If you read the post's title and believe that i'm going to talk about something related to the night sky or even astronomy, you probably haven't realised that this is the title of an album. Darkness and Starlight is the album produced by The Black Mages this day last year. As their 3rd album, Darkness and Starlight is a combination of rock versions of original Final Fantasy games' soundtracks, such as Grand Cross (The Black Mage's version of The Final Battle theme in Final Fantasy IX) and the Opening-Bombing Mission song from Final Fantasy VII's first chapter, as well as original songs including Life ~in memory of KEITEN~. Though this album is up for a whole year by now, I only managed to get all the songs recently as I haven't been free for some time.
Just to briefly introduce about The Black Mages... they are a instrumental rock band organised by Nobuo Uematsu, original producer of many songs in different Final Fantasy games and even movies, such as Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. Most of the songs that they play are like rock remixes of the original, and indeed many of them are a true success. In this way, the songs you hear are not wave soundtracks, or basic tunes originally made from computer softwares, but rather you will hear the song played by proper music instruments like the electric guitar, keyboard, etc.
Up till now, they have only released 3 albums:The Black Mages, The Black Mages-The Skies Above and The Black Mages-Darkness and Starlight. With the addition of all the songs from Darkness and Starlight, my list of Black Mages album songs are finally complete :)
Here's the top 10 of my favourite Black Mages album rock songs:
1.Clash on the Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V, Gilgamesh's theme!)
2.J-E-N-O-V-A (Final Fantasy VII, Jenova's theme)
3.Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII, boss theme)
4.The Man with the Machine Gun (Final Fantasy VIII, Laguna's theme)
5.Maybe I'm a Lion (Final Fantasy VIII, Ultimecia fight's theme)
6.Blue Blast - Winning the Rainbow (a non-Final Fantasy song, but still nice)
7.Opening - Bombing Mission (Final Fantasy VII, AVALAUNCHE's first mission's song)
8.The Extreme (Final Fantasy VIII)
9.The Rocking Grounds (Final Fantasy III, battle theme)
10.Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)
Despite having rock songs as their main genre, The Black Mages have come up with melodious songs as well. The ones I particularly enjoy Vamo' Alla Flamenco (Final Fantasy IX) and Matoya's Cave (Final Fantasy I; you might find this song familiar even if you have never played Final Fantasy before).
All in all, even though most people nowadays would listen to other various rock/pop songs, there are still these unique songs that you can try listening to. If ever you think of the darkness and starlight, remember there are also songs that can be equally enjoying as gazing at the night sky.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Basic Uses and Applications of Black Magic
This is just an essay on black magic of Final Fantasy and Warcraft lol. Hope you enjoy my view on it. Please do not attribute me to being a heretic ._. This is simply a 'for-fun' essay that can be used as a guide to GAMING black magic (apologies if there's any resemblance to real life black magic-if it exists).
Black magic, a term used for the ability to conjure spells attributed to the elements of the natural world which our forefathers believed in: Fire, of the Sun; Water, of the Sea; Land, of the Earth; Wind, of the Air. It includes the use of voodoos, curses and hexes. Simple black magic usually involve the use of basic fire, ice, lightning, etc. Tertiary forms include the ability to morph a being. As its name suggests, black magic gives the impression of magic gone dark and evil, and will bring harm to people. While black magic exists for such purpose, it is not necessarily all bad, for it is its user that determines the usefulness of black magic.
The invoking of basic fire and lightning spells is often seen as good as using a sword to fight in a duel. It injures the opponent, but will do no more to add any other advantages, besides weakening the opponent beyond physical damage. Often, it can be used to bring down the vitality of the opponent, as well as ending the opponent's life. The element of Fire is brought out in both fire and lightning spells, generating intensified heat on the target. Victims tend to show scorch marks where the spells hit, burning them with great pain that may last for a long period.
Ice spells are useful in many ways. It brings the temperature of targetted area to almost zero degrees celsius, and sometimes even lower. The sudden change in temperature could make the victims slow down due to the freezing cold, or even freeze in their tracks. The Water element attributed could also injure the opponent with its hard ice smashing on the opponent. A useful element itself, these spells are favourited by the those who seek to freeze their opponents and cause a slow and painful death.
The art of summoning the forces of Gaia and Earth is the trait of a land spell. These spells revolve the help of Mother Earth, unleashing its wrath with terrible quakes and fissures. Those who learn the spellcraft of the Elves could also summon the help of tree creatures known as treants, or 'ents'. With the aid of nature, spellcasters could entangle opponents as they cross into nature's paths, making them immobile and useless against other spells in the mage's repertoire.
Of Wind, few will use spells belonging to this element, although it is severely damaging. Tornados and cyclones are summoned into being by its wielder, wreaking havocs on crowds and destroying camps. Blasts of wind can usually knock down airborne beings easily, making air travel dangerous should the magician feel threatened.
Draining magics are unusual forms of black magic. Depending on how the caster uses such magic, it can channel the magical essence or lifeform of the target into the caster, enabling the caster to be stronger while the foe becomes weaker. Such spells are the favourite of those who hunt other mages for bounty, making them less capable to cast spells. Meanwhile, it also reduces the strength of non-magical opponents, making short work of those who seek to harm the mage himself. These spells do not benefit the caster as much as white magic does, but it brings down the vitality of the target, making it an efficient offensive spell. It is difficult to find anyone who uses such vampiric spells recently, for it is not always useful in every engagement, but it is a useful magic nonetheless. Some even believe that the ultimate black magic is draining magics, for it is more vicious compared to other spells listed among the repertoire of black magic.
Curses and hexes usually does not injure the target, but rather enfeeble him, thus rendering him weak against the spellcaster. The common forms of such spells will simply transform the target into a lesser being (a weak animal, for example). Such spells may not bind forever, for it may be broken when a certain condition is met, but is nonetheless useful in a black magician's repertoire. Weakening the foe to the extent where he cannot fight back, the spells can be used defensively or offensively.
Overall, black magic is widely used offensively, making the targets and victims weaker and giving an edge to its caster. However, to label such magics evil is not a correct interpretation of magic, for it is the nature of the caster himself that influence the goodness in black magic. A chaotic sorceror, for example, could use black magic for evil ends, while a lawful-natured wizard could use black magic for good, helping the community rid of evil beings.
Black magic, a term used for the ability to conjure spells attributed to the elements of the natural world which our forefathers believed in: Fire, of the Sun; Water, of the Sea; Land, of the Earth; Wind, of the Air. It includes the use of voodoos, curses and hexes. Simple black magic usually involve the use of basic fire, ice, lightning, etc. Tertiary forms include the ability to morph a being. As its name suggests, black magic gives the impression of magic gone dark and evil, and will bring harm to people. While black magic exists for such purpose, it is not necessarily all bad, for it is its user that determines the usefulness of black magic.
The invoking of basic fire and lightning spells is often seen as good as using a sword to fight in a duel. It injures the opponent, but will do no more to add any other advantages, besides weakening the opponent beyond physical damage. Often, it can be used to bring down the vitality of the opponent, as well as ending the opponent's life. The element of Fire is brought out in both fire and lightning spells, generating intensified heat on the target. Victims tend to show scorch marks where the spells hit, burning them with great pain that may last for a long period.
Ice spells are useful in many ways. It brings the temperature of targetted area to almost zero degrees celsius, and sometimes even lower. The sudden change in temperature could make the victims slow down due to the freezing cold, or even freeze in their tracks. The Water element attributed could also injure the opponent with its hard ice smashing on the opponent. A useful element itself, these spells are favourited by the those who seek to freeze their opponents and cause a slow and painful death.
The art of summoning the forces of Gaia and Earth is the trait of a land spell. These spells revolve the help of Mother Earth, unleashing its wrath with terrible quakes and fissures. Those who learn the spellcraft of the Elves could also summon the help of tree creatures known as treants, or 'ents'. With the aid of nature, spellcasters could entangle opponents as they cross into nature's paths, making them immobile and useless against other spells in the mage's repertoire.
Of Wind, few will use spells belonging to this element, although it is severely damaging. Tornados and cyclones are summoned into being by its wielder, wreaking havocs on crowds and destroying camps. Blasts of wind can usually knock down airborne beings easily, making air travel dangerous should the magician feel threatened.
Draining magics are unusual forms of black magic. Depending on how the caster uses such magic, it can channel the magical essence or lifeform of the target into the caster, enabling the caster to be stronger while the foe becomes weaker. Such spells are the favourite of those who hunt other mages for bounty, making them less capable to cast spells. Meanwhile, it also reduces the strength of non-magical opponents, making short work of those who seek to harm the mage himself. These spells do not benefit the caster as much as white magic does, but it brings down the vitality of the target, making it an efficient offensive spell. It is difficult to find anyone who uses such vampiric spells recently, for it is not always useful in every engagement, but it is a useful magic nonetheless. Some even believe that the ultimate black magic is draining magics, for it is more vicious compared to other spells listed among the repertoire of black magic.
Curses and hexes usually does not injure the target, but rather enfeeble him, thus rendering him weak against the spellcaster. The common forms of such spells will simply transform the target into a lesser being (a weak animal, for example). Such spells may not bind forever, for it may be broken when a certain condition is met, but is nonetheless useful in a black magician's repertoire. Weakening the foe to the extent where he cannot fight back, the spells can be used defensively or offensively.
Overall, black magic is widely used offensively, making the targets and victims weaker and giving an edge to its caster. However, to label such magics evil is not a correct interpretation of magic, for it is the nature of the caster himself that influence the goodness in black magic. A chaotic sorceror, for example, could use black magic for evil ends, while a lawful-natured wizard could use black magic for good, helping the community rid of evil beings.
Friday, 2 May 2008
Singapore's Shinra Headquarters
Yup! Shinra Headquarters found in Singapore!!! Lol.. it's actually some building near Chinatown, seems to me it's an office building, but its exterior reminded me a lot of Shinra's headquarters in Midgar. Hence, I took a photo of it from my mom's car, and modified the centre for Shinra's logo.. of course, in Midgar, Shinra Headquarters is the tallest building, but there's an equally tall building beside the one i edited in this photo, so it aint perfect lol.. Just made it for fun and for those who enjoys FF7. Hope you guys like it lol. O and for my music sheets, please give me some time to upload the rest because I havent got time to do so lately. Will get it done soon though.