Topic: Castlevania's Strongest Soundtracks

[theplottwist]

Castlevania is a bucket of good soundtracks, as everyone knows, but I want to know what is the strongest track for you.

For me, one of the strongest is Super Castlevania IV's "Boss 2" theme:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ7Co_kletM

This theme is perfect for a Castlevania boss battle. It exudes the dread of the battle with such perfection! The first time I listened to it (Ghost Dancers boss), I didn't give it such credit, but when I got to the Living Armor (and after cranking the volume up a little), holy shit! The moment I destroyed it's axe, and it drew it's sword. The cadence of the theme accompanied each event of the battle. The theme fit perfectly! The way the theme starts feels like the walls will fall on you. Then I started paying attention on the situations where the theme was used. The bosses always look like they are insurmountable at first, but then you start noticing their patterns, and the theme reflects this. It starts saying "You'll die. You're not facing any boss now, we are the ultimate guardians of Dracula's Castle" but then it goes into a piano melody that says "Maybe, JUST maybe, Simon can make it through if you're able to resist just a tiny but more!".

This theme only loses to Simon's Theme at Dracula. It was absolutelly genius to use the hero's theme as a Dracula boss theme when he's nearly dying (and yet, can kill you in two or three hits).

[X]

For me this tune sticks out as one of THE strongest tracks I've ever heard of.

Room of Close Associates - Super Castlevania 4 Music Extended

Probably the best damned boss theme that a Castlevania game has ever put out. This tune literally sings of a tough-as-hell gauntlet that the player absolutely must survive in order to meet with the final confrontation; No, b***h'in, winning or complaining. You have no choice but to delve into the struggle and overcome it before you face the final challenger; Dracula. It's fast-paced, filled with dread, and is very memorable to listen to.

[crisis]

this could literally serve as the theme song for the entire series, hands down

Classic VGM 113: Castlevania: SOTN - Dracula's Castle

[Belmontoya]

I personally feel that scv4's soundtrack stands out above the rest, even SOTN.

The music of scv4 is menacing, eerie and beautiful. I think it's the best video game soundtrack ever made.

Everything on it is quality and worth listening to over and over. 

[DarkPrinceAlucard]

Its Curse of Darkness for me, its a shame the game could not live up to its magnificent soundtrack.

Full Castlevania: Curse of Darkness OST

[GuyStarwind]

This is a hard question. I think the DXC soundtrack is my favorite. I felt pumped and ready to kill vampires. I only wish Heart of Fire was part of it because it's my favorite.

I would put Harmony of Despair but I wasn't sure if it counted

[TatteredSeraph]

The Symphony of the Night ost is an absolute masterpiece, I agree.  As Crisis says, 'Dracula's Castle' is a wonderful, omninous track which immediately tells you that this is Castlevania you are entering, with supernatural dangers, heroicism, and at the end of it, Dracula.  However, I must admit that for me personally, SotN has a rival, in the form of the LoS2 ost.  You might hate me for this, guys.  While LoS was a mixture of near perfection in places and disappointment in other aspects, the soundtrack was one of the game's greatest strengths.  In particular, the original E3 cinematic trailer score is my favourite piece from LoS2.  It has that build-up, like with 'Dracula's Castle', which speaks of Gabriel's sadness, weariness, and immortality, before rising into his vengeful anger and wrath being unleashed upon his enemies, striking them down with the blood whip shadow of the Vampire Killer.  It's a deep well of emotion in places.  My main criticism is that there wasn't more of it, and that the cinematic trailer song wasn't in the game.

[Official] Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 E3 2012 Trailer [HD]


Also worth mentioning I think is some of the Akumajou Dracula Pachislot osts, especially III, even though they're not proper Castlevania games in the strictest sense, much as Judgement isn't really imo.  'Treizire de Spirit' and 'De-a Lungul Vieii' in particular stand out from that.

[Asgardwolf]

For me it has to be SCVIV or CV:CoD both are full of epic tunes....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cj6Vgt-U94
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPsvupFjMWM

[Mike Belmont]

this could literally serve as the theme song for the entire series, hands down

Classic VGM 113: Castlevania: SOTN - Dracula's Castle

Totally agree, pal . Although is not my favorite CV game, its music is very very touching (Tragic Prince is another awesome track, too).

Also, Abandoned Castle (from CoD) is very Castlevania-esque too. I agree to mention that those OST (SoTN and CoD) are very strong...

[theANdROId]

Just in case anyone is looking or wondering, here are links for Tragic Prince and Abandoned Castle
(I guess I'm a bad CV fan...shame on me  ...I rarely recognize CV music by just their titles.  I usually have to hear them to remember what song it is.)

I would think Vampire Killer could be considered a strong title...it's possibly the most reused and recognizable theme.  I would say VK, and Beginning are two really strong songs.  They both create an energy/excitement (for me at least) that really...they just start the games/levels with a bang!  They make me excited to be playing Castlevania, and if I hear either of these tunes outside a game, I'm instantly like, "Dude, I need to play some Castlevania...NOW!!"

I particularly favor the soundtrack for Castlevania 3 myself.  SotN is great too though...and so many of the songs are so great...so catchy...they all want to be strong...I want to list them all!

(And...I promise I've tried...but I can't resist listing a few others.  In general I love the soundtrack in CV:Legacy of Darkness, as it's my favorite in the series.  I particularly like Thorny Grave, Renons Theme, and The Sinking Old Sanctuary...all 3 versions, but the LoD one is my favorite.)

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Ummm... while this thread is nice and all, it's been covered to hell and back and is actually posted often on Classic Castlevania Threads.
In fact, that's exactly where threads like this should go, since basically this thread will turn into "What's your favorite or what is the best soundtrack for Castlevania?".

**moves thread**

[theANdROId]

:-S  Yeah...my bad...I kinda jumped head-first right into doing just that...
...but I'll still stand by VK and Beginning being stong tracks.  They start games well, or give them an adrenaline boost when introduced later.

[ROCKMAN X]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RRj3mXsnHQ Poison mind.

It gives you the feeling of finality and the epicness of final confrontation with Dracula...

[Kaneda]

I'd go with 1,3, 4, Rondo, and Dracula X. Those are the ones that have always stuck in my memory.

[Mystic Myotis]

Oh, man... twist my arm...

Curse of Darkness has my favorite song, Garibaldi Temple.  But Lament of Innocence and Super Castlevania IV are also excellent all-around.  And then there are more underrated OSTs from the series, like Portrait of Ruin, which I enjoy a lot despite the flack it gets.  Awakening from Circle of the Moon is <3.  There is not a single weak song in Simon's Quest. Harmony of Dissonance had unusual compositions that gave the game a unique feel even if the sound quality sucked.  Order of Ecclesia and Dawn of Sorrow also have very strong OSTs and while the names of specific tracks elude me I can pick out several songs that I really love from them.

I've named about half the games in the series... Nope, sorry.  Can't pick.  Too hard.