Local opera singer who has never played Ultrakill continues to be nigh spot on with the musical analysis in reference to the story, it's god damn incredible and uncanny
Not really, for the other songs maybe, but I dont think the right message was conveyed here. The song is supposed to be tragic and melancholic despite its initial use of instrumentation.
@@colasap I don't think so, I think that this song is there to make the player feel powerful, it's like the feeling of "oh shit, we're getting deep" and that you've finally learned how to play the game (that's why there are swordmachines and all of the others enemys from the others layers) (sorry for my bad english)
I view altars of apostasy as hell’s final stand against v1. V1 has gone to far and hell itself is trying to stop him from destroying all of it’s playthings for more blood.
One thing that elevates this song even more, is how it is presented ingame, you're going trough very dark corridors with only the red light coming trough the windows and the song that plays there is hardlly a song, it's more like a Shepard tone of a chainsaw getting louder and louder, leading to a special moment, that is until when you drop down a hole and suddenly the area around you goes from very dark hard to see corridors, to a bright red abyss with a few massive columns in the distance, only then the song starts with the high pitched note, and it's amazing, it's like a turning point in the game where it goes to "welcome to hell, hope you have fun" to "welcome to hell's hell, the city of Dis, hope you suffer"
the part at 2:37 is by far one of my favorite moments in ultrakill, ever. it had me reminiscing with the glory motif but at the same time it felt like the game was pushing me to go just a little further... I legitimately felt nostalgic for a game I had only bought a few days prior
@@noobyish Ultrakill has been by far my favorite game of all time for the past two years it is the one game that has felt fresh, on end, in early access, this long. Hakita is some sort of godsend game developer.
I find it ironic that Marco sees the Glory motif as upbeat and enthusiastic. Obviously he doesn't know much of ULTRAKILL's lore, but context completely flips the music's vibe on its head. This is the theme of Heresy, the sixth layer of Hell. It's at this point where Hell's punishments go from regular suffering (such as strong winds and pushing a boulder uphill) to outright torturing its denizens. Heresy in particular has sinners buried alive in ablaze coffins, having their flesh burnt for all eternity. It also has importance to the main characters V1 and Gabriel, as well as the player. For us, it's where we realize that we really are in *Hell.* The previous layers haven't really felt like Hell, and this level makes sure you remember where you are. For V1, it's the knowledge that it will soon run out of fresh blood. V1 is *desperate* to reach the lowest layers of Hell and possibly even step below it, so it can survive for as long as possible. For Gabriel, heresy is the sin that he was accused of committing, resulting in God's light being removed from him and being given 24 hours left to live. Just like V1, he is desperate. Only his desperation is coupled with rage as he seeks to kill V1 and reclaim his mantle of The Will Of God.
I wouldn't exactly say that V1 is desperate moving through this. How advanced its comprehension of this situation is questionable giving its more primitive nature as a machine. Whether it can even "Feel" is questionable and lore wise it might not be much more than an advanced automaton with the goal of sustaining itself via bloodshed. With the above in doubt, I think the enthusiasm of the music lines up more aptly, as, for the player, the challenge of this level is exceptional, and beating your way through it with all you've learned leading up until this point is delectable. Its the game at some of its best and the bloodbath you can produce because of it is a grand thing to engage in. I have no doubt that if V1 can enjoy things, this level is one of its favorites.
@@DiabloDelMer1 we do see some vestiges of emotion from V1 in clair de soiel when we have the popup text "your not getting away" when you have to chase V2
@@thomasedgar8612 Also if you place the blue skull on the headless skeletons in 1-4 and 5-3, V1 names them Hank and Hank Jr. Can't forget the Hankcestors, either.
@@thomasedgar8612 Nah, Hakita stated in Dev stream that they added this text because in playtest a lot of ppl didn't know where to go. Basicly it's just a reminder that player should follow V2.
This song plays during V1's entrance into the City of Dis, which in Dante's Inferno, is where the circles of Hell start to be about sins that arise from actively harming those around you instead of simply being self-serving or indirectly harmful to others. The level proper actually starts in the walls around the city, with a constant droning sound for the music as you make your way into the city proper. The combination of the droning and Altars of Apostasy leads to the best beat drop I've ever heard, as you literally drop into the city as Altars of Apostasy starts up.
I'd say this is technically correct, as when we drop down into the area where this specifically plays, we are actually _above_ the city of Dis (from what we know in the in-game files). The City of Dis proper in this case would be wherever we are in 6-2 and the halls of P-2. Though, following Dante's Inferno's canon, the final three layers are bound to be in the City of Dis as well.
entrence to Heresy is probably my fav moment in the whole ultrakill as of today. You just feel like getting hit in the face when you get dropped to the outside and all you see it that super bright bloody red and the hardest electric guitar solo in existence plays as u soak in the absurd difference between this and what you experienced before. It's like a jumpscare of epicness
"Machine, I know you're here. I can smell the insolent stench of your bloodstained hands. I await you down below." Also the 2nd part is extra awesome because of how fucked up it makes the castle vein motif sound(the one that sounds more upbeat like you're an action hero). There's no doubting from now on that you're the villain.
Just got here and I already know I'm bout to have my vocabulary expanded Also, in the context of the level, in my opinion, the music represents Gabriel's unbridled rage and sadness. That track at the end played after he acknowledged your presence.
I also think that the song shows exactly how far we’ve come as the player and also how far Gabriel is willing to go to gain back a semblance of his pride by killing the bringer of his strife.
You're very correct that this song is full of enthusiasm. This is the song of V1, the robot, diving headfirst into the layer of Heresy and slaughtering the toughest hordes of enemies seen so far in the main campaign. This is the player's boss theme.
I'd say less of a boss theme, and more of a theme representing v1's two "sides" - his original programming, that is represented by the major part, it shows v1's bliss from all the murder, and his real consciousness slowly developing over the story and asking itself "but why? Why am I doing this? In the end, there will be no more blood, so what's the purpose of all this murder?" As represented by the minor part. Then there's his murderous nature, his original programming of Fighting for survival taking over when he has to fight the two hideous masses, because he has no more time to ask questions and ponder, he now MUST fight for survival.
I love how the description about being happy to abandon a believe does not relate to V1, as it is a soulless machine, but instead perfectly describes Gabriel's character arc
2:39 That's actually the leitmotif from Glory. This song as a whole is meant to remind you of all the places you've been and all the places you've travelled, and this level as a whole is meant to be this kind of reality check of "oh crap, I am in Hell" (especially so with how the song starts only once you've broken out of the spawning area and got flashbanged with the red of the lakes of boiling blood).
in Dante's Inferno, the City of Dis at the sixth layer of Hell is also a massive turning point in the severity of punishments, going from simply existing eternally in an unpleasant or hostile environment to actively having punishments enacted upon the damned souls.
The way hakita managed to encompass Gabriel’s conflict in this song is mind blowing. Just like Marco says, you can really feel his conflict and his refusal of gods disappearance. And with the ‘upbeat’ part, it can really make you feel like he already decided to do what he did before he even lost to you (that made more sense in my head). I just love this song.
Ah yes, the hymn of V1, after the angry air conditioner that is the Choir of Crooked Saints in the RED layer of Heresy, this feels like a dark celebration of V1's journey, your journey. It repeats leit motifs from previous tracks, most notably taking even Castle Vein straight up. Edit: Oh my god, the notes you started singing have the same beginning as the Ode of Joy even, wow!
Something that really intrigues me that your commentary brought to attention is that the section at 5:33 you sing aloud is almost beat-for-beat the same chord progression as is in the track Sealed Vessel, from Hollow Knight. It’s interesting how two tracks from two games that both have such radically different themes and soundscapes can still use the same musical progressions to communicate similar ideas and feelings. That’s the beauty of music, I guess!
What I like about Ultrakill's story, is that the main character (V1) is not exactly the protagonist. The story actually revolves around Gabriel. V1 is more of an unstoppable force of nature, a cataclysm that swipes across Hell doing what it was meant to do as a perfect war machine. And The Altars of Apostasy is an ode to that. That last Castle Vein piece that plays during the Boss Gauntlet just screams "I am not trapped in here with you. You're trapped in here with me"
Well V1 is inherently the protagonist, as that means they are the "main" character or the one a story is focused on, but I think you mean that V1 is the protagonist but also the villian of the overall story.
I think that ultrakill is one of those games with no good or evil, nor does a CLEAR main objective show for V1 besides simply living, while gabriels motive is to defeat V1, so it does treat gabriel as a protagonist, I wonder where this will go when godfist suicide is out
@@colonelcorn9500 V1s goal isn't to kill everything, it's just that surviving happens to sort of be in line with it Because V1 is an AI built to run off of blood, its only driving force is to continue collecting blood, once a layer has been purged of all life V1 MUST continue further into hell lest he run out of blood and die
This is my absolute favourite song on the entire soundtrack. I was watching my friend play ACT2 the night it dropped over discord and we both when silent when this started playing.
To me, this song represents how far you've gone as a player. This song plays in the level 6-1, which is the 2nd last level in Act 2. The 2nd last level in each act is a gauntlet level where everything you've learned before is put to the test. That's all well and fine, but at the very end of the level, you reach the hardest arena at that point in the game. 2 Hideous Masses, which was the mid boss of Limbo, while the leitmotif of Castle Vein (the song that plays in 1-3, the Hideous Mass level) is blaring in the background. Once you kill one Hideous Mass, a bunch of enemies spawn, including a Swordsmachine. The Swordsmachine is the mid boss of the Prelude, and you don't see one again until this very level. 6-1 is full of call backs to the earlier levels. Levels where you were struggling and getting constant D ranks. But now you're much better, and can handle what Hakita throws at you (you still get a D rank though, this level is hard). It's a perfect moment of glory and adrenaline right before your 2nd fight with Gabriel which flips the whole story on it's head. I bet none of that made any sense, but I'm sure some of my fellow ultrakill fans who have the mental capacity of a crackhead can understand.
this level specifically was easily my favourite ultrakill memory, and it's like 90% because of the music. chord of the crooked saint was such a humongous punch to the face, paired with that red ass hallway when you walk out the door into 6-1. then,... altars of apostasy. that level is so sick, and then the GLORY piano arpeggio very feintly shows up in the back and OH MY GOD. what a sick thing to hear first time. and then the castle vein remix??? that whole level was easily the most memorable experience i've had with ultrakill, and it'll probably remain my favourite level (and altar's of apostasy will always remain one of my favourite songs from the game) unless act 3's got something REALLY REALLY cool around the corner. altars of apostasy is also such a strange song because of that major chorus section. there is nothing happy or hopeful about that level at all, if anything, heresy is the darkest layer of hell we've seen so far, and yet... it just fits. it just fits that moment in the game so perfectly well. maybe it's jumping between those platforms over the bottomless red void, maybe it's because we're at the climax of act 2, i GENUINELY have zero idea why it works so perfectly, but it just does.
When it ‘descends’ Gabriel speaks to you and says, “Machine, I know your there! COME TO ME!” And then EVERY boss you’ve fought up to this point spawns twice. THEN you get into The Death Of Gods Will
except for v2 or the leviathan or the ferryman or the corpse of minos or the sisyphean inssurectionist or maurice and it only spawns one swordsmachine its actually just 2 cerberi 2 masses and a swordsmachine and also a bunch of non boss enemies
P-2 has every boss except the main story bosses which is crazy cause they go from feeling like bosses to regular enemies just by being placed with some other enemies. Truly great game design
It is exactly why - both tracks work so well at inducing the feeling of approaching climax of a certain conflict (no lewd joke intended) In Hollow Knight - Little Ghost is fighting for the future of Hallownest, a destiny-deciding standoff, underlined by the relatively faster pace than the second case In Altars of Apostasy - V1 is having mad fun, taking the time to enjoy its blood-spilling-explosion-making circus of hell, having no intention to stop whatsoever, thus the music shows the unquencheable thirst by keeping the pace slow and heavy
The enthusiastic part is a motif from the song glory which play exactly one act prior. It’s more of a classical song so to hear it with guitars was awesome
Well, V1's current purpose is to get dinner (because he LITERALLY eats blood) The one with apostasy is probably Gabriel . Also that next bit is way cooler with the context of castle vein.
Thing with ULTRAKILL is, you know the motive of the game, you always have as it's shoved right in your face the second you boot up the game the first time. Mankind is dead Blood is fuel Hell is full The question that you start to ask yourself more and more as you progress isn't what you're doing there, it's are you SUPPOSED to be there? This is best seen in Pandemonium in my opinion, where the beat sounds like an alarm going off, as you're essentially breaking into hell's equivalent of a maximum security prison. It gives a "Oh, I am *so* not supposed to be here right now." thought to the player.
Hakita has actually said in a commentary for the game that the robot (V1) isn't the focus of the story, they're just the driving force for the plot. So when you take that into consideration and figure that Gabriel is the focus, the themes described of the song actually speak of Gabriel's journey. This track plays for the last level before the second fight with Gabriel, and after the fight he goes through apostasy in exactly how the themes of this track play out. Hakita is such a genius. If after Ultrakill is all finish and he decides not to go further into game design (as he has expressed he may do in the commentary), Hakita will have a great future in composing music for video games.
Another important part of this song that I feel is kind of hard to get unless you play through the game or at least heard the previous tracks Is that this track is a call back to guts and glory from gluttony
I think this is more from the point of view of Gabriel(who is one of the antagonists, but not really ,in the story) who is feeling joy to have someone to actually struggle against and it has reignited the doubt in his mind he's been harboring for who knows how long.
This song is so interesting to me, cause I simultaneously hear that joy Marco talks about, from V1's perspective, but also a real sense of *desperation*. The drawn out notes of this feel just like the hands reaching up to V1 on the song's cover. It really feels to me like hell desperately struggling with everything it has to stave off this relentless threat to its existence
To me the part that you interpret as "unbridled enthusiasm" sounds more like melancholic determination, I guess is how I'd put it. As other have said - this track is played at the moment we land at the entrance to Dis, and is the moment we realize that we truly are in Hell, and the only way is forward. V1 has left nothing behind it, consuming blood so that it remains alive, able to go further and deeper into the circles of Hell itself in search of more blood, more fuel. And for Gabriel's section, the part after the descent which plays in the arena after he acknowledges your presence, it's fury. He was beaten by a machine and as such had the Holy Light ripped from his body, which if not returned will leave him dead in 24 hours. He is frustrated, infuriated, and is left with only hatred in his heart. The only way forward for him, or so he thinks, is to put an end to V1's rampage through Hell - a task he is more than willing to perform.
After the distorted slow down transition, it plays a separate but very short track called 'halls of sacrilegious remains' which plays in the next room. It is like a remix of castle vein, which plays on the level 1-3. At the end of 1-3 you fight a hideous mass, and in 6-1, when halls of sacrilegious plays, you fight two hideous masses at once with a bunch if other enemies
I think your interpretation of this being representative of the enthusiasm of the robot player character is pretty spot on, this song plays in the climax of act 2 and the musical motif that made you comment that is also present in the music for the climax of act 1
It's still amazing for me to realize how differently people can perceive the same things. When we talk about the moment 02:40-02:50 all I hear is the terrifying endless despair of losing everything you had. It was as if the Main Character had reached the end of his adventure, defeated the Villain, but on the way to this "good" ending, He lost everyone who was dear to Him and perhaps even lost Himself. It's like He's standing on top of a hill, covered in blood, looking at the sun rising from the horizon and realizing that He can finally let go of the sword. Tears roll down His face, images of His dead family and friends flash before His eyes and He thinks about one single thing: "Was it worth it?" But after that U said: "Wow it's actually like a happy song?" When I heard your words, I was really shocked by SUCH a different understanding of things between You and me. I was literally looking at a black square, and all of a sudden You came up and said, "Damn, what a beautiful white circle, right?" Naturally, I'm not saying that You're wrong, but I just couldn't help but leave a comment after that
Wow, what an analysis! Now I can really hear the enthusiasm in this track, that's appropriate considering the stage this plays in is, so far, the peak of ultrakillness (excluding p-2)
The fact that you can draw this much emotion with an electric gituar, snare, and a piano is actually insane. This one is easily one of my favorites, especially when it switches to the next portion Hakita is a phenomenal musician, and he hasnt failed to disappoint yet with his music
This part of the game is called the crescendo for a reason, it is the apex of everything your have encountered up until this point, an expression of every mechanical challenge and story motif rolled into one, concluding the act in a cyclical pattern mirroring the previous.
Honestly, I feel that this song is a lot more of like... humanity seeking the answer of a question. A constant turmoil that constantly progresses. And then, there's a clarity in that happy moment. Maybe in finding a pleasing answer (likely in this case, religion). And then, just as it came, it was tarnished, making it sound a lot more menacing and disastrous before returning to the start.
The feeling the Glory motif at 2:39 conveys to me is one of a tragic high, one that cannot last forever due to the fact that the actions that you're taking to sustain it are totally destructive to everything around you. It feels like the theme of someone in the throes of utter nirvana while everything around them falls apart due to their own actions. Which is damn fitting considering that whole "omniciding Hell" thing you're in the middle of. The overall mood of this track feels like the fact that you're one of the bad guys and a participant in *omnicide*, as well as the ravenous consumption of every single living thing in existence purely to fuel your own, is starting to set in.
V1 is the current apex predator of all. He has defeated Gods champion, and slaughtered half of hell itself. The high pitched wailing, it shows a few things, the desperation of the denizens of hell trying to keep their existence, and Gabriel’s hopelessness. There is a deep soul sucking sadness, there is no hope, all that remains is a ticking timer. If V1 succeeds all of hell will go down. Not only will all life cease, but so will V1’s “life”. You aren’t a machine, you are extinction, an angel of death. The angel of death imagery I think is further exemplified with V1’s wings, his speed and lithe body poised to kill. If the palace of death can’t withhold you, it is no longer death, you are.
When act 2 first came out, this was my favorite track in the game due the mood it sets for the Heresy Layer. However, that was until Tenebre Rosso Sangue came. It’s still my second favorite Ultrakill song though
the man continues ignoring the V2 fight themes. either way thank you for paying attention to this game and its ost, i think the ost definitely deserves way more recognition.
5:48 This (is leitmotif the correct word?) Sounds just like a part from the song Sealed vessel from the Hollow knight ost, guess they used the same song progression.
YEAH YOU FINALLY REACTED TO THIS TRACK! This is my personal favorite of the whole soundtrack. I love your analysis on what the context is from just what you hear. Also the 2:39 motif is not at all meant to convey that, LOL Not saying that as a bad thing, but the real feeling it gives when you have played the game really amps this up to a masterpiece. That motif appears in a track from a previous layer, Gluttony, the third layer, and it's tragic in context since it's related to Minos' tragedy. When you hear this motif in Heresy, the sixth layer, it's making you finally realize the whole tragedy and massacre you're bringing to this world. It's ironic that it's in a major key. It's a motif for tragedy. It's a motif for death, for the player. thats a lot of text
In terms of lore, it seems nobody really talked about the "hell is sentient" thing, so let me do it there is an interpretation of ultrakill saying that hell isn't a place, but a living super-organism “toying” with V1 out of pure enjoyment because it's bored. Sending it waves of enemies to see V1 fight and struggle, and as time passes, hell send more and more enemies that are stronger and stronger, when reaching 6-1 (the level where altar of apostasy plays), it's where I personally interpreted it as hell understanding it has made a mistake by letting V1 live, because now hell knows full well V1 is a machine that will cause everyone's downfall, hell keep sending the strongest demons, machines, and heavenly being it has… but V1 is unstoppable, it's currently in a murder spree and nobody is able to stop him, not heaven the strongest angels from heaven, not even the stronger versions of him, not even the soul of an old king at it's peak, and not even the leviathan that has been growing stronger and stronger since the end of mankind, and soon V1 will be the cause of even more troubles like a rebellion in heaven for example, it's only the start, because hell is full.
Been greatly looking forwards to this one the most. Its probably my favorite track in the game, which just basically screams the point of no return or an absolute victory lap of Act 2. Wonderful video and analysis, cheers on that!
Another thing I like about this channel ( and some other music react channels) is how expressive they are with the music. It really shows their thoughts even without words and their understanding of music.
when i hear this song, i like to think that v1 has now realized the true weight of the situation, v1 comes to realize just how many innocent people it has slaughtered in a thirst for fuel (blood) the raw tragedy this song conveys is incredibly impactful and it is easily one of my top 5 favorite songs in ultrakill
i would say that rather than realization of slaughter, its realization of hunger. its almost out of blood, as it gets closer and closer to the bottom of hell, it gets closer and closer to death, but has to press on regardless to live as long as possible.
@@The_outwardNechromancer_Kaia yea i can see that too, i just think it’s fun to imagine v1 gaining sentience and realizing the mess that it and its kind have made also ignore the fact that this reply is 9 months late (i have a slight delay in my reaction time)
6:24 that moment the song hits you right in the face with deep emotion. i personally find this song to be bittersweet, where on one hand it seems to display a newfound freedom from abandoning one's previous beliefs, while on the other there is this hint of horror of what that freedom implies, what terrifying things one can do without the chains of morality imposed on them by both themselves and by those around them. it sinks in that slowly all life is going extinct in all of existence and you are the cause of it. the end of the song is the chaos that ensues because of this newfound horrifying and beautiful freedom it also relates heavily to Gabriel as at this point in the story he has according to the divine counsel, which took the place of God after he vanished completely, committed heresy against them and God after being beaten by the war machine you play as, V1. Gabriel begins to change from this noble figure to unbound from his previous morals, hence the apostasy
LETS GO MORE ULTRAKILL!! fun fact this song plays in the layer of heresy, and this level is just before the 2nd Gabriel fight. the same one that has the song "the death of gods will"
The stage this plays on is followed by a cutscene of the Angel Gabriel renouncing his faith in the holy council (who has taken control in gods mysterious disappearance) he then proceeds to do what you can expect the lords hand (with two cool swords) to do.
I feel that more Altars Of Apostasy are the screams and despair of hell (because yes, hell has a conscience) to finish us off, not to eliminate what remains through the nine layers even screaming at us with hate with every drop of his being, but in the end those efforts are in vain because, we have come so far, so far that there is no return, now we are a force unstoppable in search of the last drop of blood there is, it does not matter if the full force of hell falls between us, because we have the will and power to
Aw hell yeah, we finally got to Altars of Apostasy. Been waiting for this one for a while What makes this track even better is the calm version and the context within the level. Throughout the level it's dark and enclosed, you feel trapped while being bombarded by enemies as an ominous hum plays in the background. Then you unlock a spire that has a hole, asking you to drop down into uncertainty. Then, one of the greatest fucking drops I've ever experienced happens and I have the widest grin on my face in months. It's bright, red, and you're sitting atop a structure suspended by pillars high above the ground while the bloody winds of hell brush over your face, and there's only one direction you can go: forward. Forward into battle with anticipation. The way the calm version was handled in this level was unlike anything else, before it kinda just let you know there was no combat and that the full track was a banger, but here it provided the most absolute hype buildup imaginable. I genuinely think the calm version elevates the emotions of the whole song too. When the calm version strips away the drums and muffles everything, it just gives you the raw rough riffs and feels like seething rage in all types of forms and shifting levels with wavering faith in yourself- until you reach the Glory leitmotif (where the piano section would normally be in the loop). Then it feels like daybreak with hints of regret and relief at the same. Conviction on the path you're going. It finally breaks into combat and a rush of emotion and excitement begins, partly tinted with an intimidating aura. Some say that this is V1's boss theme, some say that this is a representation of gabriel, I just love Altars of Apostasy because the flow of music lets me write scenes that are filled with emotion by conducting it into a specific pace. And this one was a representation of a rampage filled with anger that I've never heard before. In the second loop where you heard the dropoff was where the calm version came in, and to me it was always tragic due to the context of the other soundtracks. The Glory leitmotif, which I referenced prior, came from another track named as such where you roamed the guts of gluttony after taking down king Minos's corpse, who roamed the city of Lust (which he led) after being slain by gabriel and having his bpdy puppeteered by parasites. Quite sad really. P.S. 5:19 is also one of my favorite parts because of its mounting aggression. Really satifsying.
I've never really realized how Hall of Sacrilegious Remains - the end part - mirrored the Allegretto piece used in Gabriel's story piece when he kills the Council. Both have a singular "main character" instrument that is mainly rising through the whole thing to show that Gabriel is doing something drastic or desperate. In 6-1, it's almost egging the machine on, whereas after 6-2, it's when he turns on the people who defined his faith for so long
I highly recommend checking out the soundtrack of Team Fortress 2. It is easily my favorite game of all time and it shares a lot of its fan base with Ultrakill. Most of the tracks are orchestral or jazz pieces and I listen to them all the time. They are so fun to have playing while I'm working on something or just relaxing.
id just like to add that the end part is called Hall of Sacrilegious Remains which adds so much more to the emotionally-fueled musical story telling of Altars of Apostasy.
It's interesting to see your take on this. Personally, I always saw this as hell itself being entertained at v1's bloodshed, before realizing that it's going to die. I see the last part as it desperately fighting back with all it has, only for it all to fail, as everything is too far gone. (Hell itself is alive in ultrakill and is entertained by the machines)
I've been thinking for a bit about what this song implies and after a while of consideration, I really do think that the song really is meant to be a combo the unrelenting nature of both V1 and the level, coupled by the equally unrelenting joy there can be found playing this game. For clarity, this level is arguably the hardest of the standard levels up until this point, beaten only by P-1, P-2, and maybe the second Gabriel fight. This whole game is about mastery of it and its systems, being far more about styling on enemies rather than just their raw obliteration, so a challenge like this is as one that very quickly becomes thrilling as you fight ever increasingly difficult encounters. This level and the music also serve as call backs to both old bosses and motifs from the first stages of the game, essentially turning this level into throwback to these levels; only now you are so much better at handling them and the game makes it all the more difficult; as what I'd argue is not merely balancing but as a reward for getting this far. All in all, I truly think this song far more exemplifies Ultrakill as a game, rather than merely the story. At its core, it is a tryhard game akin to the stuff like the soulsborne games, where your reward for beating the prior challenges is, more than loot and levels ups, is even greater challenges to beat there-after. Its a game that is constantly ramping up what it throws at you with the full confidence that you'll figure not just how to beat it, but that you'll beat it with such style and speed that you as the player can't help but feel good about it. It is the epitome of "Git gud and revel in triumph". For the above reasons, I especially think that that final phase of the song, which is more or less a remix of the prior 'Castle Vein' song, is a celebration that we're so close to getting to experience the game at its hardest. The song literally sounds like a happy descent, and with it we're descending into the final levels of Hell itself, knowing full well it's going to be an absolute blast taking them head on! This is what I love about Ultrakill. Despite the weight of some of its themes and story; the game truly does revels in its own existence. It has an unbridled confidence that I seldom find in other games. Oh, also, someone mentioned that this level feels nostalgic even for those that went through the game in a single session. I can completely agree. It truly feels like home coming to meet us.
Man’s this much closer to completely understanding a game he’s never played Despite that there’s one segment that I’m not getting the same message from: the glory motif, especially its reprise at 6:09. I don’t read it as enthusiasm; I see it as desperation. In the lore, mankind is dead, having been wiped out by their machines. The machines, such as the player character, are fueled by blood and have invaded hell in search of more. In what’s implied to be *days*, you have entered hell and left a trail of bodies to the heresy layer, and the upper layers are all but wiped clean of life. But you and the other machines must push on in order to survive. And when there’s no more blood to spill, the machines will die. You aren’t fighting for fun, you’re fighting to survive
Oh my god I just figured something out. In the fight with Gabriel on the level after the one this plays in, he realizes he isn't fighting out of hatred, but passion. He starts enjoying himself when he fights you. This song is a representation of that enjoyment. People might have realized that a long time ago, but still
I always thought that the part at 2:38 would always be a good place for Latin operatic lyrics for the Archangel Gabriel who is the boss who speaks to you at end of this level and who ultimately finds peace in being defeated by the player character (pardon the butchered latin below). O Machina (Oh machine) Io Sono in pace (I am at peace) veni ad me (Come to me)
Love this interpretation. I think when you also consider the cover art for Tenebre Rosso Sangue with our character (both playing throughout the Heresy layer), this enthusiasm in the music could also be that from the enemies’ perspective, we’re bringing them salvation from hell itself through death. That said, they’re still trying to kill you tho
This is definitely one of my favorite ULTRAKILL tracks with Tenebre Rosso Sanguine. For those familiar with the game. I think it is interesting to point out the portions of the song that feel upbeat and enthusiastic to Marco. When you look at the song in context to Gabriel knowing that he feels a sense of relief and clarity after his second defeat to V1 and ultimately commits entirely to abandoning God and those who represent Him and fully embraces becoming a heretic.
To me (based on what the context ofthe song is in-game) this song IS this sort of weird spiritual ascent but physical descent. The stage starts with winding corridors and red goat skulls judging you wherever you go, its claustrophobic and it feels like the area itself is trying to make you feel retribution for your actions...and then you fall down into a MASSIVE open area with a huge pit below and a series of chirch-like buildings before you. AND YOU HEAR THIS SONG COME UP. THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS. You look into the distant violently blood-colored mist of this limitless expance and you realise once more that YOU ARE A KILLING MACHINE, YOU DHALL NOT STOP JUST BECAUSE THE AREA WAS A BIT DREARY BEFORE, THE GAUNTLETS BEFORE YOU MAY BE HARD AS HELL, BUT YOU WILL PUSH THROUGH AND COMPLETE YOUR UNHOLY MISSION. This is the stage right before your second confrontation with Gabriel. And whilethat one starts with a somber recollection of which parts of hell have been lost to the machines... Gablriel is filled with a new emotion, sheer unfaltering HATRED for this little pile of plates and bolts that has somehow managed to pave its way through this underworld.This title is changed from "Judge of Hell" to "Apostate of Hate" and it SHOWS in his demenour. THIS STAGE IS THE BUILDUP TO THAT CONFRONTATION. The second part ofthe song is for the final room of the level, a chapel-like building with two Hideous Masses and a SWARM of enemies. Hideous Mass was a bossfightyou fought alone way back in the first layer,so to fight two at once AND be constantly assaulted by all these enemies of different alignements is a testament to how terryfying of a being you have become. AND THE MUSIC IS AN EVEN MORE INTENCE REMIX OF THE SONG "CASTLE VEIN", THE ONE THAT PLAYED THE FIRST TIME YOU FOUGHT A HIDEOUS MASS GOD ITS SO GOOD. THE HERESY LAYER IS SUCH A GOOD CLIMAX OF ACT 2 GRAAAAAAAH (i hope noone minds this half-breakdown inthe comment section, i just love how wellconstructed visually, mechanically andthematically this layer is.
idk if anyone has pointed this out but the final bit is a remixed/modified version of an earlier song called "castlevein" (on the nose reference lol), that plays almost at the beginning of the game.
Local opera singer who has never played Ultrakill continues to be nigh spot on with the musical analysis in reference to the story, it's god damn incredible and uncanny
Hakita is very good at musically portraying the story.
We can thank both Marco's adept ability to analyze music and Hakita's artistic ability to portray feelings and stories
Its crazy how consistent he is too
Not really, for the other songs maybe, but I dont think the right message was conveyed here. The song is supposed to be tragic and melancholic despite its initial use of instrumentation.
@@colasap I don't think so, I think that this song is there to make the player feel powerful, it's like the feeling of "oh shit, we're getting deep" and that you've finally learned how to play the game (that's why there are swordmachines and all of the others enemys from the others layers)
(sorry for my bad english)
As a wise man once said “This is YOUR boss theme”
I heard that on a comment
No I think the cyber grind is v1 theme
@@Orangeinawall Altars of Apostasy fits better though.
"It was at that moment that V1 realized that he wasn't being punished, he was the punishment"
I view altars of apostasy as hell’s final stand against v1. V1 has gone to far and hell itself is trying to stop him from destroying all of it’s playthings for more blood.
One thing that elevates this song even more, is how it is presented ingame, you're going trough very dark corridors with only the red light coming trough the windows and the song that plays there is hardlly a song, it's more like a Shepard tone of a chainsaw getting louder and louder, leading to a special moment, that is until when you drop down a hole and suddenly the area around you goes from very dark hard to see corridors, to a bright red abyss with a few massive columns in the distance, only then the song starts with the high pitched note, and it's amazing, it's like a turning point in the game where it goes to "welcome to hell, hope you have fun" to "welcome to hell's hell, the city of Dis, hope you suffer"
ikr????? that’s literally my favorite moment in the game
the part at 2:37 is by far one of my favorite moments in ultrakill, ever. it had me reminiscing with the glory motif but at the same time it felt like the game was pushing me to go just a little further... I legitimately felt nostalgic for a game I had only bought a few days prior
@@noobyish Ultrakill has been by far my favorite game of all time for the past two years
it is the one game that has felt fresh, on end, in early access, this long. Hakita is some sort of godsend game developer.
Dis nuts
Hell can have a little Hell as a treat.
I find it ironic that Marco sees the Glory motif as upbeat and enthusiastic. Obviously he doesn't know much of ULTRAKILL's lore, but context completely flips the music's vibe on its head.
This is the theme of Heresy, the sixth layer of Hell. It's at this point where Hell's punishments go from regular suffering (such as strong winds and pushing a boulder uphill) to outright torturing its denizens. Heresy in particular has sinners buried alive in ablaze coffins, having their flesh burnt for all eternity.
It also has importance to the main characters V1 and Gabriel, as well as the player. For us, it's where we realize that we really are in *Hell.* The previous layers haven't really felt like Hell, and this level makes sure you remember where you are. For V1, it's the knowledge that it will soon run out of fresh blood. V1 is *desperate* to reach the lowest layers of Hell and possibly even step below it, so it can survive for as long as possible. For Gabriel, heresy is the sin that he was accused of committing, resulting in God's light being removed from him and being given 24 hours left to live. Just like V1, he is desperate. Only his desperation is coupled with rage as he seeks to kill V1 and reclaim his mantle of The Will Of God.
I wouldn't exactly say that V1 is desperate moving through this. How advanced its comprehension of this situation is questionable giving its more primitive nature as a machine. Whether it can even "Feel" is questionable and lore wise it might not be much more than an advanced automaton with the goal of sustaining itself via bloodshed.
With the above in doubt, I think the enthusiasm of the music lines up more aptly, as, for the player, the challenge of this level is exceptional, and beating your way through it with all you've learned leading up until this point is delectable. Its the game at some of its best and the bloodbath you can produce because of it is a grand thing to engage in. I have no doubt that if V1 can enjoy things, this level is one of its favorites.
@@DiabloDelMer1 we do see some vestiges of emotion from V1 in clair de soiel when we have the popup text "your not getting away" when you have to chase V2
@@thomasedgar8612 Also if you place the blue skull on the headless skeletons in 1-4 and 5-3, V1 names them Hank and Hank Jr.
Can't forget the Hankcestors, either.
@@MrHumannnn so we know he has two emotions.
spite
*vibe*
@@thomasedgar8612 Nah, Hakita stated in Dev stream that they added this text because in playtest a lot of ppl didn't know where to go. Basicly it's just a reminder that player should follow V2.
This track literally describes the saying "No words, only emotions"
“Machine, I can smell the insolent stench of your blood stained hands. I await you down below……. COME TO ME!”
@@joeyh.6055"machine i can smell COME"
@@ius_0 Machine, i can smell the insolent stench of your COME stained hands. I await you down below....... COME TO ME"
@@Gabriel-zz8fqMachine, i can smell the insolent stench of your COME stained hands. i COME down below……. COME TO ME
This song plays during V1's entrance into the City of Dis, which in Dante's Inferno, is where the circles of Hell start to be about sins that arise from actively harming those around you instead of simply being self-serving or indirectly harmful to others. The level proper actually starts in the walls around the city, with a constant droning sound for the music as you make your way into the city proper. The combination of the droning and Altars of Apostasy leads to the best beat drop I've ever heard, as you literally drop into the city as Altars of Apostasy starts up.
I'd say this is technically correct, as when we drop down into the area where this specifically plays, we are actually _above_ the city of Dis (from what we know in the in-game files). The City of Dis proper in this case would be wherever we are in 6-2 and the halls of P-2.
Though, following Dante's Inferno's canon, the final three layers are bound to be in the City of Dis as well.
city of dis nuts
Yup this song is literally V1 theme
@@seanmurphy4968 bro 💀
entrence to Heresy is probably my fav moment in the whole ultrakill as of today. You just feel like getting hit in the face when you get dropped to the outside and all you see it that super bright bloody red and the hardest electric guitar solo in existence plays as u soak in the absurd difference between this and what you experienced before. It's like a jumpscare of epicness
"Machine, I know you're here. I can smell the insolent stench of your bloodstained hands. I await you down below."
Also the 2nd part is extra awesome because of how fucked up it makes the castle vein motif sound(the one that sounds more upbeat like you're an action hero). There's no doubting from now on that you're the villain.
"COME TO ME"
@@Deutscher-pq3uz *hall of sacrilegious remains starts playing*
Just got here and I already know I'm bout to have my vocabulary expanded
Also, in the context of the level, in my opinion, the music represents Gabriel's unbridled rage and sadness. That track at the end played after he acknowledged your presence.
LOL
Yeah, this is just as much of a valid interpretation, I see it as Hell itself embracing V1 is a model denizen and a Principality in the making.
I think it also represents his mania that we see in those joyful sections.
I also think that the song shows exactly how far we’ve come as the player and also how far Gabriel is willing to go to gain back a semblance of his pride by killing the bringer of his strife.
@@MarcoMeatball You're laughing. He's full of perfect hatred, and you're laughing.
5:41 "that's from a classical music piece"
(is singing the sealed vessel theme from hollow knight)
I was wondering if anyone noticed
just shows how good sealed vessel theme is
You're very correct that this song is full of enthusiasm. This is the song of V1, the robot, diving headfirst into the layer of Heresy and slaughtering the toughest hordes of enemies seen so far in the main campaign. This is the player's boss theme.
Me: 1-3 left side
But it's also the theme of a Gabriel who's found a renewed purpose and is now looking to go about his redemption
@@tonberry2670 I’d replace “go about his redemption” with “get revenge on those who truly wronged him”
I'd say less of a boss theme, and more of a theme representing v1's two "sides" - his original programming, that is represented by the major part, it shows v1's bliss from all the murder, and his real consciousness slowly developing over the story and asking itself "but why? Why am I doing this? In the end, there will be no more blood, so what's the purpose of all this murder?" As represented by the minor part. Then there's his murderous nature, his original programming of Fighting for survival taking over when he has to fight the two hideous masses, because he has no more time to ask questions and ponder, he now MUST fight for survival.
I love how the description about being happy to abandon a believe does not relate to V1, as it is a soulless machine, but instead perfectly describes Gabriel's character arc
2:39 That's actually the leitmotif from Glory. This song as a whole is meant to remind you of all the places you've been and all the places you've travelled, and this level as a whole is meant to be this kind of reality check of "oh crap, I am in Hell" (especially so with how the song starts only once you've broken out of the spawning area and got flashbanged with the red of the lakes of boiling blood).
The spaghetti sauce dimension
in Dante's Inferno, the City of Dis at the sixth layer of Hell is also a massive turning point in the severity of punishments, going from simply existing eternally in an unpleasant or hostile environment to actively having punishments enacted upon the damned souls.
The way hakita managed to encompass Gabriel’s conflict in this song is mind blowing. Just like Marco says, you can really feel his conflict and his refusal of gods disappearance. And with the ‘upbeat’ part, it can really make you feel like he already decided to do what he did before he even lost to you (that made more sense in my head). I just love this song.
Ah yes, the hymn of V1, after the angry air conditioner that is the Choir of Crooked Saints in the RED layer of Heresy, this feels like a dark celebration of V1's journey, your journey.
It repeats leit motifs from previous tracks, most notably taking even Castle Vein straight up.
Edit: Oh my god, the notes you started singing have the same beginning as the Ode of Joy even, wow!
Someone said it best before, that during 6:10, it sounds like the guitar is “crying”, or that hell itself is crying.
Something that really intrigues me that your commentary brought to attention is that the section at 5:33 you sing aloud is almost beat-for-beat the same chord progression as is in the track Sealed Vessel, from Hollow Knight. It’s interesting how two tracks from two games that both have such radically different themes and soundscapes can still use the same musical progressions to communicate similar ideas and feelings. That’s the beauty of music, I guess!
Glad someone recognized it too!
It does
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THAT LMAO
its literally the start of sealed vessel and pure vessel
I knew I wasn't the only one lol
What I like about Ultrakill's story, is that the main character (V1) is not exactly the protagonist. The story actually revolves around Gabriel. V1 is more of an unstoppable force of nature, a cataclysm that swipes across Hell doing what it was meant to do as a perfect war machine. And The Altars of Apostasy is an ode to that. That last Castle Vein piece that plays during the Boss Gauntlet just screams "I am not trapped in here with you. You're trapped in here with me"
Well V1 is inherently the protagonist, as that means they are the "main" character or the one a story is focused on, but I think you mean that V1 is the protagonist but also the villian of the overall story.
I think that ultrakill is one of those games with no good or evil, nor does a CLEAR main objective show for V1 besides simply living, while gabriels motive is to defeat V1, so it does treat gabriel as a protagonist, I wonder where this will go when godfist suicide is out
Gabriel is the main antagonist since they are the main force stopping V1 from accomplishing his goal of committing mass genocide.
@@colonelcorn9500 V1s goal isn't to kill everything, it's just that surviving happens to sort of be in line with it
Because V1 is an AI built to run off of blood, its only driving force is to continue collecting blood, once a layer has been purged of all life V1 MUST continue further into hell lest he run out of blood and die
@@RTort Ik that, I was just simplifying it because I quite frankly don’t care that much
at this point we just need the full OST
This is my absolute favourite song on the entire soundtrack.
I was watching my friend play ACT2 the night it dropped over discord and we both when silent when this started playing.
To me, this song represents how far you've gone as a player.
This song plays in the level 6-1, which is the 2nd last level in Act 2. The 2nd last level in each act is a gauntlet level where everything you've learned before is put to the test. That's all well and fine, but at the very end of the level, you reach the hardest arena at that point in the game. 2 Hideous Masses, which was the mid boss of Limbo, while the leitmotif of Castle Vein (the song that plays in 1-3, the Hideous Mass level) is blaring in the background. Once you kill one Hideous Mass, a bunch of enemies spawn, including a Swordsmachine. The Swordsmachine is the mid boss of the Prelude, and you don't see one again until this very level.
6-1 is full of call backs to the earlier levels. Levels where you were struggling and getting constant D ranks. But now you're much better, and can handle what Hakita throws at you (you still get a D rank though, this level is hard). It's a perfect moment of glory and adrenaline right before your 2nd fight with Gabriel which flips the whole story on it's head.
I bet none of that made any sense, but I'm sure some of my fellow ultrakill fans who have the mental capacity of a crackhead can understand.
this level specifically was easily my favourite ultrakill memory, and it's like 90% because of the music. chord of the crooked saint was such a humongous punch to the face, paired with that red ass hallway when you walk out the door into 6-1. then,... altars of apostasy. that level is so sick, and then the GLORY piano arpeggio very feintly shows up in the back and OH MY GOD. what a sick thing to hear first time. and then the castle vein remix??? that whole level was easily the most memorable experience i've had with ultrakill, and it'll probably remain my favourite level (and altar's of apostasy will always remain one of my favourite songs from the game) unless act 3's got something REALLY REALLY cool around the corner.
altars of apostasy is also such a strange song because of that major chorus section. there is nothing happy or hopeful about that level at all, if anything, heresy is the darkest layer of hell we've seen so far, and yet... it just fits. it just fits that moment in the game so perfectly well. maybe it's jumping between those platforms over the bottomless red void, maybe it's because we're at the climax of act 2, i GENUINELY have zero idea why it works so perfectly, but it just does.
judging by the previews of the next layer im starting to think we’ve barely scratched the surface of hakita’s mind for craftint these experiences
Before the Wait Of The World update this was my most favorite song in all of Ultrakill, really happy to see a reaction of it.
When it ‘descends’ Gabriel speaks to you and says, “Machine, I know your there! COME TO ME!” And then EVERY boss you’ve fought up to this point spawns twice. THEN you get into The Death Of Gods Will
except for v2
or the leviathan
or the ferryman
or the corpse of minos
or the sisyphean inssurectionist
or maurice
and it only spawns one swordsmachine
its actually just 2 cerberi 2 masses and a swordsmachine
and also a bunch of non boss enemies
@@fishpickles7316 Man now I really gotta replay that section, how wrong I was.
@@fishpickles7316I'd say that part has every boss up until 1-3 where castle vein is played
Except maurice, yeah
three swordsmachine
P-2 has every boss except the main story bosses which is crazy cause they go from feeling like bosses to regular enemies just by being placed with some other enemies. Truly great game design
Can’t wait for a full ost reaction to all of the ultrakill songs
*I mean I can wait of course but still my excitement is the same*
The 6:08 and later literally sounds like a person reaching for a trophy on a pile of corpses if the scene itself could be transferred into sound.
5:35 I don't know about a classical music piece but it sure sounds like the track Sealed Vessel from Hollow Knight!
It is exactly why - both tracks work so well at inducing the feeling of approaching climax of a certain conflict (no lewd joke intended)
In Hollow Knight - Little Ghost is fighting for the future of Hallownest, a destiny-deciding standoff, underlined by the relatively faster pace than the second case
In Altars of Apostasy - V1 is having mad fun, taking the time to enjoy its blood-spilling-explosion-making circus of hell, having no intention to stop whatsoever, thus the music shows the unquencheable thirst by keeping the pace slow and heavy
I literally thought that exact same thing when he started to sing it at that moment
I didn't hear it until I read another similar comment lmao
Yesss!!!! I’ve been requesting this on every vid (sorry btw. Music student here and I’m obsessed with your content.) thank you so much for reacting!!!
Yay! Thank you! Glad you're happy
When the part hits, it hits HARD
hook the glory leitmotif to my (castle) veins
Hakita quite literally dropped you along that riff on that level and it was one of the best moment ins game so far. Metal, pure metal
The enthusiastic part is a motif from the song glory which play exactly one act prior. It’s more of a classical song so to hear it with guitars was awesome
This is the perfect song for the lead up to "The Death of Gods Will" (AKA final Act 2 Boss).
Well, V1's current purpose is to get dinner (because he LITERALLY eats blood) The one with apostasy is probably Gabriel .
Also that next bit is way cooler with the context of castle vein.
The first bit of analysis fit Gabriel's character so much... wow
Thing with ULTRAKILL is, you know the motive of the game, you always have as it's shoved right in your face the second you boot up the game the first time.
Mankind is dead
Blood is fuel
Hell is full
The question that you start to ask yourself more and more as you progress isn't what you're doing there, it's are you SUPPOSED to be there? This is best seen in Pandemonium in my opinion, where the beat sounds like an alarm going off, as you're essentially breaking into hell's equivalent of a maximum security prison. It gives a "Oh, I am *so* not supposed to be here right now." thought to the player.
Hakita has actually said in a commentary for the game that the robot (V1) isn't the focus of the story, they're just the driving force for the plot. So when you take that into consideration and figure that Gabriel is the focus, the themes described of the song actually speak of Gabriel's journey. This track plays for the last level before the second fight with Gabriel, and after the fight he goes through apostasy in exactly how the themes of this track play out.
Hakita is such a genius. If after Ultrakill is all finish and he decides not to go further into game design (as he has expressed he may do in the commentary), Hakita will have a great future in composing music for video games.
Another important part of this song that I feel is kind of hard to get unless you play through the game or at least heard the previous tracks
Is that this track is a call back to guts and glory from gluttony
I think this is more from the point of view of Gabriel(who is one of the antagonists, but not really ,in the story) who is feeling joy to have someone to actually struggle against and it has reignited the doubt in his mind he's been harboring for who knows how long.
This song is so interesting to me, cause I simultaneously hear that joy Marco talks about, from V1's perspective, but also a real sense of *desperation*. The drawn out notes of this feel just like the hands reaching up to V1 on the song's cover. It really feels to me like hell desperately struggling with everything it has to stave off this relentless threat to its existence
To me the part that you interpret as "unbridled enthusiasm" sounds more like melancholic determination, I guess is how I'd put it. As other have said - this track is played at the moment we land at the entrance to Dis, and is the moment we realize that we truly are in Hell, and the only way is forward. V1 has left nothing behind it, consuming blood so that it remains alive, able to go further and deeper into the circles of Hell itself in search of more blood, more fuel.
And for Gabriel's section, the part after the descent which plays in the arena after he acknowledges your presence, it's fury. He was beaten by a machine and as such had the Holy Light ripped from his body, which if not returned will leave him dead in 24 hours. He is frustrated, infuriated, and is left with only hatred in his heart. The only way forward for him, or so he thinks, is to put an end to V1's rampage through Hell - a task he is more than willing to perform.
After the distorted slow down transition, it plays a separate but very short track called 'halls of sacrilegious remains' which plays in the next room. It is like a remix of castle vein, which plays on the level 1-3. At the end of 1-3 you fight a hideous mass, and in 6-1, when halls of sacrilegious plays, you fight two hideous masses at once with a bunch if other enemies
I think your interpretation of this being representative of the enthusiasm of the robot player character is pretty spot on, this song plays in the climax of act 2 and the musical motif that made you comment that is also present in the music for the climax of act 1
It's still amazing for me to realize how differently people can perceive the same things.
When we talk about the moment 02:40-02:50 all I hear is the terrifying endless despair of losing everything you had. It was as if the Main Character had reached the end of his adventure, defeated the Villain, but on the way to this "good" ending, He lost everyone who was dear to Him and perhaps even lost Himself. It's like He's standing on top of a hill, covered in blood, looking at the sun rising from the horizon and realizing that He can finally let go of the sword. Tears roll down His face, images of His dead family and friends flash before His eyes and He thinks about one single thing:
"Was it worth it?"
But after that U said: "Wow it's actually like a happy song?" When I heard your words, I was really shocked by SUCH a different understanding of things between You and me. I was literally looking at a black square, and all of a sudden You came up and said, "Damn, what a beautiful white circle, right?" Naturally, I'm not saying that You're wrong, but I just couldn't help but leave a comment after that
Wow, what an analysis! Now I can really hear the enthusiasm in this track, that's appropriate considering the stage this plays in is, so far, the peak of ultrakillness (excluding p-2)
The fact that you can draw this much emotion with an electric gituar, snare, and a piano is actually insane. This one is easily one of my favorites, especially when it switches to the next portion
Hakita is a phenomenal musician, and he hasnt failed to disappoint yet with his music
These songs have so many connections! I wish you reacted to the whole ost!
i tell myself that a game's soundtrack is good when someone who has never played said game can make spot-on inferences on a song's importance
This part of the game is called the crescendo for a reason, it is the apex of everything your have encountered up until this point, an expression of every mechanical challenge and story motif rolled into one, concluding the act in a cyclical pattern mirroring the previous.
Honestly, I feel that this song is a lot more of like... humanity seeking the answer of a question. A constant turmoil that constantly progresses. And then, there's a clarity in that happy moment. Maybe in finding a pleasing answer (likely in this case, religion). And then, just as it came, it was tarnished, making it sound a lot more menacing and disastrous before returning to the start.
5:46 maybe something like this was in The World Looks Red because many people have heard many leitmotifs in TWLR including this one
bruh, this video was probably recorded before TWLR
god that bassline is everywhere
descending chromaticism until an ascending last note
it just works so well
8:38 Look at the right frame on the wall
GOTTA DO THE "DEEP BLUE". THAT WHY HE IS THE GOAT🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥
The feeling the Glory motif at 2:39 conveys to me is one of a tragic high, one that cannot last forever due to the fact that the actions that you're taking to sustain it are totally destructive to everything around you. It feels like the theme of someone in the throes of utter nirvana while everything around them falls apart due to their own actions. Which is damn fitting considering that whole "omniciding Hell" thing you're in the middle of.
The overall mood of this track feels like the fact that you're one of the bad guys and a participant in *omnicide*, as well as the ravenous consumption of every single living thing in existence purely to fuel your own, is starting to set in.
V1 is the current apex predator of all. He has defeated Gods champion, and slaughtered half of hell itself. The high pitched wailing, it shows a few things, the desperation of the denizens of hell trying to keep their existence, and Gabriel’s hopelessness. There is a deep soul sucking sadness, there is no hope, all that remains is a ticking timer. If V1 succeeds all of hell will go down. Not only will all life cease, but so will V1’s “life”. You aren’t a machine, you are extinction, an angel of death. The angel of death imagery I think is further exemplified with V1’s wings, his speed and lithe body poised to kill. If the palace of death can’t withhold you, it is no longer death, you are.
When act 2 first came out, this was my favorite track in the game due the mood it sets for the Heresy Layer. However, that was until Tenebre Rosso Sangue came. It’s still my second favorite Ultrakill song though
the man continues ignoring the V2 fight themes. either way thank you for paying attention to this game and its ost, i think the ost definitely deserves way more recognition.
i...have no idea what that is. lol.
@@MarcoMeatball Its Versus and Duel (Versus Reprise). Really suggest to check them out!
@@MarcoMeatball um sorry i didn't expect you to actually respond!! i made 2 comments about both of "v2's themes" before. Them being, duel and versus
I just love the start of the song i imagine it has an epic intro or sum like that
5:48 This (is leitmotif the correct word?) Sounds just like a part from the song Sealed vessel from the Hollow knight ost, guess they used the same song progression.
I recommend listening/reacting to Castle Vein from Ultrakill. The part at 7:35 in this video till the end uses the main motif from Castle Vein.
YEAH YOU FINALLY REACTED TO THIS TRACK!
This is my personal favorite of the whole soundtrack. I love your analysis on what the context is from just what you hear.
Also the 2:39 motif is not at all meant to convey that, LOL
Not saying that as a bad thing, but the real feeling it gives when you have played the game really amps this up to a masterpiece.
That motif appears in a track from a previous layer, Gluttony, the third layer, and it's tragic in context since it's related to Minos' tragedy.
When you hear this motif in Heresy, the sixth layer, it's making you finally realize the whole tragedy and massacre you're bringing to this world. It's ironic that it's in a major key. It's a motif for tragedy. It's a motif for death, for the player.
thats a lot of text
5:46 I could be tripping but the melody you’re singing sounds like the main battle theme for the Hollow Knight final boss
Omg yes, The Hollow Knight's theme!
7:35 This part onward is a remix of another track called "Castle Vein" from one of the ealier parts of the game
In terms of lore, it seems nobody really talked about the "hell is sentient" thing, so let me do it
there is an interpretation of ultrakill saying that hell isn't a place, but a living super-organism “toying” with V1 out of pure enjoyment because it's bored. Sending it waves of enemies to see V1 fight and struggle, and as time passes, hell send more and more enemies that are stronger and stronger, when reaching 6-1 (the level where altar of apostasy plays), it's where I personally interpreted it as hell understanding it has made a mistake by letting V1 live, because now hell knows full well V1 is a machine that will cause everyone's downfall, hell keep sending the strongest demons, machines, and heavenly being it has… but V1 is unstoppable, it's currently in a murder spree and nobody is able to stop him, not heaven the strongest angels from heaven, not even the stronger versions of him, not even the soul of an old king at it's peak, and not even the leviathan that has been growing stronger and stronger since the end of mankind, and soon V1 will be the cause of even more troubles like a rebellion in heaven for example, it's only the start, because hell is full.
This is one of the few ultrakill songs where i prefer the calm version over the combat version
you are missing the fuck out brother
Best ultrakill track imo
best non-secret level soundtrack fr
order and tenebre rosso sangue slap
@@Peanut6567nuh uh
@@Peanut6567 noh oh
@@Peanut6567 You're free to be wrong
That Castle Vein Leitmotif is GODLY
And please i beg of you to listen to V2's themes Versus and Duel
Been greatly looking forwards to this one the most.
Its probably my favorite track in the game, which just basically screams the point of no return or an absolute victory lap of Act 2.
Wonderful video and analysis, cheers on that!
The anthemic enthusiastic part sounds almost exactly like Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, which makes it even more great
Another thing I like about this channel ( and some other music react channels) is how expressive they are with the music. It really shows their thoughts even without words and their understanding of music.
when i hear this song, i like to think that v1 has now realized the true weight of the situation, v1 comes to realize just how many innocent people it has slaughtered in a thirst for fuel (blood)
the raw tragedy this song conveys is incredibly impactful and it is easily one of my top 5 favorite songs in ultrakill
i would say that rather than realization of slaughter, its realization of hunger. its almost out of blood, as it gets closer and closer to the bottom of hell, it gets closer and closer to death, but has to press on regardless to live as long as possible.
@@The_outwardNechromancer_Kaia yea i can see that too, i just think it’s fun to imagine v1 gaining sentience and realizing the mess that it and its kind have made
also ignore the fact that this reply is 9 months late (i have a slight delay in my reaction time)
5:33 Sealed Vessel jumpscare
("It's from a classical peace" lmao)
6:24 that moment the song hits you right in the face with deep emotion. i personally find this song to be bittersweet, where on one hand it seems to display a newfound freedom from abandoning one's previous beliefs, while on the other there is this hint of horror of what that freedom implies, what terrifying things one can do without the chains of morality imposed on them by both themselves and by those around them. it sinks in that slowly all life is going extinct in all of existence and you are the cause of it. the end of the song is the chaos that ensues because of this newfound horrifying and beautiful freedom
it also relates heavily to Gabriel as at this point in the story he has according to the divine counsel, which took the place of God after he vanished completely, committed heresy against them and God after being beaten by the war machine you play as, V1. Gabriel begins to change from this noble figure to unbound from his previous morals, hence the apostasy
LETS GO MORE ULTRAKILL!! fun fact this song plays in the layer of heresy, and this level is just before the 2nd Gabriel fight. the same one that has the song "the death of gods will"
This song I believe is actually Gabriel’s song. The feelings fit perfectly for what happens in the next level when you fight him
You've also heard this part at 5:33 in Hollow Knight's song called The Sealed Vessel, towards the end of it.
The stage this plays on is followed by a cutscene of the Angel Gabriel renouncing his faith in the holy council (who has taken control in gods mysterious disappearance) he then proceeds to do what you can expect the lords hand (with two cool swords) to do.
I feel that more Altars Of Apostasy are the screams and despair of hell (because yes, hell has a conscience) to finish us off, not to eliminate what remains through the nine layers even screaming at us with hate with every drop of his being, but in the end those efforts are in vain because, we have come so far, so far that there is no return, now we are a force unstoppable in search of the last drop of blood there is, it does not matter if the full force of hell falls between us, because we have the will and power to
Aw hell yeah, we finally got to Altars of Apostasy. Been waiting for this one for a while
What makes this track even better is the calm version and the context within the level. Throughout the level it's dark and enclosed, you feel trapped while being bombarded by enemies as an ominous hum plays in the background. Then you unlock a spire that has a hole, asking you to drop down into uncertainty. Then, one of the greatest fucking drops I've ever experienced happens and I have the widest grin on my face in months. It's bright, red, and you're sitting atop a structure suspended by pillars high above the ground while the bloody winds of hell brush over your face, and there's only one direction you can go: forward. Forward into battle with anticipation.
The way the calm version was handled in this level was unlike anything else, before it kinda just let you know there was no combat and that the full track was a banger, but here it provided the most absolute hype buildup imaginable. I genuinely think the calm version elevates the emotions of the whole song too. When the calm version strips away the drums and muffles everything, it just gives you the raw rough riffs and feels like seething rage in all types of forms and shifting levels with wavering faith in yourself- until you reach the Glory leitmotif (where the piano section would normally be in the loop). Then it feels like daybreak with hints of regret and relief at the same. Conviction on the path you're going. It finally breaks into combat and a rush of emotion and excitement begins, partly tinted with an intimidating aura. Some say that this is V1's boss theme, some say that this is a representation of gabriel, I just love Altars of Apostasy because the flow of music lets me write scenes that are filled with emotion by conducting it into a specific pace. And this one was a representation of a rampage filled with anger that I've never heard before.
In the second loop where you heard the dropoff was where the calm version came in, and to me it was always tragic due to the context of the other soundtracks. The Glory leitmotif, which I referenced prior, came from another track named as such where you roamed the guts of gluttony after taking down king Minos's corpse, who roamed the city of Lust (which he led) after being slain by gabriel and having his bpdy puppeteered by parasites. Quite sad really.
P.S. 5:19 is also one of my favorite parts because of its mounting aggression. Really satifsying.
Just bought ultrakill and HOLY fuck this song hit hard
I've never really realized how Hall of Sacrilegious Remains - the end part - mirrored the Allegretto piece used in Gabriel's story piece when he kills the Council. Both have a singular "main character" instrument that is mainly rising through the whole thing to show that Gabriel is doing something drastic or desperate. In 6-1, it's almost egging the machine on, whereas after 6-2, it's when he turns on the people who defined his faith for so long
I highly recommend checking out the soundtrack of Team Fortress 2. It is easily my favorite game of all time and it shares a lot of its fan base with Ultrakill. Most of the tracks are orchestral or jazz pieces and I listen to them all the time. They are so fun to have playing while I'm working on something or just relaxing.
Finally, thank you for covering one of my top 3 ultrakill songs, and maybe just top 3 of all time!
no way he's THIS spot on with the plot
are we sure he's not actually playing through the entire game and p ranks everything??
Lol im not
id just like to add that the end part is called Hall of Sacrilegious Remains which adds so much more to the emotionally-fueled musical story telling of Altars of Apostasy.
the adrenaline rush i got when i saw you reacted to this lmfao
It's interesting to see your take on this. Personally, I always saw this as hell itself being entertained at v1's bloodshed, before realizing that it's going to die. I see the last part as it desperately fighting back with all it has, only for it all to fail, as everything is too far gone. (Hell itself is alive in ultrakill and is entertained by the machines)
I've been thinking for a bit about what this song implies and after a while of consideration, I really do think that the song really is meant to be a combo the unrelenting nature of both V1 and the level, coupled by the equally unrelenting joy there can be found playing this game.
For clarity, this level is arguably the hardest of the standard levels up until this point, beaten only by P-1, P-2, and maybe the second Gabriel fight. This whole game is about mastery of it and its systems, being far more about styling on enemies rather than just their raw obliteration, so a challenge like this is as one that very quickly becomes thrilling as you fight ever increasingly difficult encounters. This level and the music also serve as call backs to both old bosses and motifs from the first stages of the game, essentially turning this level into throwback to these levels; only now you are so much better at handling them and the game makes it all the more difficult; as what I'd argue is not merely balancing but as a reward for getting this far.
All in all, I truly think this song far more exemplifies Ultrakill as a game, rather than merely the story. At its core, it is a tryhard game akin to the stuff like the soulsborne games, where your reward for beating the prior challenges is, more than loot and levels ups, is even greater challenges to beat there-after. Its a game that is constantly ramping up what it throws at you with the full confidence that you'll figure not just how to beat it, but that you'll beat it with such style and speed that you as the player can't help but feel good about it. It is the epitome of "Git gud and revel in triumph".
For the above reasons, I especially think that that final phase of the song, which is more or less a remix of the prior 'Castle Vein' song, is a celebration that we're so close to getting to experience the game at its hardest. The song literally sounds like a happy descent, and with it we're descending into the final levels of Hell itself, knowing full well it's going to be an absolute blast taking them head on!
This is what I love about Ultrakill. Despite the weight of some of its themes and story; the game truly does revels in its own existence. It has an unbridled confidence that I seldom find in other games.
Oh, also, someone mentioned that this level feels nostalgic even for those that went through the game in a single session. I can completely agree. It truly feels like home coming to meet us.
Man’s this much closer to completely understanding a game he’s never played
Despite that there’s one segment that I’m not getting the same message from: the glory motif, especially its reprise at 6:09. I don’t read it as enthusiasm; I see it as desperation.
In the lore, mankind is dead, having been wiped out by their machines. The machines, such as the player character, are fueled by blood and have invaded hell in search of more. In what’s implied to be *days*, you have entered hell and left a trail of bodies to the heresy layer, and the upper layers are all but wiped clean of life. But you and the other machines must push on in order to survive. And when there’s no more blood to spill, the machines will die. You aren’t fighting for fun, you’re fighting to survive
Oh my god I just figured something out. In the fight with Gabriel on the level after the one this plays in, he realizes he isn't fighting out of hatred, but passion. He starts enjoying himself when he fights you. This song is a representation of that enjoyment. People might have realized that a long time ago, but still
Pls, there's no way he is getting more lore from the songs alone than me who plays it, how?!?! This guy is incredible 😭
I always thought that the part at 2:38 would always be a good place for Latin operatic lyrics for the Archangel Gabriel who is the boss who speaks to you at end of this level and who ultimately finds peace in being defeated by the player character (pardon the butchered latin below).
O Machina (Oh machine)
Io Sono in pace (I am at peace)
veni ad me (Come to me)
Love this interpretation. I think when you also consider the cover art for Tenebre Rosso Sangue with our character (both playing throughout the Heresy layer), this enthusiasm in the music could also be that from the enemies’ perspective, we’re bringing them salvation from hell itself through death. That said, they’re still trying to kill you tho
crazy how he's getting all that from the theme as that's basically what happens in the next level 6-2
This is definitely one of my favorite ULTRAKILL tracks with Tenebre Rosso Sanguine. For those familiar with the game. I think it is interesting to point out the portions of the song that feel upbeat and enthusiastic to Marco. When you look at the song in context to Gabriel knowing that he feels a sense of relief and clarity after his second defeat to V1 and ultimately commits entirely to abandoning God and those who represent Him and fully embraces becoming a heretic.
between the second part and the third part, in game, theres a silent part where you walk through a corridor and gabriel has dialogue
If glory and castle vein had a baby
To me (based on what the context ofthe song is in-game) this song IS this sort of weird spiritual ascent but physical descent. The stage starts with winding corridors and red goat skulls judging you wherever you go, its claustrophobic and it feels like the area itself is trying to make you feel retribution for your actions...and then you fall down into a MASSIVE open area with a huge pit below and a series of chirch-like buildings before you. AND YOU HEAR THIS SONG COME UP. THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS. You look into the distant violently blood-colored mist of this limitless expance and you realise once more that YOU ARE A KILLING MACHINE, YOU DHALL NOT STOP JUST BECAUSE THE AREA WAS A BIT DREARY BEFORE, THE GAUNTLETS BEFORE YOU MAY BE HARD AS HELL, BUT YOU WILL PUSH THROUGH AND COMPLETE YOUR UNHOLY MISSION. This is the stage right before your second confrontation with Gabriel. And whilethat one starts with a somber recollection of which parts of hell have been lost to the machines... Gablriel is filled with a new emotion, sheer unfaltering HATRED for this little pile of plates and bolts that has somehow managed to pave its way through this underworld.This title is changed from "Judge of Hell" to "Apostate of Hate" and it SHOWS in his demenour. THIS STAGE IS THE BUILDUP TO THAT CONFRONTATION.
The second part ofthe song is for the final room of the level, a chapel-like building with two Hideous Masses and a SWARM of enemies. Hideous Mass was a bossfightyou fought alone way back in the first layer,so to fight two at once AND be constantly assaulted by all these enemies of different alignements is a testament to how terryfying of a being you have become. AND THE MUSIC IS AN EVEN MORE INTENCE REMIX OF THE SONG "CASTLE VEIN", THE ONE THAT PLAYED THE FIRST TIME YOU FOUGHT A HIDEOUS MASS
GOD ITS SO GOOD.
THE HERESY LAYER IS SUCH A GOOD CLIMAX OF ACT 2 GRAAAAAAAH
(i hope noone minds this half-breakdown inthe comment section, i just love how wellconstructed visually, mechanically andthematically this layer is.
idk if anyone has pointed this out but the final bit is a remixed/modified version of an earlier song called "castlevein" (on the nose reference lol), that plays almost at the beginning of the game.
i really hope he listens to glory after this, hearing that motif in this song shook me the first time i was playing through it
Please do more. Your observations of these tracks are so interesting.