Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack – Disc 2 September 5, 2008

Track Listing

1. My Mind
2. The Mission
3. Martial Law
4. Cactus Jack (Galbadia Anthem)
5. Only a Plank Between One and Perdition
6. SUCCESSION OF WITCHES
7. Galbadia GARDEN
8. Unrest
9. Under Her Control
10. The Stage is Set
11. A Sacrifice
12. FITHOS LUSEC WECOS VINOSEC
13. Intruders
14. Premonition
15. Wounded
16. Fragments of Memories
17. Jailed
18. Rivals
19. Ami

1. My Mind

Most known as the 2nd time Squall meets Rinoa or the scene after they land on the Ragnarok, this song is a very soothing track.  It’s a simple melody, but it’s calm and serene take on the “Ami” melody is a really nice take.  The music box melodies are so cute as well.  Nice ethereal music.

2. The Mission

Obviously the train mission.  The music sounds like it was on a train, but sadly it didn’t stand out to me in anyway as being just to make time on the soundtrack.  I’m sorry but this wasn’t the most important part of the story. 

3. Martial Law

Here we have the town theme for Timber.  Not only does the town in-game look really bad it’s music accents this in a pretty modern way.  The song sounds a bit jazzy and it’s interesting choice of chords really made an impact, but I felt there was something else that wasn’t right.  The synths are the loudest part of the song and they played a minor role.  The bass actually was what I think the most important sound overall.  It’s an OK town theme just not the best.

4. Cactus Jack (Galbadia Anthem)

I’m not a huge fan of anthems of any kind, so I was initially turned off by it.  Nothing like some strong theme to fits this militaristic GARDEN.  It’s funny when there’s some kind of an anthem, it turns out to be the one of the antagonists of the game.  So I’m not surprised that Galbadia had a theme.  Still it’s an OK anthem, not best though.

5. Only a Plank Between One and Perdition

Another “Hurry” track.  This one actually made more sense and was a little catchy with the rhythm of the bass and piano.  The strings also create tension which is a nice addition.  Yea, that title is so awesome too…Pretty cool if you ask me.

6. SUCCESSION OF WITCHES

We meet the elusive Edea with this very dark and menacing Sorceress theme.  They also use the “Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec” chant which is also more creepy.  The harpischord is such a great instrument for these kind of tracks.  There’s a flute here too and a church bell.  It’s really captivating to listen.

7. Galbadia GARDEN

What an opening to the Galbadia GARDEN with overlaying synths and strings.  Then after that it just goes bland.  I mean there’s a haunting shuffling in it, but that’s just what it is.  Nothing more, Nothing less.  It’s just the same and really boring…I’m sorry.

8. Unrest

A more longing sound with some very odd synths is what pretty much makes up the song.  The only thing I liked was the descending swoop where the song tries to get lively but ultimately fails because it goes back into the dark chords at the beginning.

9. Under Her Control

As it is, it’s the city theme for Deling City.  The most memorable thing about the city itself was that it was dark ALL THE TIME.  The music really made the nightlife seem trashy or even worse crappy.  I do like how the sounds fit well together for a song like this.

10. The Stage is Set

OMFG, this has got to be the best from the CD.  Not only does it have a constant march beat.  It’s one of those climatic tracks where it starts low but gets really loud before it loops back.  Mostly known as that track before you start the mission at Deling City, this track was very surprising with strong strings and orchestra.  Definitly a memorable track.

11. A Sacrifice

Another sorceress moment where Edea kills off the president for so many reasons.  It was a cold and evil moment in the game and watching that crowd applause was the most eeriest thing ever.  The song did this moment perfectly with the oboe, bassoon, and flute adding for some additional happenings, it really was a great track.

12. FITHOS LUSEC WECOS VINOSEC

Yeah, this track = when the parade started.  It’s where the chant comes forth.  This song is just as menacing with some great chord progressions.  The main melody is very long and then a different melody pops in and wow there’s just so much interesting elements to the song.  Then after that another pops in and it sounds familiar to some past FF titles.  Great song

13. Intruders

I’m going to guess this was the first track for the 2nd disc on the game, where your locked in that crazy D-District Prison.  A very minimal track and kinda gets annoying after a while, but it does sound like prison and should be.  However, it’s not my fav track.

14. Premonition

I can honestly say that I have no idea where I heard the song play.  Dissonance is the name of the game at the beginning.  Though after a while that part becomes the minor while there’s another march-like style beat to it.  Funny that there’s an excerpt from “A Stage is Set” but it a minor tone.  That bothered me just a wee bit.  Still where was this played?

15. Wounded

Another track that is full of dissonance, but this time it actually sounds good.  The church bell being the beat really made the song so ominous and powerful.  Then it gets some odd chords and just end right there…Well a good track that could have been more.

16. Fragments of Memories

Music box moment.  It’s mostly used in the flashbacks of Laguna’s and it’s nice but also at the same time there’s sadness written in it.  Though the percussion instrument is the only thing that’s playing, I was wishing for more.  Still, it’s an OK track.

17. Jailed

Jailed, is a very boring tune.  There was nothing really to it and the woodwinds playing minor chords did not help the fact that this track wasn’t needed.  The only thing I liked was the keyboard moment.  It did pick up but then the loop happens.  So it was just blah….

18. Rivals

Squall vs. Seifer.  A very ethereal track with woodwind being the most important thing.  The song though does once again seem bland and boring.  There was just not enough support…There should’ve been more oomph to it.  Especially since we’re talking about Squall and Seifer…

19. Ami

Another of the main tunes is this track.  It’s got such grace and beauty, it’s kind of nice.  Then the strings and flute comes in and wow it sounds really beautiful.  Then it does go through the part from “Balamb GARDEN” but other than that this was a beautiful end to the 2nd Disc for the soundtrack.

Tracks Recommended

• The Stage is Set
• Ami
• My Mind
• A Sacrifice
• Only a Plank Between One and Perdition

So the 2nd disc introduced the darker tracks of the album while keeping a balance of the sweet songs.  Sadly this was a weaker are of the entire soundtrack with some useless tracks.  Still it was good.

Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack – Disc 1 September 5, 2008

Track Listing

1. Liberi Fatali
2. Balamb GARDEN
3. Blue Fields
4. Don’t be Afraid
5. The Winner
6. Find Your Way
7. SeeD
8. The Landing
9. Starting Up
10. Force Your Way
11. The Loser
12. Never Look Back
13. Dead End
14. Breezy
15. Shuffle or Boogie
16. Waltz for the Moon
17. Tell Me
18. Fear
19. The Man with the Machine Gun
20. Julia
21. Roses and Wine
22. Junction
23. Timber Owls

1. Liberi Fatali

We start up this magnificent soundtrack with the startup video.  We also get a taste of the “Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec” theme that’s prominent throughout the soundtrack.  The vocalists are poweful and the music is just as much and even shoots some awesome emotions like fear and insanity almost.  Then we gets to a slow ending…Wow, what a beginning.

2. Balamb GARDEN

Ah, the ethereal and sweet school tune.  Obviously you’ll hear this quite a bit and each time you just gotta stop and listen to the music.  The piano and other various instruments really make the song sound alive and at the same time keep its beauty.  Also you hear the “Ami” theme which is also a prominent theme throughout.  Great track.

3. Blue Fields

The world map theme.  The plucked strings and odd synths really are good played once and so is the clarinets/oboe combination.  Sadly when you’ve played the game this song gets terribly annoying to the point where you have to find a city to go to.  On the soundtrack it gives the memories of the game almost immediatly so it’s good for that.

4. Don’t be Afraid

The eponymous battle theme.  There’s some march qualities and I love how much impact there is with the brass and low synths.  I found this to be quite annoying at the later parts of the game, but this track does give its purpose and it’s a battle theme.  Interestingly it’s in 5/4 time which sets it apart from the other well know themes.

5. The Winner

The battle fanfare.  While it’s almost immediatly well known it goes into the dance beat with some interesting percussion and goes into some held notes right back into the beats again.  It’s a nice fanfare, for being a short one though.

6. Find Your Way

Cavern music.  It’s really a nice track once you get to its roots.  I love how the piano and strings flowed with each other creating a mystical sense of feeling.  They change in minor tones and when the oboe and clarinet and the plucked strings also, they too sound minor and creepy.  A very fine track indeed.

7. SeeD

When I 1st heard this militaristic track I was like wow it’s something I haven’t heard of before.  With some low notes and passages of woodwinds versus the snare drum it really did seem like a very important mission was about to happen.  Sadly, it didn’t go nowhere even after the guitar comes in for a while.  So it did its job but not very well at keeping momentum nor interest.

8. The Landing

Yea, when they 1st get into Dollet for the first time.  It’s a majestic piece with a full orchestra plus synths.  I like how they made the synth the beat for a while before the orchestra jumped in.   Then again it really was a major point in the story so it did its job just fine.

9. Starting Up

Dark tune this is.  I love the melody of the strings.  It really brought some great stuff.  It sounds even almost industrial sounding.  Sadly it doesn’t last long as it was just a scene with Biggs/Wedge are in the Communication Tower.

10. Force Your Way

BOSS THEME!  Oh yea this definitly is the best boss theme of any PS FF’s.  The dance feeling mixed with rock really set up the fighting spirit in us I bet you all, because it surely did with me.  The synth job here was done so well.  The strings at the beginning really made a cool chord with it’s violent strikes as well.  AWESOME!

11. The Loser

Yep, when you die, this is the song that plays.  Some sad sounding strings and then a short version of the famous “The Prelude” starts up with its arpeggios it’s quite nice for the nostalgia, but c’mon you just died….you’d be pissed to hear this track.

12. Never Look Back

Every Final Fantasy has some sort of hurry theme and this is one of them.  It really brought some interesting concepts.  Like odd percussion and some striking synths and very creepy strings chords.  Then we get into a part where the lower synths take over before looping and wow that was cool.  Though I like it more as the “Hurry” track in the game than out of it, if you know what I mean.

13. Dead End

More hectic than the last song, Dead End is so written for another crucial part of the story….escaping Dollet.  It’s good until that final chord where it’s just oh so bad.  Nice try, but I’ll take the last track over this.

14. Breezy

Then we get to another soft and yet soothing track which is the town theme for Balamb.  I really like that the only instrument is the synth and acoustic guitar.  It really calms the mood down after that wild Dollet mission.  It’s a beautiful made track and I give props to Uematsu for doing so.

15. Shuffle or Boogie

Used in Triple Triad minigame, this is a mixture of both a shuffle style and a boogie style which is an interesting take.  Once again if you’ve played enough of this minigame you’ll easily remember the track and maybe find its annoyance also.  There’s not much change but the clapping is nice to hear.

16. Waltz for the Moon

Played at the GARDEN in which Squall meets Rinoa for the first time, it was another pivotal song that was important.  The song also includes the melody of “Ami” which was nice.  Then after the smooth waltz it changes and the music gets sort of frenetic and a little messy, but it loops back into the nice waltz.  I still love how everything came together to sound so good in this track.

17. Tell Me

Well, another of the happenings in GARDEN is when Quistis, Squall’s teacher professes her love for him…a little on the weird side of things, but the music is another “Ami” based tune.  It seemed to make it more love-forward.  Though in the end, Squall turns her down.  No wonder….Teacher x Student = NOOO

18. Fear

When I think of fear, it’ll make me wanna stop playing for a little bit.  This song didn’t instill me with any fear at all.  I thought this was more like sneaky and mysterious…not such a smart idea to name a song that.  Even more I thought there could have been more done to the song as well.  Maybe some more synths or something. 

19. The Man with the Machine Gun

Laguna’s battle theme.  It’s even more synthed up than any other track found on the disc.  To be honest, this has been the coolest battle theme with it’s dance qualities and awesome rhythms and beats, I was impressed by everything in the song.  Specially love the startup into the melody that was my utmost favorite part.

20. Julia

Julia x Laguna.  Nah, well sort of…It once again uses the “Eyes On Me” melody as it is the closest to the track.  I thought when I was watching this song, it was a sweet piano ballad.  Sadly, it was a short one but a very good one.

21. Roses and Wine

Another sweet song, mostly of the sweeter parts like Laguna and Julia talking.  There wasn’t much to the song, but it did create a nice atmosphere.  It’s quite slow, which I understand and all, but once again…I thought it could have been led into something more.  Still cute.

22. Junction

Mostly memorable to me as the Deep Sea Research Center’s theme (Where you get Bahamut).  Just some synth playing minor tones to create an uncomfortable feeling which works where I know this song from.  Not a good track to listen by itself it needs something more than the playing.

23. Timber Owls

Ending the 1st CD is this silly track where we 1st meet the Timber Owls which of Rinoa is in.  I didn’t totally understand the reasoning of why the track was so silly in the first place.  Then again the storyline was hard to understand until the end. Anyways, the track has plucked strings, clarinet, wooden blocks and just a bunch of oddities.  Funny to end the CD with.

Tracks Recommended

• Balamb GARDEN
• Breezy
• The Man with the Machine Gun
• Force Your Way
• Timber Owls

What can I say?  The first CD is so full of nice tracks.  A lot of them really captured the moments of this epic game.  I can’t wait to do the others ASAP.  Oh Yea, Nobuo Uematsu is the best composer Square-enix has ever had