Yodragon
Someone requested for an extended version of this song so I dutifully obliged.
updated 3 years ago
There's just something so heart-wrenching, hearing the "Bestest Detectives in the World" theme being played slowly on the piano...
The ending of this game has really stuck with me. This scene and this music, it just works so well.
Unfortunately, the results definitely aren't perfect and there's some errors here in there. Occasionally you'll hear a shout or chuckle left in there, especially in the goblin tracks. Sometimes the tool will also mistake an instrument for vocals, so certain parts might have an instrument missing. And there's some artifacting left behind from removed vocals if you listen closely enough.
So yeah, it's not perfect, but I will say that it turned out much better than I was expecting. I thought it would turn out to be a complete mess, but it's mostly alright.
I've always wanted to hear these songs without the vocals, so this is probably the closest we're gonna get to that at the moment.
0:00 - Brewfest Dwarves 1 (No Vocals)
1:27 - Brewfest Dwarves 2 (No Vocals)
3:18 - Brewfest Dwarves 3 (No Vocals)
3:40 - Brewfest Goblins 1 (No Vocals)
4:43 - Brewfest Goblins 2 (No Vocals)
6:14 - Brewfest Goblins 3 (No Vocals)
I like how prevalent Xal'atath's theme is in her cutscenes.
Also, looks like this is going to be the last cutscene track we'll get until the next major update.
Maybe it'll be like Dragonflight, and we'll get some more in the 0.5 patches? Hopefully they'll have unique music too...
I like how different themes from the War Within are being used here.
At 0:20, you can hear the "Maddening Deep" theme which is used to symbolize the Black Blood.
And at 1:05, you can hear "The Aegis Wall" theme which is kinda used as the main theme of the expansion.
Again, I don't know who composed this track for sure, but I think it's Neal Acree.
Some parts in this sound really similar to his cinematic music from Legion.
I really wish we had the music for all of the other pre-rendered cutscenes in this expansion, as well as those animated videos for Alleria and Queen Ansurek, but at least we have these.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
Normally I don't like focusing on cutscene tracks that reuse music from other themes, like how Xal'atath's theme is reused here. But if the music is remixed in an interesting way, then I'll make an exception, like I did here.
I just like the percussion at 0:30, sounds very menacing and almost bug-like. At first I thought they combined Xal'atath's theme with a nerubian combat theme, but that percussion is actually from Xal'atath's theme. It's just louder and more pronounced in this cutscene, which is a neat change they made.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I love that use of Alleria's theme at 1:38. And it's also neat to hear Xal'atath's theme throughout the song as well.
I don't know who composed this song for sure, but I think it's Neal Acree.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I only wanted to include the cutscenes that had unique compositions, so that's why I didn't include the scene with Xal'atath and Alleria after lighting the dawntower. That cutscene used a mix of the "Dark Crystal" and "Xal'atath" themes.
And that's the sort of rule I stick to with cutscenes, I only like focusing on the ones that have unique music. But if there's any cutscenes you want me to upload the music for, just let me know and I'll look into it.
I don't know who the composer is for sure, but I think it's Neal Acree. Sounds like his style, and he is known for composing cutscene music, especially ones with Anduin in them.
Speaking of Anduin, looks like his theme makes a return here, alongside the Stormwind theme. Brings me back to Legion, hearing those themes again...
I also like the use of "The Aegis Wall" theme as well, most likely used to symbolize Faerin.
0:00 - The Final Resistance
0:25 - Restore the Flame
2:09 - A Candle in the Dark
3:45 - Anduin is Lost
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I love all the little musical callbacks in this song.
You can hear a bit of Jaina's theme in the beginning. This is the one composed by Russell Brower in Warlords of Draenor, called "Proudmoore" and "Quiet Heart". This was also remixed by Neal Acree in Legion's version of Dalaran, being called "Dalaran Jaina" and "Dalaran Halls 1".
You can also hear "The Aegis Wall" theme halfway through. And there's a bit of Alleria's theme near the end.
Unfortunately, I don't know for sure who composed this track, as no composer was credited in the metadata for the music file. I'm assuming it's by Neal Acree since he's the one who usually does cutscene music, and it sounds like his style.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I didn't include the music that plays in Void-related areas, and put those in antoher video called "Beledar's Shadow."
Just like with the music in Priory of the Sacred Flame, I love the use of choir in a lot of these themes. The choir is specially great in "Arathi Memorial", I just wish I knew the lyrics to what they're singing.
"The Aegis Wall" theme is so memorable, I love the darker and more serious vibe it has. I can definitely see why Adam featured it so prominently in the main title theme for the War Within.
There's also an interesting use of percussion in "Arathi Airships A" and "Arathi Airships B". Kind of makes it sound more mechanical, like something from Mechagon.
"Lorel's Crossing" really reminds me of Jake's music from Zereth Mortis. The woodwinds and some other similar instruments help with that.
The "Hallowfall" theme from Glenn reminds me of his themes for Zaralek Caverns, although it's got a bit more of a holy feeling to it.
0:00 - Mereldar H
2:18 - Mereldar A
4:21 - Mereldar B
6:37 - Mereldar C
8:53 - Mereldar D
11:08 - Mereldar Chorale H
13:09 - Mereldar Chorale A
15:12 - Mereldar Chorale B
17:11 - Arathi Memorial H
21:51 - Arathi Memorial A
24:29 - Arathi Memorial B
28:52 - Arathi Memorial C
31:52 - Arathi Memorial D
34:02 - Arathi Memorial E
36:13 - Arathi Memorial F
37:50 - Arathi Memorial G
39:24 - Hallowfall H
41:01 - Hallowfall A
42:53 - Hallowfall B
44:26 - Hallowfall C
45:46 - Hallowfall D
47:24 - Hallowfall E
49:01 - Hallowfall F
50:33 - Lorel's Crossing H
53:33 - Lorel's Crossing A
55:47 - Lorel's Crossing B
57:27 - Lorel's Crossing C
58:44 - Lorel's Crossing D
1:01:22 - Lorel's Crossing E
1:03:29 - Lorel's Crossing F
1:05:35 - Lorel's Crossing G
1:07:34 - Arathor General H
1:09:27 - Arathor General A
1:11:39 - Arathor General B
1:13:31 - Arathor General C
1:15:23 - Arathi Airships H
1:18:21 - Arathi Airships A
1:21:41 - Arathi Airships B
1:24:03 - Arathi Airships C
1:25:52 - Arathi Airships D
1:27:40 - Sunless Strand H
1:30:11 - Sunless Strand A
1:32:01 - Sunless Strand B
1:34:29 - Sunless Strand C
1:36:48 - Sunless Strand D
1:38:41 - The Aegis Wall H
1:41:46 - The Aegis Wall A
1:44:04 - The Aegis Wall B
1:45:24 - The Aegis Wall C
1:48:11 - The Aegis Wall D
1:49:43 - The Aegis Wall E
1:52:13 - The Aegis Wall F
1:53:59 - The Aegis Wall Stinger A
1:54:11 - The Aegis Wall Stinger B
I wanted to keep all of the Void-themed music separate from the Light-themed music in Hallowfall, so that's what this video is mainly for. By the way, "Beledar's Shadow" is what the giant crystal in Hallowfall is called when it shifts over to the Void, so I decided to name the video after that.
Hmm... I wonder if Jake Lefkowitz had a certain Jim Henson movie in mind when he named this theme "Dark Crystal"?
0:00 - Dark Crystal H
3:59 - Dark Crystal A
6:11 - Dark Crystal B
8:39 - Dark Crystal C
10:57 - Dark Crystal D
13:30 - Dark Crystal Stinger
13:48 - Order of Night H
16:01 - Order of Night A
16:36 - Order of Night B
17:45 - Order of Night C
18:59 - Order of Night D
20:08 - Order of Night E
20:41 - Arathi Combat Dark H
23:15 - Arathi Combat Dark A
24:41 - Arathi Combat Dark B
26:50 - Arathi Combat Dark C
27:53 - Arathi Combat Dark D
30:12 - Arathi Combat Dark E
31:44 - Arathi Combat Dark F
34:02 - Arathi Combat Dark G
35:28 - Arathi Combat Dark I
37:46 - Arathi Combat Dark J
I love the use of strings in a lot of these themes. I expected to hear a lot of string plucking to fit the spider-theming, but I wasn't expecting the more poignant uses of violin and cello. That stuff is great.
"Weaver's Lair" really reminds me of Jake's venthyr themes from Shadowlands, mainly the "Revendreth Sired" theme. The violin goes crazy in both of those themes, and I love it.
Speaking of Shadowlands, it seems Grant Kirkhope has made a return with his "Pillar Nest" theme. Not gonna lie, I'm kinda surprised to see him again. Although, I'm not sure if this is something recent he composed for War Within, or if it's an unused theme he composed for Shadowlands that they decided to use now. Either way, it's still neat.
His "Pillar Nest" theme really reminds me of his music from Revendreth and Maldraxxus, mainly the "Ritual Decay" theme.
0:00 - City of Threads H
3:45 - City of Threads A
7:00 - City of Threads B
9:23 - City of Threads C
10:51 - City of Threads D
12:20 - City of Threads E
14:18 - City of Threads F
16:08 - City of Threads G
18:08 - City of Threads I
20:19 - City of Threads J
22:25 - Crawling Chasm H
26:28 - Crawling Chasm H1
28:55 - Crawling Chasm H2
30:30 - Crawling Chasm A
32:55 - Crawling Chasm B
35:10 - Crawling Chasm C
37:01 - Crawling Chasm D
39:32 - Crawling Chasm E
42:03 - Crawling Chasm F
45:11 - Silken Path H
48:11 - Silken Path A
51:25 - Silken Path B
53:50 - Silken Path C
56:17 - Silken Path D
58:06 - Silken Path E
1:01:06 - Weaver's Lair H
1:03:18 - Weaver's Lair A
1:05:31 - Weaver's Lair B
1:07:34 - Weaver's Lair C
1:09:50 - Weaver's Lair D
1:12:02 - Weaver's Lair E
1:14:12 - Pillar Nest H
1:16:24 - Pillar Nest A
1:18:37 - Pillar Nest B
1:20:49 - Pillar Nest C
1:22:55 - Pillar Nest D
1:25:01 - Pillar Nest E
1:27:07 - Pillar Nest F
1:29:10 - Pillar Nest G
1:31:19 - Maddening Deep H
1:33:22 - Maddening Deep A
1:35:35 - Maddening Deep B
1:37:36 - Maddening Deep C
1:39:34 - Maddening Deep D
1:41:29 - Maddening Deep E
1:43:34 - Maddening Deep F
These themes are also reused for nerubian delves and dungeons, like the City of Threads or Ara-Kara. Also probably a lot of music reused from Azj-Kahet in all these places, so check out that video if you're looking for some non-action nerubian music.
Always great to have more music from Neal Acree. Although, lately it's been a lot of action-oriented music from him. There was his "Domination" theme from Shadowlands, his "Aberrus" and "Sundered Flame" themes in Dragonflight, and now all these nerubian combat themes here.
I do kind of miss his older themes, mainly from Cataclysm through Legion, that were a bit more varied in terms of mood - not always action. Like in Legion, there were his incredibly beautiful themes for Dalaran. In Cataclysm, he made those recreations of classic WoW themes, like "Winterspring" and "Westfall". In Warlords of Draenor, there was the mysterious yet gorgeous "Shadowmoon" and "Nagrand" themes.
I mean, I still do appreciate these newer action themes. But I am kinda hoping for more variance in the future.
But yeah, these nerubian combat themes slap - I like the percussion, very reminiscent of the clicking of arachnid legs. And the strings are frantic, fitting for a fight against spiders. It really reminds me of his "Mantid" theme from Mists of Pandaria, which also had a lot of insect-like theming going on.
Jake's "Arachnophobia" theme kind of reminds me of his music for Warcraft Rumble. There's a slightly more playful mood to it, especially during certain parts like 1:08:56.
0:00 - Queen Ansurek H
1:04 - Queen Ansurek A
4:05 - Queen Ansurek B
5:10 - Queen Ansurek C
6:14 - Queen Ansurek D
8:10 - Queen Ansurek E
9:13 - Queen Ansurek F
10:15 - Queen Ansurek G
11:20 - Queen Ansurek I
14:21 - Queen Ansurek J
17:14 - Queen Ansurek K
20:05 - Queen Ansurek L
22:08 - Nerubian Combat H
25:58 - Nerubian Combat A
29:44 - Nerubian Combat B
33:33 - Nerubian Combat C
37:16 - Nerubian Combat D
39:06 - Nerubian Combat E
41:39 - Nerubian Combat F
43:37 - Nerubian Combat G
45:35 - Nerubian Combat I
48:59 - Nerubian Combat J
52:22 - Nerubian Combat K
55:39 - Nerubian Raid H
58:32 - Nerubian Raid A
1:00:57 - Nerubian Raid B
1:03:29 - Nerubian Raid C
1:05:54 - Nerubian Raid D
1:08:08 - Arachnophobia H
1:09:51 - Arachnophobia A
1:11:26 - Arachnophobia B
1:13:13 - Arachnophobia C
1:14:36 - Arachnophobia D
1:15:59 - Arachnophobia E
I absolutely love the first 45 seconds of "Earthen Combat H". Those brass instruments playing Jake's earthen motif alongside those metal clangs is just so good.
Part of me wishes the rest of the song sounded more like that, because I find that the rest of the song doesn't quite hold me as much as that first bit. Ah well, it still sounds great overall.
Also, for this video, I decided to include the "Warcraft Battle" theme. This theme is used as a sort of generic battle theme that plays for certain bosses in dungeons and delves (like kobold bosses in Darkflame Cleft, or even the skardyn boss here in the Stonevault). This theme also plays in the new PvP battleground, Deephaul Ravine.
The only reason I included this theme here is because I felt that it fit the vibe of this place the best. That's especially helped by the track, "Warcraft Battle F", which I feel has a sort of dwarvish sound to it.
0:00 - Earthen Combat H
4:12 - Earthen Combat A
6:21 - Earthen Combat B
8:17 - Earthen Combat C
10:09 - Earthen Combat D
12:03 - Earthen Combat E
13:54 - Earthen Combat F
14:18 - Earthen Combat G
16:09 - Earthen Combat I
18:10 - Earthen Combat J
20:11 - Earthen Combat K
22:04 - Earthen Combat L
24:16 - Warcraft Battle H
26:21 - Warcraft Battle A
27:22 - Warcraft Battle B
28:29 - Warcraft Battle C
29:40 - Warcraft Battle D
30:47 - Warcraft Battle E
31:37 - Warcraft Battle F
32:57 - Earthen Works H
36:00 - Earthen Works A
38:16 - Earthen Works B
40:31 - Earthen Works C
43:10 - Earthen Works D
45:27 - Earthen Factory H
48:04 - Earthen Factory A
49:31 - Earthen Factory B
51:03 - Earthen Factory C
53:09 - Earthen Factory D
55:08 - Earthen Factory E
If you're curious about the music that plays near the Stonevault, or in the kobold-related areas, those are in their own videos.
I love those metal clanging sounds in "Gundargaz", and the percussion in general. That's exactly what I was imagining the music in Ringing Deeps would sound like. Like a proper dwarven mine.
Kinda wish more of the songs here had a similar vibe. Although, the Stonevault definitely helps with that - a lot more metal clangs to be found there.
It's a really interesting choice for Leo to include his "Xal'atath" theme in "Taelloch". I'm assuming it's because of their mutual connection to the Void, with Taelloch being the main area for the skardyn, who are Void-infused earthen.
0:00 - Gundargaz H
1:58 - Gundargaz A
4:05 - Gundargaz B
6:11 - Gundargaz C
8:16 - Living Grotto H
11:12 - Living Grotto A
12:20 - Living Grotto B
14:25 - Living Grotto C
17:03 - Ancient Falls H
19:09 - Ancient Falls A
20:16 - Ancient Falls B
22:21 - Ancient Falls C
23:54 - Ancient Falls D
26:02 - Ringing Deeps Base H
29:36 - Ringing Deeps Base A
31:49 - Ringing Deeps Base B
33:49 - Ringing Deeps Base C
36:05 - Ringing Deeps Base D
38:38 - Ringing Deeps Base E
41:10 - Ringing Deeps Base F
42:42 - Ringing Deeps Base G
45:48 - Taelloch H
49:16 - Taelloch A
52:32 - Taelloch B
54:15 - Taelloch C
56:36 - Taelloch D
1:00:01 - Taelloch E
This music really reminds me of David's themes from Shadowlands, mainly his "Nocturne Mischief" and "Nocturne Devious" themes. You've got those mischievous string plucks, and those same percussive clicking sounds.
Although, part of me kind of wishes he went in a more threatening/bombastic direction for the kobold. Something similar to what Craig Staurt Garfinkle did with his ogre themes in Warlords of Draenor. Even David's "Quilboar" theme from Battle for Azeroth felt like it had a bit more going on.
Ah well, these themes are still alright, and they fit the mood well enough.
0:00 - The Warrens H
1:34 - The Warrens A
3:03 - The Warrens B
4:34 - The Warrens C
6:10 - The Warrens D
7:17 - Chittering Den H
9:13 - Chittering Den A
11:02 - Chittering Den B
12:35 - Chittering Den C
13:47 - Lost Mines H
16:49 - Lost Mines A
20:00 - Lost Mines B
22:23 - Lost Mines C
24:28 - Lost Mines D
26:49 - Lost Mines E
28:45 - Lost Mines F
30:36 - Lost Mines G
At the moment, this is the only song that plays in these areas, so you literally just hear this one song looping the entire time you're there. Not sure if this is intentional or not. Maybe they forgot to add in the other versions of this theme?
Since the expansion is close to releasing, I doubt there's going to be more music added, but I will reupload this video if anything new happens to pop up.
I think we'll probably see more haranir-related music in future patches, especially if there's one where they're the main focus.
Also, most of Leo's music for WoW has been pretty orchestral, so this theme already stands out quite a bit by being a lot more ambient and tribal.
If you're curious about the music that plays in the capital city, Dornogal, that's in its own video.
I really love that motif for the earthen that can be heard in Jake's themes. You really get to hear that motif shine in the "Earthen Memorial" and "Isle of Dorn" themes. I especially like the violin version of it in "Dorn Country" too.
You've also got some more themes from David Arkenstone that fit the earthen really well, especially because of his Celtic/folksy composing style.
Part of me was wondering if they were going to make some new music for Dalaran, or just reuse existing music, but it looks we did get some new music afterall with the "Tranquil Strand" theme. It's Neal Acree remixing Russell Brower's Dalaran theme, just like he did in Legion, but this time it's a lot more ambient and slow. Very fitting...
0:00 - Dorn Country H
2:01 - Dorn Country A
3:34 - Dorn Country B
5:06 - Dorn Country C
6:50 - Dorn Country D
8:30 - Earthen Memorial H
12:10 - Earthen Memorial A
14:11 - Earthen Memorial B
16:09 - Earthen Memorial C
17:57 - Earthen Memorial D
20:01 - Isle of Dorn H
24:19 - Isle of Dorn A
26:05 - Isle of Dorn B
28:23 - Isle of Dorn C
30:21 - Isle of Dorn D
32:22 - Isle of Dorn E
33:53 - Isle of Dorn F
35:53 - Boulder Springs H
39:06 - Boulder Springs A
40:59 - Boulder Springs B
42:18 - Boulder Springs C
44:23 - Boulder Springs D
46:11 - Boulder Springs E
48:33 - Boulder Springs F
50:04 - Boulder Springs G
51:37 - Boulder Springs I
52:53 - Cinderwold H
56:50 - Cinderwold A
1:00:18 - Cinderwold B
1:02:20 - Cinderwold C
1:04:55 - Cinderwold D
1:06:59 - Cinderwold E
1:09:34 - Cinderwold F
1:11:14 - Earthen Countryside H
1:15:28 - Earthen Countryside A
1:18:18 - Earthen Countryside B
1:20:16 - Earthen Countryside C
1:23:18 - Proscenium H
1:26:01 - Proscenium A
1:29:15 - Proscenium B
1:31:43 - Proscenium C
1:32:49 - Proscenium D
1:35:07 - Glimmering Shore H
1:38:14 - Glimmering Shore A
1:40:04 - Glimmering Shore B
1:41:51 - Glimmering Shore C
1:43:27 - Glimmering Shore D
1:45:47 - Glimmering Shore E
1:48:12 - Tranquil Strand H
1:50:14 - Tranquil Strand A
1:51:38 - Tranquil Strand B
This place also reuses the "Hallowfall" theme in the courtyard, and the "Arathi Memorial" theme is reused inside the priory.
I love the use of choir in "Arathi Combat Light", it just sounds so unique compared to battle themes we've gotten in the past. It also seems like they're chanting actual lyrics.
I also like the use of piano and strings in "Sacred Flame". I kind of wish the choir was used in a more interesting way for this theme, like in Glenn's previous themes (I'm mainly thinking of "Forge of Afterlives", "Shadowflame", and "Chronology 2"). But it still sounds neat.
0:00 - Arathi Combat Light H
2:05 - Arathi Combat Light A
3:53 - Arathi Combat Light B
6:09 - Arathi Combat Light C
8:01 - Arathi Combat Light D
10:12 - Arathi Combat Light E
12:28 - Arathi Combat Light F
14:14 - Arathi Combat Light G
16:02 - Sacred Flame H
19:44 - Sacred Flame A
20:32 - Sacred Flame B
21:30 - Sacred Flame C
22:28 - Sacred Flame D
25:08 - Sacred Flame E
**Correction**: The part that says "Silken Path" is actually supposed to be "Crawling Chasm", my bad.
Fun fact: This is the first time a login screen theme has included music from a cinematic/trailer! The "Shadows Beneath" part is from the War WIthin official cinematic called Shadows Beneath.
Although, I'm not sure who the composer of that cinematic is. Usually it's Neal Acree who does music for cinematics which is why I assume it's from him, but it could be someone else. I'll update this description in the future if necessary.
By the way, "The War Soul Saga" is not a typo on my part - that's actually what that theme is called in the game files. Maybe it was supposed to say "Worldsoul Saga", but I dunno, that's just how it is.
0:00 - The War Soul Saga
0:15 - Legends of Azeroth
0:49 - The Aegis Wall
1:16 - Xal'atath
2:23 - Alleria
3:15 - Dornogal
3:32 - Earthen Memorial
4:36 - Cinderwold
6:01 - Arachnophobia
6:37 - Earthen Works
7:17 - Taelloch
8:25 - Queen Ansurek
9:33 - Hallowfall
10:43 - Arathi Airships
11:39 - Weaver's Lair
12:40 - Silken Path
13:17 - Crawling Chasm
13:58 - Shadows Beneath
14:47 - Arathi Memorial
Here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just updated the "War Within" zip with all the new music added to the beta.
The "Radiant Song" theme plays during certain events, like when you talk to Anduin in Hallowfall for the first time, or when you activate a worldsoul memory event.
This theme seems to be made of tiny snippets taken from "The War Soul Saga" theme.
"The War Soul Saga" doesn't play anywhere in-game, as far as I know. I could see them adding it to the credits screen in the future maybe? Right now the Dragonflight login screen theme is what plays on the War Within credits, which doesn't seem intentional.
Also, yeah, the title "War Soul Saga" is not a typo on my part - that's actually what that track is called in the game files. I'm not sure if it was supposed to say "Worldsoul Saga", or if it's intentional the way it is.
Either way, this is still an incredibly beautiful song. Another amazing job by Adam Burgess!
"Vault of Memories" plays in the Vault of Memory, a place you uncover during the War Within campaign questline.
This theme seems to be an ambient version of "The War Soul Saga" theme, using some of the same motifs and vocals.
0:00 - Radiant Song H
0:17 - Radiant Song A
0:31 - The War Soul Saga H
6:10 - Vault of Memories H
7:38 - Vault of Memories A
9:01 - Vault of Memories B
10:37 - Vault of Memories C
This place also reuses some music from other places. Mainly, the "Stonelight Rest" theme can be heard throughout the meadery, the "Cinderwold" theme plays in the bee area, and the "Warcraft Battle" theme is used during some of the boss fights.
Man, David Arkenstone has composed way more music in this expansion than I thought he would. It's great, though! His Celtic/folk style really compliments the earthen dwarves well.
0:00 - Cinderbrew Meadery H
2:06 - Cinderbrew Meadery A
4:13 - Cinderbrew Meadery B
6:21 - Cinderbrew Meadery C
8:18 - Cinderbrew Meadery D
10:06 - Cinderbrew Meadery E
This place also shares some music with the Isle of Dorn, the Ringing Deeps, and the Stonevault. So check those videos if you can't find a song that you're looking for.
I love that motif for the earthen at 0:24. You can also hear that motif a lot in Jake's other earthen-related themes.
I also like the cello and harp combo at 12:54, beautiful stuff.
0:00 - Dornogal H
2:54 - Dornogal A
4:30 - Dornogal B
6:45 - Dornogal C
8:39 - Dornogal D
10:53 - Dornogal E
12:48 - Dornogal F
15:01 - Dornogal G
16:28 - Dornogal I
Part of me was wondering if they were gonna add new music for this or just reuse the dragonriding theme, so this was a nice surprise. Really reminds me of the original "Dragon Race" theme, sounding all adventurous and such. Helps that they're both composed by the same guy, the one and only Jake Lefkowitz!
If you're wondering, the music that plays when you complete a skyriding race is the same song that plays when a dragonriding race is completed, "Dragon Race Finish".
Man... I am actually the only person in the entire world dumb enough to do these races with my UI hidden...
0:00 - Stormrider H
1:51 - Stormrider A
4:09 - Stormrider B
6:11 - Stormrider C
Derek's been composing since Warcraft III, so it's really nice to see him still making music for WoW even now. As far as I know, though, this is the only theme composed by him in War Within.
This is also probably the most ambient theme in War Within as well. Most other themes are very orchestral, which I like, but sometimes I do miss the more ambient style themes heard in older expansions.
0:00 - Fungarian Folly H
1:45 - Fungarian Folly A
3:18 - Fungarian Folly B
4:45 - Fungarian Folly C
5:57 - Fungarian Folly D
I really like how he brought back one of the classic dwarf tavern themes as well, which can be heard in "Khaz Algar Inn A". Really fitting for an earthen tavern.
I also like the use of orchestra in "Stonelight Rest", since David's tavern themes usually don't have orchestra in them. Makes it sound a lot more grand which is neat.
0:00 - Stonelight Rest H
1:56 - Stonelight Rest A
3:53 - Stonelight Rest B
5:50 - Stonelight Rest C
7:36 - Stonelight Rest D
9:45 - Khaz Algar Inn H
12:32 - Khaz Algar Inn A
You've got the usual bits of mystery and malevolence commonly heard in Void-related themes, but there's also quite a bit of action and heroism as well.
The first half of "Alleria H" really stands out to me. I just love that mix of danger and heroism, and also that slightly more emotional part afterwards.
0:00 - Alleria H
4:22 - Alleria A
5:40 - Alleria B
This is the theme for Xal'atath, the main villain of the War Within.
I love how mysterious and foreboding this theme starts out, and how it slowly unfurls into something much more chaotic and intense. Really fitting for the Harbinger of the Void.
Another incredible work from Leo Kaliski, as always! I'm so glad to see him composing a lot more music in this latest expansion, especially after hearing his amazing themes in patch 10.2: Guardians of the Dream.
Here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just updated the "War Within" zip with all the new music added to the beta.
And this theme happens to be composed by Adam Burgess, which is really neat! We haven't seen a WoW theme from him since 8.1: Tides of Vengeance, where he composed the "Forsaken Flame" theme. Nice to see him back.
The music is incredible, as always. You've got the classic "Legends of Azeroth" returning, as well as some new themes from the expansion mixed in there. Can't wait to find out what those themes are!
Also, to clarify, the reason why I call this theme "Beta Version" is because I don't think this track is finished yet. In Dragonflight, there was also a "Beta Version" of the main title that was only the first 2 minutes, with the rest of the song being introduced later.
So I'm assuming it'll be the same here with the War Within's main title theme. If not, then I'll go back and edit this video as necessary.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just added a new zip file called "11 - The War Within" which has this main title theme in it. When more music is added to the beta, I'll try to keep the zip up to date with new music.
Unlike the music in most heritage armor cutscenes, this one is actually a unique composition, and isn't cobbled together from older themes.
Although, I don't know who composed this song, but I think it might be Neal Acree. It kind of sounds like his style, and he usually does cutscene and cinematic music.
I originally called this song "Call of the Void", which was just a generic name I came up with since I didn't know where it played. I didn't realize this cutscene was a thing, as Wowhead didn't upload it, and the draenei heritage armor questline was slightly bugged (some corrupted animals you needed to kill had a stupidly long respawn time). So that resulted in me saving this questline for later, and not seeing this cutscene.
Ah well, I figured it out eventually.
If you want to download all the new cutscene music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip, and in the Guardians of the Dream folder):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
Like I said in the previous video, I don't know for sure who composed the music here. But I think it's Neal Acree. It sounds like his style, and he's usually the one who composes music for cutscenes and cinematics.
I really like the cello at the beginning, as I'm always a fan of string instruments.
And I think the melody being played at the start is probably Alleria's theme, a new theme that's most likely going to show up a lot in The War Within.
You can also hear that theme in the Dark Heart cinematic, when Alleria enters the room and those woodwind instruments start playing her theme:
youtu.be/d0KbWU7aBHQ?si=Q3jcNcl2nM8uIhdg&t=27
If you want to download all the new cutscene music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip, and in the Guardians of the Dream folder):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
Unfortunately, I don't know for sure who composed the music here. In the game files, it just says "Blizzard Entertainment" in the contributing artist metadata tag.
But I'm willing to bet it's Neal Acree! It sounds like his style, and he's usually the one who composes music for cutscenes and cinematics.
I really like those soft woodwind instruments that show up at 0:27 when Alleria enters the scene. It's very pleasant and sets a subtle change in mood for the cutscene.
If you want to download all the new cutscene music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip, and in the Guardians of the Dream folder):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
"Sergeant's Song" is a "popular marching song" sung by soldiers of House Rupah, which is one of the three main factions in the game. You can find the lyrics for the song in the "Art of A Year of Rain" pdf. Although, I made some slight adjustments to the lyrics to help with consistency and punctuation (there were a lot of apostrophes that weren't always consistently placed).
I love how short and simple this song is. It really nails that conflicting mood of a soldier going to war, that balance of pride and melancholy.
Lyrics:
Through sands ‘n marsh ‘n valleys
I’m a soldier, marching on
So proud of Lord and Banners
I’m a soldier, marching on
To arms, to war, to glory
I’m a soldier, marching on
They all will sing my story
I’m a soldier, marching on
No soldier marches home, my friend
For what would you call home?
Just sands ‘n marsh ‘n valleys for us
That’s where they’ll find our bones
No hearth, no rest, not for us
I’m a soldier, marching on
‘Cross lands so harsh and callous
I’m a soldier, marching on
Though tired, sick, and bloodied
I’m a soldier, marching on
I doubt they’ll sing my story
I’m a soldier, marching on
No soldier marches home, my friend
For what would you call home?
Just sands ‘n marsh ‘n valleys for us
That’s where they’ll find our bones
And the neat thing about "Journey's End" is how this theme is brought back every now and then. So for this video, I wanted to focus on showcasing my favorite parts from these other songs that reference this theme.
I especially love how this theme was brought back in ARK: The Animated Series with "The Will to Survive", having those subtle yet beautiful vocals at the start and then switching to those emotive string instruments.
Incredible work from Gareth Coker as always.
0:00 - The Will to Survive
2:10 - Finale
3:40 - Past Lives
5:50 - Journey's End
8:43 - We Aren't Meant to Live Forever
9:19 - Journey's End
I've never played any of the Anno games, since RTS games aren't really my cup of tea. But I do really love the soundtracks. It's surprisingly beautiful stuff that's being composed for these games, and I'm just glad to have found it.
As far as I can tell, the lyrics for this song were never officially released, and so I could only find attempts at guessing the lyrics from random sources online.
So for this video, I just tried my best to look at all the different guesses people made and create my own lyrics based off theirs. That being said, you should take these lyrics here with a grain of salt. But they do seem to be pretty accurate, to me at least.
Also, while the German translation seems accurate to me, I couldn't really verify the Hindi translation. I'm not even sure if it's Hindi or not, but I don't have any other leads, so I'll just have to roll with it.
***Lyrics***
From afar, the waves come rolling
Down the shores, their call is heading
And then humankind will be united again
From the mountains, cries are ringing
To the valley, they are carried
And then humankind will be united again
Und die Nacht, sie muss sich beugen
Einem Stern gewebt aus Licht
Wer sieht kann es bezeugen
Was der neue Tag verspricht
Through the skies, the winds are blowing
They bear our sacred message
And then humankind will be united again
From afar, the voice is calling
To herald times of glory
And then humankind will be united again
Emaniti sera eriadora
Emaniti sera eriadora
***German Lyrics Translated***
And the night, it must yield
Before a star made of light
Thou who sees can witness
What the new day promises
***Hindi Lyrics Translated***
Humankind will be united again
Humankind will be united again
I've never played any of the Anno games, since RTS games aren't really my cup of tea. But I do really love the soundtracks. It's surprisingly beautiful stuff that's being composed for these games, and I'm just glad to have found it.
The Latin version of "God Smiles" (which is erroneously called "Italian" on the official soundtrack) has lyrics that reference Carmina Burana (Songs from Benediktbeuern), which is a Latin manuscript filled with medieval poems.
For this song, the lyrics reference the "Spring" poem which is about Flora, who is the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. The title of the song, "God Smiles", is referring to the Roman god, Phoebus, who smiles as he lays in Flora's lap.
Although, while I was able to find an English translation of that "Spring" poem, the song makes some changes to the lyrics - mainly the last line, "Hoc vario flore coronatus", which was most likely changed so it could fit the structure of the song. So for that line, I did have to do some guesswork as to what Latin words were being sung, and how it translates into English. In other words, I had to do it myself, so you should take that part with a grain of salt.
The English version of "God Smiles" has completely unique lyrics, not related to the Latin version. The lyrics seem to be written from the perspective of a god, looking down on humanity and smiling. There also seem to be some religious references in the lyrics, like humans being "made of clay."
While the lyrics in the English version are really interesting to think about, I do find the Latin version to be a bit more pleasant to listen to. But they are both really great songs.
***Latin Version Lyrics***
Veris leta facies mundo propinatur
Hiemalis acies victa iam fugatur
In vestitu vario Flora principatur
Ah, Flora
Flore fusus gremio Phoebus novo more risum dat
Hoc vario flore coronatus
Ah, Flora
***Latin Version Lyrics (English Translation)***
The bright face of spring shows itself to the world
And the cold of winter is driven away
In her colorful robe, Flora reigns
Ah, Flora
Lying in Flora's lap, Phoebus once more smiles
Now crowned by these colorful flowers
Ah, Flora
***English Version Lyrics***
Little humans feeling strong
Hoping, loving, some doing wrong
Little humans running away
Breaking, fading, made of clay
Little humans acting strange
Dominion's fading, but they won't change
Worlds turn, lifelines burn
And high above, a thousand miles, God smiles
Little humans want to last
Building, carving, but life ends too fast
Little humans, flesh and bone
Searching, fearing to be alone
Worlds turn, lifelines burn
And high above, a thousand miles, God smiles
Timestamps:
0:00 - God Smiles (Latin Version)
2:28 - God Smiles (English Version)
It also surprises me how prevalent the cello is in a lot of these themes, so for this video, I wanted to mainly focus on the themes using cello, and also any other emotional themes I like.
And because I thought it would be fun, I included some non-WoW music at the end of the video since I felt they fit the theme really well. They're songs composed by Neal Acree for other video games that have a similar style as his MoP songs, being a combination of orchestra and traditional Chinese instruments. Although, for "Dragons (Mix)", it might be Japanese instruments?
I also really wanted to include Neal Acree's music from Revelation here, but unfortunately the copyright detection was a bit overbearing (this video would have been blocked if I used that music). So yeah, that sucks. I really love those themes, too, and they would have fit in here seamlessly.
But hey, if you haven't listened to his music for Revelation, I highly recommend it. It uses a very similar style to his music in this video. A good place to start would be this video showcasing the "Holy Wings" theme: youtu.be/RUMOqEb9XpM?si=XtLAq9LYeCUeE0Er
The cello and vocals are just so beautiful.
"Jade Maple Villa" and "Destiny" are some other Revelation themes that also use cello, and I love them.
***World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria***
0:00 - Family 1 H
1:53 - Family 1 B
3:45 - Family 2 H
5:37 - Vale Night H2
7:00 - Vale Night B
8:22 - Vale Night I
10:05 - Vale Night H1
10:56 - Vale Night A
11:49 - Jade Forest H
15:06 - Jade Forest A
17:18 - Night Dreams Cello H
19:38 - Night Dreams Cello Flute A
22:06 - The Great Wall Night H
23:48 - The River H
26:02 - The River E
28:07 - Windspire H
29:34 - Windspire B
31:31 - Windspire C
33:27 - Monk 2 C
34:59 - Gecko 1 A
36:28 - Gecko 1 B
37:43 - Gecko 1 C
39:12 - Gecko 3 B
41:00 - Temple of the Five Dawns H
***Imperial Reign***
42:42 - Return to the Capital
44:16 - Homeland
46:13 - Wu Guan
***Honor of Kings***
48:21 - Illusion and Reality
***Overwatch***
51:51 - Dragons (Mix)
I tried using that same vocal remover tool I used in the "Shorel'Aran" mix, but unfortunately the choir is just way too distorted in the "Ghosts" version. In fact, you can also hear a distorted and distant-sounding orchestra in that version (which can also be heard here under the cleaner orchestra). So in a way, this mix is just the "Ghosts" version but with the more clear-sounding "Orchestra" version layered on top.
I always wished that we could have gotten to hear the full version of this theme, with the complete orchestra and non-distorted choir together. But this is probably the closest we'll get to hearing that, aside from the truncated version you hear in the Cataclysm login screen theme.
Part of me hopes that we might get that full version in a future expansion or patch. In patch 10.2: Guardians of the Dream, they repurposed some unused themes that Russell Brower composed, so it's entirely possible that they could bring this theme back with new, unheard versions.
Speaking of unreleased things, I wouldn't mind some official lyrics being released too. For example, the choir in this video isn't speaking jibberish - there's actual lyrics that they're singing that reference in-game lore. At 0:28, you can hear them say "Admira Aman'Thul".
A lot of songs in WoW are actually structured like this, referencing in-game characters, places, and languages in the lyrics. Here's some examples:
You can hear "Lok-tar ogar", in the "Warsong" and "Army Life" themes.
You can hear "Lok-narash" and "Mak'gora", in the "Army Life" theme.
You can hear "Mogu'shan" and "Lei Shen", in the "Mogu'shan" theme.
You can hear "Raszageth", in the "Primalist 1" theme.
You can hear "Amani" and "Gurubashi", in the "City of Gold" theme.
And then there's Zul'Drak, where each of the gods has an intro song where a choir shouts the name of the respective god (Har'koa, Mam'toth, Quetz'lun, Rhunok, Sseratus).
Unfortunately, though, it's really difficult to decipher most of what they're saying. It's really only possible to make out those more iconic phrases that they occasionally sing. That's why it would be neat to have some official lyrics for these kinds of songs. But part of me fears that we'll probably never get those. Which is a shame, since the composers put so much effort into crafting these really unique and interesting lyrics that we might never know...
Ah well, maybe someday... Though, I'd like it to be within my lifetime, preferably.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just updated the "Wrath of the Lich King" zip to include this mix I made here.
If you listen closely to the original "Vocal" version, you'll notice that the choir is absent from the first half of the song and only joins in the second half. So for this version, I decided to add the choir back in to the first half.
To do this, I used a vocal remover tool to separate out the choir layer from the "Choir" version (which still had some strings and woodwind mixed in with it). Then I combined that with the "Vocal" version.
Although, the tool I used isn't perfect, so there might be some slight artifacts here and there. Doesn't help that I'm working with 160kbps mp3 files either. But I think it turned out mostly alright in the end.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just updated the "Burning Crusade" zip to include this mix I made here.
A lot of songs in WoW actually reference in-game languages. In this case, they're singing phrases from the Orcish language, which is spoken by the orc clans of Draenor.
Whenever I would listen to these songs, I would always notice those iconic Orcish phrases the choir is shouting; "Lok-tar ogar", "Mak'gora", "Lok-narash". So I figured I should just try and give this song actual lyrics to the best of my ability. It's mainly a bunch of careful listening to figure out the phonetics of what the choir is saying, and trying to write it down in a way that feels Orcish. Definitely had to do a lot of looking around on the "Orcish (language)" page on the Warcraft Wiki. I think it turned out mostly alright in the end.
If you're wondering about the meanings behind these words, then here's some translations:
Lok-tar ogar = Victory or death
Mak'gora = Duel of honor
Lok-narash = To arms / Arm yourselves
Unfortunately, most of what's being sung here was stuff that I created to fit what the choir was saying, and they aren't on the Warcraft Wiki, so there's no translation for them. It's entirely possible that the composer just made up a bunch of Orcish-sounding words on the fly for flavor, and they don't really have any meaning. But I like to think there is some kind of meaning behind them. Maybe you guys can come up with something?
As fun as this was to do, it was also surprisingly difficult. And I feel that this is one of the easier WoW songs to do this with, because of how the choir shouts all their lines, so I can't even imagine how tough it will be to do this with other WoW songs. This might just be a one time thing, but I might also be able to make a couple more. I guess we'll see.
Army Life H (Lyrics):
Lok-tar vo, mok’goraka, lok-tar vo, thoraka
Thoraka, lok-tar ogar, thoraka, mok no inka, dakora
Mok’goraka, lok-tara, lok-tar ogar, lok-nak
Mak’gora
Lok-tar ogar
Lok-tar ogar, lok-tar ogar
Fa throm’sor fara, lok-tar ogar
Throm’sor fara, lok-tar ogar
Dokorana, thoraka, thoraka, thorka
Lok-narash, thorkara, ka
Army Life A (Lyrics):
Dokorana, thoraka, thoraka, thorka
Lok-narash, thorkara, thoraka, thora ogar, lok-nak
Mak’gora
Lok-tar ogar
Fara rok lok-nak
Lok-tara
Lok-tar ogar, thoraka, mok no inka, dakora
Mok’goraka, lok-tara, mok no inka, dakora
Dora-rok
Lok-tar ogar
Army Life Stinger B (Lyrics):
Lok-tar ogar, lok-nak
0:00 - Army Life H
2:21 - Army Life A
4:45 - Army Life Stinger B
Thrall's balls... They finally did it... Chris Metzen, you mad genius!
Fun fact: I originally made this in 2017, but not for April Fool's. I actually wanted to get into making WoW machinimas and stuff, but that never really ended up happening. Ah well, at least I finally got to use this... thing!
If you're curious about what the original video was, it's from this: youtu.be/6nHr1265RD4?si=qS3wJYAGBNciRv6F
It's a video showcasing the really dramatic death animation that Thrall's model has, which is most likely there since he isn't really ever meant to die.
I remember watching this show when I was a kid, and this scene of Zane finding out that he's a robot and remembering his creator's final moments always stuck with me.
Part of what makes that scene so memorable is the incredible music that accompanies it. I'm honestly surprised by how emotional the music is, considering it's a Lego-themed kid's show. But either way, the composers did a fantastic job.
0:00 - The Tinkerer's Tale
0:28 - Zane's True Potential
1:38 - The Tinkerer's Tale
Always gotta love a new pirate theme being added to the game. It'll definitely fit right in with the music from Freehold. I also love the bit of solo violin added in here as well.
Unfortunately, I don't really know for sure who the composer is for these tracks, as it only says "Blizzard Entertainment" in the contributing artist metadata tag in the game files. But after listening to these songs for a bit, I'm pretty sure it's Jake Lefkowitz. It sounds like his style, mainly with the percussion. Like some of the metal clangs sound similar to the ones he uses in some Dragonflight themes, mainly the battle themes from Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I just updated the "Dragonflight" zip to include the new Plunderstorm music here.
0:00 - Plunderstorm H
2:25 - Plunderstorm A
2:41 - Plunderstorm B
2:48 - Plunderstorm C
3:05 - Plunderstorm D
While this film isn't that great in my opinion, I still love the music. My personal philosophy is that it doesn't matter where the music is from, even if it's from some obscure movie or video game I've never heard of. As long as the music is good, I listen to it. And that's definitely the case here.
I especially love the cello playing that incredibly effective melody at the beginning of "Dense Fog." It does a great job of conveying that feeling of tragic romance and lovesick longing.
Yu-Peng Chen is most well-known for his work on the soundtrack for Genshin Impact. But for me, I was first introduced to his work for the game, Moonlight Blade. Some of his songs in that game also evoke the same feelings of romance found in this video, like the Chinese Valentine's Day music.
It was a little tricky finding the lyrics for these songs at first, but I managed it in the end. The English lyrics are from the subtitled version of the film, and the Chinese lyrics are from a music video for "The Mist."
English Lyrics:
Where has she been?
Walking beneath the moonlight
Carrying on with persistence
On this freezing night, her mind is shrouded in fog
She takes warmth from memories
She’s not lost
The face in my memory, the thoughts in my mind
I can't see what I long for, there’s nothing left to say
The phantoms in my heart long for the past to return
The hand I’ve held before, will it slip away?
The wind passes by, singing of reunions
I remain here, it’s hard to look back at this lingering sadness
He is caught in the turmoils of the past
It is vague and indefinable
A bitter loneliness in his heart
He looks to the heavens and its uncontrollable certainties
A blessing that cannot be heard
A loneliness bound by love and hate
Chinese Lyrics (Romanized):
Tā céngjīng shēn zài hé chù
Zǒu yuè sè xià de lù
Zhízhuó nà fèn zàihū
Bīnglěng yè lóngzhào méishāo de wù
Yù dào sīniàn nuǎn lú
Yuánlái bu shì mílù
Jìyì zhōng de liǎn sīxù zài méijiān
Kàn bù qīng sīniàn zàijiàn yě wúyán
Guǐmèi shàng xīn jiān hái pànzhe cóngqián huì chūxiàn
Céng wòguò de shǒu shìfǒu huì liū zǒu
Fēng qīng qīngpiāoguò chàng xiāngzhī xiāngféng
Yuán dì de shǒuhòu huī bù qù de chóuyě nán huíshǒu
Tā xiànrù wǎngshì chénfú
Shuō bu qīng de hánhú
Xīnzhōng luòmò de kǔ
Yǎngwàng tiān míng míng zhōng de dìng shù
Tīng bùjiàn nà zhùfú
Bèi ài yǔ hèn shùfù de gūdú
Chinese Lyrics:
她 曾經身在何處
走月色下的路
執著那份在乎
冰冷夜 籠罩眉梢的霧
遇到思念暖爐
原來不是迷路
記憶中的臉 思緒在眉間
看不清思念 再見也無言
鬼魅上心間 還盼著從前 會出現
曾握過的手 是否會溜走
風輕輕飄過 唱相知相逢
原地的守候 揮不去的愁 也難回首
他 陷入往事沉浮
說不清的含糊
心中落寞的苦
仰望天 冥冥中的定數
聽不見那祝福
被愛與恨束縛 的孤獨
Timestamps:
0:00 - Dense Fog (feat. Eric Juu)
5:06 - The Mist (feat. A-Lin)
"The End" is the final song in this album, and also happens to be my absolute favorite song in the album. I have a huge soft spot for string instruments, so the second half of the song with all the strings is especially effective for me.
I was first introduced to Weifan Chang's work through his incredible soundtrack for Detention, a horror game from 2017. If you like what you hear in this video, I definitely recommend checking that one out. I especially love the second ending theme, "Left Alone", which features a beautiful combination of piano and violin.
You can find the English version of "Circle of Time" on Weifan Chang's Bandcamp: weifanchang.bandcamp.com/album/circle-of-time-english-ver
It also includes a PDF with English/Chinese lyrics for all of the songs when you purchase it.
The Chinese version isn't on his Bandcamp unfortunately, but you can find it elsewhere. I got it from the iTunes/Apple Music store.
English Lyrics:
The dying flame shines with a spark
I walk through a spiral in the dark
Even though I have tried so hard
Wish to escape
No more hope to be found
When life happens to be lost
Who dreams of endless time
Where can I find an excuse
To keep me blind?
Walking out of time
The edge of the desert is what I see
Let go of the curse
Facing the truth
Chinese Lyrics (Romanized):
Chuísǐ de yānhuǒ zài shǎnshuò
Wǒ chuānguò yīdào hēi'àn xuánwō
Jiùsuàn pīnmìng cháozhe guāngxiàn yóu
Xiǎng táotuō
Xīwàng zǎoyǐ diào luò
Shēngmìng hái shèng xià quēkǒu
Shíjiān shì wújìn de mèng
Nǎlǐ yǒu huálì jíkǒu
Ràng wǒ shěnmò
Zǒuchū shíjiān xuánwō
Shāmò jìntóu shì wǒ kànjiàn shénme
Fàng kāi zǔzhòu
Zhuǎnshēn jiù zǒu
Chinese Lyrics:
垂死的煙火在閃爍
我穿過一道黑暗旋渦
就算拼命朝著光線游
想逃脫 希望早已掉落
生命還剩下缺口 時間是無盡的夢
哪裡有華麗藉口 讓我沈默
走出 時間旋渦 沙漠 盡頭是我
看見什麼 放開詛咒 轉身就走
Timestamps:
0:00 - The End (English Version)
4:44 - The End (Chinese Version)
For Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fitting to showcase most of the different versions of Thrall and Aggra's theme.
If you think about it, this theme is possibly the only romantic theme we have in WoW. Sure, there are some songs that have romantic elements in them (like the Grizzly Hills music by Russell Brower, or maybe some other themes by him), but Thrall and Aggra's theme is pretty much the only dedicated love theme for two characters we have in the game.
This theme first showed up in patch 4.2: Rage of the Firelands, and was composed by Glenn Stafford. This plays during the Elemental Bonds questline where you help Aggra restore Thrall after his essence is split across the four elemental planes.
Then in patch 9.1: Chains of Domination, this theme was reprised by Glenn Stafford and was called "Go'el Bound by Blood". This plays during the Necrolord questline where Thrall and his mother, Draka, are reunited.
And during BlizzCon 2023, there was a synthwave remix of this theme made by Rezodrone (Jason Charles Miller & Jamison Boaz) which was uploaded to the WoW YouTube channel.
There's other versions of this theme out there, like the "Thrall Intro" and "Thrall Battle" tracks composed by Neal Acree in patch 4.3: Hour of Twilight, but I felt that they were a little too action-packed to include here.
Since it looks like Thrall is going to be playing a big part in the next expansion, The War Within, I wonder if this theme is going to make a return? We've already seen this theme return in Shadowlands, so it might be possible! I guess we'll have to wait and see.
0:00 - Thrall and Aggra 1 H
1:12 - Thrall and Aggra 1 A
2:14 - Thrall and Aggra 3 H
3:12 - Thrall and Aggra 3 A
4:09 - Thrall and Aggra 2 H
5:03 - Thrall and Aggra 2 A
5:57 - Go'el Bound by Blood H
8:23 - Go'el Bound by Blood A
9:24 - Go'el Bound by Blood B
10:25 - Go'el Bound by Blood D
11:49 - Go'el Bound by Blood E
13:15 - Thrall and Aggra (Synthwave Remix)
This track is a mix of the "Ruins of Zin-Azshari" theme by Glenn Stafford from patch 8.2: Rise of Azshara.
I do like the choice of music here. That theme from Nazjatar always sounded very fitting for night elves, so it works pretty well bringing it back here.
It's mainly just the mixing I have issues with. Like for some reason, the audio quality is noticeably lower in this cutscene track than the others. Like it sounds a bit more compressed and muffled. I'm not sure why that is, but yeah.
Wish the mixing could have been better, but at least the music choice is good.
Here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
This is mainly a combination of two themes from different expansions.
The first and last parts are "The Wanderer" by Russell Brower from patch 6.2: Fury of Hellfire.
The middle part (at 1:00) is "Arathi Highlands 2" by Glenn Stafford from Cataclysm.
I do like that they're bringing back these older themes from past expansions and patches. I guess the typical Gilneas music didn't quite fit the mood as well, so they went with these themes instead. Makes sense since these themes are a lot more solemn and melancholic, which fits the tone of the cutscene.
However, while the choice of music is great, I do wish that they could have edited these cutscene tracks a bit better. Like you can definitely tell when certain sections of the songs are spliced together or get abruptly cutoff.
Honestly, that problem of songs being spliced together strangely has been happening a lot in Dragonflight surprisingly. When you listen to the login screen music, "The Isles Awaken", it's pretty noticeable there too.
The cutscene music in general from these last few patches hasn't been edited together that well either, in my opinion. Which is strange, I felt the 9.2.5 cutscene music was edited pretty well, so I'm not sure why there's such a drastic downgrade in quality.
And that's not even considering the lower audio quality in some of them. Like the new Malfurion/Tyrande cutscene has music which sounds really compressed and muffled compared to the other cutscenes. Same thing with the Elisande cutscene from a while back.
So yeah, if you're wondering why I'm not uploading as much cutscene music, it's because I don't really like how they're mixed to be honest. But I'll just leave this one here for those of you who still want to listen to it.
And if there's any cutscenes you want me to upload the music for (even if I don't think they sound that good) then just let me know, and I'll see if I can get to it.
Also, here's a download link for this collection of WoW music I've been working on:
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
I didn't include this cutscene track, though. I have this personal rule where I only really include cutscene tracks that I think are interesting/mixed well.
This track seems to be a remix of the "Dragon Race 2" theme by Jake Lefkowitz from patch 10.1: Embers of Neltharion. A duduk instrument was added in at certain parts, and even the Dragonflight main theme snuck its way in during the end there.
If you want to download all the new music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
This seems to be an edited version of the "Forbidden Reach Vault Defense" theme by Glenn Stafford from 10.0 Dragonflight. I've always loved this theme and wished it had more versions, so I am glad they've given us more versions through these cutscenes.
Although, part of me also wishes they could've given us some more unique music for these cutscenes like they did in 10.0 and patch 10.1. Ah well, it is what it is.
If you want to download all the new music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA
Even though this video is only 34 seconds long, it is a little complicated how this was put together, so here we go...
So basically there's a "pre-cutscene" portion that plays in-game after you defeat Fyrakk, which is what you see at the beginning of the video. That pre-cutscene part has the music file separated, and the file has metadata (with Neal Acree credited in that metadata).
The second part is the actual cutscene itself that shows all the aspects being empowered by Amirdrassil. Unfortunately, the sound effects aren't separated out in that part. Both the music and sound effects are baked together in the file for that cutscene.
So yeah, I pretty much had to take these two parts and merge them together to create one continuous song. And for the most part, it works. Sadly, only the first 7 seconds is 100% music. The other 27 seconds has sound effects baked in. Ah well, this is as good as we're gonna get it at the moment. I'll take it!
If you want to download all the new music from this patch, then you can find it here (in the Dragonflight zip):
mega.nz/folder/e55XAYLT#Jo7fvIU6mEw4utYOBtNqgA