Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor Soundtrack

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1. Anton says

   August 10, 2017 at 7:11 pm

   This is a great read, and a great soundtrack. I’m a huge fan of the music from this franchise, though, interestingly, it seems like the feelings this music brings up in me are rather different from the reviewer’s. Maybe it’s because I was so used to this style of fantasy setting and music – having played Might & Magic games since childhood, starting with M&M 6, Heroes 3, then M&M8, and later this game. It doesn’t feel otherworldly to me, rather it conjures a mix of somber yet optimistic emotions that is very relatable and familiar from, well, regular life. Just taking a stroll through a forest on an overcast day has very similar effects. Funnily enough, most of my favorite tracks aren’t mentioned in this review – I think my soundtrack may have different track names, but my favorites are Harmondale and Erathia (tracks 3 and 16 respectively), as well as the two “Dungeon” themes (tracks 2 and 4), “The Pit” (track 6) and of course “Barrow Downs” (11).

   I realize that my understanding of music is extremely limited and from an informed viewpoint this soundtrack is probably much better composed than the scores to M&M 6 and M&M 8, but I would’ve been really elated to read some opinions on those soundtracks too, as I love them as much as this one. Heck, I think that 8’s more magical and mysterious feel (now THAT one definitely ventures into otherworldly for me – when I think of “magic” as a concept I always remember some tracks from that collection) is my favorite of the three soundtracks, and the extremely simple, but final and almost tragic-feeling “Plane between planes” holds a special place in my heart because it marks pretty much the end of the, arguably, last good game in the franchise.

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   • Simon Elchlepp says

     August 10, 2017 at 9:32 pm

     Wow, thanks so much for writing such a thoughtful and personal comment! Firstly, happy to hear that you enjoyed the review. Thanks for describing how the music evokes quite different emotions for you. I think it’s a testament to how emotionally rich and multi-faceted this soundtrack is that it elicits such different reactions. I was really struck by how different to many other, more traditionally orchestral fantasy scores M&M 7 sounds – just as lush, but much more intimate. I definitely get that mix of optimism and sombre mood – there’s a really fascinating mix of light and darkness in this music. This is definitely one of those great scores that have no filler and where every single track is excellent, so it’s a coincidence that your favourites didn’t get a mention – they probably would have if I didn’t have to heed the word limit 🙂

     Regarding reviews for the other M&M scores – I actually reviewed them all (and the Heroes of Might and Magic soundtracks) some years ago: http://www.vgmonline.net/might-and-magic/. I should mention though that our opinions on the merits of M&M8 probably differ a bit 🙂 But again, there’s no right or wrong with these things. I think that ultimately, it’s different opinions on a piece of music that show us why and how music can move us in so many different ways.

     Thanks again!

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     • Anton says

       August 10, 2017 at 10:08 pm

       Oh jeez, I’ll have to save that link! Its gonna be a fascinating read later. Thanks a lot!

       I glanced through the M&M8 review and yeah, the opinion there is expected, and it’s probably my absolute lack of insight into what actually goes on in a good song that allows me to enjoy this soundtrack as immensely as I do (I simply don’t understand many of the flaws you point out, haha). Side by side with nostalgia, as this entry was one of my first in the franchise. My two absolute favorite would be tracks 6 (can’t get enough of it) and 14 (I hum it incredibly often as I walk somewhere), but I love most of them – apart from, maybe, 2, 12 and 13.

       Funny how you fell victim to the same error in the soundtrack, at least from how I understood it, that I had also noticed – it seemed like a piece of the second-to-last track was accidentally cut off and put in the beginning of the last one. People on the GoG forums have said that the same had initially been the case for M&M 7, but it was quickly fixed. I’ve reported this issue to them, but so far I haven’t seen any attempt to resolve it. Might as well do so again now that I’ve been reminded, heh.

       Also, this is something that I’ve often thought about: I seem to mostly enjoy game soundtracks and not just, well, music in general. I need a definitive idea (setting, situation, etc) or experience to put a music track to and let them enhance each other. Am I right in assuming that you look at these soundtracks entirely on their own merit? I would probably never be able to fully detach these soundtracks from the experiences the games gave me. That probably affects our respective opinions as much as whatever differences in taste we have.

       And lastly – I’ve been reading your reviews of other OSTs I know. There’s a few western game soundtracks that I think are absolutely outstanding that I, like the other M&M games, would love to know your opinion on. Most of all, Pharaoh, an old Egypt-themed strategy game. That OST is so weird and wonderful and weird again. Secondly, a similarly old FPS that recently got remastered on Steam (and GoG) – Turok 2: Seeds Of Evil. Its main attraction are the six level themes (there exist two variations – longer but poorer sounding N64 tracks and slightly cut but IMO richer sounding PC port versions). They are uncharacteristically long, bold (well, some of them – Death Marshes come to mind) and varied for FPS BGMs. And finally, a futuristic bike racing game of the same age as Turok 2 (from the same publisher) – Extreme-G 2. Also exists on Steam. Particularly, the PC version’s soundtrack, as the original (N64) is pretty much all boring. Apparently it’s drum’n’bass.

       I’m not sure you’ve written reviews of every notable soundtrack you’ve ever heard, but by chance have you heard either of those three? I’d be extremely interested in even the briefest of summaries.

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       • Simon Elchlepp says

         August 11, 2017 at 2:18 pm

         Thanks for your thoughts on M&M8. I think in the end, enjoyment of music is both an intellectual reaction and a gut reaction. There’s a fair amount of music in my collection that I know from an analytical point of view isn’t great or anything outstanding – and I still really enjoy it, often just because the melodies get me. And describing ‘objectively’ what it is about a particular melody or rhythm can be really hard – sometimes they just work. So yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s your lack of insight that let’s you enjoy M&M8 🙂

         Good to know I wasn’t the only one who got thrown off by that error in the GOG soundtrack release. Their policy on releasing scores is strange. They do seem to be aware that including the soundtrack as a bonus item is good promotion for the game, but sometimes you get properly named files and a nicely curated album – and sometimes it’s just a file dump. Oh well… At least they sometimes go back to previously released albums like M&M 7 and fix it.

         I see where you’re coming from regarding music being enhanced by ‘outside’ ideas or experiences (there’s a story about a classical music conductor – I forgot the name – who could only conduct Beethoven symphonies if he imagined a program for the symphony, as if the composition was a sort a soundtrack). The conversation whether one should enjoy game music in context or not is a long one – as it happens, I was on a podcast on this topic: http://www.vgmonline.net/podcastep3/. You’re right, I try to look at the soundtrack as music that has been released outside of the game, judging it on its own merits. That being said, I can’t claim that personal experience doesn’t colour my critical perception of game music: the reason I’m not a huge fan of the Banjo-Kazooie soundtrack (which is quite charming and fun) is probably because I’ve heard the melodies far too often when I played the game for hours and hours about 20 years ago.

         Actually, this website is my attempt to write a review on every notable Western game soundtrack that has been released between 1984 and 2013 🙂

         – Pharaoh: initially I got this mixed up with Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile, which was on my shortlist (check it out if you enjoy Pharaoh – Keith Zizza did both). I hadn’t heard Pharaoh before, but enjoyed what I heard this morning when I gave it a listen. I’m impressed how the composers manage to use lots of era-/location-specific instruments, scales etc., but never slip into cliché – partially because as you say, the music is strange at times, mixing in synths, making the music quite heady and intriguing. I’d love to see some of the sounds and instrument mixes explored in greater depth – lots of the cues are a bit too short I thought.

         – Turok 2: I played this one a lot on the Nintendo 64 right after it was released (but I’m not sure whether I actually ever completed it). Only realised today there is a Bandcamp release of the N64 score! I’ve listened to the soundtrack before in the N64 version and tried the PC one today for the first time. The PC version sounds indeed much better. This is one of those scores that I can appreciate has some interesting ideas and approaches – a curious mix of cinematic/martial and ambient influences – but ultimately doesn’t bring it all together successfully. I can see that one could find the music either hypnotic and really enveloping, or a bit dull after a while. I fall into the second camp – the tracks are just a bit long I find – but you’re right, these are quite bold cues for an FPS that play with the usual action-packed formula for this genre. On that note, have you listened to Unreal? It’s a bit similar to Turok 2 in its moodiness, but stronger overall I thought.

         – Extreme-G 2: In this case, I played the first game for hours and hours… but somehow never played the second one. There was an album release for the first game, which I thought had fairly decent techno music typical of that era. I couldn’t find the PC soundtrack for Extreme-G 2, so I tried the N64 version. I was quite pleasantly surprised – the sample quality is outstanding for an N64 game! The drum’n’bass tracks got a bit long sometimes, but there were several cues that mixed in jazz/lounge influences really well. If I ever get to do a site on the best N64 music, this would be one to consider.

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         • Anton says

           August 11, 2017 at 3:43 pm

           Yeah, I’ve heard a bunch of Unreal music – in fact, the one track you included in your review here happens to be my favorite from that game. However, it makes me think way too much of Deus Ex when I listen to pretty much any other Unreal track (since that one was the only one I’d heard before playing DX, and I barely ever played Unreal). The atmosphere the music brings is superb, ancient and mysterious alien civilizations in space is another one of my favorite settings so I definitely love it.

           In Turok 2, I’m a huge fan of the middle three tracks – Death Marshes (really gets across this brutal and primitive feel with a dash of absurdity – I thought it was a brilliant touch that the game also plays this track during the credits when the camera pans across space and stars, as if to say that the whole universe is ultimately violent, stupid and scary), Lair of the Blind Ones (could be a bit dull but the mood is something else) and Hive of the Mantids (sounds like Aliens music turned into a millitary march).

           I really enjoy the soundtrack to Extreme-G 1 as well, but it’s a bit simple. It’s kinda funny that you liked the n64 E-G2 soundtrack as I thought most of it wasn’t that great. Are you opposed to listening to music on youtube? The PC soundtrack is out there, though I think some uploads have track names horrendously mixed up. Also, the game is available on Steam and it includes a bunch of the series’ soundtracks, though some are incomplete, but the E-G2 PC soundtrack is certainly complete. Most of it, I think, adds a lot of flavor and melody to the original tracks, bringing most to the level of the n64’s “Hydra Prime” (which is in fact almost unchanged in the PC version). Even if it’s against your pronciple to listen to this stuff on youtube, I heartily recommend giving it a go.

           Thanks for the Children of the Nile recommendation, by the way – I’m gonna give it a listen right after posting this 😀

           Also, I remembered another outstanding soundtrack after leaving the last comment – American McGee’s Alice. There was a review of it on that other site you linked but unless I’m mistaken that one wasn’t written by you. What are your thoughts on that one?

           Last random note. I read most of the M&M series soundtrack reviews yesterday, and was very surprised to even see Crusaders on that list. I love that game even though it’s pretty terrible, and naturally because of that I love the soundtrack. However I found it a bit funny that you didn’t mention – maybe you didn’t realize? – that almost every track in that game, discounting the ones lifted from M&M 7, are remixes of Heroes 2 and 3 battle music, as well as Heroes 2 town music. Track 3 is the most striking for me – it’s the Heroes 2 WIzard city music turned into a really epic action-y final level tune. And I believe the three tracks you called the strongest (unless I’m mistaken, it was 6, 7 and 8) are all Heroes 2 battle themes, barely altered. I guess those battle tracks have some merit to them, eh? ;D

         • Simon Elchlepp says

           August 11, 2017 at 5:37 pm

           I’m not fundamentally opposed to listening to soundtracks on YouTube, although I do try to listen to game rips or soundtrack releases where possible, since the sound quality on YouTube is usually (inevitably) not that great. I’ll have a look for the PC version of the soundtrack and see when I get a chance to listen to it – thanks again for pointing this one out to me, it’s flown under my radar so far.

           Yes, I remember listening to American McGee’s Alice (indeed, the review wasn’t written by me). I must admit that I last listened to that soundtrack 3-4 years ago – when I started selecting music for this website – and don’t remember exactly why I didn’t include it. I do remember that the soundtrack had a fairly individualistic style, which is always welcome. I think it might have been a matter of style over substance, but I would have to give it a listen again to refresh my memory.

           Very good points about Crusaders and where it borrowed its music from! No, I must admit I didn’t spot those remixes/quotes back in the day. From memory I first reviewed the Heroes of M&M scores, then M&M, then the spin-offs – so by the time I listened to Crusaders, Heroes of M&M 2 and 3 weren’t as fresh in my mind anymore. To answer your question then: yes, those battle tracks have some merit, when they’re not surrounded by music whose quality vastly outshines them (as is the case on HM&M 2) 😉

         • Anton says

           August 11, 2017 at 6:37 pm

           Seems like the site won’t allow me to reply to your latest comment so I’ll use the previous one. (Judging by the fact that it’s at the same “depth” as my previous one, you may have had to do the same?)

           When (if) you listen to the PC Ex-G2 OST, I’m especially curious about how the original and PC versions of “Farron” will compare (provided the tracks will be named properly). It’s, to my limited understanding, the only track that noticeably evolved from its original version: the rest are either completely different or not different at all (there might only be one of the latter). If nothing else, it’s an interesting evolution to witness. (Kinda like that Crusaders remix of the Wizard theme).

           As for the Heroes battle tracks – maybe their repetitive nature is only suited for in-game listening, but I’ve always found that they, including their versions in Crusaders (heck, ESPECIALLY their versions in Crusaders) gave a really neat primal touch to the fantasy atmosphere. In a way, I imagine they reflect the feeling of both the fighters and the commanders better than Heroes 5+ stuff would (though I loved the Heroes 5 battle tracks when I played “Clash of Heroes” where they’re used). “Crusaders” in particular has a very peculiar atmosphere thanks to that music, it feels like what fantasy would be if it wasn’t constantly trying to be all majestic and elegant. It especially makes the MM7 tracks that play in the two proper cities stand out and outline the contrast of civilization and wilderness. (The tracks are “Barrow Downs” for the human Citadel floating above the ocean, and “Celeste” for the dwarven city of Corantha).

           This brings up a thing I’ve thought about before: I feel like fantasy games shouldn’t be limited to classic orchestral soundtracks. Maybe it’s just the particular way I get immersed in games, but I almost think that some more contemporary flair would increase relatableness even though at first glance it doesn’t fit medieval magical stories.

           I think of it as the music reflecting what the player/observer feels like and what is familiar to them, rather than the protagonist, since in games with proper atmosphere those two perspectives are usually well-aligned in all the important ways, but the observer has their own real-life cultural-and-whatnot background while lacking any deep understanding of the protagonist’s – usually.

           For example, I think some Diablo music uses electric guitars, and Crusaders works for me too with its synthy stuffs. Maybe it would feel like something real cheesy out of the 90-s or 80-s, but I’d be very interested to play a fantasy game where a big part of the music is just short of modern (well, maybe no dubstep or hip-hop and such, but various types of rock and metal? Or something like the soundtrack to Wolfenstein: the New Order? That one rules too, by the way. Not even counting the “Neumond Records” stuff). A lot of these fantasy settings don’t even seem like they’d have the culture for the sort of music that plays anyways. Might and Magic 7, for example, seems like the only music you’d hear in Erathia and adjacent lands would be folk stuff and similar styles. There’s lutes and lyres and flutes in those games but not much more, and not a single town in them ever seemed like an orchestra concert could happen in it.

         • Simon Elchlepp says

           August 12, 2017 at 3:36 pm

           Looks like we might be testing the limits of the comments plugin 🙂

           Yes, very much agree on how fantasy games shouldn’t restrict themselves to orchestral soundtracks of a particular kind (usually in a late-romantic era style). I guess the reason for this particular stylistic focus – and in a way limitation – comes from movie soundtrack conventions, where fantasy movies get ‘traditional’ orchestral soundtracks. It might have to do with the notion that orchestral sounds evoke a timeless quality, whereas contemporary elements like guitars and synths might remind listeners/players more of their own environment than the (often medieval-styled) game environment. But as you say, you could switch that argument around and focus on the player’s experiences and what they are familiar. Then again, different players in different parts of the world will bring very different backgrounds to the game, which would be hard for composers to address all at once.

           Speaking of conventions, interestingly Diablo was scored to conventions (if not orchestral ones) – Matt Uelmen’s inspiration were Led Zeppelin and their fantasy-themed songs, which of course had lots of atmospheric guitars. I agree that Diablo is one of the better and more interesting fantasy scores out there. If you haven’t listened to them yet, try out Uelmen’s Diablo II and Torchlight II (the latter has a review on this website) – like Diablo, they are not quite modern, but not really traditional either.

           Generally, I best like fantasy scores that manage to create a world of their own, to match the usually exotic, fantastical game world. Matt Uelmen’s scores have this effect, and Might and Magic 7 does a really good job at this as well, blending familiar elements into a combination I haven’t really heard before or since. Everquest II (also on this website) is a fantasy score that deploys a full orchestra, but draws inspiration from more modernist, 20th centry classical music influences – and as a result creates really original orchestrations (at least for a game score) and an absolutely fascinating atmosphere.

         • Anton says

           August 12, 2017 at 5:54 pm

           I have the Diablo 2 soundtrack – it’s pretty fantastic too. Especially the music for the first two acts. Funny: there’s that harem track that has women’s vocals in it, and I found out those were stock samples earlier this year when I was at a dentist’s office and they had random music playing in the lobby with those exact same vocals.

           Speaking of great fantasy scores, have you listened to the Witcher 3 soundtrack? I dare say some of the songs in it remind me of Might and Magic (especially “Witch Hunters”), and apparently some tracks are based on the same celtic folk song that the Heroes 4 terrain music is based on, but it very much has its own identity.

2. Johnny says

   November 2, 2022 at 2:02 pm

   I am watching the dubbed version of the anime Monster (2004) and the credit’s theme song reminded me of Deyja immediately. I had to look up the soundtrack to hear it again. I spent many, many hours in M&M7 and hearing the soundtrack again is so nostalgic. I am instantly brought back to countless late nights staying up and play this game.

   Thanks for the review and for being able to hear the music once again!

   Reply

   • Simon Elchlepp says

     November 2, 2022 at 7:48 pm

     That’s awesome, thanks so much for sharing your memories of the game and its music! Glad the review helped bring them back 🙂

     Reply