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Old 01-01-18, 05:18   #1
Kapu
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Lightbulb A closer look at the main theme to AOD



I have somewhat of an obsession with the Angel of Darkness soundtrack, and I know there's a lot of other fans who love it too. Of course for some people it wasn't their cup of tea, which is all fine and well, but one thing people sometimes say is "I miss the classic theme in AOD." Which makes me go "nooooooooooo, you're just not hearing it!" Because it is there. So I started this project to dig in and make the connections between the shared melodies in the AOD theme and the Tomb Raider themes before it. Surprised myself by finding a few that I hadn't actually noticed until I started this project. I don't have any fancy video editing software at my disposal, so the video is kind of bare bones, but it's really about the sound anyway.

Maybe you already made these connections, maybe you'd recognized the similarities but hadn't placed them, or maybe you had no idea the AOD theme was full of such classic wonder. Anyway, enjoy!
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Old 01-01-18, 08:34   #2
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Amazing video. I, like most, had noticed the classic theme in the quieter part, but you've really enhanced my appreciation for this already beautiful piece of music. Particularly with the ties to TR3 I was previously oblivious to.

You've a really nice presentation style and voice by the way. Very easy to listen to and absorb the information.
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Old 01-01-18, 08:36   #3
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Is that your voice? #omg your voice is TRAOD soundtrack to my ears

And btw, that's exactly what I think about TRAOD soundtrack. It feels new, fresh, yet somehow it consists of TR1-5 soundtracks, in some cases whole ones. I think it shows an incredible amount of skill. How else can you explain the ability to reuse old tracks so they seem absolutely new?

I wish CrystalD hired Peter Connelly to do their soundtracks. It's not about Core thing anymore, it's just about experience, abilities, skills. Peter's music has something noone else managed to recreate.

Last edited by Caesum; 01-01-18 at 08:42.
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Old 01-01-18, 10:10   #4
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Oh, I only managed to recognize TR1 and TR4 Themes, but didn't recognize TR2 and 3, because the melody was not so present in these themes.


Btw. I really like the part with the loud trumpets, where the trumpets slightly staccato (~1:15 in the original theme)

I really don't know what's wrong with the original motif and why Crystal ditched it. Maybe it's better this way so you do not associate the iconic theme with som garbage they produce

Last edited by TR-Freak; 01-01-18 at 10:11.
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Old 01-01-18, 17:33   #5
Kapu
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@Boobandie: It's a fantastic piece, isn't it? I also found a new appreciation for the theme (and Connelly) while I was working on the video! And thank you for your kind words. I think I might have a go at making other videos like this in the future.

@Caesum: I agree, I think Peter would have been an excellent choice for scoring the new TRs. Not just because of his previous work on the series, but his talent and experience working in composition and sound design in modern AAA titles. RoTR's soundtrack is an abysmal disappointment to TR.

And yeah, that's me narrating. I'm glad someone likes my voice cause I sure don't. I feel like that's human condition though, no one really loves hearing their own voice played back.

@TR-Freak: Oh I love that bit with the trumpet! Very powerful, and it really commands your attention. And then the sudden decrescendo that immediately follows is so tense. And that tension is so beautifully released in the following half of the piece. I once read heard someone say that music is about creating tension and then releasing it, and I feel that idea is very applicable in the AOD theme.

I'm not too upset at Crystal's choice to move away from the original motif when you consider how music has been handled so far in the reboot era. Jason Graves score to TR2013 was alright, I think, despite the general dislike it receives. His new motif was appropriately fitting to the "survivor" theme and the overall soundtrack had a personality of its own. Whereas RoTR (as I've said many times and will continue to complain about) was super forgettable and bland. And I don't necessarily fault Bobby Tahouri for the bland music, I don't think Crystal wanted a lively and complex soundtrack. Music in RoTR didn't seem to be much of a priority. Maybe I'm being too critical and making wrong assumptions. Wilbert Roget II's soundtrack to Temple of Osiris on the other hand was fantastic, and shows that really great music can still exist in the Tomb Raider universe.
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Old 01-01-18, 18:20   #6
Laras Dream
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Wow! I love this video. Thanks.

P.S. I also like your voice.
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Old 01-01-18, 18:34   #7
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I reversed the AoD theme in middle school. So creepy lol
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Old 01-01-18, 19:54   #8
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Cool video! I honestly never noticed that those notes were taken from the previous themes! Nice job!

also dam gorl you've got a nice voice
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Old 01-01-18, 20:08   #9
Caesum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapu View Post
And yeah, that's me narrating. I'm glad someone likes my voice cause I sure don't. I feel like that's human condition though, no one really loves hearing their own voice played back.
Your voice is amazing! Low, nice accent, pleasant to hear. A total opposite to my voice, which is high-pitched and sounds like it belongs to a constantly butthurt drag queen.
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Old 01-01-18, 21:36   #10
Jorje Croft
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TRAOD theme is a masterpiece ! Great video !
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