Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Reverie

And we go from one modern-style megawad to the next with our soundtrack rankings. While it was the Memento Moris in particular that made me wanna do some soundtrack rankings, Reverie was right behind them. Good lord I love this soundtrack here so much, we've got a great blend of styles from these particular composers. Like Unholy Realms, almost the entire 35-song soundtrack here is so great that ranking them all from best to worst is quite the hassle. Though I did give a top 5 during my DWMC playthrough a while ago, and I'll keep it as I dive right back into this awesome soundtrack.

35. Reverie (title track)

And as usual the poor title track sits dead last. At least it sounds serene, like a reverie should. 

34. Through Suffering (text music)

Once again, to really get the different ways to figure out what Reverie all about, something serene is quite the thing to use. Those chimes and synth blend well together.

33. Onward (intermission)

And how else can we show moving onward better than a marching drum beat! I always loved this intermission, even if many tracks afterward are a lot better than it, it just shows that Bobby Prince Doom/Wolfenstein militaristic feel quite wonderfully.

32. Lost In Our Dreams (MAP31)

I feel like this track is too short. It's got great chimes that drive the main melody along with the drums. The synth coming in also helps matters well to give the level its on a sense of purpose. Then the smaller guitar parts drive it home. I feel it doesn't loop correctly though. Maybe this was intended, who knows? Felt like I was playing the Searching! from Eternal Doom with the way it loops, and for such a big level, it's quite weird.

31. Death Waltz in B Minor (MAP09)

This is much better than Ballad of the Demons in being a Waltz of the Demons homage. Probably due to all that variation in the overall melody, making it sound much different. B Minor or not, this was a cute track to listen to, as short as it is.

30. Guns-ablaze (MAP11)

Weird funk. I can kinda dig it, but I'm unsure if a techbase level like this was the best level to use it on. The bass is great, the guitars have a weird Caribbean vibe to it, but the horns drive the song. Interesting, but not really a personal favorite of mine. Easy to dig though.

29. DOOM Funk (MAP05)

Again, weird funk. But this is a little better. Perhaps because it's more bass-driven than the other instruments, where the bass is far grungier in sound, plus a few interesting guitars and even kazoos thrown in. You also wonder if this is supposed to be a homage to DOOM, the Doom II track of course.

28. Hell's Last Stand (MAP29)

Interesting that it's called that in a relatively short penultimate level. PRIMEVAL certainly goes for the neatness in the orchestration with a somewhat simple melody that indicates end times in some fashion. Gotta keep the sinister look, but the stuff from Unholy Realms can easily beat this one.

27. Sludgeville (MAP20)

Here I was expecting stewboy to do something quite sludgey with sludge metal or something. But instead we get some of stewboy's more interesting instrumentation. Listen closely, between all the fun and brooding atmosphere as well as the percussion we get to hear what nearly sounds like water droplets, followed by fun synth. It's a weirdly fun track.

26. Knee Deep in DOOM (MAP08)

PRIMEVAL really wants to lean you into the original At Doom's Gate, with the music being almost exactly like it but with far more rock to it! It's certainly enough to get the blood pumping, and then you have the slight variation in the familiar melody, the rest of the guitar licks, and the synth joining in. Just a fun track to go about a rather long level.

25. Arachnobus Mayhem (MAP07)

Oh and speaking of At Doom's Gate, well, this one sort of has that feel too. You know how the original is often said to be like Master of Puppets? Well, you could probably hear that kind of deal with this song's main guitar parts. Always a fun one to listen to, but it does start things off by throwing listeners with lots of metal drumming.

24. Crimson Sky (MAP28)

Really leaning into the organ here for this incredibly brooding track. It's definitely got the Aubrey Hodges-style atmosphere going for it as you flummox through a moderately-large level, with the organ notes giving that brooding feel. This is followed by synth-sounding bass throughout the map that provides the eerie backdrop you want to hear.

23. Dispersion (MAP16)

Jimmy's got plenty of kickass tracks and this one certainly fits, but it is slightly forgettable when put up to the rest. It's audibly busy almost throughout the whole thing, feeling like there's a lot of energy going around this hubspoke-style levelset with the guitars trying to drive everything around. Still, Jimmy's got more memorable tracks later on.

22. Killing Spree (MAP25)

One of the heavier-sounding tracks overall from PRIMEVAL, going for that classic metal feel with the fantastic opening riff and the speedy melody which honestly you can imagine a vocalist coming in to do that guitar lick that comes in. Some of the guitar parts feel like surfing waves up and down and the whole thing is just made for fun it seems.

21. Burning Times (MAP12)

And now for something Doom metal. Honestly I suck at metal genres, but I'm making the guess that doom/black metal are the ones with brooding and nasty-sounding guitars, and that's what I feel with Burning Times. It's definitely gritty and quite interesting to start off after a death exit.

20. Shut Up And Bleed (MAP02)

Shut Up And Bleed always felt like a continuation of Let's Rock! Like you got used to the mission statement of that track rocking you into Reverie and then this occurs and now you start to wonder what to expect next. Here we got the guitar parts starting to lean the listener further in, trying to create more interesting riffage. It works out well.

19. Ashes (MAP06)

Ashes is pure DOOM funk, moreso than other tracks that actually have that name. Like it's got the sinister approach into the melody, then it gets driven by both the bass and those sinister strings. Very nasty sound overall, but nasty is good in this case. That said, that's more or less all to the track.

18. Let's Rock! (MAP01)

And here we are, the track that brings you right into the game. An absolutely fun metal-blasting track that feels like you're ready to kick some ass. Of course, the fact that it's the MAP01 track may be the weakest part, because MAP01 is one of the shortest levels in the entire game and other tracks will prove far more memorable.

17. MDK (MAP19)

Here's a track with a ton of potential, but like the MAP01 track, gets used in a very small map, so its usefulness dwindles a lot. That being said, it's a Jimmy MIDI and a wonderfully-atomspheric one. Excellent bass to build up the tension, plus the symphonic background sound going into fun xylophone notes. It's about five minutes long, so it's probably a good idea to milk it for what it's worth!

16. Fortress of Misery (MAP17)

A track that is all spooky, yay! It's fully orchestrated and gives the perfect sound of impending doom at every turn. Plenty of other instruments eventually join in to further the impending doom feel. It especially hits its stride with the organ bridge, before returning to the same melody with even more spookiness.

15. Relics (MAP23)

Relics is interesting. This is yet another Jimmy techno-atmospherno (I made that up) track that makes it sound like you gotta be fluid with your movements throughout the level. And that's not wrong, the whole level is one that requires lots of fluidity. The synth that comes in accompanying the atmospheric sound is blissful, and just works so well.

14. Have A Frag on Me (MAP03)

The first three levels in Reverie have all rocking and metal tracks, real nice. Though out of those three, this one just feels the best. The riff is very cute, and I wonder if PRIMEVAL took some inspiration from AC/DC given the title. Though I haven't listened to that band in some time. In any case, PRIMEVAL sticks to this cute riff and it truly is a good one throughout the whole track.

13. Becoming (MAP18)

Ah, there's my favorite MIDI instrument! I love the low-sounding guitar sound, and PRIMEVAL will give you fancy arpeggios with them for much of the song. That said, he's gotta go further than that, and he does by ramping up the volume and giving a much better Doom sound. Preferable in my ears, that's for sure. It even stays that way for some time before returning to the low sound later on.

12. Haunted Corridors (MAP04)

Pains my heart not to put this in the top 10 Reverie tracks. It shows up at MAP04, a level which definitely has a lot of wandering in it compared to the others, and boy does the atmosphere feel much more welcoming with its full-on brooding atmosphere. Couldn't really get enough of it, but that sinking, sewer-like feeling prevails in a level that does have a lot of slime too.

11. Stigmatism (MAP32)

This is more or less a culmination of what PRIMEVAL's sound is about. A rocking melody, though it doesn't go heavy on rocking guitars or bass this time, but rather heavy orchestration. When the synth comes in, PRIMEVAL appropriates it with a perfect Doom feel before the drums continue to help drive it. The piano part is just some icing too. But man, this is a great culmination.

10. Darkness Calls (MAP21)

In my opinion, an underrated Jimmy track. Used in a level which feels more like a few arena battles, giving tons of opportunities for fun combat, but the track fits exceptionally well despite the level size. Bass is slow at the start, but the synth picks things up before the guitar parts give it that rockin' feel. A lovely track that honestly should be used more often.

9. Aztec Gods (MAP22)

A track entitled Aztec Gods in an Egyptian-themed level. Um, okay? Unlike Darkness Falls this gets used a lot more, perhaps due to Jimmy nailing the aesthetic of the title. Yep, if you want tribal drums and synth that feels like you are in the Aztec, with a slight jungle feel, you got it right here. Guitars go in and out as the synth drives the whole thing through.

8. The Calling (MAP13)

I've listened to every track in the Reverie soundtrack numerous times before this and I tend to forget about The Calling. It's on a rather long level, but feels just like simple Doom 64-type atmosphere music. That is, until I really leaned in and listened to it more. The shrilling orchestra is epic, but the bass driven the rest of the track makes the mood absolutely perfect. I really should've paid more attention to this one.

7. City Streets (MAP15)

No, it's not a Duke Nukem track remix, it's actually its own thing. And there it is! The low-tuned guitar sound! Makes me wonder if this main riff really belongs on a Metallica MIDI, and lord I enjoy this riff so freakin' much. It even arpeggios further when the drums really start kicking in. This would be a top 5 track, but I find the trumpets that come in kinda goofy. Not necessarily detracting though, because it gives a slight ROTT feel.

6. Fallen Sun (MAP24)

Obviously, this would be in the top 10, but also falls just shy of the top 5 because I like more songs than this. Still, this takes the Fight the Logic If You Can melody and makes it more serene. There's a ton of perfect instrumentation but the best focus ought to be on the piano, which comes and goes but each time you hear it it feels truly amazing. Piano and Doom mix well together if you can make it.

5. Locked & Loaded (MAP10)

With PRIMEVAL's many rock tracks, some have to eclipse others, and it depends on the riffage and how well the variations go. Locked & Loaded is a true frontrunner for a favorite in my opinion. Low-hanging bass riff will transition perfectly to guitar and keep the pace throughout, while the spooky synth backs it well. To think that this track is used in a relatively large level may seem as a detractor, but it sets the mood exceptionally for a level that can be done in multiple styles.

4. After the Storm (MAP30)

The second of stewboy's Reverie contributions is absolutely serene and while you may think that it won't fit well in Doom it really does fit well for a last level. A last level that is an amalgamation of styles but takes place in a relatively serene environment. A perfect beachside area in other words is where you start, and though you go further underground, the serene feel stays. Lovely.

3. The Crypt (MAP26)

The Crypt is probably the biggest Top 5 surprise. While we've got exceptional and slow atmospheric tracks like The Calling, Becoming, Haunted Corridors, etc. The Crypt is perhaps the best of it. And all you need are just two spooky synth notes! Drive this simple melody with creepy-sounding drums, then back it up with a few guitar interludes. The track speeds up quite well with a different guitar interlude afterwards that goes between the last one and the end, but it all creates a smashingly atmospheric experience.

2. Legions of the Night (MAP14)

Yet another case of PRIMEVAL giving you the bass riff to see what to expect, but it sticks for a little bit longer as we get some strings and an interesting synth melody. This melody, combined with the bass melody becoming a guitar melody, makes for possibly my favorite PRIMEVAL song overall. I enjoy how the melody "ends" although it repeats one more time for more of that good riffage. You gotta have a great riff!

1. Bound for Glory (MAP27)

And our winner for my favorite Reverie song is the combination of our three MIDI artists for this whole wad. That riff at the beginning's gotta be PRIMEVAL's work, making another one of his better riffs. The synth that comes in does a great job of settling the mood a bit, but helps out the guitar riff to be grungy as possible. There's many ups and downs throughout the whole song, as rocking as it is, when it slows down, it's great. And when it gets techno, it really gets techno. Man I love Reverie's combo here.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Unholy Realms

 Man, I'm really so darn busy these days, doing all sorts of stuff. Regardless, I tough it out and continue trekking on to higher pastures as much as possible. And so we look at a more modern megawad and its soundtrack in Unholy Realms. It's all PRIMEVAL, baby! And it's all original stuff too.

35. Into the Void (title track)

"One of these days!" I really will do it. I will make the title track great again.

34. Everybody told me about id (MAP18)

Yeah I still think many remix versions of tracks just feel a lot like the original that I kinda don't care that much about them. This is on an odd level that isn't Go 2 It inspired or anything but really doesn't feel like it could fit in most other areas.

33. Smell of Death (text music)

Fairly pedestrian yet foreboding for text music. I dig it, but many other tracks are better as usual.

32. Rip & Tear (MAP05)

To my surprise, this track despite sounding like Let's Rock (MAP01 of Reverie) was actually made first. Real strange! I somehow prefer the riff in Let's Rock though, despite the pitch being slightly lower and this one having a lot more variation. Them riffs are cute regardless of my viewpoints.

31. The Night Beckons (intermission music)

The night beckons indeed. While other intermissions feel pedestrian or are too rocky, PRIMEVAL cuts loose with a relatively calm yet foreboding intermission track. Adding some flair is the levels saying "survived" as if you have survived, yet the night beckons you to play more. Intriguing!

30. Lucifer's Throne (MAP30)

I feel like I've heard this riff numerous times before in other MIDIs, but I can't quite figure it out yet. It's perfect for a frantic MAP30 but I usually pass on this level so I kinda pass on this particular track too.

29. The Ungodly Truth (MAP11)

Hey there's nothing really wrong with this track. It's true that PRIMEVAL can go well with atmosphere and this level's music will prove me right. Still though, I tend to give more attention to neat riffage more.

28. Eerie Inhabitants (MAP26)

Certainly fitting for an eerie map! Lots of action though for a track that sort of befits the Waiting for Romero to Play melody, but those shallow and slow guitar notes would fit into a classical slaughter. Was MAP26 actually a classical slaughter? It sometimes felt like one when I played, so it's the thought that counts.

27. Pestilence (MAP24)

Plenty of hard rockers here in Unholy Realms. This one had a weird start, and fitted a level that actually had a weird start for that matter. It doesn't let up with the Doom-sounding metal one bit afterwards though. Given the nonstop action of this level, it works great.

26. Requiem in Dm (MAP08)

A slow track for a relatively slow Unholy Realms level. The early levels are a lot less in action as you might expect from early game, so this symphony-sounding track fits great. Main melody may put some people to sleep, and I hate the fact that this isn't some homage to a Requiem track. Still like it in a way.

25. On A Mission (MAP01)

Gotta say, it's really difficult to rank a soundtrack that is 100% great. But I have to choose which ones are just better. Is On A Mission bad? No, it has the Imp's Song vibe, but IMO does it way better than any other tracks that took the Imp's Song vibe. Sinister and grungy just how I like it.

24. Alien World (MAP04)

And just like the last track was a homage to the Imp's Song, this one is a homage to another classic Doom track, that being Infinite. Brooding, but with better instrumentation than the original and feeling far more sinister. Those drums make things cuter.

23. Godsend Death (MAP32)

Shrilling beginning goes into the hard rocking riff right afterwards. It sort of feels like that one song from Quake 2 Descent into Cereberon with the beginning going into the heavy riff. The bass of course predates the guitar and does it great.

22. Memento Mori (Remember Death (MAP10)

Memento Mori for those who forgot means "Remember you will die". I'm not mad at the title, but I was once again hoping for some Mark Klem homages with a title like that. Then again, the somewhat serene scaling up and down of the melody is brilliant.

21. Hoedown from Hell (MAP06)

Probably the heaviest track on all of Unholy Realms, Hoedown from Hell definitely is a title worth pining. It's a lot like Godsend Death, with the beginning giving you a taste before the big riffs come in. And it feels very speed metal-esque, as it climbs the notes it rushes back down and up again. Fun!

20. The Pinky Shuffle (MAP02)

Again, it's really hard for me to grade a nearly flawless soundtrack as such. This is a personal favorite of mine, excellent drums, and a truly catchy guitar riff that just screams fun. In other words, it's going to be fun no matter how it is spinned.

19. Out of Darkness (MAP28)

Parts of Getting Too Tense exist in the opening, but here is where PRIMEVAL basically goes for the full medieval outlook in sound. The guitars are no longer prominent, focus is on the strings and the choir and befits a level straight from hell itself.

18. Blood, Brain, Massacre (MAP14)

Three words, one Doom-sounding rock track coming up! A decent riff that prevails around the playing field of MAP14, a few speed metal rushes, and a couple of small variations to the riff knock this one out of the park.

17. Cloak and Dagger (MAP31)

Speed metal full throttle! Those triplets are just super fun for frantic MAP31, but here's the fun part. You hear the background? I just realized this recently but the entire track is actually a remix of Suspense! From Doom of course. But this was quite a fun fact to behold.

16. Sinister Contact (MAP25)

Bonus points for the Heretic feel. More bonus points because the level is a dark castle. It's amazing how diverse PRIMEVAL is, with his rocking tracks often being standouts and the slower mellower tracks also being memorable, these medieval tracks honestly feel quite underrated.

15. Castle Royale (MAP27)

Oh yeah, speaking of, Castle Royale. There's definitely a "JRPG boss battle" feel to this entire track, with fast orchestration, mixing guitar work, this is a top-tier PRIMEVAL track. It's got stiff competition here of course, but I consider it top-tier.

14. Chaos (MAP23)

Gritty and grungy just like how I would imaging PRIMEVAL's rock tracks. PRIMEVAL's definitely loving either remixing riffs or coming up with unique-sounding ones like this. Add to that the breakdowns and you have a classic rocker.

13. Maelstrom (MAP22)

Drums carry this track through as much as possible. The second major Hell level in UR definitely goes for the rock/Hellish hybrid in soundtrack and it shows with the guitar toned down for more instrumentation elsewhere. Honestly this is a hidden gem for the soundtrack.

12. Death & Decay (MAP15)

MAP14 was a hectic level, but the hecticness doesn't let up in both level and soundtrack when you enter MAP15. Death & Decay features more of that metal riffage that PRIMEVAL goes well with, settling down the sound a bit for your bearings. Bonus points for the Dredge-sounding part near the end. Funny enough, PRIMEVAL never even heard of Dredge (for those that forgot it's MM2 MAP21's track) when I pointed it out to him.

11. Guardians of Acheron (MAP29)

This is full-on Doom metal, literally. Very brooding and grungy guitar sound prevails throughout the track, with sinister orchestration. This would be like a JRPG final boss theme too, whereas MAP27's track fits a JRPG boss theme, this is more in line with a JRPG demonic final boss. Maybe not Deatheven from BoF2 but still.

10. A Step into Hell (MAP21)

A perfect track to start off the third episode of Unholy Realms. All orchestration, feels like a JRPG final level, which befits the Hellish mood we're going to be seeing. Very eerie whistling plus the predominant organ throughout the whole thing. I can't help but dig it each time. Even if the level it is on is quite short.

9. Congo (MAP13)

For a track named Congo, PRIMEVAL went out with the congo beat. All that percussion makes this one of the most unique PRIMEVAL tracks ever and a personal favorite of mine. It's action-packed, just like the level it is in, and fits any jungle-style level full of baddies without a fuss.

8. World Underground (MAP07)

Picture this, it's a green sewer level. Now put this track in. Boom, you've got a near-perfect sewer atmosphere with this brooding track. It's Aubrey Hodges-ish with this brooding atmosphere for all the brooding edgy atmosphere kids like me who like this stuff. Oh who am I kidding the whole soundtrack is great.

7. Heretica (MAP16)

This one remixes E1M2 of Heretic, which also has some sort of weird jungle beat to it. This one furthers that and given the very seafaring sound makes this a true favorite of mine! Lots of water in MAP16 to further this love of Heretica. This is easily one of PRIMEVAL's better remixes and it's not even close to any of the other ones. More Heretic sounds!

6. Underearth (MAP12)

For this one I can't help but think of Descent. This certainly feels like Descent's title track, with techno and lots of bass driving it. Descent had surprisingly Hellish music for some scifi robot shooting, which is why a lot of mapsets tend to have its music. PRIMEVAL definitely must have taken notice and made one of the better remixes here just like with Heretica.

5. Descent (Into Hell) v.2 (MAP09)

Where's version 1? What's with the Descent name? Why Into Hell? The name has an identity crisis, but the track is the best of the slow tracks in Unholy Realms. You gotta start out small with the percussion, then follow it with sinister chimes. This drives the song perfectly, along with the drums. Nothing but respect, and helping matters is the level itself of course.

4. Magic (MAP17)

One of the busiest tracks PRIMEVAL has made. Fun bass riff leads to scaling chimes and I just enjoy those so much. Mixing in the guitar licks and a few synths and you have an ensemble of interest in my book. Though the chimes really do steal the show in more ways than one. I'm not sure if Magic is the best title, but there is some might AND some magic going about this one. Bonus points as MAP17 is one of my favorites in Unholy Realms.

3. Frag Fest (MAP03)

Many tracks come to mind when I play Unholy Realms and this is a top 3 because of that. Bass, then guitars, add drums, interesting usage of synth, we've got ourselves a PRIMEVAL track that will continue to thrive with Frag Fest. It's sort of the MO for Unholy Realms as a whole too, as the set is nothing but a frag fest throughout. But this track's here to remind you of it, rocking, techno, it's got multiple feels for multiple frag fests.

2. Your Move, Cybie (MAP19)

That glorious, glorious bass riff. It's speedy and gorgeous, and then it segues into the rest of the track, with guitar taking over that riff, adding interesting Doom-sounding variation, and the synth making it give that sense of urgency as you run around the fields and buildings of MAP19. Clearly all this action may actually make you forget there will be a cyberdemon in the wad, right? Better not forget, this track fits whether or not the cyber is present.

1. The Relic (Unholy Realms Mix) (MAP20)

My number one track right now for Unholy Realms is The Relic. Of course, I don't know the original track or if it's called Unholy Realms Mix but it would be cool to know the origin. Anyways, here we have another track befitting of the JRPG (final) boss theme, and a perfect way to end episode 2 and start episode 3 of Unholy Realms, certainly. Those strings that drive the main melody with a medieval sound kick boatloads of ass in the MAP20 arena, and this is accompanied by a few guitar breakdowns and the general Doom sound. What isn't to love about The Relic?