The sun shines overhead, you take a deep breath and prepare yourself for another peaceful day of farming, sheep herding, and various other simple daily tasks. Suddenly, the sun turns to shade, and overhead you see the endless trail of wings darkening the sky as a monstrous scaled beast soars effortlessly across the sky. This is the world of Monster Hunter. Then there is the music that echoes behind you as these monsters streak across the sky, stalk the land, and periodically lurch out from the ocean’s depths.

More specifically, we are listening to the recently released soundtrack of Monster Hunter 3 Tri. I assume many are familiar with the beast fighting, resource gathering world of Monster Hunter, and this newest iteration, which was released on the Wii earlier this year. The album, obviously enough called Monster Hunter 3 Tri Original Soundtrack was recently released in the US from Capcom and Sumthing Else Music Works.

The music itself is best described as a worldly orchestral style symphony. Composed by Yukko Miyama and Tadayo Shimakin, with a handful of additional arrangements by Akiyuki Morimoto, and Masahiro Aoki. It has all the normal trappings of symphonic albums, alongside intriguing rural instrumentation. In many songs you will hear from simple flutes and heavy percussion, as well as acoustic guitars, xylophones, and more. The album certainly sets itself apart from many western soundtracks with it’s leanings towards more playful moods, as well as the clear influences from the music of several cultures.

The album kicks off with the over the top opening theme. Monster Hunter 3(Tri) softly begins, swelling into an adventurous fanfare surrounded by heavy percussion and snappy horns. The production value and adventurous nature set up the rest of the album well, as we travel through the fields, oceans, and mountains of the game. Each track evokes the moods and themes very well. Songs like Village to the Sea, Moga, bring a serene, small ocean town feel to them with the soft strums and sweeps of the instruments. We also hear the tense movements of monster hunting in Usurper of the Deserted Island / GreatJaggi with it’s rushed violins and suffocatingly quick notes which can easily get your heart rate going with a short listen. I like to point out this track as well, because I am quite a fan of the way the strings swirl around each other in this piece.

There are also more playful and upbeat arrangements, such as The Sprouting Farm, that creates a carefree festival mood in it’s bouncing wind instruments and gentle rhythms. Some tracks, such as the short jingle, Well Cooked~3(Tri)Version, are so playful as to be a bit absurd, as is the case with several of the short jingles that are spaced through out the album. For a soundtrack with 52 songs to it’s name, it was surprising to see the amazing length to many of the tracks. As mentioned before the album is two discs. It spans a little north of two hours worth of music as well.

The first disc comes to a close with the eclectic sounds of Everlasting Words, the only track with singing on this collection. From there we move into the rousing track To One With Life, an upswell of music creates an enlivening song that really drives home the idea outlined in the notes. The ecosystem, and the interconnectedness of life. The themes and music of this soundtrack revolve around that idea, and it is certainly something to keep in mind as you listen through the main pieces of the album.

Disc two starts out in a far more subdued manner with the rhythmic but simple pulse of The Great Desert Post, Loc Lac. We hear more soothing town like themes across the beginning of the second disc in this manner. It really sets a great variety between the discs, as if one was for monster hunting, and this second disc is for the relaxing nights safely walking about town. Disc two really stands out when it reaches the samba flair of Cazador Del Monstruo, a catchy track filled with a very distinct style on the album, and a pleasant surprise to hear.

On the whole the second disc has a lot more fun, laid back themes, with titles like Even Hunters Want to Dance, and A Moment of Rest, you can imagine the soothing melodies you’ll hear. Although this disc is the calmer of the two, it still ends with two raucous ending tracks. Triumphant Song is a flowing parade of music, gently weaving and ducking along. Testamanet of a Hero/3(Tri)Version brings the soundtrack to it’s grand finale, and does it with all the pomp it ought to finish it with. The piece thunderously builds and soars, offering a reprise to the game, and album’s opening theme. The song builds to an abrupt but satisfying end. We are at a close.

Monster Hunters 3(Tri) hosts a ton of music, well orchestrated and easy to listen to. The album is quite diverse in influences which is a breath of fresh air compared to games who tend to focus on one style throughout an entire soundtrack. The two discs are also arranged in an interesting way, so that they each have their own musical vibe to them, with the first disc having more of the triumphant main themes, while the second disc, as mentioned, lies back with more eclectic and relaxed orchestrations. I think the album is well worth a listen for fans of orchestral music, and the Monster Hunters series. I, being the former, and not the latter, enjoyed the album quite a bit myself from that perspective.

If you order a physical copy of the album, you’ll be presented with some nice casing. The back and inserts are worn brown, like an ancient artifact, and helps evoke the mood of ancient monster hunting. Unfortunately the cover doesn’t follow the same aesthetic, and has an okay, but clashing blue cover which I would have enjoyed in more of the faded cave painting style of the rest of the art. The CD also comes with a short piece of liner notes from the composers and creators of the game, which is a very nice addition. I also want to add that the bright pink CD art stands out nicely against the neutral browns of the inlay as well, and would definitely make an awesome Monster Hunters shirt if Capcom is listening.

The album is available to purchase as both a physical CD as well as a digital download over at the Monster Hunter 3 Tri Original Soundtrack page at Sumthing Distribution.

Note: This album was sent to GM4A from Sumthing Digital as a free review copy.

Recently some friends of GM4A over at AGOG entertainment have created an awesome iPhone game in the vein of over the top puzzlers like Tetris Attack and Meteos. The result is OMG Blocks!. Rather than sit here explaining just how the blocks are moved and connected in this game in some strange esoteric writing, I believe it is far easier to just say, check out this video!

Unfortunately I do not have an iPhone to partake in the fun, but luckily, the AGOG folks are more than happy to help some of our readers out there experience their game. First off, us being a VGM website and all, I have to mention that you can download an extended version of Robert Hubert’s track COMBO from the trailer over at the OMG Blocks! site. Of course you can also download the game for your iPhone (or iPod, or iPad) while you are over there (or directly through iTunes) for the miserly fee of two dollars.

I assume many of you are curious as to the giveaway mentioned in the title of this post though. Well along with the free MP3, AGOG has been kind enough to supply us with not just one, but three free download codes for the game! So for all you fine readers, here is how you enter for a chance to win a download of OMG Blocks!.

Well for three download codes, you have three different chances to enter.

1. Leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite puzzle game ever is.
2. Follow GM4A on twitter at @genoboost and tweet at me, telling me about your favorite puzzle game. You MUST be following us on twitter as well to be eligible this way.
3. Finally, you can like us over at facebook.com/gamemusic4all and leave a comment on our facebook wall telling us all about your favorite puzzle game. You MUST like us on facebook to be eligible this way.

From all these entries, we will select three separate individuals to receive one download code for OMG Blocks!. You can enter all three methods, but can only win once. The contest will conclude on Saturday, September 18th, 2010. Winners will be contacted via Twitter, Email, or Facebook after the contest ends. Winners must respond by one week after being contacted or the prize will be forfeited and a new winner chosen.

Also note, if you leave a comment here, please be sure to enter an email address which you check regularly!

Now good luck and get commenting!

That’s right, Mega Ran and K-Murdock’s collaboration album Forever Famicom is not just an album anymore, but a full fledged story thanks to Griff Morivan. You just witnessed part one up above you, and you can check out part two already as well!

Will there be more though? This is where you come in as a loyal Mega Ran fan. Looks like Random has started a kickstarter fundraiser to bring both the Forever Famicom movie to DVD, as well as the FF album to vinyl for all the record collectors amongst you. The clock is ticking though, as Ran has given us less than a month to raise the necessary 2,500 bucks to make this dream a reality. As with all Kickstarter drives though, there are plenty of amazing incentives for those with deep pockets. Starting from a simple $10 for the Forever Famicom album, and posters, all the way to the highest donation, which gives you the power to request Random and K-Murdock sample and flow over any game you choose! Portal? UN Squadron? Barbie’s Horse Adventures? For the price of $250 any of it is possible.

In their usual fashion, Pause has gathered a cavalcade of incredible artists to create some amazing works of chiptune music. This time the compilation is called Magnetic Sumo and for a description simply states…

Where the laws of attraction and the eternal battle for the title of Yokozuna intertwine.

What that may mean musically is anyone’s guess, but what I do know is that there are tons of artists, both new and old to Pause that come together for this compilation. Kicking things off is the band I spoke very fondly of in the past, Yakuza Heart Attack (in fact I am still listening to their most recent album fairly often). Their tumbling upbeat signature style is in full force with Bionic Boiz. From there we hear from chiptune mainstay Alex Mauer with Terraforming Mars, a melodic, simple tune that builds into a mesmerizing drum laden piece with some pumping leads. Combined these tracks set the back and forth precedent of this album from over the top funkiness to laid back dance rhythms and more.

Speaking of funky, some catchy clapping bring us to Rico Zerone and his piece Spheredivers, a deep sea, high fueled adventure, as if taking a submarine down into the otherworldly depths of the ocean floor while working on 3 hours of sleep. Moving ahead a few tracks we hear from Joshua Morse, and his atmospheric jazz track Meteor shower pro which starts off slow, but builds an incredible momentum as the song progresses into a whirlwind of musicianship on all fronts. That number moves us along to the sometimes tough to describe, but amazing to listen to vibes of Zan-zan-zawa-veia with hushhush. Another soft flowing track to lie back and reminisce to before jumping into the catchy drum and guitar styled world of Temp Sound Solutions and their cover of Alex Mauer’s Floating Point, which takes an already funky tune and cranks it into high gear with some great guitar and drum work.

The album comes to an end with Give us the green light, an amazing and catchy track from Spiny Norman which brings the album to an amazing ending with it’s uplifting vocals and chip pop stylings. As to be expected from Pause, we have here a compilation showcasing the many talents, styles, and instrumentation of the netlabel roster and friends. I often tell people that chiptunes is as varied a movement as the people who create it, and nowhere else is that idea shown than through compilations like this one. Once again, if you didn’t click that link in the opening to grab this album, the compilation is free, and available right through here.

Much like their PAX compatriots Anamanaguchi, mega man rock opera troupe The Protomen are also coming to Los Angeles for two nights next week. Two dates gives fans the rare, but awesome chance to see the group perform both their albums, Act I and Act II in their entirety over both nights!

Not only this, but the band will also be supported by some of the most amazing groups around, The Megas, and up and coming nerdcore rock/rap supergroup The Bossfights. This will definitely be a night, *ahem* TWO nights to remember for nerdrock.

Concert info below.

Both nights will be held at the CIA
11334 Burbank Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91601
Doors open @ 9PM
Cover: $15 at the Door (Cash Only)
All Ages | Full Bar
facebook page for August 30th event
facebook page for August 31st event

After several months and a ton of plays, GM4A is proud to present the highly anticipated release of IWADON: Hiroyuki Iwatsuki Tribute via Bandcamp. Every note of this amazing compilation is available completely free, and in a variety of different formats for the audiophiles out there. This not only includes the 35 tracks included over at the official album site iwadon.com, but also several BRAND NEW songs exclusively for the album release by musicians such as Stephen Malcolm-Howell, Nate Trier, ilp0, and one of my personal favorite artists Temp Sound Solutions. So if you think you have heard it all, you are sorely mistaken.

So head on through to the IWADON bandcamp page and download the entire album right now! Also please spread the word about this amazing compilation, and remember to check out the amazing website with tons of liner notes and more at iwadon.com. I also want to extend an incredible thanks to the dozens of artists, musicians, fans, and friends who have made this album possible.

After several years, and tons of work, I am finally happy to announce that the folks of 2 Player Productions have finally released the highly anticipated REFORMAT THE PLANET on DVD! Watching as this film slowly took shop, to the production, release on pitchfork, and subsequent screenings at places like SXSW was a heartening thing for many in the chiptune and VG inspired music communities. This is because the folks in 2PP have a true respect and love for chiptunes as fans and friends of the sea of people who make up this ‘movement’ if you will. That love shines through all the scenes through out the movie, and is an encouraging thing to see. Enough about the movie though, as I will be reviewing it in due time. I just have to say that, the movie is out, and includes not only the film, in an all new director’s cut mode, but also bonus interviews, discussions, and audio commentary. Not to mention music videos, chiptune making tutorials, and a brand new RTP 1.5 mini documentary following up the original! Needless to say you should be ordering at least the basic package already.

What’s that? Basic package you say? That’s right. 2PP has teamed up with the folks at Fangamer (the awesome folks who make all that Earthbound/Mother 3 apparel) and created a whole suite of awesome things to show your love for chiptunes and RTP. Just check it out.

We’ve got everything here. Posters, pins, stickers, and even more DVDs and CDs as well for assorted price points. So remember to head over to the appropriate page and order a copy and then some. Afterwards definitely stop by the newly revamped 2playerproductions.com and let the folks behind the cameras know what you think.

Also, I should definitely mention that, for those who have not had the chance to see the original film at their screenings or back on pitchfork for that amazing week, you can view the main movie, right now in its entirety, over at Penny Arcade TV.

Coming off of the amazing performance held at Nerdapalooza earlier this summer, epic rock group The Bossfights fronted by nerdcore rappers ZeaLouS1 and Dr. Awkward have released their first three singles for free download. The songs are available for download on the appropriate blog page.

The three tracks kick off with the zombie infested track Left4Dead, which kicks off things with a ton of energy, which you need when trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. From there we hear another great new track, Eye of the Rising Sun. With catchy vocals, and a bad ass solo, this is definitely a stand out track on the short EP. The setlist comes to a close with the tribute/nerdcore anthem Frontalots. This is a great way to end the tracks, and also a great way to be introduced to nerdcore as well. This album packs a ton of power in it, and while listening to it, it’s difficult to not get completely pumped up. I’ve been waiting for some tracks to throw on ever since these guys made their debut earlier this year, and they are certainly getting far very quickly. Definitely head over to thebossfights.com and grab these three over the top epic tracks today, they will definitely wet your appetite for both heavy rock and in your face rap.

It’s summer, and you know what that means. Tours, and plenty of them! I am glad to say that the first group crashing through the west coast is New York chip rockers Anamanaguchi, with two stops in Los Angeles.

The first one kicks off at The Bandshell in Los Angeles (details through here on facebook) on August 25th. They’ll be performing with Speculator and Cloud City Sound Symphony from 6-8. Oh yeah, and this is an absolutely free outdoor show as well. So no excuses!

If you sadly do have the misfortune of not catching them at The Bandshell. All is not lost, you can head down to Meltdown Comics and catch Anamanaguchi doing a set the night of August 26th at 8PM. This show is Ten bucks at the door, but still worth it for fans of the band who missed them the night before, or just demand to see them twice.

Finally, for those who do not reside in the Los Angeles region, you are not left out either, as Anamanaguchi have been hard at work this summer releasing a single every two weeks along with a B-Side track for free download on their website. As of this post they are up to six songs in total, along with three separate animated album covers by various artists as well (the latest of which is at the top of this post). There are likely more tracks and amazing artwork to come soon as well, so be sure to keep checking out their single release page for more.

This is certainly a must hear compilation, even in the heavily populated arena of Mega Man remixes. This album takes all the songs in disparate yet impressive directions, from funk, and rock, to metal and acoustic. Don’t be a fool like me and wait to hear this one, download it now, free, right through this link as it is definitely worthy of your time.