO ROCK ANIME OOPENING WAAAAAA if let it die was actually an anime opening i feel like it would grow on me fast but its not its just A Song so I listen to it and think "oh cool" and not much else. its good, but not what i'd pick out to listen to ever

yep still feel strongly about the tiebreaker and i am ready to be very very disappointed