For our second Halloween themed remix, I thought I’d take a look at the music of a horror game from the PlayStaion era. Particularly one that had a different approach to a horror music. One that jumped to mind immediately was Square Soft’s Parasite Eve. The game’s soundtrack was composed by Yoko Shimomura and used a mix of electronica and classical music genres. While it might not be as creepy or unsettling as other horror soundtracks, it had some memorable themes that fit well with the game world.
This arrangement, titled “Beauty’s Abomination,” comes to us from Reuben Kee who provides a solo piano interpretation of the “Main Theme” from Parasite Eve. This is actually a somewhat appropriate choice, considering the original “Main Theme” track also features the piano.
Despite relying on the same main instrument for the arrangement, this piece has a different tone from the original track. Kee takes a minimalist approach to the music, with a very simple presentation of the melody and a light amount of accompaniment. The beginning in particular maintains a haunting quality that immediately grabbed my attention.
The arrangement does build up a bit around the 2’22” mark, giving the listener some brief dramatic moments in the music. Aside from that, the piece maintains a tranquil and hypnotic tone throughout. All in all, it’s a simple and elegant interpretation that sticks close to the source material in terms of instrumentation, while still distinguishing itself in some subtle ways.
Have you heard any interesting arrangements, remixes, or covers of your favorite horror game music? Let us know in the comments below. You can check out and download “Beauty’s Abomination” on OC Remix.
Tags: Arrangement of the Week, Halloween, Parasite Eve, Reuben Kee, Yoko Shimomura
