There is no “favourite ToS music” viable without The Die is Cast.
Simply a master piece. I simply love the segment from 1:55. The piano melody is very very satisfying to hear and it blends perfectly with the techno background beat, guitars and strings.
Musics that dragged me into tos as soon as i’ve heard all of it:
1st - Amusement.
This music is very well done. It already have a nostalgic appeal to me. Good old times of questing in the mines.
2nd - Topaz
Topaz should be my most preferred music, but Amusement stands in first for nostalgia reasons. Topaz is a pure achievment. The vibes it gives to me is like - the end of a party. To be more precise, it makes me feel like its a music that plays when you had experienced very happy and social moments, but as everything in the world, it will come to an end.
3rd - Eleminuete
Oh, such a god like level of building up. The build up on this music is so good! Such an addictive track… However, to me it isn’t perfect. If they played the last segment twice, with or without variations, then it would be perfect. I feel that the whole track is perfect, with an amazing build up, and when boom - it finishes right after the climax is reached.
And, obviously, all good games should have good, memorably first stage musics. Tos is no different, here are my picks.
The Dignity of Wrath
It has some kind of build up, albeit not that strong like on Journey in Heaven / Eleminuete. The first time i’ve heard this track i’ve felt in love with it. It doesn’t achieve anything spetacular musically talking, but it has something that makes you feel pumped up, thanks to the segments starting from 2:05 and on. The background beat is also a hell of a drug.
Hommage to zborovye
A clusterfuck of instruments. There are a very, very wide range of instruments. I love the 8 bit square waves, it adds another special touch to this music.
Nu Motion
I think SoundTemp outdid themselves with Nu Motion. Being a FAN of SoundTemp Ragnarok songs, back in 2015 I had the feeling that SoundTemp musics for ToS wouldn’t be on the same level of Ragnarok, until this one played for the first time. It’s a weird song. It has very well defined structure, but the music has many different instrument and effects spreaded all over the track, making the beat sound unique through the track, even being the same from the beginning. It’s like an acid trip. I bet Soundtemp made a lot of experimentation on this song. And they did it right. The ending segment is bizarre as ■■■■ , but have it’s charm, making this track even more weird and special.
Viento
Good lord guitar+piano combo. That just too god damn good. The Fedimian fields (Forest of Prayers and others) are pretty “dead” and bland visually. Not that it’s bad, it shows how a place affected by the demons and the trees rotting up would look like. Fedimian fields may be not the most good looking ones, but the entire music list that plays there are simply too good. There is no region track list that is better than Fedimian Fields. It’s makes me stay there just for the pleasure of the musics. The Die is Cast, Viento, Knightage. Nothing beats Fedimian fields.
Journey in Heaven
I love tracks that have build ups. Much like Eleminuete, Journey in Heaven is a pure building up bliss. But, this one feels much different, and it perfectly matches the place it plays for the first time. Roxona Market area - maps with not so much monster density and it’s a desert like area, without many people and the remaining ones are petrified. Yeah, it gives the best tune to express how it’s like to venture on a desert place. Its builds up and reach the climax prefectly - and unlike Eleminuete, the ending is pure bliss, and lasts for the appropriate aumont of time.
Knightage
A classic style merged with modern beat. Really makes you feel that you’re on an adventure.
And, of course, I can’t go away without talking about Sunset Tracer.
Another excelent track. The intro is amazing, and the background beat is god like. Not fast paced, and gives the impression that it’s something sad. Unlike Topaz that makes me feel alone in the end of a party, Sunset Tracer makes me feel that i’m on a magical land but sad at same time. I have many memories of going to Mage Tower 1F Statue, then running all the way up to the entrance, so I could go to the Dungeons at Fedimian Suburbs. I could use the coin to speed up the process, but I did it the other way around, i’ve stick in the middle of the map, killing these low level Dracos, just to let the music play entirely.
Now, onto one of the best “Party” musics of ToS - when trance is really done right.
Boy’s Anthem
It’s happy and upbeat, but it also gives a very emotional feeling. It’s a drug of a music. It always striked me - the beginning and ending part of the music, I can hear childs playing in the background, like on a break of school class.
Sweet Poison
Another a great piece of music. Totally upbeat, and it has a very catchy melody, something rare on ToS musics, that doesn’t appeal much on catchy melody. I really love the end segment, from 3:00 onwards.