Skullknight.NET Podcast: Episode 5

[Walter]

Episode 5: http://skullknight.net/podcast/Podcast5.mp3

Nomad joins us for a discussion on Berserk's music, and whether or not it's forever chained to Hirasawa Susumu. But the majority of this episode is more Skull Knight goodness. We cover his appearances from volume 18-24, with plans to wrap up the SK conversation by next podcast. We also chat with Nomad about video games at the end of the show, since Mass Effect 3 is looming, and Assassin's Creed 3's setting was leaked.

You will probably notice audio degradation in some segments, and I apologize for that. It's Skype's fault. It really didn't like that we were chatting across the globe with four people, and chose to randomly lower our audio quality. We hope to fix any such problems in the future.

Episode guide
0:00:00-0:32:25: Music discussion (w/ Nomad)
0:32:30-1:30:45: Skull Knight discussion
1:30:52-1:49:06: Video game discussion (w/Nomad)

=======================
Postscript:
Zelda 2 Town Theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGfIaw3TuOs

We also had a conversation early in the podcast about General Kael from Willow resembling Skull Knight. But due to Skype barfing on us, it wasn't properly recorded. But it was only about 2 minutes of Aaz saying "Yeah we knew about it already, and I don't think it looks very similar." If any brave souls want to venture into that stuttery/robot-sounding clip, here it is: http://skullknight.net/podcast/misc/Podcast5-kael.mp3

 

[SrCraneo]

It seems like you guys reuploaded the fourth one again on iTunes. Just so you know

 

[Walter]

It seems like you guys reuploaded the fourth one again on iTunes. Just so you know

Whoops... Fixed! Didn't change one of the lines in the RSS file. It might be a few minutes before it propagates through iTunes. In the meantime you can listen to the MP3 i link in the first post.

Update: Works now!

 

[Th3Branded0ne]

Great Episode!

Thanks to Nomad, to explaining his process to making the music he produces. It goes to show that you don't have to study music to know how to do it. Way to go Nomad!

The more you guys talk about Skullknight, the more mysteries there are about him. Do you think we'll ever get a backstory on him, or just leave that as a great mystery?

 

[nomad]

Great Episode!

Thanks to Nomad, to explaining his process to making the music he produces. It goes to show that you don't have to study music to know how to do it. Way to go Nomad!

Why thank you my good man. I've always encourage people to create things that they are passionate about, even if lacking on the "education". That being said, and just to clarify that Sign "MIDI" version is not the finished product. I am still working on it, and will be up by the next Podcast... Or at least most of them .

I also want to thank the big guys for having me. I had a lot of fun with the trio while finally having a nice Berserk related conversation. Keep up the good work!

 

[Walter]

The more you guys talk about Skullknight, the more mysteries there are about him. Do you think we'll ever get a backstory on him, or just leave that as a great mystery?

I'm sure we'll touch on that more in the next podcast. I think we'll have to end up speculating on that type of stuff after we've wrapped discussion on all of SK's major appearances. Personally, I think we'll get a backstory. If we get one for Ganishka, Rochine and the Count, etc. then why not one for the most enigmatic character in the series (except for , of course)?

The question for me isn't if, rather it's how long it'll be. I'd love it to be a series of episodes, similar to what we got for Farnese and Serpico in Eps 177-178.

 

[Truder]

I've heard the Podcast up until the end of the discussion about music. It was definitely a nice conversation and I think that I might be one of the few that doesn't listen to rock at all while reading Berserk.

The Berserk movie soundtrack isn't all bad, but like you guys said, it lacks a personality... and like you guys said, Berserk has many different layers of emotions that it would be dumb to relate flat, no personality music with Berserk.

Here's a song that I personally loved to listen to while reading the Sea God segment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J52NoUR9SnA

 

[Walter]

I think that I might be one of the few that doesn't listen to rock at all while reading Berserk.

I guess I didn't specify in the podcast, but I normally listen to Hirasawa's music when I read new Berserk episodes. It usually ends up being Beherit, since it's the first track. But there are a few exceptions. Generally I like it to be instrumental music that helps with atmosphere and doesn't have an overbearing theme that would interfere with my enjoyment of the reading.

Here's a song that I personally loved to listen to while reading the Sea God segment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J52NoUR9SnA

I remember playing this while reading through both Eps 303-304 for the first time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D60U9uXPt2w&feature=related I thought it worked particularly well for those sequences, and when I hear the song now, I can't help but think of Ganishka's story.

 

[Th3Branded0ne]

Also, when you mentioned Skullknight dreaming the vision about the hawk of light, I had a picture in my head of SK having a nap on Flora's house

 

[Aazealh]

Do you think we'll ever get a backstory on him, or just leave that as a great mystery?

I'm sure we'll eventually learn more about him.

I think that I might be one of the few that doesn't listen to rock at all while reading Berserk.

I don't listen to music while reading Berserk.

 

[Lord Leith]

Jeez I need to be more active but either way, awesome new podcast always gets a smile on my face.

 

[Bramwell]

I could never listen to rock while reading. Lyrics would clutter the dialogue in my mind. Personaly i listen to thunderstorms. Theres like Hour long thunderstorm recordings on youtube. Epic

 

[smogass]

Seemed like Aazealh left the conversation at the end of the SK part. Well anyway, liked podcast as always. Also I don't listen to any music while reading berserk , well maybe on some scenes I switch on some of the tracks from Two Steps From Hell to add even more epicness.

 

[Walter]

Seemed like Aazealh left the conversation at the end of the SK part.

I'm surprised you noticed. But yeah he cut out due to technical difficulties. Me and Griff salvaged it though.

 

[Griffith]

This one was a lot of fun, I hope it carries over into the next when we wrap up Skull Knight. I've noticed I especially enjoy the odd numbered episodes for some reason (it's the opposite of the Star Trek movie odd number curse =).

Anyway, something we didn't get to cover in the music segment, but one of the movie tracks is reminiscent of the beginning of Edea's theme from FFVIII:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIJR8GviQY

A funny coincidence, since Aaz did a play on this page with her name and that track:

http://aazealh.net/edea/

Yeah, it would have been too hard and time consuming to explain on the podcast, but an amusing coincidence nonetheless.

 

[nomad]

Anyway, something we didn't get to cover in the music segment, but one of the movie tracks is reminiscent of the beginning of Edea's theme from FFVIII.

. Nice catch. I remember noticing Walter's most favorite track "Blood and Guts (end credits)" was extremely similar to one of the scores from Silence of the Lambs. I'd post it here, but I can't seem to find it in our beloved youtube. Further search is due!

There were things that I would've touched bases with, but the reality was that we stretched it long enough. But I now know the feeling of wishing I said something I forgot or using better words to describe specific things. "Uumm" happens to be my english weak point ;). It was a lot of fun though.

 

[Aazealh]

Anyway, something we didn't get to cover in the music segment, but one of the movie tracks is reminiscent of the beginning of Edea's theme from FFVIII

Yeah, like I'd told you before I was actually surprised by how much this OST reminds me of various games. I mean almost every track reminds me of something, it's pretty crazy.

For example, in addition to Obscurité d'Edea, Semper Invicta & Voix du Diable have a strong Diablo feel to them IMHO. La Bête Immense II's beginning feels like typical Resident Evil music, and Avant la Tempête sounds like it's straight from FFXII. Des Cambrioleurs/Des Liens Solides/L'Amour Impitoyable also have that JRPG flavor to them, but not quite as precise. Then there's Jeux de Nobles' beginning, that feels like it's from the soundtrack of an 80s classic movie.

Anyway that's just my perception of it of course, but I'm still intrigued by this. And it's not necessarily a bad thing either, since I like those tracks.

 

[Walter]

Yeah, like I'd told you before I was actually surprised by how much this OST reminds me of various games. I mean almost every track reminds me of something, it's pretty crazy.

For example, in addition to Obscurité d'Edea, Semper Invicta & Voix du Diable have a strong Diablo feel to them IMHO. La Bête Immense II's beginning feels like typical Resident Evil music, and Avant la Tempête sounds like it's straight from FFXII. Des Cambrioleurs/Des Liens Solides/L'Amour Impitoyable also have that JRPG flavor to them, but not quite as precise. Then there's Jeux de Nobles' beginning, that feels like it's from the soundtrack of an 80s classic movie.

Anyway that's just my perception of it of course, but I'm still intrigued by this. And it's not necessarily a bad thing either, since I like those tracks.

So what you're saying is that the soundtrack is utterly generic

 

[Aazealh]

So what you're saying is that the soundtrack is utterly generic

Well I always said it felt somewhat generic to me but that I liked it in spite of that. I stand by it.

 

[Griffith]

As we touched on in the podcast and I was discussing with Aaz earlier today, the movie soundtrack is at a distinct disadvantage relative to the original anime OST because most of us heard it for the first time while watching the anime; giving the music instant context, associations, and reference points between music and the series. At this point Hirasawa is synonymous with Berserk music in most minds and the perfect fit for it, if not only one. Though, I bet it wouldn't have seemed so natural if one following the manga at the time was looking forward to a Berserk anime soundtrack and heard Hirasawa's unique brand of offbeat electronic music all by itself. As a matter of fact, I doubt it would have met most people's expectations, and even imagine many would think it a terrible fit, probably preferring something... well, like this new soundtrack. Of course, that's what makes Hirasawa's Berserk music so cool; it benefits from being not only effective but different and singular. The new soundtrack can't ever match that perception, and we're probably not even comparing it so much to Hirasawa's actual Berserk music as we are to The Idea of Hirasawa's Berserk Music, and some ideal of what could/should have been (speaking of which, I like Aria, but it's not like it blows the rest of the soundtrack away). As for the new soundtrack, it's good; slick, professional, and quality throughout. It may not be groundbreaking, but I wouldn't want to take that quality for granted or forsake the good in the name of perfection, especially not before hearing it in context. I mean, not every track can live up to classic compositions like Beherit and Ball, but what can?

 

[nomad]

As we touched on in the podcast and I was discussing with Aaz earlier today, the movie soundtrack is at a distinct disadvantage relative to the original anime OST because most of us heard it for the first time while watching the anime; giving the music instant context, associations, and reference points between music and the series. At this point Hirasawa is synonymous with Berserk music in most minds and the perfect fit for it, if not only one. Though, I bet it wouldn't have seemed so natural if one following the manga at the time was looking forward to a Berserk anime soundtrack and heard Hirasawa's unique brand of offbeat electronic music all by itself. As a matter of fact, I doubt it would have met most people's expectations, and even imagine many would think it a terrible fit, probably preferring something... well, like this new soundtrack. Of course, that's what makes Hirasawa's Berserk music so cool; it benefits from being not only effective but different and singular. The new soundtrack can't ever match that perception, and we're probably not even comparing it so much to Hirasawa's actual Berserk music as we are to The Idea of Hirasawa's Berserk Music, and some ideal of what could/should have been (speaking of which, I like Aria, but it's not like it blows the rest of the soundtrack away). As for the new soundtrack, it's good; slick, professional, and quality throughout. It may not be groundbreaking, but I wouldn't want to take that quality for granted or forsake the good in the name of perfection, especially not before hearing it in context. I mean, not every track can live up to classic compositions like Beherit and Ball, but what can?

That was part of what I was trying to get across, when I mentioned that we have to consider that this new OST was designed for the anime and not the source (manga) VS. Most of us who got introduced to Berserk via 97's anime and Hirasawa. Another fact that makes a comparison "unfair" is that designing a composition of a series is no similar to a 2 hour flick. You have a 25 episode stretch for 30 minutes, where a composer or writer (Hirasawa in this case), had to cover more basis in order to accommodate a more rich and possible variety of different scenarios VS. a film that we can safely assume will be more "straight forward" and cutting what's considered "dead air" in the industry. I also mentioned that the track "Earth" in the old anime felt a bit awkward. Though I love the track and to this day I listen to it in my travels, was this a song dedicated to the highlight of the Falcon's? Or did the production team couldn't fit it anywhere else? That being said, I look forward to what will happen in the next installments. We really don't know where this is going to go. How are the events of the Eclipse (as an example) and after will change the mood or structure. And to compliment your statement Griffith, the only question that I can ask would be... Should my own track "Hill of Swords" was in the mixture of the new OST. Will the members that praised it and did associate it with Berserk before would feel the same way about it? Or was it the fact that I specifically stated that this was a Berserk tribute music?

 

[Walter]

Though, I bet it wouldn't have seemed so natural if one following the manga at the time was looking forward to a Berserk anime soundtrack and heard Hirasawa's unique brand of offbeat electronic music all by itself. As a matter of fact, I doubt it would have met most people's expectations, and even imagine many would think it a terrible fit, probably preferring something... well, like this new soundtrack. Of course, that's what makes Hirasawa's Berserk music so cool; it benefits from being not only effective but different and singular.

Great post, Griff. I do agree for the most part, but I think it helps that Susumu made a very unconventional soundtrack for an anime, whereas the Berserk Movie's OST is such traditional fare that you can still hear the original source they were inspired from through the walls. In that regard, what he did was a much braver feat and I think that's in part why fans gravitate to it so strongly. It's a got a unique sound, even if it's a little offbeat. Because of that, it's become an underdog of sorts. It's so unique that it offers a sense of ownership to those who enjoy the sound of it. The Berserk Movie OST could almost be from any epic movie. There's very little that makes it stand out as unique, to me.

As for the new soundtrack, it's good; slick, professional, and quality throughout. It may not be groundbreaking, but I wouldn't want to take that quality for granted or forsake the good in the name of perfection, especially not before hearing it in context.

It's competent sounding. I just wish it was more ambitious, and didn't play it safe so often.

I mean, not every track can live up to classic compositions like Beherit and Ball, but what can?

... Oh, come on! Beherit is a classic! Ball though... yeah.

I also mentioned that the track "Earth" in the old anime felt a bit awkward. Though I love the track and to this day I listen to it in my travels, was this a song dedicated to the highlight of the Falcon's? Or did the production team couldn't fit it anywhere else?

There are definitely moments when the choice of music in the '97 anime weren't exactly inspired. Yet there still others that stand out in my mind as completely inspired. I think the first time you hear Beherit is a great moment that works well with the visuals and the audio. It's when Griffith and Guts first meet. And whether it's intentional or not, there's a sad and ominous sound to the music that's perfectly fitting given their relationship ultimately, particularly in the context of a flashback.

That being said, I look forward to what will happen in the next installments. We really don't know where this is going to go. How are the events of the Eclipse (as an example) and after will change the mood or structure.

Even though I absolutely love Murder from the '97 anime, I can't wait to hear what a full orchestra can do for an atmosphere like the Eclipse, if that's the route they take with it, of course. Though I think I forgot to mention in the podcast that I believe they'll have to adapt the music to the future arcs by changing the tone of them. Not sure the kind of orchestral theme they use for the Golden Age would be as suited for The Black Swordsman arc.

 

[nomad]

I think the first time you hear Beherit is a great moment that works well with the visuals and the audio. It's when Griffith and Guts first meet.

Agreed. My most favorite track of that OST has been Beherit and Guts. I think beherit was the first piece that glued me with anticipation overall.

Though I think I forgot to mention in the podcast that I believe they'll have to adapt the music to the future arcs by changing the tone of them. Not sure the kind of orchestral theme they use for the Golden Age would be as suited for The Black Swordsman arc.

As far as I'm concerned, that will be the "hit or miss" result of whoever does ends up doing the OST. But judging from the current OST already in the market, I give credit where is due and I see potential. Let's just hope that we can all have something out of this new anime should the overall artistic and written portion does not meet expectations.

 

[Griffith]

I pretty much agree totally, so I'll just add or clarify a couple things. Also, I noticed that I ended up copy/pasting the phrase "it may not be groundbreaking" twice in two sentences (real convincing for my defense of the album). It was not meant as a rhetorical refrain, so feel free to PM me about these boners, guys. =)

The Berserk Movie OST could almost be from any epic movie. There's very little that makes it stand out as unique, to me.

It's competent sounding. I just wish it was more ambitious, and didn't play it safe so often.

Look at it this way: having a competently orchestrated Berserk symphony that's indistinguishable from the best work its genre is pretty awesome, and ambitious, by default. I think the fact that it's apparently not transcendent enough says more about our love of Berserk than the score itself.

... Oh, come on! Beherit is a classic! Ball though... yeah.

Agreed. My most favorite track of that OST has been Beherit and Guts. I think beherit was the first piece that glued me with anticipation overall.

It's one of my favorites too, but my point was that on the surface there's nothing incredible about its composition. If we heard it for the first time shuffled somewhere in the middle of this OST, would we appreciate it the same way, would it stand out above everything else, or would we consume it in the same fashion as the rest of the album? I'm scrutinizing the subjectivity of our experiences more than the relative quality of the music, so no offense to Beherit.

As for Ball, I'll give you reason to appreciate it; perhaps it was Hirasawa's critique of traditional soundtracks like this.

 

[nomad]

If we heard it for the first time shuffled somewhere in the middle of this OST, would we appreciate it the same way, would it stand out above everything else, or would we consume it in the same fashion as the rest of the album? I'm scrutinizing the subjectivity of our experiences more than the relative quality of the music, so no offense to Beherit.

I get what you're saying, and I used my own little work in the same example in a previous post. I've always been keen to soundtracks in general, even at the most horrible films, for the most part there are tracks that I do like. Anyone that likes scores should always have a "best of soundtrack" album in their CINCO MIDI organizer to avoid having to deal with the other pile. . But that's just me in a personal basis.