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Since the release of Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation, and the GBA/DS games that followed it, Castlevania fans have been almost divided. Some prefer the non-linear, RPG-ish style of the PlayStation classic, while others prefer the linear and challenging old-school action-platforming style of the 8-bit/16-bit era. Of course, there are fans that love both, like yours truly (though if I had to pick, I’d go with the classic style). With the original release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, we really got to see which camp fans belong to. But regardless of your preference, there’s one thing fans can all come together to agree on: The music in the series always delivers.
Even the entries fans don’t consider that great have their selection of memorable tracks. Of course, there are minimal exceptions, but generally speaking, Castlevania always boasts wonderful music. Lords of Shadow was no different. With the game’s soundtrack now being available for purchase, as either a physical or digital copy, it’s the best time to look back at the game’s music and see why it excelled.
From the talented folks at MercurySteam, Lords of Shadow served as a reboot of the historic franchise, creating its own universe and mythology while still honoring its roots. Instead of following the recent trend in the series prior to its release in 2010, Lords of Shadow was inspired by the classic games in the series, specifically the NES original and Super Castlevania IV, as opposed to Symphony of the Night. The game felt like a true adventure, clocking in at a meaty 15-20 hour duration, taking us through gloriously realized vistas up until we got to the familiar gothic settings including, but not limited to, the castle. It was a quest made memorable not just by its story and gameplay scenarios, but also by Oscar Araujo’s remarkable music.
Whereas the classic games held more catchy,up-beat gothic tunes that you can hum to even when you’re not playing them, Lords of Shadow went with a more cinematic approach to its score. The overall tone of the music is still dark, but more somber, befitting of Gabriel Belmont’s struggles in the story, and ultimately his tragic fate. The orchestral tracks all do an amazing job of aurally setting the backdrop for both the game’s moments of exploration, combat and revelation. And like the game its draws the most inspiration from, as Producer Dave Cox has been very vocal about, this Belmont also gets his own theme, resulting in my favorite track from the game.
“Belmont’s Theme”, to me, is the most memorable track in the game. I remember when it first played I just stood there and let it finish completely, then even letting it loop! Just like the soundtrack in general, compared to that of the 8-bit/16-bit classics, you won’t find yourself humming this theme in the shower (don’t judge me), instead it serves as a memorable and moving piece that punctuates the scale and tone of the adventure and aurally illustrates the tragic hero perfectly. It’ll play in your head when you think back to Gabriel’s story and how it unfolded in the game. It definitely stuck with me, it’s right up there with Simon Belmont’s Theme from Super Catlevania IV for me personally, and I consider it my favorite piece of music in games this generation. And speaking of Super Castlevania IV.
Super Castlevania IV’s influence can also be felt through the game’s music, though not the entire way through. Listen to “Waterfalls of Agharta” and you’ll know what I mean. It’s a beautiful version of the waterfall theme from the SNES classic. Again, it was aptly moody and complemented the atmosphere perfectly when it came on. It was also a huge tease, making me want more remixes from Araujo in a standalone album. Remixes of beloved tunes like “Vampire Killer” and “Bloody Tears” are understandably absent. This soundtrack is its own beast, and I think it was a wise choice to avoid filling it with remixes of classic songs, instead going for something wholly different for the series in terms of sound. Thinking back at it now, I don’t think the catchy/ upbeat sound of Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears would’ve fit the game’s atmosphere and overall cinematic tone if they were just remixed here, but using a few notes and hints of their melodies would’ve been quite nice, having them organically bleed into some of the tracks. Which is why I think “Vampire Killer” worked perfectly as just a song during the Music Box level and nothing more.
Lords of Shadow has some pretty awesome and epic boss encounters, with the notable ones being the titular Lords of Shadow and the final boss, and the level of excitement and their grand scale are heightened by the music behind them. Let me tell you, I can work out to some of these tracks. Belmont push-ups and sit-ups are mighty ones! “Final Confrontation” is an amazing theme that sets the stage for an amazing battle between Gabriel and a certain baddie at the end of the game. It’s a beautiful, lengthy, and intense composition that made me wish the boss fight would last even longer. It would’ve also been perfect for a boss rush mode for the game, as the track gets heavier in sound and more intense as it reaches its climax.
If you’re a fan of video game music, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow’s soundtrack should be in your collection, whether in psychical or digital form. It’s more orchestral than previous Castlevania soundtracks, but it works in the context of the story, befitting its overall scale and atmosphere. You can purchase it directly from Sumthin Else Music Works. They have an exclusive Director’s Cut version of the soundtrack which houses 20 extra tracks that are all superb and very ambient additions to the main soundtrack.
Oscar Araujo has composed a wonderful symphony of the knight that ends up becoming the prince of darkness.
Follow me on Twitter and stay tuned for my article on Mirror of Fate’s soundtrack next week!
