Overview

Arranged albums are fairly frequent when it comes to Tenpei Sato releases. How does the arranged version to Phantom Brave compare to some of the arrangement albums by others and how does it compare to some of his prior arrange albums? Read on to find out.

Body

Sadly, when it comes to arrangement albums, Tenpei Sato is not the person you'll want to invest in. Most of the releases, this one included, are essentially remasterings, or lengthened versions, of the original tracks. This might suit those looking for a more elaborate 'best of' album, but not those expecting a particularly creative experience.

However, there are some slight differences on the album, mainly found in the vocal performances. For example, "Angel Breath," features much more focus on the vocal performances, including sections of original melody with added vocals. The violin solo added in this one is also another one of the treats this offers over the original. "Friend," one of the most beautiful pieces from the original, also gets the solo treatment, also in the form of a violin. To me, this piece only heightens the original to new levels and is extremely enjoyable.

As for the other vocal performance, "Heaven's Garden," it's essentially a remastered version of the original. The same goes for the remaining tracks as well. The remasterings are nice, the original material is excellent, and I'm pleased with the track selection. However, for an arranged album, this is a rather sad attempt.

Summary

Overall, there really isn't much new material on this album. There are pleasant versions of the originals and the extended "Friend" and "Angel Breath" vocal performances are good. While it is worth noting the original material is excellent, it'd just be better to stick with that as you'll get much more bang for your buck.