Vampire Variations: Volume II
Comments from album director Alexandre Mourey (Chernabogue) and ReMixers
Album freely available at http://vampire.ocremix.org

Following the success of the first album in October 2011, Alexandre Mourey (Chernabogue) and KNGI.org are proud to present Vampire Variations: Volume II – a whole new tribute album to the Castlevania series, released on October 31, 2013.

This new album focuses on two major games from Konami's series: Rondo of Blood (PC Engine CD, 1993) and Bloodlines (Genesis, 1994), and on the music composed by akiropito, Keizo Nakamura, Tomoko Sano, Mikio Saito (Rondo of Blood), and Michiru Yamane (Bloodlines).

But this time, we decided to put it to the next level: 2 albums, more than one and a half hours of music, more than 25 musicians and performers, and full album artwork. Everything was done by fans, for fans, to celebrate the games' anniversary.

The project's musicians were asked to arrange the tracks the way they wanted to, and to create their own vision of the soundtracks. The project features several different genres, including orchestra, metal, funk, electronic music, and many others. In order to respect the work of the artists, no final mixing or mastering was applied to the project.

The project's artwork was created to bring the universe of Castlevania to life, but also to give Vampire Variations its own visual identity. Unlike the first project, different covers were designed for the second one to allow listeners to chose the one they prefer.

I would like to thank all the people who made this happen, who trusted me, and who dedicated their work for the project. I truly hope you will enjoy this new musical experience, as much as I enjoyed directing this project. The Dark Lord is rising once again. Hold your crucifixes close. What an horrible night to be cursed once more...

-Alexandre Mourey

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1-01. AngelCityOutlaw, Chernabogue - "Sinfonía del Diablo"
Source: "Blood Relations of Heaven and Earth (Stage 1 BGM)"

Chernabogue: Creating the introduction track to an album isn't an easy task. Chris (AngelCityOutlaw) came up with a few ideas, especially the very impressive introduction, and I built the arrangement from it, using a combination of orchestra, organ, and choir. Chris added a bit of magic with cinematic percussion and live guitar before I mix/mastered the whole thing. This track proves collaborations can end with a fantastic track -- I encourage it with all my heart.

1-02. Eino Keskitalo, Tuberz McGee - "Mechanical Salvation"
Source: "Requiem (Name Entry BGM)"

Chernabogue: Call me weird, but I can hear some Metroid Prime in Eino's arrangement. Not sure if it was their first collaboration, but Eino and Callum (Tuberz McGee) really develop their own style afterwards. Superfuzzy guitars, synths, organs, and custom percussion make it very unique. Big props to both of them on working on a short source and creating a very enjoyable remix.

Eino Keskitalo: Having successfully arranged another minimal Castlevania source, I grabbed "Requiem" for Vampire Variations II two months before the deadline. I underestimated the time I had to make the arrangement. I planned to record two guitar tracks, I pretty quickly sketched them up and made a cut-and-paste drum track from random samples with a placeholder organ to go with it, and put chip sounds in for the guitars. We also discussed making this a vocal track with my fiancée. The time to record any of that never materialized.

Then one day *after* the final deadline, I sent Chernabogue what I had, plus the thought of recruiting Tuberz for guitars, since he had volunteered as a project resource, and our earlier Shell Shocked collab went quite nicely. I think the only thing I managed to do for the track in the two months was to add bits of the bass part (which is made from Chapman Stick samples). Fortunately, Alex liked what he was hearing and was very supportive. Callum was enthusiastic about the track & quickly provided excellent guitar tracks, which, by the way, are quite different from what I could've come up with, providing what I feel is a distinct early 90s hard rock vibe. I did doctor them a bit -- if you hear any nasty edits, that's my fault.

The wonderful response from these two guys super-energized me to be able to finish the track quickly (for my usual two-and-a-half-years standard). Good thing the placeholder drums and organ turned out to sound all right after varying them up a bit & mixing them properly!

Here's what Mr. McGee had to say: "My cat is cute, but likes to mute my guitar mid-take by pressing her paws on the strings."

Source breakdown:

The source (a single melody line) is carried by the organ, the background guitarish thing in the middle-ish, and the lead guitar.

0:00-0:13 - intro, no source
0:13-0:33 - BG guitar plays the first two notes of each phrase of the source. Organ is vaguely following the source as well.
0:33-0:52 - BG guitar plays the source verbatim. The organ follows it too, with additional harmony writing.
0:52-1:29 - Lead guitar joins in, varying the first half of the source. The BG guitar goes back to playing the first two notes. Organ continues covering the source in full.
1:29-1:40 - original section
1:40-1:49 - BG guitar plays a variation of the source
1:49-1:58 - original section
1:58-2:17 - organ plays the full source slightly reduced & varied
2:17-2:34 - organ continues, lead guitar joins in to vary up the source melody again
2:34-2:54 - original section
2:54-3:03 - organ vaguely follows the source
3:03-3:22 - BG guitar plays the first half of the source twice, the second iteration with variations. Organ plays the source too.
3:22-3:32 - BG guitar plays the second half of the source with some variation, organ as well.
3:32-3:44 - no direct source connection

1-03. Mega Beardo - "Richter's Graveyard Groove"
Source: "Cemetery (Stage 3 Other Side BGM)"

Chernabogue: Metal works wonders on this track: while the quieter parts sound good, the more extreme parts were very well-managed by Ryan (Mega Beardo). The track draws a bit of inspiration from black metal (the organs, the more extreme rhythm guitars, the blast beats, etc.), and it is interesting to see what an artist can do with a specific source. Brilliant guitar work all along.

1-04. AngelCityOutlaw - "Nosfearatu"
Source: "Cross a Fear (Stage 2 Other Side BGM)"

Chernabogue: AngelCityOutlaw returns to mix rock, electro elements, and a bit of orchestra for an interesting result. The arrangement itself stays close to the source, but the original parts really shine. Digging the solo after 1:55 -- works very well and shows how creative VGM guitarists can be.

1-05. Lashmush - "The Damned Thirteen"
Source: "Slash (Stage 4 Other Side BGM)"

Chernabogue: Lashmush confessed he had trouble remixing this particular track -- hence the title -- but I can confirm he did a great job, especially on the interpretation side. His riff work works wonders, and while the track could have beneficied from a better mixing, it still has the charm of a rock/metal garage band. Bang your head off!

1-06. Stemage, Chunkstyle - "Transylvania Sound Machine"
Source: "Ghost Ship Painting (Stage 5 Normal Side BGM)"

Chernabogue: This track was highly anticipated -- how can one say no to more Stemage? Grant comes back with a really funky arrangement, true to the original. The guitar work, percussion programming, and mixing are excellent. Plus it has live bass from Chunkstyle -- what could you ask for? Maybe more.

Stemage: Super funky stuff with Chunkstyle on bass.

1-07. goat - "Krush Kontrol"
Source: "Former Room (Stage 6 BGM)"

Chernabogue: It was a real pleasure to get the man who introduced me to OCR and VGM remixing on my own project. Once again, this source is short, but goat took the liberty of adding a lot of new ideas. The result is a heavy metal arrangement with a few interesting elements and excellent lead guitar work.

1-08. timaeus222 - "Phantasmal Hellfire"
Source: "Wild Dance in Phantasmic Hell (Boss Theme BGM)"

Chernabogue: People usually critisize dubstep and related genres, but as a project director, you have to stay open to what artists can bring. Tim always surprises me with creative and well-produced tracks. This one is no exception, and shows electro can sound aggressive -- really aggressive! The calmer parts improve the track's pacing so we listeners can take our breath.

timaeus222: This deviates quite a bit from my usual stuff, though this tangent appeared to really make me kick my game up a few notches. It's my first time going with such an aggressive production scheme, but I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy the outcome. This ReMix is in no way one that rocks your speakers or gives a feisty left hook to your headphones. Instead, it annihilates them both.

Prepare to get your socks blown off faster than you can say, "MythBusters proved it impossible"!

Source Breakdown (I used the synth-y source since the notes were easier to hear. ;D):

0:00.00-0:24.05 - Piano, strings in first 7 seconds of source
0:24.05-0:36.04 - Bass, strings in first 7 seconds of source
0:36.04-1:00.05 - Original
1:00.05-1:12.05 - Bass, strings in first 7 seconds of source
1:12.05-1:24.03 - Sync Lead, left speaker in source at 0:14
1:24.03-1:36.04 - Sync Lead, right speaker in source at 0:22
1:36.04-2:00.04 - Bass, strings in first 7 seconds of source
2:00.04-2:24.05 - Piano, strings in first 7 seconds of source
2:24.05-2:36.05 - Bass, strings in first 7 seconds of source
2:36.05-2:48.04 - Sync Lead, left speaker in source at 0:14
2:48.04-3:00.03 - Sync Lead, right speaker in source at 0:22
3:00.03-3:12.05 - Original
3:12.05-3:24.05 - Sync Lead, strings in first 7 seconds of source
3:24.05-End - Bells, strings in first 7 seconds of source

204/240 = 85% source

1-09. Lashmush - "This Whip Was Made to Punish"
Source: "Op.13 (Stage 5 Other Side BGM)," "Bloody Tears (Street-day time-Stage BGM)" - Castlevania II

Chernabogue: I won't lie -- I love this intro riff. I remember listening for hours to the 30-second first WIP Lashmush sent me. Power metal is one of my favorite musical genres and I think I share this preference with him. The "Bloody Tears" quote in the middle and the solo really shine over the heavy rhythm.

1-10. Aensland - "Crux Fortitudo Mea"
Source: "Den (Stage 7 BGM)"

Chernabogue: And now for something completely different. Aensland has a really interesting musical signature -- orchestra, choir, organ, and maybe some Gregorian inspirations. Taking a more funky-sounding source and arranging it this way is daring, but the result, while short, is excellent.

1-11. Rize - "Circle of Illusions"
Source: "Illusionary Dance Music (Stage 8 · Dracula's Theme)"

Chernabogue: The acoustic guitar is not the instrument you're expecting when listening to a remix covering the final battle source. Rize succeeds in using it well along with heavier, electric guitars. Very creative arrangement around the original, and great remix suiting Dracula.

1-12. The Nate Horsfall Experience - "Chocolate Rondo (I Kinda Love It)"
Source: "March of the Saint (Richter Ending BGM)"

Chernabogue: Omigadrive returns with friends for an arrangement paying tribute to both Richter Belmont and Nate Horsfall (former illustrator for Dwelling of Duels and Vampire Variations, among others). The remix itself draws from rock and funk, but also brings classical-sounding ideas. Neat live work from the whole band, especially Dr. Manhattan's solo near the end. Perfect way to end the first album.

2-01. Guifrog - "Red Pearl"
Source: "Reincarnated Soul (Start Demo 1 Stage BGM · Old Castle Dracula)"

Chernabogue: The intro of this track screamed to the second album's first notes. The arrangement quickly turns into a mix between Hans Zimmer's Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack and a Latin electro rave -- which is very good. Guifrog really did a great job blending those two universes as soon as I noticed those similarities. The perfect rhythmed start.

Guifrog: Olá, pessoas!!! *hugzevery1!11*

Short story: I made a 30 sec. sketch of something cool and sent to Mr. Bogue. He said it had a Pirates of the Caribbean vibe. Voilà -- I developed the song further in a way so it could clearly resemble that movie somehow in its soundscape. I mean, remember the Black Pearl? Something like that, there you are. The title of this remix/ship is a reference to a vampire's really valued treasure: blood! >:[

Of course, I also seasoned it with some harp and hammered dulcimer, just because. o/

2-02. Existence Zero - "Bonds of Dark Secrets"
Sources: "A Vision of Dark Secrets (Opening Demo BGM)," "Bonds of Brave Men (Player Select BGM)"

Chernabogue: Vish, the member of Existence Zero I worked with, accepted the challenge of mixing those two short sources together. The result sounds very proggy, switching back and forth between heavy distorted rhythm, synth leads, and quieter parts with cleaner guitars. A pleasure to see how artists can expand their sources.

2-03. Rexy - "Unholy Water"
Source: "The Sinking Old Sanctuary (Stage 2 BGM · Greek Temple)"

Chernabogue: Bev (Rexy) really is the queen of piano solo arrangements. Her track is a breathe of fresh air in a project dominated by heavier electro and metal arrangements -- even if the album's pace may look a little weird, this is a great arrangement to have on it. It keeps a grandiose feeling while sounding quite intimistic. A truly nice interpretation.

2-04. Gario - "Satanic Spire"
Source: "The Discolored Wall (Stage 3 BGM · The Leaning Tower of Pisa)"

Chernabogue: And you thought Phonetic Hero's Sonic CD remix was the evilest VGM arrangement out there? Guess again! Waiting only a few hours before the album's release to get the final version of this twisted remix was worth it. You can feel Gario was really looking to remix this source. The production is clean, and the atmosphere feels super creepy. The screams near the end are the cherry on the cake.

Gario: Hey, there! Feels like I've dropped off the planet, with no less than two computer failures over the past half year. A darn shame, too, because I spent time while I had computers getting music finished, as well as polishing off some music of mines for the sake of submission. While I've got a computer again, I better start sending some of it off!

This one is my "Discolored Wall" arrangement that I've been planning on making for roughly five years. The game was amazing, and this track always stood out as completely unique, which intrigued me. Dissonant, creepy and all-around insane, it posed to be quite the challenge to make something that reflected the mood, yet was enjoyable in its own right. Before being approached for the album by Chernabogue, I actually tried to arrange this track, but from the combination of Reason 3's lack of meter changing & tempo changing, as well as my own personal lack of production abilities, I felt a bit out of my league. Years later, I can't get it out of my head, and I found an opening for the exact track that I wanted on the album, so I figured it was finally time to take this track head on again. After a few false starts (and a few more sleepless nights), this was the result, and I couldn't be happier with it.

Creepy choir against the raw synths set the mood, and when it picks up, it's just full of electronic flavor. I don't know how to classify it, but it was damn satisfying to make. I hope you all enjoy it! ;)

2-05. DaMonz - "Prussian Bones"
Source: "Iron-Blue Intention (Stage 4 BGM · German Iron and Steel Factory)"

Chernabogue: The intro of this remix sounds like a generic chiptune arrangement of the source, but later additions show its real value. The synths and strings add a lot of depth to the track, and the writing really does justice to the source. The breakdown is also a very nice touch, as it keeps the energy of the remix, while introducing different sounds. Crazy synth solos are spot-on.

DaMonz: Alright, so this is basically me not thinking at all. :D

When Chernabogue invited me to the project, I had less than 2 months to get a finished ReMix done, for a source I'd never heard before (and my two last months have been terribly busy). So, yeah, I didn't have the time to think about what I was doing, so I kind of told my brain to shut up and just let the mouse have fun! ^_^

This ReMix is the result. I'm really happy with it, and when I listen to it I feel like I'm improving, compared to my earlier work. I hope you'll agree!

2-06. Mak Eightman - "Find Me"
Source: "Mysterious Curse (Password BGM)"

Chernabogue: I recall this track was the first final one I got. Max did a great job blending together creepy electro elements and his trademark metal stuff. The remix sounds very heavy, and the guitar work is excellent. The various parts once again show how one can do a short track justice.

Mak Eightman: SD3's level-up theme was my best remix, in my opinion. So here is another project and another short source - another attempt to make something nice.

2-07. Afilion - "No Prayers or Queens"
Source: "The Prayer of a Tragic Queen (Stage 5 BGM · Palace of Versailles)"

Chernabogue: While this remix doesn't introduce too many different sounds, it does it well. The numerous sections of the arrangement proposed by Afilion cover various parts of the source in different ways, which new sonorities. The percussion may sound a little repetitive, but the writing work is so good you won't notice it.

2-08. Brandon Strader - "City of Angels"
Source: "Calling from Heaven (Stage 6 BGM · New Castle Dracula)"

Chernabogue: One cannot top Naoto Shibata's remix of this source. However, Brandon did a very nice job taking it in his universe -- a universe filled with black metal, and a creepy lead synth (that breakdown sounds so evil-esque). I wasn't sure about the blast beats at first, but they really fit in the brutal and dark arrangement Brandon offered.

2-09. Chernabogue feat. Omigadrive, Mega Beardo, Viking Guitar, Stemage, Furilas, Mak Eightman - "The Eighth Deadly Sin"
Source: "The 6 Servants of the Devil (Normal Boss BGM)"

Chernabogue: This track was hard to arrange, as the source is totally crazy. I came up with a concept in mind, which I thought was good at that time: having six different solos, a reference to the source's title. I got my usual metal acolytes, Tuberz McGee and Furilas, to record the rhythmic parts, while I did the drum/synth programming, before mixing all those solos in. The solos are from (in order of appearance): Omigadrive, Mega Beardo, Viking Guitar (who wrote his solo for another track of mine by mistake), Stemage, Furilas (bass), and Mak Eightman. Having such great guitarists on the same track was a challenge, which ended up not so badly.

2-10. SoundTakT - "Bloodthirst"
Source: "The Vampire's Stomach (Last Boss BGM)"

Chernabogue: This one is also super tricky to arrange, but SoundTakT came up with the right ideas, and excellent writing. The organ is a nice addition to a metal mix -- who could imagine a Dracula battle track without organ? -- and the production, while fighting the loudness war, is still good. The synth and guitar work are both excellent.

2-11. Brandon Strader - "Season of the Witch"
Source: "Together Forever (Ending Demo BGM)"

Chernabogue: Well, who would have guessed that Nicolas Cage was Dracula's real form? Brandon surely did. This track follows up his "VK" remix from Volume 1, and brings in more orchestra and evil-sounding stuff -- particularly that middle section with the tuba and screaming lead. The acoustic breakdown is also a very nice touch. The title fits quite well, actually, as Bloodlines features a witch (named Drolta) who resurrects Dracula, and serves a boss during the Dracula fight -- nice reference.

Brandon Strader: This is a direct sequel to "Vampire's Kiss," although it is less cagey. Oh, believe me, there's still plenty of Cage, but now voice clip duties are being shared by other people from the film (Season of the Witch). This remix is dedicated to the original Dracula, Nicolas Cage.

As for the mix itself, I had a blast making this and I think it sounds really great. It's casualized commercial symphonic black metal with no growls, but it still has some blastbeats and some minor chords, so it's walking the thin red line between black metal and the kind of metal you people might listen to. (What does he mean, "you people"?)

We're gonna need more holy water.

2-12. tibone - "For Love Is Immortality"
Source: "Requiem for the Nameless Victims (Staff Roll BGM)"

Chernabogue: Having a short and nostalgic acoustic remix for the end of the album is great. tibone really did an amazing job arranging the original in this genre as it fits well the source and the album's pace. His production, while minimal on such a track, still feels warm -- which fits the arrangement even more. A very nice ending to the second volume.