The famed duo Masaharu Iwata and Hitoshi Sakimoto have come a long way over the past several years slaving away at various companies in the unwavering pursuit of providing game after game with only the finest musical accompaniment, and as one of the strongest sound teams to grace the world of video game production that particular goal was easily in range. Since the time of the Ogre series and Final Fantasy Tactics, both composers' palettes of musical color have been mixed and blended, blurred and displaced, leaving behind the days when the various sonic spectra were clear and distinct. Their styles and techniques have matured, and the two inwardly show signs of quiet content for the new flavor of sound they created from years of experience. Although, to be honest, it would be unfair to say that this untouchable team has completely forgotten their legendary scores of the past - after all, the vision of that epic music has a permanent and irrevocable place in their minds and hearts, as it well does in yours and mine. That precise mix of established, refined composition and fond gestures to reputable sounds of the past is exactly what defines the atmosphere of Stella Deus Original Soundtrack, and, rest-assured, this one will join the ranks of its celebrated predecessors sitting atop a golden throne of nobility as a score fit for the noblest of lords and kings.

The legendary story of a vast kingdom and its venerable history is told through the exultant tones of the introductory piece, "Alchemy (The Theme of Man)", a proud and monumental account of the trials and tribulations of a determined people torn in half by opposing factions. Sakimoto's lofty opener spins a tale of the great achievements of revered sovereigns down to the pious generosity of humble commoners, with mentions of every celebrated hero in between; as the title projects, this is a theme of mankind's accomplishments, laid out on the foundation of a valiant string motif with regal brass harmonies filling in the open spaces. While vigilant percussion transitions to and from sections, the lithe plucking of a delicate harp and the whispering of graceful flutes and oboes lead the piece to a sweetly spoken line of the main theme - a theme of which is one of the most effective that Sakimoto has written.

The dancing woodwinds of tracks like "Name Entry", "Save / Load Screen", and "A Cheerful Mood" show off Sakimoto's lighter side with their innocent harmonies and bright orchestration, helping to balance out the darker, heavier moments of the score; similarities to previous ventures into these more cheerful atmospheres are easily detectable, but not to an excess. The uplifting "Prince of a Ruined Country" is royal and steady at first, briefly dipping into a shadowy uncertainty while the festive "Heroine’s Theme" reflects the adventurous spirit of a strong-willed protagonist. "Reminiscence of the Past Music" is soft-hearted and adorably pure, happily intoning an earnest and wondrous tale like a child lost in the embrace of a timeless fantasy.

Even with sunnier tones present, Sakimoto's darker and more serious material is what truly shines in this score. The desperate and alarming "Danger", the venomously hissing "An Opressed Mood", and the tragic "Game Over" are only the edge of the canvas where Sakimoto sketched his more mature ideas. The slow, calm string harmonies of "Requiem" drift quietly along with a feathery touch when a sudden and unpredictable modulation from the horn section changes the color while still retaining the smooth texture. "Main Battle Music" could fit any combat scene with its clever rhythmic sequence emphasized by rich string hits and full, warm brass sounds along with a wave of percussive swells and strikes. Sakimoto's expressive choral composition makes an appearance in "Disciple of the Dark", later embellished with a full string section providing rich undertones and emotive suspensions. Nearing the closing of the album is the mighty "Epilogue", led by a chivalrous string motive and a descending trombone line, picking up a coalescing trumpet phrase along the way and ending with a broad maestoso section. Wrapping up the soundtrack is a surprising first in Sakimoto's career: a vocal piece! "Holy Spirit (Spirit Theme)" is leagues beyond the average vocal selection for a video game, designed with a rich orchestral accompaniment and ornamental phrases complimenting the beautifully lyrical melody. The vocalist sings with a gorgeous and serene voice, taking careful note of the rises and falls of Sakimoto's meaningful composition and acting accordingly with her own unique and delightful expression.

Masaharu Iwata has stepped up his ideas to a notable degree, providing the Stella Deus score with its most frontal thematic substance. "Situation Explanation" sports exotic percussion and a soaring shakuhachi melody against a flavorful chord progression in the strings. While the prideful, brassy developments of pieces such as "Energetic Music", "Activity Time", and "A Turning Point" deliver an adrenaline-charged energy in their symphonic strength, so too do softer selections like the Celtic "Guild" and the accordion solo "Shop" put forth their own sprightly energies. Iwata effectively wields noble and righteous melodies as demonstrated in pieces such as "The Supreme Ruler's Army", "Vize", and "The Four Elemental Spirits". His darker voice emerges in battle themes like "A Formidable Foe" and "An Unfavorable Situation" with a dire sense of crisis, while "Ruins of the Forbidden", "An Ancient God", and the climactic "Decisive Battle" set the dramatic scene for an epic, life-altering war.

Iwata's "Highlands" is slow and ominous, with brief verses of nobility escaping the oppressive chords until a fortissimo climax leads to a breathtaking respite of an exceptionally arranged solo brass choir section. The pastoral oboe solo of "Everyday" paints a carefully-written image of light-heartedness, with bouncing clarinets on the bottom and warm chords in the background. "Theme of the Religious Order" is cultured and colorful, the legacy of an ancient creed immortalized through Iwata’s use of the choir, bells, and the skillful composition of an enchanting mandolin verse. Even with all of this excellent music, Iwata's greatest contribution is the solemn "Apostle of the Light". Beginning sensitively and mesmerizing, an ethereal soprano voice weightlessly moves above a bewitching bell melody with a soft harp delicately arpeggiating chords as the piece grows with a radiant string section. Following is what can only be described as angelic: an elegant, touching, and divinely beautiful woodwind solo set against graceful chord work and sublimely woven together with truly inspirational composition.

This album bears no technical flaws as the sound quality is of the best, with rich and full timbres from every instrument used. Combine this with the exquisite composition of two of the video game music world's finest musicians, and there's hardly a doubt about the resulting quality. As a huge fan of Final Fantasy Tactics OST, Stella Deus doesn't approach that kind of legendary status. However, it's an incredibly enjoyable listen nonetheless, and one I recommend to fans of orchestral music as well as fans of Sakimoto and Iwata. While the contour of this score may differ from previous collaborations of the two, the premise is quite the same: powerful, original orchestral music set to a dramatic and diverse world and inescapable plot. With that, I leave you with nothing but high regards for this wonderful soundtrack, and I hope you'’ll decide to join me in appreciating the musical beauty and grandeur of the epic world of Stella Deus.

Overview

Atlus' Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity is a strategy RPG that was favourably compared with Final Fantasy Tactics. Its score was composed by the same two people too, Basiscape's Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata, and they develop their military orchestral sound throughout the album. Their resulting score is one of their most satisfying contributions to game music.

Body

Sakimoto immediately captures the serious scenario of the game with "Alchemy (The Theme of Man)". An orchestral overture depicting the wars and achievements of mankind, it presents a strong melody on trumpet that is arranged throughout the soundtrack. Like his other works, the orchestration here is intricate and idiosyncratic throughout, ensuring a satisfying listen. The composer develops upon these origins in "Main Battle Track", with its heavy orchestral timbres and compelling rhythmic sequences. It is an excellent accompaniment to the battling featured throughout the game.

Nevertheless, there is plenty of variety in his contributions throughout the album. For example, he modifies his orchestral style to portray alarm with "Danger", trageyd with "Game Over", and evil with "While Feeling Doubt". Particularly impressive among the darker tracks is "Requiem", with its unpredictable modulations in its horn section above slow static elements. Nevertheless, he does also showcase a lighter side with dainty tracks such as "Name Entry", "Save-Load Scren", and "Bright Atmosphere"; while not among the most substantial in length, they provide a welcome interlude and are somewhat reminiscent of his Tactics Advance work.

Iwata complements Sakimoto on this album with a range of remarkable tracks. His greatest contribution is "Disciple of the Light". Here a melody mesmerises on bells while a harp plays a wonderful arpeggiated accompaniment. The addition of the soprano voice makes this track all the more special on the album and has a vivid effect in context too. Iwata also supports his co-composer with crisis tracks like "Powerful Enemy" and "Unfavorable Circumstances"; these aren't quite as impressive as Sakimoto's equivalents, perhaps because they aren't so individually styled, but still fulfil their purpose well. Far better is "Decisive Battle", with its use of brass and timpani work in a dominant but careful way.

Iwata's "Highlands," the final dungeon theme, is expressive in its own right and crescendos to a peak at a fortissimo passage before moving into a brass section. "Epilogue" is a little disappointing after the wonderful ending and staff roll themes Sakimoto provided for the series. A beautiful trombone at the start of this track, but it doesn't develop as far as might be expected. At least it transitions well into "Holy Spirit (Spirit Theme)", Sakimoto's divine vocal theme for the game. arugarei's spiritual voice here is such a welcome contrast to the shallow singers of other RPG vocalists, while Sakimoto's elaborate harp-based accompanimentis beautiful.

Summary

Compared to Final Fantasy Tactics, the music for Stella Deus tends to be somewhat more mature in composition and refined in production. However, it is a slightly less elaborate effort due to its single disc contents and probably should be treated as a supplement to Sakimoto and Iwata's more elaborate works on the Final Fantasy and Ogre series. Nevertheless, this is a must-have for fans of their other scores.