I'm listening to the soundtrack on YouTube right now and its simply stunning to me. Enough so that I had to come to this forum and share my thoughts with you fine folks.
The soundtrack is very reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith and some of his other sci-fi work, but a lot of draw and influence that reminds me of the score to Alien. These themes give me such a feeling of foreboding - fear of what's around the corner. But a fear that I'm willing to face none the less - not some cheesy scream-fest.
Maybe a little Holst in there too?
Regardless I think the folks that wanted a more "gothic" Diablo game, at least are getting some of that desire fulfilled in the soundtrack.
Here is a link to the YouTube vid I'm listening to now if you want to give it a go. I do feel though it is a bit spoilery (if music can be spoilery; don't worry a chorus doesn't chant "Malthael kills Dumbledore or anything) if you want to have a care before you click.....
Good general mood, but none of the pieces stands out, none of them would I describe as "memorable". Still, they're interesting.
Well see that's the hard part. You can have big pieces that are epic, but then you're moving away from just that mood that a lot of people wanted in D3, and more into the realm of something such as WoW.
They already tried to combine both in D3 vanilla, and from what I've read most people either are neutral or didn't like it. I'm glad they went this direction personally, the music in D3 should in my opinion be all about the mood. Combine this with what we know so far of Westmarch, and I think they hit the mark.
Memorable music to me is closely followed by memorable moments... I can only remember a music as much as I can remember the good times I had when it was playing.
So, I'll have to wait and see if RoS' music is going to be "memorable" (the quality is undeniable though, as Polrayne very properly pointed out in his post)... until then, I'm probably not listening to it. Don't wanna spoil anything.
Interesting that some of you enjoy the bit at 26:00ish. For me this particular piece is something that I don't like too much. Don't get me wrong, as an individual piece of music it's superb quality, but for the background sound of a computer game?
I like most of this and I think the soundtrack is a huge step forward compared to D3 classic/vanilla. But as Zero said, memorable music "develops" if it gets connected to memorable moments. It doesn't need to be all bells and drums and stuff, but rather some subtle background music.
@Diablo 1: to be fair, the popular bit of D1 is just the Tristram song, and I guess most people didn't spend 99% of the time in town. Nevertheless, both the town and dungeon songs have only very limited instrument usage and not a full orchestra. Skip forward here, past the Tristram song. By the way, a good example for a very very subtle, yet extremely impressive and memorable soundtrack that totally conveyed the fitting atmosphere was Fallout 1+2.
I completely agree. I like to imagine this as a representation of the kind of turn around D3 is expecting with RoS. It's just so much better than anything in vanilla. Sure, it's not Uelman, but it's got it's own thing going.
I think the memorable moment of D2 can be defined as, that one time I played D2 for a zillion hours and loved every minute of it. Hopefully RoS offers more players that kind of experience.
I agree with Zero that memorable music is usually tied to memorable moments. I'd take it a step further and say that it puts you into a state of being that is reminscent of the game you are playing.
I hear the first few notes of any of Matt Uelmen's work on Diablo 2 and I am instantly taken back into that "feeling" that you get when you play a Diablo game. No other music gives me the "Diablo" feel.
(imagine the Rogue Encampment theme while playing Zelda.)
In Diablo 3 (what's the preffered title: Classic, Vanilla, the one before Reaper of Souls?) I never really got that feeling through any of the music. Save for any time that I was in Tristram and happen to catch what is the first minute or so of this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgbMdTG5L9w
That music immediately puts me into the mindset to have a good night playing a Diablo game. It makes me think of long hours fighting sleep, hoping for the next best peice of loot.
The first few minutes of the RoS soundtrack that I linked, gives me that same immersive feeling except multiplied by "holyshitthatsamazing". As it expands, its brilliance is that (at least for me) I actually get a little nervous as I listen. Keep in mind that I have noise canceling headphones and most of the time I listen to music while I edit in Photoshop, in a dark office room with no windows.
Come to think of it - I could listen to Polka in that room and probably get "nervous."
The point is: this soundtrack has stealth. It evokes a slow sense of emotion that builds into a strong sense of fear/battle/courage/omg I just got an amazing legendary that I think will be the general pulse of this game.
I don't know, man. I've shown Tristram Theme to a few people that never played Diablo, and all of them instantly recognised the greatness of that song.
But to be fair, that's just an amazing song. Not everything can be golden
This. All the action in Diablo 1 happened underground, but that isn't the music anyone remembers.
The soundtrack is very reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith and some of his other sci-fi work, but a lot of draw and influence that reminds me of the score to Alien. These themes give me such a feeling of foreboding - fear of what's around the corner. But a fear that I'm willing to face none the less - not some cheesy scream-fest.
Maybe a little Holst in there too?
Regardless I think the folks that wanted a more "gothic" Diablo game, at least are getting some of that desire fulfilled in the soundtrack.
Here is a link to the YouTube vid I'm listening to now if you want to give it a go. I do feel though it is a bit spoilery (if music can be spoilery; don't worry a chorus doesn't chant "Malthael kills Dumbledore or anything) if you want to have a care before you click.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yMubtaxjI4
Looking forward to this game more and more.....
Monkalicious: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/OptimusPrime-12194/hero/79139477
Well see that's the hard part. You can have big pieces that are epic, but then you're moving away from just that mood that a lot of people wanted in D3, and more into the realm of something such as WoW.
They already tried to combine both in D3 vanilla, and from what I've read most people either are neutral or didn't like it. I'm glad they went this direction personally, the music in D3 should in my opinion be all about the mood. Combine this with what we know so far of Westmarch, and I think they hit the mark.
So, I'll have to wait and see if RoS' music is going to be "memorable" (the quality is undeniable though, as Polrayne very properly pointed out in his post)... until then, I'm probably not listening to it. Don't wanna spoil anything.
I agree with Zero. Music only sets the ambiance. If the game play matches though, we are in for a real treat with RoS.
I see the line in the sand. Time to find out who I am. Looking back to see where I stand. Evolution.
Member of the Dfans clan.
BNet Tag: Evolution85#1878
This is the piece they used in the Cinematic, and I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!
I see the line in the sand. Time to find out who I am. Looking back to see where I stand. Evolution.
Member of the Dfans clan.
BNet Tag: Evolution85#1878
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klYwX1D7EIE
:: Enkeria [Twitter / Twitch / Website / Tattoos]
I like most of this and I think the soundtrack is a huge step forward compared to D3 classic/vanilla. But as Zero said, memorable music "develops" if it gets connected to memorable moments. It doesn't need to be all bells and drums and stuff, but rather some subtle background music.
@Diablo 1: to be fair, the popular bit of D1 is just the Tristram song, and I guess most people didn't spend 99% of the time in town. Nevertheless, both the town and dungeon songs have only very limited instrument usage and not a full orchestra. Skip forward here, past the Tristram song. By the way, a good example for a very very subtle, yet extremely impressive and memorable soundtrack that totally conveyed the fitting atmosphere was Fallout 1+2.
I think the memorable moment of D2 can be defined as, that one time I played D2 for a zillion hours and loved every minute of it. Hopefully RoS offers more players that kind of experience.
I hear the first few notes of any of Matt Uelmen's work on Diablo 2 and I am instantly taken back into that "feeling" that you get when you play a Diablo game. No other music gives me the "Diablo" feel.
(imagine the Rogue Encampment theme while playing Zelda.)
In Diablo 3 (what's the preffered title: Classic, Vanilla, the one before Reaper of Souls?) I never really got that feeling through any of the music. Save for any time that I was in Tristram and happen to catch what is the first minute or so of this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgbMdTG5L9w
That music immediately puts me into the mindset to have a good night playing a Diablo game. It makes me think of long hours fighting sleep, hoping for the next best peice of loot.
The first few minutes of the RoS soundtrack that I linked, gives me that same immersive feeling except multiplied by "holyshitthatsamazing". As it expands, its brilliance is that (at least for me) I actually get a little nervous as I listen. Keep in mind that I have noise canceling headphones and most of the time I listen to music while I edit in Photoshop, in a dark office room with no windows.
Come to think of it - I could listen to Polka in that room and probably get "nervous."
The point is: this soundtrack has stealth. It evokes a slow sense of emotion that builds into a strong sense of fear/battle/courage/omg I just got an amazing legendary that I think will be the general pulse of this game.
Monkalicious: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/OptimusPrime-12194/hero/79139477
Thanks for bringing this. So much memory. Just listening to it makes me want to play diablo 2 haha.
This. All the action in Diablo 1 happened underground, but that isn't the music anyone remembers.
Monkalicious: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/OptimusPrime-12194/hero/79139477