Viking Guitar

Doujin, Events, Game Music

PAX East 2017 Review: Concerts & JAMspace

March 17, 2017 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on PAX East 2017 Review: Concerts & JAMspace Share this

Despite treacherous weather, PAX East 2017 went off without much issue this past weekend in Boston, MA. The expo show featured the usual accoutrements; a huge expo floor for showing games, a console and gaming room, several panels featuring a wide variety of topics on video games and gaming in general, and of course the all-day JAMspace and late-night concerts. There was a wide assortment of acts playing this year, from rock to metal to classical and jazz fusion, and thus PAX-goers had pick of the litter in terms of their musical entertainment.

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Events, Game Music

Game & Music Festival Rockage 5.0 to Kick Off This Weekend

March 10, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on Game & Music Festival Rockage 5.0 to Kick Off This Weekend Share this

If you’re still suffering from Post-MAGFest Depression and are in the San Jose area this weekend, then you can get a dose of good old fashioned gaming & cathartic game music blasted by bands and performers at Rockage 5.0. The fifth year of the event featuring a free arcade, live bands, retro console gaming and tons of other game-related fun will be stretched across several venues, including the Cafe Stritch, The Ritz Nightclub and more.

The schedule and lineup can be found on the event’s website, and will be featuring the likes of game bands Bit Brigade, Super Soul Bros, Kirby’s Dream Band, Viking Guitar and several others over the course of the three-day bonanza. Things kick off Friday at 2pm and tickets can be nabbed for $32.64. For more information, you can visit their Facebook page.
Featured, Film, Game Music

Viking Guitar’s New Album Danse Macabre III Releases Today

October 24, 2014 | Michael Hoffmann | Comments Off on Viking Guitar’s New Album Danse Macabre III Releases Today Share this

In the mood for some Halloween themed remixes? The newest Danse Macabre album from Viking Guitar may have exactly what you are looking for. If you follow the videogame cover music of Viking Guitar, you may be familiar with their tradition of releasing a horror music album every October around Halloween. Each of the previous Danse Macabre volumes has covered music from horror games, horror movies, and even music of other bands. This latest entry aims to follow in that tradition.

This year’s new album, Danse Macabre III, includes covers of music from The Ring, Dead Space, Silent Hill, and Goosebumps. As with the previous entries, a wide collection of music artists and groups are contributing tracks to the album. A decent mix of music styles and genres are present as well, including classical, rock, and chiptune. This year’s contributors include the Videri String Quartet, Chernabogue, and Phonetic Hero among others. If you’re a fan of music from horror games and movies, this is an album you’ll want to check out. Danse Macabre III and the previous Danse Macabre volumes can all be found on the Viking Guitar Bandcamp page.
Game Music

Viking Guitar Live’s Legion Album w/ Exclusive Track

June 25, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on Viking Guitar Live’s Legion Album w/ Exclusive Track Share this

If you were at this past MAGFest 12, you might have been lucky enough to see Viking Guitar Live perform a face-melting set in the wee hours of the morning that managed to kick of the festival in just the right way. If you didn’t, well you’re still in luck, because the band named after Erik “Viking Guitar” Peabody is releasing an entire album featuring the tracks played at MAGFest in full glory. It may not melt your face, but it will probably cause auditory hallucinations; of awesome. And fortunately, we’ve got an exclusive tidbit of the upcoming album “Legion” to share before it’s drop this coming Saturday, June 28th.

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Miscellaneous

“Just Fun” Kickstarter Fully Funded!

February 5, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

Well that didn’t take long, now did it!

Looks like within 24 hours of it’s launch, the “Just Fun” album Kickstarter headed by composer Alexander Brandon and featuring a plethora of contributing composers and arrangement artists, has reached it’s $6,000 base goal thanks to feverish pledging by fans and supporters. So what happens next for the project? More stuff, that’s what!

The original goal might be reached, but that doesn’t mean those who didn’t get in on the rush can’t still pledge and reap the rewards of pushing the funding through multiple stretch goals! A digital version of the album available for just $10, a signed physical copy for $25, other albums in Brandon’s catalog and even a custom-created single just for you at the highest backer level of $500. If potential pledgers need additional incentive, how about the full album song list? (Courtesy of our friends at Scarlet Moon Productions)

01. “Introduction”

02. “A Thousand Words” (Feat. Jameson Sutton and Stemage)

03. “On a Dark and Stormy Night”

04. “Chronophasia” (Feat. virt)
05. “Twilight Floating” (Feat. Erik Peabody)
06. “Oath of the Matron” (Feat. Andrew Aversa and Jillian Aversa)

07. “More”
08. “God bless the child that’s got his own” (original by Avery Brooks)
09. “Infinity” (Feat. Big Giant Circles, original by Andrew Sega/Paul Schultz)
10. “Overture of the Avatar” (Feat. DJ Bottles)
11. “The Blue Hour” (Feat. Bryan Rudge)
12. “Hypercontrol” (original by Andrew Sega, guitar by Craig Rundels)
13. “The Willowdale Handcar” (Feat. Danny Baranowsky)
14. “Epilogue”

With 28 days to go in the campaign, getting an entire second album worth of music doesn’t seem that far a reach for a project this star-studded. Check out the “Just Fun” Kickstarter for updates and more goodies!
Miscellaneous

Alexander Brandon “Just Fun” Kickstarter Brings the Talent

February 3, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on Alexander Brandon “Just Fun” Kickstarter Brings the Talent Share this

If you’re a fan of Dues Ex and Unreal Tournament composer Alexander Brandon, you might be interested in the Kickstarter that went live today. “Just Fun” is slated to be an original album of Brandon’s design, featuring 45 minutes and beyond of original compositions by the gaming composer. Even better than that, he’s not alone! Several big names are lending their musical skills to the project, including Jake “Virt” Kaufman, Andrew “zircon” Aversa, Grant “Stemage” Henry, Erik “Viking Guitar” Peabody and a ton more! All of this on a 14-song album with a ton of extras open to backers, including additional songs, download codes to additional albums, credits in the album notes and more!

Via the Kickstarter:

Roughly three months of full time effort has gone into this album over a period of over a year. Evenings, weekends, early mornings spent by myself as well as the fine folks who have collaborated with me. I’d like the ability to have this release be to a wider audience, with the ability to supply things like cool signed CDs as well as even more digital downloads of previous works.

The Just Fun Kickstarter goal for $6,000 ends on March 5th with several reasonable pledge tiers for the digital album, the physical album and thensome. Check out the page for the full list of contributors, rewards and details of the album!
Featured, Game Music

MAGFest 12: Mini-Musical Review

January 9, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | 3 Comments Share this MAGFest 12: Mini-Musical Review

MAGfest has once again come and gone from our lives for another year. For the 12th year in a row, the music and gaming festival has managed to bring a variety of people, bands, and cultures all together in one place and blown the roof off the Gaylord National Harbor. New faces graced the stages, huge surprises were unveiled, and an excited energy permeated the halls of the convention center and hotel alike. Now that it’s over and things like PMD (post-MAG depression) and MAGPlague have settled into the hearts (and lungs) of many ‘fest-goers, it’s time to remember some of that excitement and good feelings that MAGFest always seems to create.

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