I haven't really been listening to music for very long; two years ago, I wasn't entirely against music, but I certainly didn't seek music actively. However, when I entered high school, it seemed like that all changed. I actively sought out music, finding artists and songs that I either never heard of or never gave the time of day. I've been playing to video game music for even longer, and I never listened to the music playing either; I wouldn't pay attention to console game music and I would always leave the sound muted for portable games to leave anyone around me undisturbed. At the same time that I was discovering "proper" music, I was also discovering music that was always with me, but I never acknowledged. Looking back at all of the games that I've played in my lifetime, I can name a laundry list of game soundtracks that are brilliant, but only work in the context of the game. The soundtracks for Shadow of the Colossus and Ōkami are absolutely gorgeous, but I would never consider listening to them in my free time (it also doesn't help that Ōkami's soundtrack is 218 tracks long). However, there are a few game soundtracks that I can listen to wherever I am, because the individual songs work in any context and aren't reliant on the games they come from.
Shōji Meguro, game composer for the Shin Megami Tensei games, is not consistent with his musical style: even though he relies mainly on rock influences, he is constantly experimenting with the overall style of his songs. While one of Meguro's soundtracks may be grungy hard rock, the next might be bright and vibrant, almost to the point of becoming pop music. The most surprising thing is that Meguro has worked with multiple genres while still making something that is still distinctively his. It is that distinctive style that allows me to enjoy his music for being so different, even when a song is not from a genre I enjoy; I may hate rap, but I love Shōji Meguro's rap. But enough talk, let us listen to the music that I have such high praise for.
This song epitomizes both Meguro's roots and his ability to mix different sounds together. Never before had I heard hard rock mixed with techno to create music with tribal influences. At the same time, the focus on rock is undeniable in the overwhelming focus on the guitar, creating a song that is very much rock but is still unique in its sound.
Reach Out to the Truth - First Battle
Now, here's something different. Despite having a good emphasis on the guitar like Big Battle, Reach Out to the Truth invokes a different feel by including a vocals, and by changing the synthesizer frequency. Instead of being hard rock, Reach Out to the Truth is more of an amalgamation of punk and pop, creating a song that is significantly more brighter than Big Battle, while still keeping a lot of similarities between the two.Remember when I mentioned rap? Mass Destruction is the epitome of what American rap is not: it is one giant mass of different sounds playing off with wild abandon. Instead of dropping break-beats based around the theme of The Magnificent Seven, Mass Destruction uses trumpets, a strong backing baseline and (hit or miss) R&B-esque vocals. The "rap" isn't entirely rap, taking influences from funk to jazz, which serves to make something that is just fun to listen to. Mass Destruction doesn't sulk in the themes that rap artists make ad infinitum, and instead makes a song that may be overly shallow, but is quality nonetheless.
So there you go. I'm running out of steam for this entry, so I'll just leave you with a few songs that may not necessarily convey Meguro's variety, but are still really damn good.
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