Written by Adam Page

Nobuo Uematsu is back, and in fine form. In his first solo project since Final Fantasy VI, Uematsu once again demonstrates his creativity and musical prowess. Those who have been lucky enough to play the game might agree that the soundtrack tells the story just as much as the dialogue. 

Historically, there has been one constant in the series of Final Fantasy soundtracks: versatility. Epic, classical, waltz, pop, rock, Latin, industrial, Irish, Middle Eastern... these are just a handful of the styles that Uematsu has employed. Final Fantasy VII is no different. Critics have been quick to point out that the soundtrack is "mechanical" - I would suggest that this statement falls somewhere between falsehood and broad overgeneralization. With four discs of memorable melodies, kickin’ beats, and a ton of styles ranging from tried-and-true to experimental, there’s something for everyone - just like the other Final Fantasy OSVs. I’ve certainly pegged my favorites. I’ve completed the game once, begun my second time through, and consumed the soundtrack as if it were my bread and water. 

Almost everyone is acquainted with "Fighting", which is the same track heard on the Tobal preview disc. It's stood the test of time, though - been in my head for more than half a year and I still dig it. "Final Fantasy VII Main Theme" is poignant, yet powerful. As in all the Final Fantasies, this theme is arranged in several different ways throughout the game. It has a dissonance not unlike the bizarre chord progression of Gun Hazard’s main theme - so experimental, Uematsu himself joked that it could have gotten him kicked out of music school. "Electric De Chocobo" may as well have been called "Pulp De Chocobo". One might suspect Uematsu was high on Tarantino when he arranged this bad boy. Fun and groovy nonetheless, and I’m sure most will smile when hearing it for the first time. 

"J-E-N-O-V-A" is, in the words of Sabin, "sporty, yet functional." Great beat, great melody - and coupled with the intensity of the boss battle scene, this one gave me some sweet anxiety. In contrast is "Costa Del Sol", a light-hearted bossa nova. With its soft vibraphone and percussive instruments, this one has a smooth sound similar to the Portuguese tracks on the Final Fantasy Vocal Collections. 

The only way I can describe "Cosmo Canyon" is as "tribal blues." Deep drums and a mournful flute give Cosmo Canyon a lot of emotion - which is appropriate since it represents Red XIII’s hometown. (His theme is a reprise in fact). And "One-Winged Angel" is simply badass with a capital B. Real gothic. Real intense. Real choir. The whole game builds up to this final moment when justice is served - the music is perfect. If I were to compose a list of songs "Most Likely to Blow Out My Speakers", One-Winged Angel would rank high. 

Next, I should probably address sound quality. Accusations that Final Fantasy VII sounds like nothing more than "upgraded SNES music" are not unfair. Final Fantasy VII has a distinctly artificial sound. Whether this was an intentional choice or the result of a lack of competence/experience on the part of the sound programmer, I do not know. On the one hand, we have a soundtrack whose sound quality barely surpasses Beyond The Beyond and comes nowhere near the realism heard in Suikoden. On the other hand, there are game music fans that would rather listen to Kefka’s Domain than Grand Finale. What does that tell you? I was born and bred on games with "artificial" sound - realism is not necessarily a prerequisite for my enjoyment of a soundtrack, though it certainly enhances it. I have fallen in love with Final Fantasy VII OST for what it is - sound quality is no longer an issue for me. 

I urge Final Fantasy fans to hold off on purchasing Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack until they have actually played and beaten the game. There is a certain magic that comes with discovering the music while discovering the game - prematurely hearing the soundtrack is like hearing half of the story. Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack is a paramount soundtrack for a paramount game - and experiencing both simultaneously is awesome indeed.