A Musical Note: Stigmata (Mana Khemia)
Added 2018-08-29 02:19:31 +0000 UTCMana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis is an amusing Japanese RPG for the Playstation 2 and PSP, which both my son Chris and I found very enjoyable. For the most part its music is similar to others in the related Atelier series, but there are a few pieces that stand out. And standing not merely out, but utterly above and beyond all others, is this piece, Stigmata, played in the final boss battle.
Within the game, this piece gave the battle vastly more gravitas than the ordinary animation would have permitted. In my writing...
... It became the main musical theme for what may be the best battle sequence I have ever written, the duel between Ugu the Unbowed, Amanita Verdant, and Erik Medon that is the climax of Polychrome. It is so strongly associated with that scene in my mind that I cannot hear it without also hearing, in my mind, the dialogue that accompanies particular elements of the music; the early part that is the opening of the Pyramid and Ozma facing the True Mortal, to the chorus of the Spheres as the power becomes his, and then the battle, the revelation of why Erik will not fall when Amanita expects he must, and the final confrontation with the Verdant Dragon.
It is a powerful piece, despite its source. Give it a try.
