Doom Musings: The last bi-monthly musing.

I'm just gonna go ahead and say that yes I do enjoy doing a lot of writing for a lot of topics. And as much as I adore writing about Doom stuff, lately I haven't been doing much that I really, really am passionate about. I love reviewing things that I just complete, such as new games, new soundtracks, maybe even the occasional Pretty Cure season where I look closer at damn near every character and how good they are. But Doom? Even though I have much of my invest in it at the moment, I just don't feel like writing this kind of thing that much, especially not bi-monthly. Given that I now have full-time work, several other games I need to finish, RPGs and ROM hacks that I need to finish, I have to make some sacrifices, and it looks like Doom Musings will no longer be a bi-monthly thing. There MAY be a time where I could write something Doom-related, maybe not in line with anything at all, but with a ton of stuff at my plate there's time for lots of breathers. I gotta stop being so perfect on what I do. See y'all whenever I decide to do this again.

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?

Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Plutonia Revisited

With Plutonia 2's soundtrack rankings out of the way, let's cover the twenty unique tracks made for the revisited Plutonia community project, which was more homage-y and less of a sequel than Plutonia as you may know. There's a sequels to both coming out soon, and I wonder what tracks will show up there!

20. Plutonia Revisited Title

One of these days the title track will reign supreme! But today isn't the day.

19. PRCP Intermission

Most of the music was done by the more rock-oriented PRIMEVAL, who definitely loved making tracks that sounded metal but also Doom-y in a way. This is a nice blend of one, made to be an intermission, with spooky orchestra accompanied by heavy percussion. Intermission is quite nice.

18. Ballad of the Demons (MAP20)

But sometimes I feel like it's a miss in some way. This is just a rearrangement of Waltz of the Demons, in which the part after the spooky violins gets a volume increase and more guitar parts. While cool, it just feels like a remix of the original tune. Sure it rocks out well but I like a lot of variation in the melody for my favorite remixes and this one's melody doesn't quite cut it.

17. I Already Know About id (MAP32)

I feel that what really sold Nobody Told Me About Plutonia was exactly what I described earlier, lots of variation to give an already familiar tune a more livelier feel than the original and give it a better remix feel. I don't wanna sound harsh to PRIMEVAL since he definitely has better tracks later on here, but a lot of these remixes so far aren't as exciting as they would be cause there's not that much in variation. At least not yet.

16. Demons on the Prowl (MAP04)

And this is what I wanted! A little more variation, starting with a cymbal crash, making the original buildup spooky with the chimes, and then we hear a rather spooky choir instead of those brooding drum sounds. It actually does make the original melody sound MUCH spookier! When PRIMEVAL gets into that groove, it's what I like hearing.

15. Mission Possible (MAP22)

A sort-of remix of Kitchen Ace (and Taking Names) but almost entirely electric guitar-driven. That's even considering another song with a similar name to the original. Well, it's sure got the funk going for it, which is quite neat, and the melody is slightly sped up even though it repeats often. It can be digged.

14. Symbiotic (MAP10)

Once again, guitar-driven, and this time taking a melody from Adrian's Asleep. It sure sounds a lot like it. PRIMEVAL was actually going for the Death song Symbolic in his composition of the track here, and there's a slight variation in the original riff to make it seem as such. It gets repeated throughout, but with a number of instrumental variations to make it a little more memorable.

13. Stony Halls (MAP06)

It took a while, but I did notice what PRIMEVAL was going by! Actually, to me, it doesn't really sound like a Dark Halls remix. It feels much more sinister than just that, and when the notes kick in, I recognize them as a variant of In the Dark. That's what I think at least. The "dun...dun" part is certainly something that I remember from the original melody after that track brought up variation, and that gets included here and I took notice. Also this track is greatly underappreciated.

12. U R my NME (MAP11)

Darkwave has always been an interesting composer, preferring more mysterious, Final Fantasy-sounding tracks that offer more in atmosphere than action. And interestingly enough, the track Darkwave made for his one level seems like a love letter to the now-classic "Become the Hunted" by Jimmy, offering his spooky take with somewhat simpler composition but still very creepy and fitting for a level that...for once is a Plutonia MAP11 populated by more than just arch-viles.

11. Wicked Serenity (text music)

Here's a text music done right! One type of instrument I outright love in most MIDIs is the low-tuned guitar sound, which this is dominated by. It's a case of a repeated riff but the instrument choice and the melody sell it super well. It's a track that wants to blend you in to it and it succeeds.

10. Garden of Evil (MAP08)

Plenty of times does PRIMEVAL's softer tracks do better than his rocking tracks, and Garden of Evil with its cute harp notes can prove that well. A simple scaling up and then down again give this one a very atmospheric feel that prevails as you go through, well, a garden of sorts. Well it sort of feels like multiple gardens for MAP08 but still it's a great track.

9. Reginald (MAP27)

One of the three stewboy tracks here, Reginald is a rather action-packed tune that doesn't go too overboard. Very weird guitar riff but it works for the action-packed and short level it is on. The fun xylophone notes and other variations give it a bit more atmosphere.

8. Ivy (MAP26)

And we immediately go to the next one of those stewboy tracks. The string notes in the beginning are quite funny sounding, but we get into the rest of the melody afterwards. Not quite Doom-sounding, but it's stewboy, it don't need to be. It's quite fun actually, not heavy with the somewhat-muted sound but not too light to be taken lighty.

7. Overload (MAP07)

While plenty of times PRIMEVAL's softer tracks do better than his rocking tracks, it's actually more often the case that his rock tracks destroy his others. Overload is a great example. Very heavy on the guitars for a generally heavy MAP07, it just keeps that feeling of mowing enemies down in an overdrive. The melody sounds like a heavy metal version of Nobody Told Me About Plutonia's main melody as a neat bonus, at least that's what I can hear from it.

6. Jungle (MAP01)

Atmospheric way to build into the mapset's starter level. Jungle doesn't actually sound like a cliche jungle track, but rather an Imp's Song remix that starts off low as usual, but the jungle beat drums actually bring you up to speed in a remarkably dirty way. One that lets you know you'll be dealing with the dirty Plutonia-like gameplay of PRCP for sure!

5. Kitchen Names (And Taking Ace) (MAP16)

Despite its name, it turns out that Mission Possible was the more homagey of tracks! Here we have a track that doesn't feel like a remix to any of the Doom tracks, but the heavy guitar riffs feel like it belongs well in an actual doom metal or death metal track. And that's the beauty of it. Prodding riff, adding in the spooky background choir noises, a lot of it feels perfected.

4. Outer Darkness (MAP19)

Pure ambience, done PRIMEVAL style! Some may forget it as they wander the level that is MAP19 in PRCP, but it's a perfectly well-made ambient track that offers the best kind of spookiness for the nasty feeling you get when you play this level. Around any corner you feel the suspense and this one trickles the feeling more and more. The fact it gets used in MAP19 of Sunder also seals this deal as a legendary PRIMEVAL track.

3. Sewer Slide (MAP14)

stewboy takes the bronze with Sewer Slide, which is perhaps one of his strangest tracks to date. But the stranger the better right? This feels like it belongs in an underwater level in a Mega Man X game, with lots of drumwork and key notes with an occasional techno-sounding guitar included for great measure. Maybe it's that part that gives it the MMX feel? But hey, I sued this track in a map I made, so it must be excellent!

2. After All Is Gone (MAP25)

The moment I saw the name "Wicked Garden" I thought the map was gonna have a MIDI of Stone Temple Pilots but I guess not. Here we have those low-tuned guitars that I adore, with a scale-up and down but it all feels like it incorporates one hell of a sound. And I mean a rather serene-sound that still feels wicked. Perfect for this so-called garden level. The heavier guitars that come in don't detract the sound at all, they enhance it and give it a prodding rock feel that I can highly appreciate.

1. Dread (MAP15)

The sad thing about Dread is that it's on my least favorite PRCP map and possibly my least favorite Xaser map out of his entire catalog. But damn if that composition kicks some ass. It's amazingly well made, with the regal percussion combined with orchestra build-up, with that scaling-up violin providing much of the awesome. The bells and piano notes that later accompany the whole track make it even more worthwhile. An absolutely perfect composition that I'm grateful gets reused in more levels later on in the community.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Plutonia 2

Well, I guess this was something that had to come eventually. Plutonia 2 has some interesting tracks by Jimmy, Julian Aubourg, pcorf, stewboy, Jamie Robertson, and TGH. With that said, it also treads familiar Bobby Prince music, including Doom tracks and one from Duke3D. These will NOT be in the rankings, however, since we will see how great the original tracks were instead. That said, these are great original tracks, no real duds to speak of.

27. Certain DOOM (intermission)

This is actually Julian's only contribution to the soundtrack. It's a serviceable intermission track with great percussion to provide the tense atmosphere that can follow you as you go from level to level. It's great, but the other tracks are just better.

26. A Game Score (MAP08)

Jamie's got some of the stranger tracks overall, with this one being driven well by the percussion and feeling pedestrian for a fairly short map, but you probably will get done with the level faster than you'll appreciate this track. That said though, ten levels from here would be something better, so at least it gets some credit there.

25. I will chop Mariah Carey's head off with a chainsaw (MAP21)

That's a mouthful of a song name. Dunno what pcorf was thinking with that, but here's another track where the majority is driven by percussion. The beat will be in your head, but then you'll hear the low strings producing the rest of the melody. It's simple, but it is somewhat effective in letting you into the final third of Plutonia 2.

24. Gateway (MAP03)

I feel that stewboy has come a long way since his Plutonia 2 tracks. Compared to his work here, the more modern MIDI's he's done are far smoother in sound and more memorable. Here we get muted guitars that make a serviceable melody, but the overall sound may be drowned out by the combat overall and then you have the matter of his other tracks being more showstealing than this.

23. Starting Out (MAP15)

With a title like that you'd expect this to be the MAP01 music, but it's not! It's a little more fun than Gateway I'd say, though it does use the same muted string instruments which isn't good when you compare to what stewboy would do later on. In any case, this has more strings than Gateway, which is a good thing because we can feel more of the melody in any case!

22. Silicone Dust (MAP18)

Well I did say that ten levels after the one that had a Game Score we get something better. It's Jimmy's take on A Game Score more or less. This track's got a melody which sort of takes this, as well as the more memorable and atmospheric Under a Crimson Moon, and just styles it the way Jimmy styles it. And I appreciate the work for it too. It's humble, in other words, and you gotta have that humbleness sometimes.

21. Come Out Fighting (MAP16)

When you see The Green Herring's tracks, they are usually heavy rockers, and this isn't an exception. Come Out Fighting will drive you forward with the bass before having heavy grungy riffs take over for much of the song. The riffs are quite simple, but they make the action more interesting in any case.

20. Nobody Told Me About Plutonia (MAP32)

Well, someone's gotta do a tribute to Nobody Told Me About ID for the Go 2 It-inspired level. Jimmy's spin is a case of evolving an older MIDI. Whereas the original felt sinister but with a drive to slowly succeed, this is a case of speeding the melody up while adding much better instrumentation to make it feel more modern and techno. Both are good things, and both coincide well with Go 4 It.

19. Outpost of Destiny (MAP27)

This is honestly a very underrated track even by pcorf's standards. The low horns compliment the strings that come in almost perfectly, and the xylophone notes! I love those little dinks so much. It's an appropriate amount of sinister for a sinister little level. I really, really wish this track had more mileage! For those that don't know, many of the tracks from Plutonia 2 get reused in other sets, but this one hasn't been reused once (to my knowledge at least)!

18. Rock the Building (MAP07)

In which Jaime does a rock song that services the MAP07 Caughtyard-inspired level and does it in, well, a serviceable manner. I really don't know what else to really say, because I do enjoy a rocking MAP07. The percussion is the most interesting part, as usual for Jaime's MIDIs here.

17. End is Nigh (MAP20)

This probably could have been lower in the ranking. It's because much of the track is nothing but short woodwind notes and some percussion, making a quiet, ambient, but still somewhat atmospheric tone. Does it fit Lurking Fear that well? I'm unsure. The rest of the percussion comes in, but that's not what saves it. It's when the guitar comes in. Wow, that guitar part is BEAUTIFUL. This would have been somewhat sub-par if it wasn't for that.

16. The Hunt (MAP29)

Jaime's tracks sure are weird! Another percussion-heavy track, but it gets to those two droning string parts which are LOUD, before the bass and percussion pick up the pace and guide things to a conclusion. It's one of the strangest MIDIs overall, but looking at the name, I believe this has to be a love letter to Prince's On the Hunt. I mean, those loud strings are like the beginning, and the bass part feels like it would fit well with the overall mold of On the Hunt's melody. Way to go, but man my ears.

15. Against God's Will (MAP24)

Another great rocking track by TGH which drives you well with the percussion before the grungy guitars pick things up, providing a melody that sort of is kinda AimShootKill-like. Maybe I'm spitballing considering what I compared it to, but look at the title of the MIDI and compare it with AimShootKill as well. Anyways, it slows down at one point but keeps the melody and that's always pretty cool.

14. Sam's the Man (MAP14)

I wonder who Sam is referenced to here? Sam Woodman perhaps? I mean HR2 was something he composed a lot of strange tracks for, and HR2 came before PL2. But in any case, we have a Sinister MIDI, pun intended, which is appropriately spooky and prods the player along well. Quite fun.

13. Deadly Town (MAP05)

Starts off atmospheric with some interesting guitar licks before percussion takes over. Jimmy works the magic of the instruments in super-strange ways. It then has at least two interesting riffs, and players will take note of the guitar parts real quickly. Fantastic, and also appropriate for the short level it's in.

12. Plutopia (MAP26)

I guess Jimmy was thinking of this at the same time TVDV was thinking of the level title! Well, this is a fairly interesting Jimmy track, with the simple synth melody providing the benchmark, but with Jimmy continuing to add variances to make this spooky yet action-packed at the same time. You'll spend quite some time in Plutopia, so might as well listen to its theme song with dignity well!

11. Wasteland (MAP33 and text)

Beautiful droning sound with proper triangle notes dictate the main melody of this particular text screen music, which works quite well in the level Chocolate too. It's an extreme amount of Sinister, almost as if it belongs on the Heretic soundtrack, but it could work nearly everywhere. So evil-sounding!

10. Pyrainth (MAP01)

To start off Plutonia 2, you get introduced to a track which has its starting parts sound like a combination of Blood Jungle as well as what you might expect for an Egyptian theme. Though there's no Egyptian levels in Plutonia, the backdrop provided is sinister, and damn I use that word a lot but Jimmy's Plutonia 2 work does not age poorly, it just works out so well and may continue to work out well in the future.

9. Slime Dweller (MAP19)

Gritty, grungy, and has a very sewer-like feel and name, Slime Dweller is a fantastic Jimmy track to fit the underground mold. The bass is top-notch, and then the rest of the spooky instrumentation will further drive things forward. The loud drum beats near the end are icings on the cake. Truly a lovely tune to deal with grungy atmospheres.

8. Bloody Hell (MAP02)

Hey, want a track that feels like you're in a jungle? This is the one for you! It's truly got the jungle feel to it, which I adore quite a lot. Easily Jamie's best work due to the fun jungle notes and the feel of the green around you. I really don't have anything but praise for this one. Great job Jaime!

7. Battle Strategy (MAP09)

One of Jimmy's more rote MIDIs that sort of makes it feel like it's a Mark Klem tune, Battle Strategy is used in a level where you definitely want to use good strategy to survive it, therefore we get a good amount of percussion to help you strategize your grand slam against the demons, with interesting guitar licks further complimenting the fun melodies provided.

6. Astral Dreadnought (MAP10)

Astral Dreadnought gets used as much as Mark Klem's Anchor. There must be a reason for that right? Well, just listen to the spacey-sounding beginning, the bass that follows, the fun synth melody that also follows, and the deconstruction of said melody, plus the bass and the few more synth parts. Quintessential Jimmy all in a single package. Very fun to plow through demons with this. But I like five more tracks more!

5. Night Run (MAP17)

Interesting that two MAP17's, this and Speed of Doom's, use this track. But it's the best of stewboy's MIDIs for Plutonia 2 because it's got a very memorable guitar riff as the melody, fun variations on it, and the buildup to it is quite fun. A very fun MIDI made for very fun levels!

4. Sanctified (MAP25)

You want something to feel the cold feel of ice? Well the intro to this song, and the cool piano notes, will let you into Black Ice well. Sanctified is a track that wouldn't be out of place at all if Plutonia did have an ice level, and forgoing that, the string pieces further the sinister-ness. All this while feeling cold, as cold as death. Jimmy's made a fine one here.

3. Under a Crimson Moon (MAP12)

TGH, known for rocking MIDIs, slows down considerably and makes a track that would fit during a pedestrian night. One where you sit down, relax comfortably, listen to some ambient percussion and then the song kicks in with the woodwind that soothes your soul. Then the drums start kicking into overdrive at some point, weirding you out, but not so much you'd leave the scene. That's the overall feeling one gets with this one.

2. Become the Hunted (MAP11)

I always imagine that the main percussion here feels like some very sinister incarnation of knocking on wood, and it always feels that way despite Arch-Violence having far, FAR less wood than the level that inspired it. A track that forgoes any violent encounter, the proper creepiness will abound as you waddle your way around arch-vile territory, and it fit quite well for the nasty Precarious (Sunder MAP05), where the song actually feels like the level title.

1. Cataclysmic Impact (MAP30)

But we gotta end this with more than just anything, therefore Jimmy takes the gold with Cataclysmic Impact, a song that must be built up before we get down and dirty with the melody. Creepiness will go up as the song goes, with piano notes conveying exactly what you will expect to deal with TVDV's creepiest Icon of Sin overall (in my opinion at least). Not to be missed!

Doom Musings: Soundtrack Rankings: Requiem

This had to come by eventually. Requiem! The last great vanilla megawad before the Quakers Quaked their way, or whatever you call that. And well the music in Requiem is just as good as in Memento Mori II. Now starring Jeremy Doyle as another musician for this game too. 23 tracks to rank. Let's go!

23. Baracus Returns (Title and Intermission)

Yeah, one day you'll see a title track, and in this case a combined title and intermission track, breach the last place mark. Not today, sadly, cause this track doesn't really go that long. But it's still super ominous and as always there's no really weak tracks in Requiem.

22. Slider (MAP24)

I'll tell you, it's already really difficult to rank some of these tracks. Slider I would say its biggest weakness may be the fact that it's played during a time where tracks are starting to repeat in the megawad, and it's somewhat easy to miss it in the middle of just one level. That being said, spooky atmosphere ensures this isn't one to forget, even though it's real slow to start. But who am I kidding.

21. Jacob's Staircase (MAP07)

This one always struck me as weird. It sounds like it would fit a 70s bar music, not that that's bad, mind you. It just sounds quite happy when compared to the overall atmosphere of Requiem. Yeah, it at least tries for something spooky but it never really feels that way sometimes. An interesting track for a MAP07 too.

20. Take All (I Have More) (MAP20 and MAP25)

This track exists at least twice, but both levels are quite short, and like the previously-ranked track, is an odd fit for Doom maps. Maybe it's the instrumentation with the awkward guitars as well as the trumpets, almost as if it's treading the waters of ROTT with those trumpets. Pretty funny when you think about it.

19. The Rhythm of Carnage (MAP01 and MAP26)

Well, it gets the ball rolling! Gotta love how when Shaw rocks out it's always generally decent. Fun Master of Puppets-style riff with droning rock sound, and works great for both action-packed levels. That being said, those two levels this track is on are a little too short for this to be that enjoyable.

18. Skinny Puppy (MAP19)

I have no idea if this is actually the track title, but it is the level title. One of the more appropriately-sounding MIDIs for its level, although it has no relation to the actual band it certainly fits the punkish and techno nature of the level its on. Shame it doesn't get used much, cause this is a hidden treasure by Doyle.

17. Tides of War (MAP17 and MAP32)

Driving drums are what really makes this song, along with some key notes giving it a relatively pedestrian melody that sounds quite nice for MAP17's fairly easygoing nature. Maybe not so much for the short MAP32, but it's not exactly a bad fit. To further this one's score, the main melody is used for a medley in one of Darkening Episode 2's MIDIs, which includes such melodies such as Into the Beast's Belly and Memento Mori II's intermission. How strange that this song's melody could end up in a medley for a later set!

16. Path of Destruction (MAP06)

I'd like to think of Mark Klem's best strength, as well as his biggest weakness, as finding a great riff and sticking with it. It's why songs like Mirage a bit lower than usual, even though they have memorable riffs, they constitute the entire song. Which is the case with Path of Destruction. Fantastic riff promoting creepiness and urgency, along with accompanying instrumentation that works quite well, but I keep thinking there should be much more.

15. Reason for Nothing (MAP16 and MAP22)

To me this is a fun track, but it barely compares to the much better and more memorable Klem tunes. It's about as typical as Mark gets with grungy melodies, one which you can't really hate, and fits quite easily to both levels its on. Or maybe that's cause MAP16 is actually my favorite level in the WAD. Either way, it's fun, but there's better.

14. Mystic's Glance (MAP05)

Turn up your volume a bit, this one's a bit quiet and slow to start. It's got a slow, melancholy melody, making it much better than I expected, plus the main riff (which you want to turn your volume up) is equally melancholy. It's a very, very nice track, but it is a bit quiet and only gets used in one map in the set.

13. Rage (MAP02 and MAP27)

Tambourines and cymbals constitute the start, before Mark's signature grungy guitars throw themselves into the melody. This is a gem of a MIDI from Mark, as it's one of the few that gets better the further you go in it. Culminating in a beautiful guitar solo which follows some tenser riffs, what isn't to like? MAP27 in particular makes great use of this, as it's the longest level overall at that point and helps you like this song more.

12. Devil's Grounds (MAP14)

An underrated rocking gem from Klem. Seriously? How has this not played more? At least with other Requiem tracks they've been heard a few more times, but this one really deserves more credit. Funky start with incredibly fun synth and numerous riffs with numerous instrumentation. Honestly this is one of Klem's more experimental tracks and deserves better.

11. The Everlasting Negative (MAP21)

And here's another track with very low mileage. Given how much you'll be banging your head in MAP21, you at least are treated to a very ominous and melancholy track that would put Mystic's Glance to shame. Those guitars are full of feels, and even before that the bell-sounding instruments are just preparation for what is to come with those guitars. It even slows down for the ending. A classic tune.

10. Dry Rot (MAP18 and MAP23)

Two of Mark Klem's tracks here really rock your socks off. This one is actually the second of the two but it's no slouch. Lots of adrenaline pumping once those guitars get louder, it gets a bit crazy at times. Although it slows down, it picks up the pace with ascending notes and doesn't let up from there with interesting riffage. Even the bass is meaty and grungy. This definitely had to be in the top 10.

9. Lordly Might (MAP10)

And here's the other rocking track from Klem. Honestly, it should have been used more in this set, though it get used in other levels (Zones of Fear MAP05). The drums are quite loud and drive the whole melody, with muted bass being heard well with it. The guitars, and later the trumpets, make this one of Klem's most active and lively MIDIs, but it's still full of doom and gloom once you go to the hardass riffs near the end.

8. Breath of Sin (MAP03 and MAP28)

Many of Shaw's tracks landed in the Top 10, so let's look at Breath of Sin. Muted bass to start things off, but the synth and the low horns really drive the melody and provide much of the love. Relatively spooky but wouldn't sound out of place if it was made by a certain Bobby Prince. Yeah, I'm going there. It's such a good track.

7. Lamneth's Ground (MAP13)

Of all the tracks that only get used once or so, man, this one really hits home. Atmosphere is absolutely nailed, driving drums and low-tone guitars help make it fun and atmospheric. Several melodies exist with fun instrumentation in them, with the most slowed-down melody leading into a fantastic extended guitar solo. One that even drowns itself out for the rest of those juicy melodies. All on the level with the double 3D bridge too. Criminally underused as a MIDI.

6. The Helix (MAP09 and MAP29)

Sometimes the strings make the difference in the beginning. A simple down-chord leads to the drums picking up and synths getting better. Again, another MIDI that gets better. The main culmination has to be the Doom-sounding breakdown near the middle, with the guitar going up and down, with some hard notes at the down part along with some cool drumming before it mellows out. Maybe this is why it's called The Helix.

5. Last Resort (MAP15)

Like Skinny Puppy, I'm not sure if this is the real title of this track or not, but we got a track that proves to be both ominous (those loud and eerie sounds!) and rocking, once it gets comfortable that is. This track is actually kinda short, but that doesn't matter, what matters is an almost perfect combination of rock and atmosphere to make this MIDI just as memorable as the level its on, and easily one of Doyle's best.

4. Somewhere Over the Horizon (MAP04)

Mark Klem makes a Heretic-sounding track that works out well. It definitely has that feeling, lots of strings, a medieval-sounding track that goes into what you'd expect for castle-storming, some guitar work, but mostly low horns and spooky tones. It gets used in a number of other sets as well, making this one of Klem's better works. Yeah, some of his more atmospheric works certainly trounce his grungy ones.

3. Hunter's Lair (MAP11)

Honestly the best of Shaw's work in Requiem, and he's exceptional here. Low bass and a memorable drum line, a great guitar riff that hits the feels. String accompaniment furthers the feel, and then a semi-solo to end it off. This gets used again in Darkening MAP08, but like Lamneth's Ground, really does deserve much more in mileage.

2. Under Death (MAP08 and MAP30)

Klem will take us home with, you guessed it, more atmospheric works. This is one of Klem's most memorable MIDIs overall, with perfect spookiness (not in a Halloween way either) going up and down and drums and bells joining in to enhance that spookiness. The gritty guitars you'd think would be detrimental but it's the exact opposite. It makes the atmospheric feel much better. There's even a mini-solo to round it all down. No wonder it's one of the tracks you'll listen to in a Sunder map.

1. Breach of Madness (MAP12, MAP31, and text music)

Organ notes make up one of Mark's more spooky tracks and he sticks with this memorable riff a number of times throughout this track. But he goes away from it for a few simple bass riffs, and also some grungy guitars. It's yet another case of a perfect mix of grittiness, spooky atmosphere, and all of other things that would make Requiem great. This works out nicely for even text music too! To me it's the most memorable and treasureable of Requiem's tracks, and that's the way to go.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Eternal DOOM

(whoops I was supposed to submit this yesterday oh well) So next soundtrack rankings is on a megawad where you'll be hearing the music loop very, very often. Yep, Eternal DOOM. Interestingly, this is a WAD that is eventually going to have ANOTHER custom MIDI pack to it. Wonderful! But for this one, we are grading work entirely done by Rich Nagel, who used a Creative Wave Blaster with three AWE32s. Neat, but overall the songs all feel much louder than usual. Still, Eternal Doom was rife with weird atmosphere and its music tracks will show that.

37. Introduction To Death

Short, medieval-sounding yet suspenseful title track music. There's not much else to say.

36. Intermission From Death II

This is actually the text screen music. It's basically an excerpt from the track Death Jam (later on in this countdown). Maybe it'd work better if there was actually custom text screens for those who play the game more or less normally.

35. Intermission From Death

A brooding intermission music. Fairly decent, but it is intermission music.

34. Cyber Hunt

INCREDIBLY AMBIENT AND SPOOKY. Though of course it is in a bonus level. But it's still suspenseful, moreso than a track in this one called Suspense.

33. Eternal Medley

I haven't really played the bonus levels all that much, but a medley's a medley. Would actually be more fun if this track was in MAP30, but then again the track that's on MAP30 is already fun.

32. Instant Death! (MAP13)

A lot of melodies that Rich uses gets reused, either in reprises or otherwise. This takes the main melody of Suspense! more or less and just puts it in a transition level. Thus it's not all that great.

31. Searching! (MAP01)

This is an unpopular MIDI apparently. There's a number of reasons for that. The melody of it is awkward with the notes, just a scale going up and down more or less. Plus it loops wrong. That's pretty much all there is to this.

30. UAC 5-0 (MAP31)

An upbeat MIDI that fits the resort house gimmick of MAP31. That is, until you hear it loop a lot after banging your head trying to figure out the level's main puzzles. Yeah, I'm grading these based off of how well they are used for their levels. Jim Flynn's levels use a lot of upbeat MIDIs, which are fun until you wander around with not much to do. This certainly has the surfing feel in any case.

29. Death March Reprise (MAP02)

I'll spoil it, but yes, Death March is a legendary track. That being said, its reprise happens 10 levels before it, and although appropriately spooky, the reprise coming before it just feels weird. The melody is substantially different to make it feel less like a reprise too.

28. Death Assured Reprise (MAP29)

The horns make this one of the goofiest tracks ever, especially considering how long this level is in general too. Feels like I'm in a castle in a Dragon Quest game. At least the melody from Death Assured, which sounds super wholesome even in this reprise, gets to be reused in this reprise, but the horns try to drown it out.

27. Hellspawn (MAP09)

A medieval fortress must have a medieval-sounding MIDI, with brooding instrumentation that befits storming a castle and its many denizens. An interesting MIDI all things considered, but kinda goofy in hindsight, especially with the low horns.

26. DETH Bells (MAP15)

Atmospheric, feels like it belongs in Hexen (especially given level length). Bells are fantastic...

25. Hell's Bells (MAP24)

But it's Hell's Bells that wins out more in my opinion. Probably because it starts with the bells chiming? Certainly pulls you in with the atmosphere right away as opposed to the minor ambience DETH Bells held. Still, these two tracks are on really long levels and the bells will certainly make you feel strange things.

24. The Battle (MAP21)

I guess Rich wanted to give us a LOTR-sounding battle theme here. It works somewhat, but it's on a forgettable level so it's not the best overall.

23. Mission Possible (MAP03)

Thankfully it's not some movie soundtrack reprise or something. But it is a quirky track for...an actually quirky mishmash of a level. I'll take it! Melody will probably be a memorable one in any case, considering it's on one of the earlier levels, but you can feel the xylophone throughout.

22. Barabbas (MAP07)

Basically, it's like you take the melody of They're Going to Get You, make it orchestrated, then add some funky drums and a few new strings attached. It works, but I can't help but notice how much Rich really leaned into this melody with this, its reprise, and Death Assured as well.

21. Suspense! (MAP04)

This track actually doesn't feel suspenseful despite its title. It's got a bit of funk, with an interesting instrumentation for its main melody. I think it works alright for Nucleus, the level its on, which is a sewer/storage complex which with the sewer-like instrumentation, works out well enough. It's a strange track in any case though.

20. Suspense Reprise (MAP10)

Yeah, the reprise track beats it, but only slightly. To be frank, it might just be that mini-variation to the original melody of Suspense which I find much neater. Although the level its on isn't as fitting as the one Suspense! is on overall. It's still fun.

19. Barabbas Reprise (MAP27)

A more militaristic-sounding reprise makes this the best out of the reprises. This slows the instrumentation from Barabbas and makes it sound regal and ready for a powerful march. I dig it! Slow and steady wins the race.

18. Death Jam (MAP25)

Death Jam is a strange MIDI on a strange level. It's got a buttload of instrumentation which fits the bank environment as well as the other locations in Beginner's End. Very lively, very strange, but also very fun.

17. War Cry (MAP28)

Shouldn't this be War March? Cause it sure sounds like a medieval marching song to me. It gets into the groove quick, then gets out of the groove quick. Fun, but short. Then again, the level its on is also short by Eternal Doom standards.

16. DOOMin' (MAP26)

The most rocking track out of all of Rich's, this definitely gives you the rocking city vibes. Like the rest of the Flynn levels, it suffers when you're trying to find your way around things instead of battling monsters, but it's a fun track in any case.

15. Spectres (MAP08)

A nice, relaxing MIDI for a relatively decent level in Eternal Doom. Easygoing orchestra followed by decent horns and drums. Simple and it works well. If only there were more spectres in Woodhead though.

14. Fugue in A Minor (MAP14)

This is a personal favorite of mine. It's all classical music which is quite fun in the overall setting. And the setting in this case is a lot more mild due to different gameplay gimmicks and helps you relax a bit more. That is, if you don't suck with Tyson-style gameplay. Not many people appreciate this MIDI, and that's sad.

13. Simple Death (MAP20)

Bob Evans' Silures is a level you're going to spend nearly forever in, and this brooding, orchestrated, somewhat-classic-sounding MIDI will be one of the proofs of that. It's created very well, and usually won't be getting old considering how slow-paced it is.

12. Death Assured (MAP18)

A very wholesome way to incorporate They're Going to Get You's melody. It just feels far more wonderful and such. Shame the level its on is fairly short by ED standards but it's a very, very cute track to listen to. Beats out Barabbas and its reprise real easily.

11. Mysterious (MAP06)

Interesting instrumentation, using the xylophone and tenor strings to make a suspenseful track full of urgency. Works well, as short as it is, but one that manages to stick in my head easily.

10. InDIAn Song (MAP17)

Now this is a unique track! Of course, with its name, it was made to sound like traditional music that would fit the setting its name takes after. The level its on feels traditional enough to work. And boy howdy it does that with aplomb. And even Epic 2 uses this for one level, so it's a real knockout of a track. With this said, it MUST be used appropriately or it wouldn't be great.

9. Psychopathic Evil (MAP19)

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with a lot of percussion instruments outside drums, but those opening parts of percussion are super neat and drive the song as it gets to the more atmospheric parts. The orchestra is slow and needs to be, and it feels astounding. This is just a song to feel and you will feel it, given how long this particular level its on is.

8. Eternal DOOM (MAP05)

Of the absolute slowest of tracks, this is probably the winner. It captures the feeling of a true Doom song, just brooding tenor sound that feels sinister, yet you have that longing feeling to push through. Not sure about titling it after the entire megawad, but it's a song that basically defines the entire game and its majorly dark settings.

7. Cacophage (MAP32)

This feels like a mishmash of styles, but it quickly became a favorite of mine. Very interesting percussion work, a MIDI that sort of treads familiar Doom melodies (some parts remind me of the epic Demons on the Prey melody, and this goes for other tracks like the Death Marches and Psychopathic Evil). But these mishmashes work out. It's a lively one, but it fits a Doom setting well.

6. Death in D Minor (MAP22)

The woodwind melody here sells it, and it's quite unique compared to the other ones around it. A few variations and some added drums give it more flair, but it's a hummable tune for a lengthy level and is quite cute to listen to.

5. Impending Death (MAP16)

Now this is a MIDI that would fit a sinister, brooding, church-like setting. Given that Guardstation has one, it's honest and worthwhile. The pre-melody tenor is gorgeous. The horn melody is beautiful and lures you in, before having the strings and a few more percussion taking over the melody near the end. There's no way I'm leaving this out of the top 5.

4. Trooper Procession (MAP23)

I'm kind of a depressing individual given how many of the slow-paced tracks in Eternal Doom are closer to the top, but this track is all feels. Slow to start, but you'll be lured in instantly. It's a melancholy tune, heavily horn-driven. The only thing is that it's really loud on the horns and it leans on them, but this time you don't get a lot of backing percussion and for this track, that works out well.

3. The Lost Souls (MAP11)

This is a perfect example of using many great instruments together. Pre-melody checks out, leaving way for the strings to take over with tambourines and other percussion to drive us into the main melody. A few variations and bridges further sell this MIDI as a kickass way to lead us into the second third of Eternal DOOM. All this and the fact that this is Couleur's best map overall, and you have one legendary MIDI that fits a sinister setting.

2. Death March (MAP12)

Of course, I said it earlier, but this is another legendary MIDI. And yes, it's a very fitting march track. Very slow to start, not as much instrumentation as the previous track, but it doesn't need that much. All we need is the right amount of percussion and sinister-sounding strings to lead us to the main event, a melody that sort of sounds like Demons on the Prey but for a much more heavy setting. And by god is Darkdome the perfect level for it.

1. Death by the Sword (MAP30)

Well, I never thought the MAP30 track would be at the top, but think about it. This is the culmination of Eternal DOOM. We have to end it properly, and sure enough, a medieval sounding march not unlike War Cry, with a few melody parts from Cacophage, seem to be the way to go. Excalibur is the ultimate challenge of the WAD, and with it you have the track that would befit this ultimate challenge, one that won't get old as you stumble your way around it. And this matters most.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack rankings: Memento Mori II

It's obvious I needed to get to this at some point, but having coursework pretty much all of July will do that to me, that and a few other commitments that even though I got a head start on (like playing FFX) I still took forever to do. Anyways, I think it's pretty obvious to most hardcore fans of Doom WADs that Memento Mori II has an exceptional soundtrack. It goes back and forth between two excellent composers, Mark taking the odd numbers and David Shaw taking the even ones, providing the perfect music that gives you the perfect feels for each level. A soundtrack which has had its tracks used quite often around many other WADs. It's going to be extremely difficult to grade this, since most if not all tracks are great!

35. Intermission Music

Well this is a gritty and grungy intermission tune. I highly preferred the first MM's intermission to this, feels much more memorable. Mark doesn't make bad tracks though.

34. Before The Storm (Title)

Memento Mori 1 pushes you right in with its title track, so it's appropriate that MM2's title track does the same thing. It's not a Mark Klem track, but David Shaw's guitarwork here is enough to show that you'll be playing this WAD with the right amount of action. With those different marines on the title screen, it definitely fits the coop mold. That being said, it is a title track, so it's short.

33. Perchance to Dream (Story)

Relatively mellow for a storyline theme, though of course MM2 didn't have custom text intermissions, which kinda sucks the fun out of this one. Master just beats this in every way too.

32. Mizshunn Impassable (MAP32)

I was never ever a fan of the original Mission Impossible theme, even for a thriller movie series, it never sat well with me. Or maybe I just don't like hearing movie themes in games? With this said, David provides tons of variations to a familiar tune, that way it's not as boring as, say, the one in Duke Nukem 3D. So it passes.

31. Anchor (MAP05)

It's an interesting mix of major and minor-key notes around, with one notably fun section near the middle. Super catchy as you might expect. But Mark's grungier and grittier tracks are much cooler by comparison, this one feels like it comes out of Rise of the Triad. Not a bad thing there either, but then again it just doesn't feel like a Mark Klem track. Maybe I just hate the way it loops too. That being said, it's probably Mark's second most popular track after Hidden Anger.

30. Sacrifice (MAP20)

Alden Bates' The Experiment was always a super strange and weird level to end the second third of MM2, and to complement that is this strange track that really does fit in some sort of science experiment. How appropriate! But it never really took off outside of MM2 for some reason, strange. Peculiar is all I can really describe it at this point. Fun here, but probably not fun elsewhere.

29. Shadows of the Dead (MAP27)

The problem with this one is it takes a while to get going, and when it does, it's all drums. It needs to pick up the pace. But thankfully, it does once you hear that choral voice-like part. And it's gorgeous. The drums definitely keep the suspense overall, but the opening of this track sort of makes you wonder what to expect longer than necessary.

28. Fear's Falter (MAP18)

Fear's Falter doesn't get a whole lot of mileage outside Memento Mori II, and it's both easy and hard to see why. It's easy cause in a way it's easy to forget about the song once you reach the halfway point, with the beats being a bit more boring than the urgent-sounding stuff before it, and hard because those urgent beats in the beginning plus the instrumentation breakdown are so good. Never was a bad song by any means, though.

27. Bavor the Mad (MAP31)

I sure feel the funk in this one. When Mark isn't all gritty and grungy he funks you out with bass work that just owns. Even the melody has that disco groove. It's a bit like Anchor but with significantly less mileage. But I like it all the same.

26. Unsteady Ground (MAP08)

And here's where David Shaw gets his rock groove on, as opposed to the more atmospheric rock tracks he has this one is just straight up rocking. Fitting for the short level it's in. It sort of slows down at the end and loops weirdly, but I've heard these licks multiple times and they still get me.

25. Disposition (MAP09)

Mark wants you to really dig this bass riff! It's a pretty badass Doom-y riff alright, with plenty of instrumentation that creates new variations of it all. With this said, the riff is throughout the whole song, and can get old especially with the long level it is on. Mark sure had fun with it though.

24. Peaceful Altercation (MAP06)

Another really strange track by David Shaw, which at least keeps the "peaceful" aspect going. It's sure a strange one to place in any Doom level, as it feels serene at first, with lots of instrumentation to keep the melody going, even when it goes crazy. Those guitars sound dissonant but strangely fit the track, and that's not even getting to those trumpets. Not quite ROTT-esque there, but no need for it.

23. Mirage (MAP23)

Much like Disposition, Mark does a riff and sticks with it throughout the whole song, adding variation after variation with multitudes of instrumentation. It's a lot like Disposition in that regard, but much more gritty and grungey. I'll be using those words a lot, deal with it.

22. System Shock (MAP12)

Talk about underused! This is probably the one track I can think of that should be more used in other WADs. And to be honest, I don't know exactly why! It's super strange, the opening notes are a lot like Into The Fray's beginning, but then it delves into the usual guitar work, which is quite unique. Plus all the doots that come after it, creating a swanky melody throughout. This track needs more recognition, for sure.

21. Dance of the Sugarplum Lunatic (MAP30)

Now Mark is doing a rather familiar Christmas tune, one that offers as much mystery as it does fun. And of course, puts in numerous variations to turn it into an absolutely appropriate Doom tune, things get to minor key quickly, and even the melody takes a notable dip that is sure to catch your attention right away.

20. Damage Assessment (MAP13)

One of several Mark Klem tracks to feel like it's all over the place, this one has a relatively slow bass-y start before more chimes start to kick in to provide an additional melody. Both of these, and the drums, are generally constant. Then you got the middle portion which gives trumpets! Then after that, a shift in melody with chimes taking over, then an amalgamation from the previous! Then grungy guitars! A lot to take in and a fun track overall.

19. Junkie Smack (MAP29)

No really fancy tricks here. This is just Mark going with a decent riff to start things off, then crafting a better melody afterwards, ultimately creating a decent MIDI that just generally kicks ass. Sure enough, it got use in the Eternal level Frozen Time, and seems to fit well there. I have no problems with this track, though it could use a lot more use in general like a lot of others here.

18. Anger's Reprise (MAP26)

Hidden Anger is always a classic track, one that never gets old in the hearts of many WAD players. Anger's Reprise is of course a reprise, so it doesn't get as popular, but hey, David Shaw tried and delivered well. The maramba beats will deceive the listener for quite a while, before we get to hear how David Shaw does Hidden Anger his way. A little higher-pitched than usual, but it worked out, and then it slows down a bit. It loops great too. A reprise ended up still being a good treasure.

17. Tempter (MAP11)

A tune that really does scream Mark Klem in full. Grittiness always starts things off, with the synths popping in to give the memorable melody and to add loads of flair. Since there's more than just one riff, it's a lot more enjoyable than it sounds. The best part is it fits well in just about any level. Worked well for MAP17 of Biowar, for example.

16. The Maw Awaits (MAP14)

This one will take some time to grow on you, as it feels quiet at first. At least you can feel that bass well enough. The guitar riff is some fancy work, and the drums offer a fun funk beat to complement. Synth picks up the pace, and IS THAT A DRUM SOLO?! I love that part the most, the one part of the song I always look forward to with this track. Shame it doesn't get used a whole lot in other levels.

15. Avalanche (MAP01)

Avalanche starts things off rocking, right in front of several enemies in another tough opening map. It's no Hidden Anger, but why should it be? It works out nice enough to get the action going, and there's a nice zoning-out part in the guitars there. Fits for a racing game even. It's simplistic in a way overall but will still linger in your head.

14. Interphaze (MAP04)

A surprisingly fun and funky MIDI from Shaw here. The bells are ominous, but the funk beat kicks in with the guitars making for one of the most fun Memento Mori II tracks overall. Gets it going before the finale, which is...awkward. Well, it's not bad, but it goes into a downward spiral taking the beat from the bells from before. Said downward spiral isn't bad by any means at least. It naturally feels as such.

13. Frivolous Encounter (MAP15)

We're really getting into Mark's best tracks now. Frivolous Encounter is one that definitely fits a Doom game in all sorts of ways. Urgency with the notes in the beginning, the violins going super strong, and the drums driving just about everything. Great for frantic levels like MAP15 or Valiant's MAP24, a bit underused overall in the community though.

12. And Blood Will Spill (MAP22)

Most of those tracks which promote high urgency in their tone seem to be the ones that score the highest. And well the guitar work in And Blood Will Spill makes the overall tone of the level one to hurry up on. Strange that, given the size of the level, but there's a lot of enemies that populate several areas in that map so it's fine. Apart from its fun guitar work, it's got fun trumpet solos and can work well in action-packed levels in general. But believe it or not, the bass in this track is the strongest instrument of it all.

11. Nothing So Cruel (MAP19)

An appropriately-named track with much of Klem's musical hallmarks. Prodding beginning, wonderful guitar prelude leading to memorable and melodic riff, plus a few variations to help. It crops up a few times in other projects, particularly in base and underground levels, but no matter what, it just fits well anywhere, and in a way it is that which matters most.

10. Outstretch of Sin (MAP16)

A really, really underrated track by David here. Another prodding beginning, well-done drumming and a driving bass, the strings that accompany it work out great for creating the main melody with another melody of guitars joining the fray. When the trumpets blare, those strings play in accompaniment, with a trumpet solo before more blaring and then the piano brings it home. Honestly, what isn't to like about this one? It's easy to warm up quick.

9. Time Runner (MAP25)

Otherwise known as Time Keeper, with an extended version of Dredge. AARGH! Too many titles! Can't keep track of 'em all! That being said this is easily one of the most fun Mark Klem tracks ever, already getting right into the guitarwork and the accompanying horns further entrenching the melody in bliss. Very ROTT-esque in ways, but it slows down to a more comfortable Doom style. I'm guessing this is the extension of Dredge here? But whatever, even when it slows down there's nothing about this track that I hate.

8. Circle of Fire (MAP28)

Somehow, this wormed its way up to the Top 10, but think about it, for those times where you're in a city-like landscape at night, this is the kind of track you'd probably expect to hear. Pop-like drum beat, but a bass riff that is just so fun to listen to, with a few guitar pieces and even a horn solo. Very fitting for Corporate Hell, the level it is on. Relaxing, not relaxing, loads of moods to feel with this track.

7. Organic Gods (MAP17)

Nearly eight minutes long, but while it's easy to determine the dynamic between Klem and Shaw for their rock tracks, it's harder with their atmospheric ones. In any case, Organic Gods is a legendary track in every way, well-orchestrated with great instrumentation before the extra creepy breakdown promoting all sorts of moods. It then sits comfortably with a melody that feels like it's from Castlevania or something, before retreading and then not retreading familiar melodies. Just listen to it, it's all I can really say now.

6. GloomKeep (MAP24)

A very appreciative and totally atmospheric track David pulls off with true guile. It's not the absolute best fit for the level its in, but it's still a very worthwhile track for a nice, slow-paced level of any size. It's those orchestra parts that truly sell it, but it oddly breaks into a nice guitar segue that surprisingly does well too.

5. Give In (With Pleasure) (MAP03)

It's like Mark Klem gave in (pun intended) and improved on his best track Hidden Anger, with a more fun bass riff to start things off. There's LOTS of guitar melodies and riffs to look at here, with at least one being memorable. Okay, I shouldn't say that. All of them are. You get comfortable with the main chorus riff, but then you get treated to an extended guitar solo. You can tell Mark Klem gave it his all with this, and the solo is both epic AND somehow space-y.

4. Into the Fray (MAP02)

Three or six notes can be enough to settle the atmosphere, and this track shows that. The main melody gets accompanied by strange bells then, but just offers the perfect creepy feel. Comfortable and creepy shouldn't be in the same room together, but David makes it work. The latter parts of the MIDI then throw harder orchestra parts with an alright guitar riff, another strange combination that wins. It even mellows out at the end of the MIDI to loop almost perfectly.

3. Dredge (MAP21)

Dredge remains a personal favorite of mine ever since I first heard it in Biowar MAP05. It's an industrial-sounding track, but feels like it can fit in just about any context. Strange synth is at work as the rest of the instruments drive to the creepy synth solo. Focus on the bells and the synth at the same time, it's fun. Mark just switches melodies on the fly following this, then adds some variations to it, but the end result is a nearly six-minute long track of kickass.

2. Midnight Call (MAP07)

Throughout this ranking I've been having fun alternating between Mark Klem and David Shaw tracks to show I like both artists quite equally, and the #1 spot is proving the hardest. Regardless of whether my opinion on this track means it will become #1 doesn't matter, Midnight Call is the best of Mark Klem's MM2 midis. Once again, going for the atmospheric route, with creepy synth taking full swing. Not-so-grungy guitars accompany but don't detract. The bell-sounding synth part is what sells it though. Much of what follows is well-done orchestra, more synth melodies, and even some string strumming. Yep, I'd say the longer works always feel epic.

1. Backroad Wanderer (MAP10)

Nailed it. An absolutely brooding track that remains my favorite of the David Shaw tracks and proves memorable enough to be replayed in many other WADs. Even the Massmouth series loves David Shaw tracks, but especially Backroad Wanderer. An absolutely MEMORABLE bass riff and drumming sell this song perfectly, and the string strumming near the tail end of the MIDI don't make you feel like things changed for the worse. They went for the better. And Memento Mori II's soundtrack is an absolute gem even 25 years later.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack Rankings: All Hell is Breaking Loose!

Well, this one is gonna be quite short. Sorry about this, but I got a lot of coursework I gotta get through so I don't have a lot of time to fully grade a full megawad of new music. Therefore I'll go with All Hell is Breaking Loose. Much like Memento Mori 1, it's all Mark Klem, but it's all unique tracks, trying to do well for a forgotten classic partial conversion which more or less flies under the radar, despite that many people do know about it from the Top 100 WADs and such. Only 7 tracks though. But here we go! Especially since it's Mark Klem, a genius of MIDIs.

7. Title

The shortest title track I've ever heard, at just about six seconds! Five notes and a neat Doom-y echo pretty much tell you all you need to know about this title track. It was used as Biowar's title music as well. It almost seems like it fits on a game show even.

6. Intermission

Well, I'm actually not a fan of this intermission music at all. It's a drum beat with some bass, but that's about it. There's more instrumentation in Klem's other intermission tracks.

5. Bassline

This is a lot like the intermission track, in that it is heavy on the drums and, of course, the bass. The riff is genuine and works well. There's a few synths in the middle too. Serviceable, but Klem has always done better tracks than this one. Interesting that it got reused for Jenesis MAP22.

4. Retribute

A relatively servicable midi from Mark here with a memorable first riff and several more. It sounds a bit like some of the weaker tracks in Memento Mori like Slipslider, and I use that term loosely since there's no weak midis in Memento Mori. Funky indeed, but as always, Mark has done much better than this.

3. Fear Eater

The only thing I hate about these MIDIs is how much mileage they don't have. The top 3 in my opinion really need more traction, as they are almost as good as some of the best MIDIs Mark has made! Yet I rarely hear these tracks outside of this WAD. Fear Eater has an even better riff than the last two I listed, one which gets a few variations added to it and just sounds super badass all around. Works well for the cave spelunking of the level slot it's a part of!

2. Monster Thrash

How do you open up a partial conversion that's just crazy all around in gameplay? That's exactly right, you open it with a track that's just crazy all around. Monster Thrash wastes NO time in bringing your ears the juicy and grungey guitar work. It's there to show you what to expect, even though it's the first map and there's not that many monsters, you WILL feel the craziness. Monster Thrash delivers. It should definitely have more use in custom WADs.

1. Glock

Finally we have Glock. Not as crazy as Monster Thrash, but still a headbanging tune with at least two memorable guitar riffs. As short as it is, it deserves the number one spot due to keeping the blood pumping in a level where there's bound to be TONS of it. The city level in other words. There's so much to take in from playing this particular level and the music is a cherry on the top. This track pretty much inspired me to even make this musing in the first place, as it's so underused and one of the most underrated in Mark's collection.

Doom Musings: Playing the controversial Blade of Agony mod

Decided to interrupt my soundtrack rankings as I've decided to play Wolfendoom: Blade of Agony for the first time. Sheesh, this mod sure took the community by storm, and not in the most fresh of ways at all. So Tormentor667, the lead of this project, really enjoyed the Laz Rojas Wolfendoom levels, which I've already covered in a previous musing, and so he and a team of GZDoom modders got together and made Blade of Agony, which takes a huge inspiration from not just those, but also events that have happened over the course of WWII in Europe. The first episode got a Cacoward, and then the second and third episodes were then released...

But what happened that caused Tormentor's cancelling from the community? It was for a number of reasons. A certain NPC character in the game is named after ZDoom's developer who is transgender but apparently Tormentor had not known about it. Then you have a few other things such as the concentration camp mission, undead prisoner zombies, and even graphic imagery that doesn't sit well with people in 2021. In any case, despite all the controversies, I decided to play this version (I realize it got taken down at some point, but I was able to find a version somewhere to download). When I did, I put ALL politics aside, as usual, so here are my main thoughts.

Overall gameplay: It is what I expected more or less given my previous experience with all Wolf3D-style mods. Using WWII weapons, tools, and items against the Nazis who of course have their own gimmicks, you'll be fighting stuff like super soldiers, snipers, chaingun turrets, even tanks at times. Most levels are simple run and gun, just go in and do the Wolfendoom thing. It can be difficult, as the other Wolfendoom games are, but luckily there is less of hitscanner and more "fast bullet" style and I can appreciate that. The rolling enemies try to be fun but aren't that hard to deal with. A few traps in later levels require some thought to get around. I did like the secret lists that you could find, hinting as to where other secrets could be.

Special gameplay mechanics: First of all, the second episode starts with a stealth segment where you escape from prison. Inspiration of course came from the original Wolfenstein itself, plus other stealth games. The second happens when you get a lab coat, and then you get two more, with one being the concentration camp mission and the other being on the blimp. Needless to say, a lot of saving and loading and figuring out where things are. I HATE these kinds of missions, especially in first person, and it never was the cup of tea I would drink in terms of game genres. There's also two missions where you can drive a tank, along with a couple more where you are in a jeep, both of which are unique in a few ways. The latter is more rail shooter and the former has completely different controls which need to get used to. There's a sprinting mechanic, which I'm also not really a fan of since it goes down so fast, not so viable in most cases. The titular Blade of Agony seems like it will truly be an interesting weapon, not just for melee of course, but then those souls you've been collecting are its ammo.

What I really hated: I bet you were waiting for this one...

Framerate drops: This one is fairly obvious, and I do my best to lower EVERY PERFORMANCE SETTING to the lowest levels in order to make some of these levels playable. Needless to say, even with this, several levels still are overdetailed to most computers and are downright impossible without godmoding them. Honestly, I'm real tired of overdetailing and overdoing thing placement in WADs because WADs like this show what happens when you take things not just too far, but so far you basically throw a ball from the Arctic to the Antarctic. I hope newer WAD makers realize that not everyone has a supercomputer or graphics card that has Death Star-like computing capabilities.

How to get to secret maps?: I never got to these and had to warp to them to see them. Self-explanatory really. I assume those safe combinations meant something but I never found anything, and I'm an exceptional secret hunter for crying out loud.

Execution aborted: THIS RIGHT HERE. Several levels have this problem where something explodes, presumably blowing out a wall or something, but then the game straight up crashes. Above all else, fix these things: In Ep1 after the first battle with the SS Mechas, Ep2 in the level with the large fans, there's a part where you blow up a fire extinguisher near a cracked wall, near the end of Ep3's first map where you blow up a facility, on the fifth mission of Ep3 where you try to blow up the zeppelin. Seriously, if your groundbreaking WAD crashes this many times, it's a problematic sign.

C3M2: Words cannot describe this, but I did post a screenshot of what this level is in its entirety, assuming you can get past the awful framerate.

And that's pretty much all I wanna say about Blade of Agony. Incredibly ambitious and an attempt at further immortalizing the WolfenDoom series. It was shot down for several political and sociopolitical reasons, but what I shot it down for would have to be gameplay moments and things that absolutely need fixing above all else.

Doom Musings: Soundtrack Rankings: Memento Mori

If I'm being honest, I really wanted to do a soundtrack ranking of Memento Mori for the longest time. Like many other great megawads, Memento Mori had an absolutely kickass soundtrack, one I just couldn't stop listening to as Mark Klem gives his own blend of awesome Doom music that stands in contrast to the classic Bobby Prince tunes. And even with that particular case, Klem does manage to capture a new Doom feel with the tracks that got their start in Memento Mori. Although these tracks do get reused in the megawad often, it's just like the real Doom games, they get reused throughout and work fine more or less in each and every map. The thought always counts!

18. Title track

As always, the title track brings up the rear. It gives some wonderful tension in the percussion, but so do a lot of other tracks and they are longer. One day a title track will not be the last track, somewhere.

17. Intermission track

And again, intermission track, despite being heard often, isn't far behind. It probably is the only track in Memento Mori aside from the title track that probably won't fit in any level. It's still nice for an intermission track though, so I gotta give it that. Plus the intermission screen is one of the cooler ones that has aged well.

16. Untitled MAP13 track

I honestly don't know how Klem himself feels about this track. It only plays in one level, The Inmost Dens II, and isn't particularly that good in comparison to all its contemporaries around it. Plus I don't think I've heard this track anywhere else all that much. Not having a title is also a mark against it. But if we were to really talk about it, the track is heavily percussion-driven, particularly in cymbals, and it works well for the urgency of the map its in.

15. Slipslider (MAP08)

This track's name is one that either fell under the radar at some point, or Mark just sort of retroactively gave it a name. In any case, it's one of the funkier ones, not heavily used (only once in this one level), but that funk works out well enough in my book! Although I've listened to it several times, it's never really one of the ones that grew on me though.

14. Dreadnaught (MAP02, MAP17, MAP28)

Very slow track, just builds up with the percussion before the really brassy middle part which is the melody. Still though, one thing that makes slow tracks work is the creep value, and this one just sort of creeps into dance-like music rather than something actually spooky. Fits for a Halloween party!

13. Terror (MAP06, MAP20, MAP30)

Probably the shortest non-intermission, non-title track here. It provides spooky in what almost seems like a major key of sorts. Pay attention to those orchestra parts, they're the best thing about this particular track overall. I'll admit when I was young, I just played that part on a violin for fun, even though I've given up on that instrument long ago.

12. Master (text music)

Holy... Man this is a GOOD text screen track, unfortunately more or less wasted since Memento Mori never had custom text screens at all! I really think this is one of the most melancholy works ever made, with exceptional guitar work and even a bird chirping. It truly is a shame this one never got much in mileage. I outright think it rocks.

11. Gerbert (MAP14)

Here's another song that feels much happier than it should be for a Doom map. Although I associate this track and others with Memento Mori itself, I think I recall first hearing this track in some other WAD that I cannot remember the name of. The brass drives this adventurous song, but the main melody, which gets a couple variations, feels neat too. It even has an ending segment. A real treasure.

10. DLA (MAP03 and MAP27)

What is a DLA? Even I don't know. What I do know is this is a rad rocking track, well done with guitar work and bass to make it seem like it would fit right in with Bobby's metal-inspired tracks. Blood pumps best with rocking tracks with beats like this, and I appreciate this particular music track in any particular case.

9. Scary 1 (MAP04 and MAP26)

The quietest track out of all of them. But it is surprisingly awesome. Sure, it takes a while before this percussion-driven track hits its stride, but it feels like a death march, and you just know it once the beats start kicking in. Plus, it fits its title to a tee, and this is some ACTUALLY scary instrumentation, not the one that would fit a regular ol' Halloween party mood.

8. Scary 2 (MAP12 and MAP23)

Fundamentally different from Scary 1, Scary 2 actually tries for that spooky-yet-fun Halloween mood at first with much more unique instrumentation, sounding nothing like its predecessor but still fitting well into the Doom mold. But you then feel that rush, like the main Scary 1 melody just went on steroids, and it just screams urgency. Absolutely fitting especially for the slaughterfest known as MAP23.

7. Galaxy (MAP05 and MAP16)

Of the original Memento Mori tracks, Galaxy is perhaps the most surprising with its mileage. Honestly, apart from MAP05 of Nova 2 I haven't heard this track in other WADs all that much! For shame! It's an interesting mix of church bells with kickass rock tunes, heavily guitar-driven, a few crazy solos and incorporated melodies, all with adrenaline in mind. One of Mark Klem's most underrated treasures.

6. Slipper (MAP09, MAP25, and MAP31)

Mark Klem had renamed this track into "Scooby" in his Soundcloud page because the main melody seems to take after the classic Scooby Doo theme. Who would have known? But Scooby or Slipper, this is yet another sweet rock song, actually more into the rock feel rather than the more metal feel Galaxy had. Melodies are more recognizable and hummable, and even the part where the song slows down feels great. Pump that mystery machine!

5. Mummy Rags (MAP11 and MAP21)

I didn't expect this song in the Top 5, but it always feels the cutest of the tracks in the Memento Mori soundtrack. The melodies here are simple and driven by various instruments, but the orchestra parts probably shine the most. A well done track fitting most any Doom level, one that has seen many uses too. Frankly, it's one of Klem's more relaxed MIDIs, while the other tracks around this one promote urgency, you can sort of take a breather with this one. But it still serves some spooks.

4. Triangle of Fear (MAP15 and MAP22)

Another percussion-driven track that gives you constant urgency. I mean, those cymbals, man. Makes you paranoid for what you're going to expect. Hearing the rest of the instrumentation with the wavering notes before the horns start blaring the most recognizable part of this song, and then the rest of the percussion, as well as a guitar part, really drive this song further home. A spot for the Top 5 is most-deserved for this track!

3. Night Bats (MAP07 and MAP19)

As slow as Dreadnaught and Scary 1, but BETTER. The one-two punch you'll be constantly treated to with the song's opening notes, plus the completely haunting ambience put this at the high point of Klem's instrumentation. What's not to love? Sure, the song is quite long, but well worth it for the last few melodies, especially that creepy folkish mandolin solo (or whichever instrument that is). Truly enjoyable.

2. The Wind (MAP10, MAP24, MAP32)

The Wind is quintessential Mark Klem, easily one of the most somber and well-made Doom MIDIs ever written. Haunting beginning, haunting main melody, slow, cinematic-sounding, with its accompanying death march and bass-driven part, with a fun little horn solo section thrown in. It's like Klem couldn't decide what would make this MIDI kick the most ass so he went with everything and it worked super well. It's even the accompanying music for those who are reading the infopack. That shows you how well people cherish this MIDI.

1. Hidden Anger (MAP01, MAP18, and MAP29)

And finally Hidden Anger. This is also quintessential Mark Klem. If The Wind was the quintessential Mark Klem for those looking for ambient and spooky songs, Hidden Anger is quintessential Mark Klem for rocking badassery. Bass-driven, accompanied by a proper guitar section, and those horns may seem like a nod to ROTT, but the sound is so original and works extremely well for this song. Sure it's over much quicker than you'd expect (not really), but you cannot deny that this track is a classic. It's used in many WADs for a reason, and I've even seen a Wolfenstein 3D mod use this track!