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Parasite Eve II Original Soundtrack :: Review by Chris
OverviewNaoshi Mizuta's first work for Square was surrounded by quite unfortunate circumstances. For starters, he had the near-impossible task of succeeding the Parasite Eve Original Soundtrack, perhaps Yôko Shimomura's finest work to date and certainly his most unusual. To make matters worse, Parasite Eve II was to be much more orientated towards the Survival Horror genre, meaning the music required a considerably different approach too. Further, Mizuta is not an ambitious figure, relies heavily on simple ostinati, and seems to have little background in any musical genre. The soundtrack is very ambient and often highly repetitive, without the operatic influences, pumping electronica, and charming melodies to be especially original or memorable. This makes it a boring experience, particularly in bulk, and perhaps an unworthy sequel. Yet, it is very effective for in-game purposes, includes several delightful tracks along the way, and features a few stylish approaches to ambient music in places. Much like most of Mizuta's music, it's a functional success quite often, getting the job done, though requires considerable further discussion with regards to its worth as a stand-alone musical features. BodyDespite a general change of focus, Parasite Eve's score is far from dead, as reflected by the first three tracks, among others. "Forbidden Power [Theme of Aya]" is used in the opening movie and is a very direct mix of "Primal Eyes," except, despite its ironic name, not including the solo piano section that constitutes Aya's theme. It's driven throughout by a pre-recorded overdriven electric guitar performance from The Black Mages' Tsuyoshi Sekito and feels quite nightmarish thanks to the way the guitar constantly feels grungy and intense. The conclusion of the theme, featuring a sudden crash, eerie sound effects, and a dark piano motif is especially chilling, showing immediately the change in atmosphere for Parasite Eve II. "MIST" includes the distinctive cross-rhythms that constituted "Out Of Phase" in a downtempo mix. Despite being a less than expected addition, it is a very pleasant piece to relax to, with just enough harmonic interest to make it distinctive. The theme reappears fairly subtly in several other pieces too, most notably "Hiding Place," which delicately mixes the theme with the bass guitar sounds from Mizuta's own "Douglas' Blues" with great success. "Theme of Aya" definitely remains the most reused theme on the score, though, and it's here that disappointments arise. "Aya Again" relies on the harmonic framework of Shimomura's original against some dark suspended chords, with it improving as the chord progressions grow more intense, while "The Depth of Aya's Memory" and "Cruelty of Eve's Fate" are simple piano renditions of the theme, the former being more effective thanks to the later addition of some subtle string backing. They're not bad, but disappointing, feeling unvaried and harmonically deficient, as if Mizuta thoughtlessly started treating the classic theme with a series of very particular styles yet not develop them or inject any exuberance into his arrangements. These arrangements feel dead compared to those in the Parasite Eve Original Soundtrack and the remarkable Parasite Eve Remixes (which one can almost be certain Mizuta either never listened to or detested in some twisted way), demonstrating the creations of a relatively talentless artist who creates music, quite apparently, for the sake of functionality only. It's resentful that he chose not to include the marvellous main theme as well, particularly in the light of complete lack of thematic material in the rest of the score. Appropriate and technically sound, Ms. Shimomura's generous interpretation of his creations as 'very nice' sum up their nature well (even if I disagree with the 'sophisticated' bit): "I think Mr. Mizuta's arrangements are very nice, because they are sophisticated and have the appropriate mood. He used a lot of phrases which I composed for the original Parasite Eve game, so they remind me of my tunes and I'm glad. - Yôko Shimomura The battle tracks are usually among the better features to the score, showing considerable passion in Mizuta's composition at times, yet, in bulk, reveal the major flaw of the score. "The First Encounter" and "Metamorphosis" are the earliest themes, with each relying on a similar bassline, consisting of just a three-note and four-note ascending motif respectively. Though surprisingly simple, these basslines only add to the tension, at least in the short-term, while other interest remains thanks to the former's use of three chilling discords at the very start to make the listener almost freeze in fear and the latter's effective syncopated string discords and atmospheric noise use. "Weird Man" is also noteworthy, demonstrating a rather successful techno-minimalist-ambient hybrid, while "Ambush!," though quite ambient, creates a feeling of entrapment by repetition of another subdued yet fast-paced ostinato, this time a synth descant. It's also here that the bubble starts to burst and the listener realizes just how easily underpinned Mizuta's battle themes are, almost always relying on simple ostinati. "Pick Up the Gauntlet" may boast intense electric guitar and drum use, "Wipe Out the Creatures" may feature some extraordinary chromatic shifts, and "Chase" may cause panic with its rhythmically extreme nature, yet all are still relatively uncreative variations on a plain composing format with a few superficial yet blatant additions. They're still based on infantile ostinati, rely banefully upon string discords, and feature yet more atmospheric noise that, while creative in theory, fails to achieve the effective fusions of noise that make soundtracks such as Baroque's so effective. Just one sound alone does not work. If the point about collectivity producing dire results in this score needs to be emphasised further, consider that Mizuta decided to use the same descant from "Ambush!" in "Battle on the Waterside," "Stalker," "Stealth Assault," "Hunt in Dryfield," and "Golem Soldiers." The first two contrast by simply featuring different monster noises, which adds novelty, but quickly falls short, while the last two achieve some variation by actually using two ostinati, though I'd hardly call that creative, would you? Now, this point baffles me. Why does Mizuta recycle harmonic material on both this occasion and with his reuse of "Out Of Phase" yet only reuse melodic material with "Theme of Aya" while introducing none? Some might consider it a new approach to music and really inspired, but I disagree. While the reuse of "Out Of Phase" is acceptable due to Parasite Eve's influence, neither ostinato is remarkable enough from an intricate standpoint to truly deserve such levels of exposure. Mizuta's lack of inspiration and apparent inability to use anything but the most repetitive harmonies seems to blame rather than something much deeper. He ran out of ideas, basically, and tried to disguise this in the most unsubtle way possible! Oh, before I move on to a further rant, there's one theme, "Gigantic Burner," that doesn't rely on an ostinato, but guess what? It has no power at all, yet represents the largest boss in the game. Silly Mizuta... The unexpected downward spiral reflected in the last paragraph and, to a lesser extent, the one before is a feature commonly associated with Mizuta's scores. Initial interpretations are 'Ooh, this is good' or 'Wow! Talk about different', yet half an hour later tedium becomes dominant, big gaping holes appear, and Mizuta goes from being interpreted as a talented new(ish) composer to being cursed the biggest fool on the galaxy who deserves to be sacked from the Square Enix music team immediately, never to compose again (together with Hirosato Noda, preferably). Just imagine the faces of eager listeners as they put this CD into their player with huge amounts of anticipation before being greeted by nothingness with the deliciously titled yet extraordinarily uninspired "Nightmare in the Battlefield" and its successor "Deadly Calm," a minute's worth of wind sound effects that doesn't come close to rivalling noise music in the Baroque Original Soundtrack (in fact, it's an insult to that soundtrack, in my opinion). Denial is the first stage of grieving when faced with such tripe, but acceptance is inevitable as "What the Hell Happened" (the most ironic title of a piece until Sakuraba's "You Know It Fails"), "Do Something!" (they missed out "...While Mizuta Does Nothing"), and "Dryfield" (or, as I prefer, "Sporadically Placed Percussion Does Not Constitute Creativity, Mizuta") follow. That's only counting one third of the whole score, as well. If you experienced this, now reading this review in reflection, I sympathise and hope it doesn't cause nightmarish flashbacks. These are the consequences of giving an unambitious composer such a prominent project after Ms. Creativity herself scored the previous game's score. His quote "When I listen to good music, I feel I want to compose music like that" says it all. Talk about friggin' uninspiring and a pipe dream... Fortunately, I'm forgiving, as there are highlights, yet some are not. There are a few more notorious fools in the galaxy after all (*cough* George 'dubya' Bush *cough*) and there is some material in this score that remains worthy of discussion. Oh, and sorry for leading you this far into the review before revealing the soundtrack is crap, but you should know that I like to treat things artistically at first. There's something about people's classification of ambient music that annoys me. That is, the implication that ambient music is automatically bad, because it lacks a melody and a clear harmonic framework. This is understandable, as people are alienated by music such as this, with its apparent lack of distinctive features making it quite boring and inaccessible at times. Yet, artistic merit aside, is game music not ultimately supposed to accompany a scene appropriately? The fact ambient music exists on this soundtrack is appropriate, and even the downright inspiring pieces discussed above are functional successes to an extent, and it's even possible to debate that repetition can have positive effects in terms of agitating you in the Survivor Horror game. Where the problem lies with the ambient music is listening to it on a stand-alone basis, and only really profound creations, either due to the depth of the mood they portray or the sophistication of the musical features they employ, can be true hits. In Mizuta's case, he fails to achieve this 90% of the time, yet there are exceptions. "Ark" is perhaps the most notable. Here, Mizuta creates music in the structure of an overriding arch, starting softly with an ethereal synth pad and a celesta before introducing further forces, including mystical bells, further synth pads, and some gorgeous pre-recorded Indian choirs, developing to a subtle peak that has incredible atmospheric qualities before each force individually retires and the theme dissipates into silence. Sheer bliss and so subtle, Mizuta should be incredibly proud. "Voice of Mitochondria" also has a certain amount of depth, with its static yet highly resonant bass line combining with amazingly effective tuned percussion use that is somehow made to sound paranormal, varying in rhythm and tempo considerably to put the listener at edge and present something alien, yet retaining some of the theme's unusual warmth as well. This success is emulated to an extent in "Hold Your Breath," which uses some interesting electronic glissandi, and "Fool's Paradise," which sees the return of the celesta against some really eerie sound effects, though these pieces don't sustain much more than an initial listen (which is more than can be said for most ambient themes here, though!). Perhaps most emotive of them all, however, is "Douglas' Grief," which is also deeply heartening with 'new age' synth pads combining with a very slow bass guitar line. Emotions aren't created through any remarkable melodic progression or buildup to a tear jerking peak, yet the beauty of the timbres and the silent nature of the piece make it an ideal time for reflection after a tragic event. Nothing classic, but it works. Clearly, when Mizuta uses a variety of different timbres and develops his pieces a little more, the results are usually amicable, if not wondrous. But this is about all the ambient themes that are listenable for the majority out there on a stand-alone basis. One feature that adds to the diversity of the score is that Mizuta draws influences from popular music and jazz styles to create certain pieces. "Tower Rendezvous" is the first of such track, composed in the style of a '20s lounge jazz music, led by a soft piano that plays fairly intricate pseudo-improvised melodic lines against low-key backing from an acoustic bass and drums and a fairly simple harmonic basis. It's ideal as background music for relaxing to and demonstrates Mizuta's half decent skill in the jazz field. Another pleasant piano-based track is "Return to the Base," which, much like the Resident Evil save room tracks, represents the calm before the storm. The way the acoustic bass forms cross-rhythms with the piano's slightly jazzy lines adds a tinge of uneasiness, and the fact the piano is actually an electric one is an inspired change in terms of the unique and slightly hypnotic timbre created, pleasantly emphasised by Minoru Akao's top-notch sound programming. Despite growing tedious, the earlier mentioned "Ghost Town" effectively represents what it's supposed to with Mizuta's fingerprint bass guitar use creating a Western feel while haunting sound effects radiate over. Another bluesy piece with bass guitar emphasis and a similar melody is "Douglas' Blues," though the layering upon an ever-repeated ostinato grows boring very quickly here. The soundtrack also includes "Vagrants" is definitely reminiscent of a '50s blues theme played on an ancient vinyl record, with its harmonica melody, simple bass line, and laid-back feel. It's mighty-hackneyed and quite repetitive, yet a touch of colour ideal for creating a pastiche feel, until the second listen, when you're sure to vomit listening to it. There's a fine line between appreciating something because it's good music and enjoying something because it's a bit of variety at last. For the most part, these tracks achieve the latter, being simple in practically every way and demonstrating no particular flair for the genres concerned or understanding of their greatest musicians, merely demonstrating the most primal musical features possible. Their additions make the score more listenable, but certainly not any more artistic. The most acceptable aspect of Parasite Eve II's soundtrack are the themes that conclude the game, though this doesn't necessarily mean the soundtrack ends on a high note! With the second disc having a slightly militaristic edge in the first place, "Prestige of the Nation" develops this properly in a heartening anthem that features prominent snare drum use against an epic melody; like much of Mizuta's works, it's nothing special musically, but does the job by using traditional features, as the nation finds one last hope in Aya. The last dungeon theme, "Intrusion," ranks as one of the best on the soundtrack, which, while based on one basso ostinato for the majority of the 5 minutes it plays, manages to have enough variety above to create a sufficient epic feel, only emphasised further by the highly agitated "Brace Yourself." After the fitting first phase of the final boss theme, "Brahman," features, "Distorted Evolution" follows. It is definitely a major highlight on the soundtrack, featuring a grand melody, powerful choir backing, and a constant heartbeat in the background to reflect the reality of this epic struggle. It's no "U.B.," due to the lack of a superb secondary section, but still standouts from the putrid mess it is surrounded in. Following this, a series of brief ending themes play. "Logic of the Superpower" concludes the minor militaristic influence on the soundtrack, "Aya's Diary" succeeds in being a nice recollection theme with its nostalgic electric piano use, and "Epilogue" eventually blooms well before leading into "Gentle Rays," the last highlight on the soundtrack, a 'new age' track featuring jazzy piano after its dubious introduction. Just like the Vagrant Story and Racing Lagoon soundtracks, Parasite Eve II's features a few electronic remixes. Both are pretty bad though, with the pieces selected not being especially inspiring in the first place, the remixes being overly extended (5 minutes each), and literally featuring motifs repeated over and over again. For some reason, Square had to use a certain Hiroshi Nakajima to create "Weird Man [Delete-Core Mix]," though he offers nothing but tedium to the score. Mizuta really knows how to impress us at the end of soundtracks, however, finally treating us with a 4 second clip of a dog running and then barking. Yup, after listening through all that ambience and poorly crafted rubbish, we get rewarded with two dire remixes and a yappy pet dog trying to escape from you. Meh... SummaryNaoshi Mizuta is not a capable musician; his music is basic, banal, and boring, relying most of the time on nothing but repetitive ostinati and either sound effects or melodies with no charm or character. He's a neophyte out of his depth in this score, overshadowed completely by Ms. Shimomura's wonderful efforts before, yet with neither the ambition nor the ability of self-reflection to realize that he needs to vary and improve his work. Considering he freely admits he is still in training for composition, Square's reasons for employing him and utilising him on such a massive project are unclear, and, in many ways, they deserve to suffer the consequences of the production of this often abominable score; after all, Mizuta cannot help the fact he is unskilled, unpassionate, and untalented, a human that apparently lacks any purpose in the world other than to create more or less functional yet totally unappealing music, a person detestable to most that appreciate fine music yet somehow pitiful. While this soundtrack definitely doesn't come with a silver seal, take note of the existence of fine compositions such as "Forbidden Power...," "Ark," and "Distorted Evolution" against the dire attempts with noise music, endless use of ostinati, and sometimes hideous attempts to bring Jazz and Blues to the score. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day and Mizuta proves this in such creations, while fortunately developing slightly before composing for his next big project, Final Fantasy XI. It'd be a poor decision to buy this soundtrack, in my eyes, as its quality is very low overall, though if you're a fan of ordinary ambience and looking for a few highlights along the way, it might be worthy of some consideration. Regardless, this is likely the worst soundtrack to any Square game, repetitive, unmemorable, uncreative, and generally disappointing, so it would probably be best saving your money for the much more remarkable CDs in Square Enix's ever-growing collection. Percentage Overall Score: 55% |
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