timestamps: 00:00 thank you 04:53 gravesite plain 12:27 gravesite plain at night 19:52 Belurat, tower settlement 27:32 ruined forge 30:47 Gaol 33:27 catacombs of the shadow realm 36:16 castle ensis 40:00 Scadu Altus 43:50 Scadu Altus At Night 47:03 Shadow Keep 48:57 the Fringe 51:30 Elden Ring VIDEO 54:00 Stone coffin Fissure 56:52 Finger Ruins 59:10 Abyssal Woods 01:02:07 Midra's Manse 01:04:47 Jagged Peak 01:07:14 Ancient Ruins of Rauh 01:09:49 Ancient Ruins At Night 01:12:24 Enir-Ilim 01:15:37 Shaman Village 01:21:53 Dangerous Captive 01:32:44 Death Knight 01:40:31 Elder Inquisitor 01:50:32 Dancing Lion 01:57:30 Rellana 01:58:56 Messmer 02:11:15 Bayle 02:17:00 The Scadutree Avatar 02:27:17 The Putrescent Knight 02:37:22 Romina Saint of the Bud 02:45:41 Scadutree Gameplay 02:49:00 Happy birthday singing 02:50:01 Midra Lord of Frenzied Flame 03:03:45 mother of fingers 03:16:05 St Trina 03:24:10 Metyr Mother of Fingers gameplay 03:28:22 The Promised Consort 03:40:13 My favorite pieces
The shaman village theme is incredible because it's a constant repetition of the beginning notes of the main theme of elden ring - and it plays in a place where it all began.
They both can defeat Radabeast btw, it’s cool that there are creatures stronger than the “gods”, but do not interfere with the main story, and at the same time can easily change it
I'm fine with and happy to see Marco making any money he needs to honestly I just wish those mobile game ads weren't so genuinely terrible and that's definitely a general thing that's been going on with them for years and in no way Marco's doing
@@MarcoMeatballI agree ever since I’ve found you I’ve been loving your content and how you can so easily figure out the stuff through music a truly talented person
3:33:52 Sometimes you hear someone introduce themselves with their profession, but if you don't see the profession in play, you "forget" who they are and what they can do. Then something like this happens and you think "oh right, he's an opera singer lol."
Shaman Village feels like one of those areas in older Soulsborne games that were one of the only ones in the game to have ost playing, because they were special in some way. Simply discovering the village, reading the item descriptions and figuring more or less what happened is one of the most impactful moments of the dlc
And the fact that the village has the least amount of instrumentation lends even more emotional charge to an already incredibly beautiful and poignant place
If you want some context for the Lord of Frenzied flame, the flame of frenzy is an outer god which is drawn to immense suffering and causes people to go mad. Its followers want to basically burn and destroy all life because the suffering of living itself is too great. The lord of frenzied flame is kind of like an avatar of the flame of frenzy that takes root in a host and takes over their body when they die. When it happens to you in the flame of frenzy ending, your head is also replaced by the flaming sphere - it is no longer you, just as Midra is no longer himself when he kills himself and the flame of frenzy takes over.
Midra himself was a scholar from a time long past that was seemingly friendly with the hornsent. (Think omens) he had a wife Nanaya who was seemingly his closest companion. Midra one day came across evidence of the frenzied flame and studied it this not only slowly corrupted himself and his followers but led to the relationship he had with the hornsent disintegrating as The hornsent believed there to be great power in spirits and revered them and the frenzied flame could destroy spirits so one day midras manse was raided by the hornsent who massacred midra's followers and brutally tortured the sage before having him executed by the sword that skewers him the frenzied flame kept him alive but in constant agony with Nanaya one of the few the hornsent let live being at his side and caring for him until she died. or perhaps she too was killed regardless she requested that he endure the pain and suffering to spare the world of the frenzied flame and so he did. the hornsent guarding the abyssal woods and his manor so that no one may bother midra. There are signs all over the place that tell you to leave and even midra himself does his best to tell you to leave him be. the tarnished beating him up is what finally pushes him to breaking and becoming an imperfect vessel for the frenzied flame.
@@jmanwild87 a theme of the setting is that none of the Villains/Leaders/Gods want anyone to die, especially their enemies, Marika wanted all her people to live forever, and all her enemies to be tortured forever.
@@jmanwild87 Yeah I have no idea why people think Nanaya was a priestess of the flame. Everything she does contradicts her wanting him to become lord of frenzied flame or worshipping it.
@@the_honey_badger2435 The main argument i've heard to support the theory is that the frenzied flame manifests in people who've suffered immensely. The idea is that Nanaya told him to endure because he was unworthy of becoming the lord of frenzied flame at the time and she hoped that after holding on to the very edge of what he could endure he would've suffered enough to be a fitting host for the flame. As for whether or not this is strongly supported ingame, idk probably headcanon mostly.
The moment l discovered that Miquella threw away St. Trina, his plan for the Age of Compassion just lost all it's meaning. How can you be a God in an Age of Compassion if you threw your love, understanding, and compassion away? Miquella shot himself in the foot the moment he abandoned Trina.
1:18:07 It never occurred to me that the silence can be a way to portray the emptiness of the village. There are no people, no voices left in the village. The blessing of gold (possibly symbolized by the harp) is present, but no one is there to receive it.
One of the creepiest parts about the Abyssal woods was messages from the game on the ground, similar to how players can leave messages, that say to turn back while you can and to leave
and torrent being unsummonable too, not because he was bound or simply because he wouldn't fit, no he was 'frightened' into staying put. Keeping in mind how intelligent torrent is (he chose you, not the other way around) and how courageous he can be (summoned in practically every area and some fights eg. elden beast) this is what made me wish that i could take his advice and leave the most
@@kylehendricksilveralvin5376 that was actually the best part for me. spent about an hour trying to parry them (i suck at parrying) thinking "only i am allowed to be feared here" the entire time.
I think the lore for Metyr, and why her boss theme is so empty, is that the Greater Will has long since abandoned her and the fingers. She's reaching out to something that is no longer there. It's why the Two Fingers at roundtable hold become dormant after you're blocked from entering the Erdtree. They can't contact the Greater Will like they were supposed to. They're like an AI running through a list and breaking because they don't have a scripted response for what has happened.
Good point, I would also say it sounds empty not just because it has nothing to say but because it is the beginning of everything as well. Metyr came before everything else in the lands between therfore only having a few notes to its name.
shaman village hits so hard when you arrive there, it's so powerful in it's simplicity also Midra is my favorite in and out of context both, im just a sucker for waltz-like pieces in fromsoft games ^^
I'm surprised that no one pointed out that the Scadutree Avatar music is very heavily based on the Erdtree Avatar OST from the base game. Or maybe that's something that goes without saying.
for midras theme u can hear the merchants motif at the very start of his ost but its WAY less peaceful and instead a more haunting version of it ik you went back and heard some of it in phase 2 but u can hear it most clear at the beginning easily my favorite song in the ost its so good
I so love that you commented about the Elder inquisitor track evoking a sense of protectiveness, that someone is guarding something. Because that's exactly what the boss does, it's protecting the entrance to what is easily the most horrifying secret in the world of the DLC
I like when you go into depth about the vocals and instrumentation and describing the feeling intended, but then following it up with "that was SICK" lol.
NOOO I wanted to see ur reaction to the fight so bad (spoilers below) it’s my personal favourite piece because of the weight that the music adds as you fight your previous comrades with ones that follow you as well. Just all out war and chaos I love it sm
@@probablygeorge4277If you tell him that you don't know what he should do going forward, he'll decide to leave Leda and tend to his forager brood instead
You became one of my new favorites with your analyses of Elden Ring music. You have an awesome way of articulating the intentions and nuances of the music, and seeing you react to the context is awesome to see :D
2:53:37 Btw, the player can become "the lord of frenzied flame" themselves at the end of the base game as one of the 6 endings and burn down the world (which is what the frenzied flame aka 3 fingers want).
The Promised Consort is my fav one. When I hear this piece in cinematic trailer, it gives a sense of strength and hope. Especially the hope part. Ultimately, that feeling of strength and hope makes sense when we fight the final boss.
I think if you understand music then you understand the appeal of bgm and ambience almost automatically. Artists creating evocative audio with sounds that remind you of places or feelings etc. That Metyr one is very interesting where it starts as more structured music and transitions into what sounds more like a representation of a pulsar or black hole as the fight dictates.
Funnily enough, that sound in phase 2 of Metyr is actually based on the sound of a black hole! Scientists used the gravitational waves (i think) and encoded them to sound, and Metyr's theme took direct inspo from that!
I knew Fromsoft cooked with soundtrack when I got to the Dancing Lion. Jaw dropped when the phase transition kicked in and the lightning began crackling off its (technically their) body. I also had a feeling you’d get a lot out of Scadutree Avatar. I had you in mind the whole time I was listening to the track in game. So much going on right beneath the surface with so many layers to it, and so much interpretation of the underlying emotions and themes with the layering of the music. It’s the most underrated track in the whole game, base game and DLC. Shaman village and all the associated lore we’ve uncovered so far had me genuinely thinking about the cycle of revenge, human conflict and the greater cycle of life and death, all to a background of a field of flowers and a slight golden aura. And also, Bayle really is just the coolest fucking boss in the game. Midir has finally been dethroned as best dragon fight solidly in my eyes. Bayle’s lore only adds to the notion of absolute power and raw wrath that Bayle possesses. Nice to be back in Fromsofts catalogue of music. Lots of fun in this stream, thank you for your perspective and your work Marco.
the first time i happened upon the shaman vilalge i was in aw, the doves flying by, the flowery golden field, then i picked up the minor erdtree spell and reading the description made me almost shed a tear as i slwoly walked trough the empty village with the harp playing. i just stayed there for 7minutes listening. "only the kindness of gold with out the order"
also i personally love the scadurtree avatar and its theme, at first i viewed it as "oh a corrupted creature corrupted by the shadow tree" but ended up in the last phase being like "im just killing a lonely sad creature who really does not want to die damn"
The notes that you pointed out at 12:32 were actually a call back to a song from the base game called "The Song of Lament." Of course, the part featured in the original song is much more complex than the one used in the "Gravesite Plain at Night", but the resemblance is still there.
If there's one thing I wish i pursued when i was younger it's orchestral music. The way you notice things that I don't really pick up on and hearing how you contextualize them in the grand scheme of the song is fascinating and I love it. I discovered you only a while back because of your elden ring music analyses and I think it's great stuff. Always look forward to hearing your thoughts on stuff now.
I love that Midras theme is this distorted completely unholy waltz, it matches his elegant and graceful movements and really sells that the God if Frenzied flame is this sacred “holy is evil” figure. It’s almost angelic but you can see the chaos burning around jt
There’s a reason why Midra, Bayle, & Messmer are my top 3 bosses of SoTe but Midra’s OST is peak especially his phase 2 he syncs his dive bomb slam with the bass drop he’s arguably the best boss off DLC he gave of major Bloodborne vibes.
One thing i like about the emptyness in all the overworld land music is how it describes the land, its empty, sad, makes you feel small. It helps paint the idea of walking through the realm or of exploring all these ruined lands.
Appreciate your content! Its full of heartwork and I like to listen to you daily talking about my most favourite game. You nailed characters and their story so often before even seeing a boss - filling the room with emotions and meaning. I respect you so much for this. Thank you!
Marco you made me love music even more than I already did. The message you left at the end of the video keeps me up and exploring new music from different games. Experiencing what I think they mean and how they make me feel. Absolutely insane. And no matter what you recommend on the channel, I will try to check it out
Belurat is one of my favorite ambient themes from the entire game, it very effectively gives off the feeling of the setting. Belurat is at the base of the divine spiral tower of the hornsent, it is mere moments away from their holiest of places, and the tower is a testament to their divinity and prowess as a people. But the upper strings give off the twinge of despair, of melancholy. This is because their lands have known nothing but war and fire, and their very tower was breached and sealed in shadow. Now all that the residents have left is their sorrow, their contempt for their invaders, and their faith. And the music gets that across so well.
You've really become not only one of my favorite music RUclipsrs, but my favorite soulsbourne RUclipsrs ever! And I love that you finally got to see Midra and match the "face" to the music
I think it’s wild no one notices that Marika sent two Tree Sentinel knights one even with a torch for seeing invisible assassins to protect her first home, even if there was no one left to protect. Speaks volumes about the reverence for the location and music choice.
I seriously love your reactions so much. Watching you for so long has made me unconsciously try to decipher every piece of music I come across in video games, how I feel and what kind of message it tries to send. You do a seriously great job at this so thank you!
I was listening to the Metyr music and I realized that there’s a slight leitmotif (if you can even call it that) during the second phase of the fight that’s a callback to the finger ruins theme. It’s the high pitched violin.
I enjoyed the single OST reviews you have done for SotE, this is great glad to hear your thoughts on the whole thing, just gets me hyped to play more and enjoy the more subtle things in the game!
I love a lot of the tracks on the DLC OST, especially Midra's. But the nature of the The Mother of Fingers' composition is just so alien and cool to me, it has to be my favorite.
you should definitely react to Vaatividyas elden ring main lore video. I think that would be an interesting dynamic when you will have a better grasp of the lore better and have the musical knowledge to explain further with the OST. (love your content btw)
For those unaware, metyr mother of fingers doesn't just sound like a black hole, the sound effect of phase 2 is the first nasa recording of a black hole
One of my recent favorite ambient tracks was "Nocturnals" from TUNIC. But my favorite part of Gravesite Plain is the occasional strums of the string instruments--ingame they barely sound like standard instruments in a good way. Great introduction to the expansion
2:21:03 How can he know the boss is dancing only by listening to the OST 😮 2:24:13 When he said it's a shadow of it's former self my jaw dropped because he is right. Scadutree avatar OST is a depressing version of Erdtree avatar OST.
1:39:00 The visage of Godwyn is everywhere. His original body is buried at the roots of the erdtree, but as he died in soul only and not in body, the erdtree is kind of bugged and is trying to rebirth him but failing which only results in these lifeless corpses, there is a similar visage under stormveil and his face and especially eyes appear in all areas (in base elden ring at least have not checked every DLC area) they appear on walls, on the ground and even on creatures. This, happens also because he's connected to the roots of the erdtree which causes him to spread himself and his deathblight through its roots.
1:19:51 I found the shaman village after I had already beaten everything else in the dlc, and it was perfection. Elden Ring is not only my favorite game of all time, but one of my favorite things ever. After 1,000 hours in 2 years of multiple play throughs; after hearing miyazaki basically state fromsoft is done with elden ring. I knew I had competed the dlc and I arrived at the village for my last bit of new Elden Ring content ever. My Elden Ring journey ended with how it began; that same harp on the menu screen back in February 2022.
You helped me realize I'm a bigger music theory nerd then I ever thought possible, I'm about to start rumbling around in the DLC because I finally got done with the MSQ in DT, and now have 3 100's haha, so it's easier to enjoy the music now instead of screaming at my television
@MarcoMeatball It's alright, when I started this I checked and saw that there were no timestamps before, so they must've been added while I was doing it lol.
Marika is from the Shaman Village, so I love the connection between the main theme, the Elden Beast theme and the Shaman Village. In terms of thematic continuity, FromSoft has some of the best composers. The Putrescent Knight always reminds me of Bloodborne every time I hear it. Rellana is the younger sister of Renalla and she’s known as the sword of Messmer.
I’ve only discovered you pretty recently through fromsoft games being my favourite, but I find your reactions really fun and informative, they remind me of the most enjoyable music classes that I used to have :)
I've always loved game soundtracks and voice work, and Elden Ring has such a special place in my heart, so I absolutely love all of your insight and the ideas and movement you recognize in the music, especially with stuff like Romina's spinning. It's all just so fascinating and wonderful to listen to. Also, something cool I noticed, is when Messmer kills you, his voice line sounds almost like he's repeating a rehearsed line or an order, which really fits the idea that he's been held captive by himself and his own thoughts. So much to dissect and appreciate. Hard not to cry listening to Promised Consort 😭
I've watched a bunch of your other videos on elden ring as well, im on the scadutree avatar track section of this video as I type this. It cannot be overstated how AMAZING it is that you can guess with near perfect accuracy on all these tracks what is happening during the fights, what the theme of the fights is, and how they play out story-wise just from hearing the music. Serious skill from you and amazing compositions from all the composers who made these tracks.
Oh if you want scary music, Marco, check out the soundtracks of the Forbidden Siren games: honestly some of the most disturbing and evil music I've heard from any game soundtrack. Recommended tracks include Arato II, Karuwari II, The Nest / Near Level 3, and Hoshingoeika
The way you unraveled the Scadutree avatar theme is absolutely beautiful. At 2:45:15, you should like give a listen to Melania's second phase theme and then this because those high notes are like a response to Melania's theme. Like the voices in hers are a call and Romina's are a response. I get this because Romina was a normal human who was a victim of Messmer's purge of the Shadow lands and then she finds the Rot and she takes it in hope of one day taking her revenge. I also hear some hopeful themes in her theme albeit some sick twisted hopefulness ( kinda like her bug extensions lol) which are given by this hope that the Rot represents to her. You can even see her in her human form in the story trailer while everything burns around her. So the super high voices in there i find like a response to Melania's Rot like "yes we are here and we ache so save us". Great stuff.
My 2 favorite songs from the new ost have to be Death Knight and St. Trina, and the way you described them made me so intrigued and happy because of how accurate they were. Ive been watching alot of your videos and their very inspiring and have made me think about music in such a different way, thank you so much. ❤
I will always adore Shaman Village because it so perfectly encompasses the simplicity and tragedy of Marika's origin. You immediately knew walking into the area that you were somewhere critically important to the world. Even further I love that the Elden Beast's theme uses it, becoming a musical representation of the Greater Will (the vocals) taking hold of the Lands Between on the foundation of Marika's efforts (the harp).
2:06:13 fun fact, mesmer actually has 2 snakes. The first red snake is actually his friend and helps mesmer see, the reason his helmet and decorations are based on a snake is because it represent his only company and one that helped mesmer along with marikas seal to supress the abyssal snake. The second snake is the second phase, the abyssal snake, shorn of light, that is no friend nor helper of the vessel, devours everything in sight, including the red snake, that was killed by the abyssal snake when it emerged.
Messmer is such an amazing fight with a very powerful and emotional theme to boot. Your analyses on the boss themes and video game music in general are very insightful and informative, no matter which game they're from, appreciate the work you do Marco 👍
you talking about using mayo as an instrument, and the stuff before that i was half listening, instantly reminded me of Mick Gordon allegedly using a chainsaw in the doom ost, i dont know if he actually did but thats what i heard, same with doom eternal where he allegedly used a lawn mower in the ost.
i'm sorry, i'm really enjoying the analysis, both emotionally but also just pulling attention to musical cues i didn't pick up on my own e.g. the fact that mohgs motif echoes in the graveside plains, which makes perfect sense because not only have you likely just fought him if you enter the place, but his presence also kinda echoes all over the dlc in general, though it definitely takes a back seat in favor of radahns story just makes me appreciate the soundtrack even more than i already did but i can't stop giggling at "open-throated lower men"
I like what they did at 1:13:37 Marika’d old village no longer has any residents due to the hornsets taking them away from their village. Now that there’s no one left there, the open space in between the music may allude to the emptiness in the village.
Shaman Village might be one of the most powerful pieces of music I've heard in a game, precisely because we've heard Elden Beast before. At first you anticipate the rest of the theme, but it's nothing. Just perfect stillness and emptiness. Stationary and hollow. A perfect parallel to the village, sequestered away in safety far too late for it to matter.
I would like to thank you good sir, I have never found a gaming youtuber who appreciates the music of video games to the degree that you do and I am the same way so, thank you for making content for me to watch, that I can not only relate to but also do the same things you do as I watch it
One other interesting thing with the Shaman Village (which you really see when you visit it at night) is that it's really the only place left in that entire land that still has some of the grace (not counting the checkpoint graces). You see this tiny Erdtree sapling lighting up the entrance to her old home, while everything else has been abandoned to shadow.
I remember walking into Shaman Village first time and my mouth just fell open. Not just the beautiful scenery, but the soft music as well. And yes, it is basically the Elden Beast theme, but with all the layers stripped down. With all the Grace, with all the Gold and with the Greater Will, Elden Ring and everything removed. It just started with a golden haired woman in a village. And that's what you can see from the scenery and that's what you can hear from the music as well!
So @13:50 to your question, I would say as the cello comes in - which is an imposing instrument in any composition to be sure - alludes to strong longing: a yearning burning desire that has had to stay shut up and quiet for so long. For sure one to pay attention to. It's fierce.
timestamps:
00:00 thank you
04:53 gravesite plain
12:27 gravesite plain at night
19:52 Belurat, tower settlement
27:32 ruined forge
30:47 Gaol
33:27 catacombs of the shadow realm
36:16 castle ensis
40:00 Scadu Altus
43:50 Scadu Altus At Night
47:03 Shadow Keep
48:57 the Fringe
51:30 Elden Ring VIDEO
54:00 Stone coffin Fissure
56:52 Finger Ruins
59:10 Abyssal Woods
01:02:07 Midra's Manse
01:04:47 Jagged Peak
01:07:14 Ancient Ruins of Rauh
01:09:49 Ancient Ruins At Night
01:12:24 Enir-Ilim
01:15:37 Shaman Village
01:21:53 Dangerous Captive
01:32:44 Death Knight
01:40:31 Elder Inquisitor
01:50:32 Dancing Lion
01:57:30 Rellana
01:58:56 Messmer
02:11:15 Bayle
02:17:00 The Scadutree Avatar
02:27:17 The Putrescent Knight
02:37:22 Romina Saint of the Bud
02:45:41 Scadutree Gameplay
02:49:00 Happy birthday singing
02:50:01 Midra Lord of Frenzied Flame
03:03:45 mother of fingers
03:16:05 St Trina
03:24:10 Metyr Mother of Fingers gameplay
03:28:22 The Promised Consort
03:40:13 My favorite pieces
The shaman village theme is incredible because it's a constant repetition of the beginning notes of the main theme of elden ring - and it plays in a place where it all began.
I truly believe the theme is even greater with the visuals of the place
@@fabi3790pathed in gold without order
@@hihii3263“Marika bathed the village of her home in gold, knowing full well that there was no one left to heal”
It's Marika's leitmotif. "Only the kindness of gold, without Order."
I just realized how Placidusax and Bayle are basically the God and Satan of the Dragon culture.
I would say more like Michael and Satan
They both can defeat Radabeast btw, it’s cool that there are creatures stronger than the “gods”, but do not interfere with the main story, and at the same time can easily change it
@@beebabooba9994no they cant lmao
ruclips.net/video/ObR0DlGQOAs/видео.htmlsi=LIQ2o2HLfiMKmj3M 11:58
ruclips.net/video/of4fOqlYSh4/видео.htmlsi=hIbDdda81o_1oH2J 31:17
@@beebabooba9994 how the hell didnt youtube delete your comment with link embed
I will always be amazed at how Marco nails 99% of the context behind a fight, boss just by listening and deducting music. Truly incredible! 🙏
I love the guy videos but he definitely know about them before the video.
Got watch his blood borne and ds3 videos you see what I mean very clear lol still great content
@@courtneytasby117 He listening to Midra theme before watched the actual thing
shows how amazing the ost is that it can portray that much lore from just the theme
@@courtneytasby117nah bro. Not a single one of these - but go off.
Just wanted to say F what people think about """""stooping low""""", take those sponsors, do those mobile games, get that bag brother
Thanks bro!
I'm fine with and happy to see Marco making any money he needs to honestly I just wish those mobile game ads weren't so genuinely terrible and that's definitely a general thing that's been going on with them for years and in no way Marco's doing
@@MarcoMeatballI agree ever since I’ve found you I’ve been loving your content and how you can so easily figure out the stuff through music a truly talented person
Exactly PLEASE keep taking all those sponsor offers so you can keep making videos
@@yeongwonhan95thanks man
3:33:52
Sometimes you hear someone introduce themselves with their profession, but if you don't see the profession in play, you "forget" who they are and what they can do.
Then something like this happens and you think "oh right, he's an opera singer lol."
😂
Putrescent Knight ost is actually underrated just like the boss itself. So happy that Marco gave it some recognition!
Terrific track imo!
I was waiting for this one specifically, it's so good!
Shaman Village feels like one of those areas in older Soulsborne games that were one of the only ones in the game to have ost playing, because they were special in some way. Simply discovering the village, reading the item descriptions and figuring more or less what happened is one of the most impactful moments of the dlc
I cant decide which region hit me more. Discovering St. Trina or Shaman Village
Yeah, I was hoping for something with a similar appeal but different approach to the Daughter of Chaos from DS1 and I was not disappointed
Shaman Village feels like an empty Majula... chills
And the fact that the village has the least amount of instrumentation lends even more emotional charge to an already incredibly beautiful and poignant place
If you want some context for the Lord of Frenzied flame, the flame of frenzy is an outer god which is drawn to immense suffering and causes people to go mad. Its followers want to basically burn and destroy all life because the suffering of living itself is too great. The lord of frenzied flame is kind of like an avatar of the flame of frenzy that takes root in a host and takes over their body when they die. When it happens to you in the flame of frenzy ending, your head is also replaced by the flaming sphere - it is no longer you, just as Midra is no longer himself when he kills himself and the flame of frenzy takes over.
Midra himself was a scholar from a time long past that was seemingly friendly with the hornsent. (Think omens) he had a wife Nanaya who was seemingly his closest companion. Midra one day came across evidence of the frenzied flame and studied it this not only slowly corrupted himself and his followers but led to the relationship he had with the hornsent disintegrating as The hornsent believed there to be great power in spirits and revered them and the frenzied flame could destroy spirits so one day midras manse was raided by the hornsent who massacred midra's followers and brutally tortured the sage before having him executed by the sword that skewers him the frenzied flame kept him alive but in constant agony with Nanaya one of the few the hornsent let live being at his side and caring for him until she died. or perhaps she too was killed regardless she requested that he endure the pain and suffering to spare the world of the frenzied flame and so he did. the hornsent guarding the abyssal woods and his manor so that no one may bother midra. There are signs all over the place that tell you to leave and even midra himself does his best to tell you to leave him be. the tarnished beating him up is what finally pushes him to breaking and becoming an imperfect vessel for the frenzied flame.
@@jmanwild87 a theme of the setting is that none of the Villains/Leaders/Gods want anyone to die, especially their enemies, Marika wanted all her people to live forever, and all her enemies to be tortured forever.
@@jmanwild87 Yeah I have no idea why people think Nanaya was a priestess of the flame.
Everything she does contradicts her wanting him to become lord of frenzied flame or worshipping it.
@@the_honey_badger2435 The main argument i've heard to support the theory is that the frenzied flame manifests in people who've suffered immensely.
The idea is that Nanaya told him to endure because he was unworthy of becoming the lord of frenzied flame at the time and she hoped that after holding on to the very edge of what he could endure he would've suffered enough to be a fitting host for the flame.
As for whether or not this is strongly supported ingame, idk probably headcanon mostly.
@@Majesticz11 Even so Midra discovered the weird frenzy invincible people. I think that's what caused the frenzy to root itself within him
The moment l discovered that Miquella threw away St. Trina, his plan for the Age of Compassion just lost all it's meaning. How can you be a God in an Age of Compassion if you threw your love, understanding, and compassion away? Miquella shot himself in the foot the moment he abandoned Trina.
You could say He…. abandoned something he absolutely should not have, under any circumstances?
@@MoreLoreThenThereSeemsHow can he salvation offer, when he could not even save his other self?
Did Miquella abandon his love, or merely love for others?
1:18:07 It never occurred to me that the silence can be a way to portray the emptiness of the village. There are no people, no voices left in the village. The blessing of gold (possibly symbolized by the harp) is present, but no one is there to receive it.
One of the creepiest parts about the Abyssal woods was messages from the game on the ground, similar to how players can leave messages, that say to turn back while you can and to leave
I was so freaked out by them 😭
"Don't let it see you."
and torrent being unsummonable too, not because he was bound or simply because he wouldn't fit, no he was 'frightened' into staying put. Keeping in mind how intelligent torrent is (he chose you, not the other way around) and how courageous he can be (summoned in practically every area and some fights eg. elden beast) this is what made me wish that i could take his advice and leave the most
The novelty goes off when you parry one of the guys and kill them tbh
@@kylehendricksilveralvin5376 that was actually the best part for me. spent about an hour trying to parry them (i suck at parrying) thinking "only i am allowed to be feared here" the entire time.
I think the lore for Metyr, and why her boss theme is so empty, is that the Greater Will has long since abandoned her and the fingers. She's reaching out to something that is no longer there. It's why the Two Fingers at roundtable hold become dormant after you're blocked from entering the Erdtree. They can't contact the Greater Will like they were supposed to. They're like an AI running through a list and breaking because they don't have a scripted response for what has happened.
Good point, I would also say it sounds empty not just because it has nothing to say but because it is the beginning of everything as well. Metyr came before everything else in the lands between therfore only having a few notes to its name.
Also the second phase is the recorded sound of the first black hole found in space, which is why it’s just almost silent
shaman village hits so hard when you arrive there, it's so powerful in it's simplicity
also Midra is my favorite in and out of context both, im just a sucker for waltz-like pieces in fromsoft games ^^
I love waltzes. From soft makes the best dark waltzes period.
Shaman Village: "Marika bathed the village of her home in gold, knowing full well that there was no one to heal."
BRO WAKE UP HE IS REACTING TO THE ENTIRE DLC OST
He forgot "Those United in Common Cause". Not sure if he reacted to it elsewhere
@@Noel_Tamura Thats the one i want him to hear. Its one of the best
@@Noel_Tamurahe did
the putrescent knight reaction was everything id hoped for it to be
I'm surprised that no one pointed out that the Scadutree Avatar music is very heavily based on the Erdtree Avatar OST from the base game. Or maybe that's something that goes without saying.
They did actually :)
I love remixes
for midras theme u can hear the merchants motif at the very start of his ost but its WAY less peaceful and instead a more haunting version of it ik you went back and heard some of it in phase 2 but u can hear it most clear at the beginning easily my favorite song in the ost its so good
Ya, I definitely hear that now!
I so love that you commented about the Elder inquisitor track evoking a sense of protectiveness, that someone is guarding something. Because that's exactly what the boss does, it's protecting the entrance to what is easily the most horrifying secret in the world of the DLC
I like when you go into depth about the vocals and instrumentation and describing the feeling intended, but then following it up with "that was SICK" lol.
Lmao listen
I FORGOT THOSE UNITED IN COMMON CAUSE IGH!!
But you said in the stream that you already had reacted to it and you could just go watch it on your channel?
@@vandmelonfisk3061well ya but I wanted to watch it. You’re right. I forgot what I said lmao😊
@@MarcoMeatball all good👍
@@MarcoMeatball music is the language of the soul
NOOO I wanted to see ur reaction to the fight so bad (spoilers below)
it’s my personal favourite piece because of the weight that the music adds as you fight your previous comrades with ones that follow you as well. Just all out war and chaos I love it sm
Those United in Common Cause is one of the most emotionally charged boss themes they've made.
Fr just the weight the piece Carries when you fight allies of miquella with ones that know what’s right
man i was so sad with that, like why are you dragging moore into this just let him be happy finding things
@@probablygeorge4277If you tell him that you don't know what he should do going forward, he'll decide to leave Leda and tend to his forager brood instead
You became one of my new favorites with your analyses of Elden Ring music. You have an awesome way of articulating the intentions and nuances of the music, and seeing you react to the context is awesome to see :D
2:53:37 Btw, the player can become "the lord of frenzied flame" themselves at the end of the base game as one of the 6 endings and burn down the world (which is what the frenzied flame aka 3 fingers want).
The Promised Consort is my fav one.
When I hear this piece in cinematic trailer, it gives a sense of strength and hope. Especially the hope part.
Ultimately, that feeling of strength and hope makes sense when we fight the final boss.
we are the hope breaker, the destroyer of the one true benevolent God, simply because he wasn't benevolent in the way we liked.
Miquella would steal your freewill to give you a better future. It's up to the player to interpret that as a benevolent act or not.
Thematically / emotionally, fighting the Scadutree Avatar is like fighting what is left of the original Miquella.
I think if you understand music then you understand the appeal of bgm and ambience almost automatically. Artists creating evocative audio with sounds that remind you of places or feelings etc.
That Metyr one is very interesting where it starts as more structured music and transitions into what sounds more like a representation of a pulsar or black hole as the fight dictates.
Funnily enough, that sound in phase 2 of Metyr is actually based on the sound of a black hole! Scientists used the gravitational waves (i think) and encoded them to sound, and Metyr's theme took direct inspo from that!
Promised consort 2nd phase is so divine.
I knew Fromsoft cooked with soundtrack when I got to the Dancing Lion. Jaw dropped when the phase transition kicked in and the lightning began crackling off its (technically their) body.
I also had a feeling you’d get a lot out of Scadutree Avatar. I had you in mind the whole time I was listening to the track in game. So much going on right beneath the surface with so many layers to it, and so much interpretation of the underlying emotions and themes with the layering of the music. It’s the most underrated track in the whole game, base game and DLC.
Shaman village and all the associated lore we’ve uncovered so far had me genuinely thinking about the cycle of revenge, human conflict and the greater cycle of life and death, all to a background of a field of flowers and a slight golden aura.
And also, Bayle really is just the coolest fucking boss in the game. Midir has finally been dethroned as best dragon fight solidly in my eyes. Bayle’s lore only adds to the notion of absolute power and raw wrath that Bayle possesses.
Nice to be back in Fromsofts catalogue of music. Lots of fun in this stream, thank you for your perspective and your work Marco.
Midra even has attack patterns that you can dodge by counting how you would dance a waltz. I love fromsoft so much
the first time i happened upon the shaman vilalge i was in aw, the doves flying by, the flowery golden field, then i picked up the minor erdtree spell and reading the description made me almost shed a tear as i slwoly walked trough the empty village with the harp playing. i just stayed there for 7minutes listening.
"only the kindness of gold with out the order"
also i personally love the scadurtree avatar and its theme, at first i viewed it as "oh a corrupted creature corrupted by the shadow tree" but ended up in the last phase being like "im just killing a lonely sad creature who really does not want to die damn"
The notes that you pointed out at 12:32 were actually a call back to a song from the base game called "The Song of Lament." Of course, the part featured in the original song is much more complex than the one used in the "Gravesite Plain at Night", but the resemblance is still there.
Shaman village is just…..beauty
If there's one thing I wish i pursued when i was younger it's orchestral music. The way you notice things that I don't really pick up on and hearing how you contextualize them in the grand scheme of the song is fascinating and I love it. I discovered you only a while back because of your elden ring music analyses and I think it's great stuff. Always look forward to hearing your thoughts on stuff now.
:) you can always learn and explore. Doesn’t have to be like me.
I love that Midras theme is this distorted completely unholy waltz, it matches his elegant and graceful movements and really sells that the God if Frenzied flame is this sacred “holy is evil” figure. It’s almost angelic but you can see the chaos burning around jt
Wow, almost 4 hours worth of content with this? Splendid, dare I say.
Guess checking out this DLC might be worthwhile after all.
Question is, why didn’t you check it out already?😓It’s amazing
Its great
@@Domihockeyrocky Bought Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut Edition and feel like there’s a hole in my wallet. Planning to buy it later, though.
@@justacringychannelpassingb7044 Alright I recommend getting it with the dlc maybe when it’s on sale💖
Marco is awesome. I learned so much about music while watching live
you know shit's good when Marco whips out the yara yara
There’s a reason why Midra, Bayle, & Messmer are my top 3 bosses of SoTe but Midra’s OST is peak especially his phase 2 he syncs his dive bomb slam with the bass drop he’s arguably the best boss off DLC he gave of major Bloodborne vibes.
One thing i like about the emptyness in all the overworld land music is how it describes the land, its empty, sad, makes you feel small. It helps paint the idea of walking through the realm or of exploring all these ruined lands.
Wow Marco, such dedication. All the timestamps/check points and everything. Thanks for giving your thoughts and thanks for your time my friend.
I love how the Scadutree Avatar is just a sad and more complex version of the Erdtree Avatar's theme, It's so damn good.
Man pieced together the whole lore of each character off just the music
Appreciate your content! Its full of heartwork and I like to listen to you daily talking about my most favourite game. You nailed characters and their story so often before even seeing a boss - filling the room with emotions and meaning. I respect you so much for this. Thank you!
My absolute pleasure
I really appreciate your perspective on the OST. Delightful and informative.
Marco you made me love music even more than I already did. The message you left at the end of the video keeps me up and exploring new music from different games. Experiencing what I think they mean and how they make me feel. Absolutely insane. And no matter what you recommend on the channel, I will try to check it out
Belurat is one of my favorite ambient themes from the entire game, it very effectively gives off the feeling of the setting. Belurat is at the base of the divine spiral tower of the hornsent, it is mere moments away from their holiest of places, and the tower is a testament to their divinity and prowess as a people. But the upper strings give off the twinge of despair, of melancholy. This is because their lands have known nothing but war and fire, and their very tower was breached and sealed in shadow. Now all that the residents have left is their sorrow, their contempt for their invaders, and their faith. And the music gets that across so well.
You've really become not only one of my favorite music RUclipsrs, but my favorite soulsbourne RUclipsrs ever! And I love that you finally got to see Midra and match the "face" to the music
I wish to one day be as certain and knowledgeable in the field I study as you are in music, Marco. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us
I think it’s wild no one notices that Marika sent two Tree Sentinel knights one even with a torch for seeing invisible assassins to protect her first home, even if there was no one left to protect. Speaks volumes about the reverence for the location and music choice.
I seriously love your reactions so much. Watching you for so long has made me unconsciously try to decipher every piece of music I come across in video games, how I feel and what kind of message it tries to send. You do a seriously great job at this so thank you!
I LOVE the opening of scadurtree avatar
You are very talented - thank you for looking at this music and sharing your thoughts
Thanks for listening
Love the video and the insight to how musicians decipher music. The gameplay is hilarious. The shield and poke for Midra had me in tears
I was listening to the Metyr music and I realized that there’s a slight leitmotif (if you can even call it that) during the second phase of the fight that’s a callback to the finger ruins theme. It’s the high pitched violin.
I enjoyed the single OST reviews you have done for SotE, this is great glad to hear your thoughts on the whole thing, just gets me hyped to play more and enjoy the more subtle things in the game!
:) go have fun!
I love a lot of the tracks on the DLC OST, especially Midra's.
But the nature of the The Mother of Fingers' composition is just so alien and cool to me, it has to be my favorite.
you should definitely react to Vaatividyas elden ring main lore video. I think that would be an interesting dynamic when you will have a better grasp of the lore better and have the musical knowledge to explain further with the OST. (love your content btw)
For those unaware, metyr mother of fingers doesn't just sound like a black hole, the sound effect of phase 2 is the first nasa recording of a black hole
gravesite plain has gotta be one of my favorite ambient tracks from any video games ever, its just really soothing to my ears and makes me feel calm
One of my recent favorite ambient tracks was "Nocturnals" from TUNIC. But my favorite part of Gravesite Plain is the occasional strums of the string instruments--ingame they barely sound like standard instruments in a good way. Great introduction to the expansion
I love Midra’s lore and design because hes the most blatantly inspired from The King in Yellow
2:21:03 How can he know the boss is dancing only by listening to the OST 😮
2:24:13 When he said it's a shadow of it's former self my jaw dropped because he is right. Scadutree avatar OST is a depressing version of Erdtree avatar OST.
We love you Marco, sorry about people talking crap in the comments, ignore them. Keep going man!
1:39:00 The visage of Godwyn is everywhere. His original body is buried at the roots of the erdtree, but as he died in soul only and not in body, the erdtree is kind of bugged and is trying to rebirth him but failing which only results in these lifeless corpses, there is a similar visage under stormveil and his face and especially eyes appear in all areas (in base elden ring at least have not checked every DLC area) they appear on walls, on the ground and even on creatures. This, happens also because he's connected to the roots of the erdtree which causes him to spread himself and his deathblight through its roots.
1:19:51
I found the shaman village after I had already beaten everything else in the dlc, and it was perfection.
Elden Ring is not only my favorite game of all time, but one of my favorite things ever. After 1,000 hours in 2 years of multiple play throughs; after hearing miyazaki basically state fromsoft is done with elden ring.
I knew I had competed the dlc and I arrived at the village for my last bit of new Elden Ring content ever. My Elden Ring journey ended with how it began; that same harp on the menu screen back in February 2022.
2:53:47 shield , bleed , mimic,.. yep Midra had endured more than enough
Fax my brother, spit your shit indeed
I glad he finally got to listen to the frenzy flame merchant song. Now he knows a bit more of the scoop of midra theme
You helped me realize I'm a bigger music theory nerd then I ever thought possible, I'm about to start rumbling around in the DLC because I finally got done with the MSQ in DT, and now have 3 100's haha, so it's easier to enjoy the music now instead of screaming at my television
I'm very happy you featured alot from ONGBAL, that guy is an absolute legend and gem of the souls-community! The videos he creates are practically art
This stream was dope! Your DLC OST reactions are absolutely awesome!
4:54 Gravesite Plain
12:01 Gravesite Plain at Night
19:53 Belurat, Tower Settlement
27:33 Ruined Forge
31:01 Gaol
33:23 Catacombs of the Shadow Realm
36:16 Castle Ensis
40:03 Scadu Altus
43:54 Scadu Altus At Night
46:45 Shadow Keep
49:01 The Fringe
54:01 Stone Coffin Fissure
56:51 Finger Ruins
59:11 Abyssal Woods
1:02:11 Midra's Manse
1:04:44 Jagged Peak
1:07:15 Ancient Ruins of Rauh
1:09:52 Ancient Ruins of Rauh at Night
1:12:22 Enir-Ilim
1:16:13 Shaman Village
1:21:52 Dangerous Captive
1:30:58 Death Knight
1:40:33 Elder Inquisitor
1:50:34 Divine Beast Dancing Lion Fight
1:54:23 Rellana, Twin Moon Knight Fight
1:58:56 Messmer The Impaler Fight
2:02:17 Messmer Phase 2 Fight
2:11:11 Bale The Dread Fight
2:17:30 Scadutree Avatar song
2:27:19 The Putrescent Knight
2:37:23 Rumina, Saint of the Bud Fight
2:45:49 Scadutree Avatar Fight
2:50:10 Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame Fight
2:53:47 Midra Phase 2 Fight
3:03:50 The Mother of Fingers Song
3:16:07 Saint Trina Song
3:24:10 The Mother of Fingers Fight
3:2820 Promised Consort Radahn Fight
3:34:37 Radahn, Consort of Miquella Fight
Thanks! But they’re in the about section? That’s so odd. I’m sorry you did all this when I specifically put them there!
@MarcoMeatball It's alright, when I started this I checked and saw that there were no timestamps before, so they must've been added while I was doing it lol.
Marika is from the Shaman Village, so I love the connection between the main theme, the Elden Beast theme and the Shaman Village. In terms of thematic continuity, FromSoft has some of the best composers. The Putrescent Knight always reminds me of Bloodborne every time I hear it. Rellana is the younger sister of Renalla and she’s known as the sword of Messmer.
I’ve only discovered you pretty recently through fromsoft games being my favourite, but I find your reactions really fun and informative, they remind me of the most enjoyable music classes that I used to have :)
The humor alongside genuine explanations and intent to understand music is what keeps me coming back. 'Nother good video and hope you're well, Marco
Glad you enjoyed it!
I've always loved game soundtracks and voice work, and Elden Ring has such a special place in my heart, so I absolutely love all of your insight and the ideas and movement you recognize in the music, especially with stuff like Romina's spinning. It's all just so fascinating and wonderful to listen to. Also, something cool I noticed, is when Messmer kills you, his voice line sounds almost like he's repeating a rehearsed line or an order, which really fits the idea that he's been held captive by himself and his own thoughts. So much to dissect and appreciate. Hard not to cry listening to Promised Consort 😭
Great stream glad I made it on time for that one.
I've watched a bunch of your other videos on elden ring as well, im on the scadutree avatar track section of this video as I type this. It cannot be overstated how AMAZING it is that you can guess with near perfect accuracy on all these tracks what is happening during the fights, what the theme of the fights is, and how they play out story-wise just from hearing the music. Serious skill from you and amazing compositions from all the composers who made these tracks.
:)!
Oh if you want scary music, Marco, check out the soundtracks of the Forbidden Siren games: honestly some of the most disturbing and evil music I've heard from any game soundtrack.
Recommended tracks include Arato II, Karuwari II, The Nest / Near Level 3, and Hoshingoeika
The way you unraveled the Scadutree avatar theme is absolutely beautiful.
At 2:45:15, you should like give a listen to Melania's second phase theme and then this because those high notes are like a response to Melania's theme. Like the voices in hers are a call and Romina's are a response. I get this because Romina was a normal human who was a victim of Messmer's purge of the Shadow lands and then she finds the Rot and she takes it in hope of one day taking her revenge. I also hear some hopeful themes in her theme albeit some sick twisted hopefulness ( kinda like her bug extensions lol) which are given by this hope that the Rot represents to her. You can even see her in her human form in the story trailer while everything burns around her. So the super high voices in there i find like a response to Melania's Rot like "yes we are here and we ache so save us". Great stuff.
That analysis for the Scadutree Avatar is absurdly on-point and contextually prophetical for something later in the DLC....
My 2 favorite songs from the new ost have to be Death Knight and St. Trina, and the way you described them made me so intrigued and happy because of how accurate they were. Ive been watching alot of your videos and their very inspiring and have made me think about music in such a different way, thank you so much. ❤
Dude i love Shaman Village so much. Its so elegant and powerful and packed with emotion, especially with the context in game
I will always adore Shaman Village because it so perfectly encompasses the simplicity and tragedy of Marika's origin. You immediately knew walking into the area that you were somewhere critically important to the world. Even further I love that the Elden Beast's theme uses it, becoming a musical representation of the Greater Will (the vocals) taking hold of the Lands Between on the foundation of Marika's efforts (the harp).
2:06:13 fun fact, mesmer actually has 2 snakes. The first red snake is actually his friend and helps mesmer see, the reason his helmet and decorations are based on a snake is because it represent his only company and one that helped mesmer along with marikas seal to supress the abyssal snake. The second snake is the second phase, the abyssal snake, shorn of light, that is no friend nor helper of the vessel, devours everything in sight, including the red snake, that was killed by the abyssal snake when it emerged.
Messmer is such an amazing fight with a very powerful and emotional theme to boot. Your analyses on the boss themes and video game music in general are very insightful and informative, no matter which game they're from, appreciate the work you do Marco 👍
Thanks Nathan!
I just finished watching the stream vod 😭
you talking about using mayo as an instrument, and the stuff before that i was half listening, instantly reminded me of Mick Gordon allegedly using a chainsaw in the doom ost, i dont know if he actually did but thats what i heard, same with doom eternal where he allegedly used a lawn mower in the ost.
i'm sorry, i'm really enjoying the analysis, both emotionally but also just pulling attention to musical cues i didn't pick up on my own
e.g. the fact that mohgs motif echoes in the graveside plains, which makes perfect sense because not only have you likely just fought him if you enter the place, but his presence also kinda echoes all over the dlc in general, though it definitely takes a back seat in favor of radahns story
just makes me appreciate the soundtrack even more than i already did
but i can't stop giggling at "open-throated lower men"
lol 😂
13:17
When I hear that phrase I get the feeling of an untold mystery almost, but not necessarily ominous.
was a fun stream to watch live last night
Had the stream on in the background during work, loved it!
I like what they did at 1:13:37 Marika’d old village no longer has any residents due to the hornsets taking them away from their village. Now that there’s no one left there, the open space in between the music may allude to the emptiness in the village.
Shaman Village might be one of the most powerful pieces of music I've heard in a game, precisely because we've heard Elden Beast before. At first you anticipate the rest of the theme, but it's nothing. Just perfect stillness and emptiness. Stationary and hollow. A perfect parallel to the village, sequestered away in safety far too late for it to matter.
I would like to thank you good sir, I have never found a gaming youtuber who appreciates the music of video games to the degree that you do and I am the same way so, thank you for making content for me to watch, that I can not only relate to but also do the same things you do as I watch it
Glad you enjoy it!
One other interesting thing with the Shaman Village (which you really see when you visit it at night) is that it's really the only place left in that entire land that still has some of the grace (not counting the checkpoint graces). You see this tiny Erdtree sapling lighting up the entrance to her old home, while everything else has been abandoned to shadow.
I remember walking into Shaman Village first time and my mouth just fell open. Not just the beautiful scenery, but the soft music as well. And yes, it is basically the Elden Beast theme, but with all the layers stripped down. With all the Grace, with all the Gold and with the Greater Will, Elden Ring and everything removed. It just started with a golden haired woman in a village. And that's what you can see from the scenery and that's what you can hear from the music as well!
man your content is so captivating. i'm hooked!!
So @13:50 to your question, I would say as the cello comes in - which is an imposing instrument in any composition to be sure - alludes to strong longing: a yearning burning desire that has had to stay shut up and quiet for so long. For sure one to pay attention to. It's fierce.
The second half of metyr’s theme is like we are listening for the greater wills words, yet their is no answer