Topic: Should Castlevania music have electric guitar or rock music in it?

[Belmont Stakes]

This is probably going to open a can of the Forgotten One's Homestyle maggots but seriously you know....seriously. I am a fan of the music in this series and have been since I first heard Wicked Child and Bloody Tears all them years ago. It is definitely the one thing about the franchise that always seems to be top notch (thank you thank you thank you Michiru Yamane). With that said I am wondering how many in here prefer electric guitar and percussion in the songs. Now I do like Abandoned Castle, Insane Aristocracy and the arranged Bloody Tears from Chronicles and I am sure there may be others. However for me it is this series, Conan the Barbarian and Star Wars that have instilled an appreciation for classical music. Does the rock music really fit the series or should it be more geared towards more orchestral scores?

[Chernabogue]

Both.

[uzo]

YES.

Thread over.

[theANdROId]

I think some of both is good, but I think I'd prefer a title have much more the classical/orchestral scores as opposed to rock music.  I mean...maybe it's just because I also like rock music, but the emotion and feel of rock music seems to fit the thrill and excitement of some parts of the game.  For example, in CV3 I feel like the intro and first stage (Beginning) are a very exciting start, and would work well as some type of "rock" music!  But then other songs I really enjoy, something like Wood Carving Partita, wouldn't work as rock.  So, a mix of both is good with me, especially and particularly if the mix is heavier on the classical/orchestral stuff.

[Lelygax]

Only by playing SotN you already have your answer bro, they've used a lot of guitar on there. Castlevania should have, but not rely only on this.

[X]

I think Rock music could work so long as it's guitars are not overpowering the theme of the tunes themselves. I've heard plenty of fan remixes with regards to rock and most sound way too heavy to make the theme they're trying to play, work well. The rock needs to be on a more subtle note with regards to the classic tune so as not to drown out the mood they are trying to convey. New CV music done it rock wouldn't hurt because it's new. It's never been heard before. Lets use 'Festival of Servants' from SotN as an example. It's rock-heavy however it is a tune that has never been heard of prior to SotN's release, so it works.

[TatteredSeraph]

I like seeing a mix, truth be told.  I adored the music for the Lords of Shadow trilogy, and likewise love seeing full, live orchestral versions of my favourite classic tunes.  I also love seeing well-done rock and metal covers as well, in particular, the famous gothic metal version of Bloody Tears (which is often wrongly attributed to being by Cradle of Filth).  Which way the music goes depends on the tune itself, I think, some ork one way better than others.  In some instances, a symphonic metal approach can really work, such as this version of Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC4MtiWr92Q.

[shelverton.]

Sure, in a couple of tracks. The beauty of SotN was the variety of musical genres. Having just one style throughout the entire would not be as good. Give me rock, jazz, baroque, piano waltz, synthpop, techno. Each area in the castle should sound completely different but with that familiar Castlevania flava. That is how you make a great soundtrack IMO.

[Inccubus]

Yeah. Pretty much what everyone else said. Songs like Tragic Prince are a fine example of good use of rock for a stage theme. The real thrash guitar stuff works better for boss battles.

[Shiroi Koumori]

Why not?

It works wonders for a soundtrack.

[DragonSlayr81]

Sure, in a couple of tracks. The beauty of SotN was the variety of musical genres. Having just one style throughout the entire would not be as good. Give me rock, jazz, baroque, piano waltz, synthpop, techno. Each area in the castle should sound completely different but with that familiar Castlevania flava. That is how you make a great soundtrack IMO.

My favorite types of game OSTs feature a widely varied score. Hell, I even love when movies do that. People talk about Hans Zimmer and epic-styled music, but his score for Thelma and Louise, fuck me silly. Everything doesn't have to be epic-styled. Everything has it's place and you can accent mood and emotion different ways. SotN is one of my favorite CV OSTs.

Personally, the problem I see now(and it's going to make me sound like a fuckin old grumpy gamer) is that with LoS and even Yamane's later CV work, they are stark contrasts as far as music is concerned. Yamane, I love her, but she's gotten more in your face with rock and pop/dance beat style, and lost a bit of the ambience and subtlety of SotN. LoS is mainly subtle, atmospheric and cinematic, and nothing else. Look back to SotN, RoB and even SCV4, those games(which in musical style, I think were amongst the BEST in the series), kept WELL balance between using music that was in your face and music that created mood. I believe balance is EVERYTHING.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

This should've been a poll.
The answer, however, is an overwhelming "YES!"

I shall provide examples from SNES on (since NES and Genesis did it all with Chiptune so it's difficult to ascertain whether those tunes are Rock/Guitar):
-Rondo of Blood: The Entire OST (notable examples are "Opposing Bloodlines" both as intro and as stage theme, "Cross a Fear", "The Den", and "Slash")
-Symphony of the Night: "Dracula's Castle", "The Tragic Prince", "Festival of Servants"
-Circle of the Moon: "Awakening"
-Aria of Sorrow: "Ruined Castle Corridor", "Clock Tower"
-Dawn of Sorrow: "Dracula's Tears" (uses a nice Flanged Electric Guitar for the background harmony), "Scarlet Battle Soul"
-Portrait of Ruin: "Invitation of a Crazed Moon", "Cross Your Heart" (Crucifix Held Close)
-Order of Ecclesia: "Sorrow's Distortion", "Ebony Wings"
-Judgment: Most of the OST

[Neobelmont]

I would be down for country gospel or anything country for that matter. And as for the question just keep both.

[Chernabogue]

As long as the music fits the game and setting, it'll do.

[X]

country or country gospel would be difficult to do for a CV game unless the game itself took place in said environment. If ever a game came out starring Quincy Morris in a haunted wild west setting I would definitely recommend it.