P-Vock's Music Box: Memento Mori
Hello and welcome back to P-Vock's Music Box. I am McFricking losing it. There's been a rumour going around for a long time. A rumour I could never believe. A rumour that is simply too good to be true. A rumour that one of my favourite video games of all time, Persona 3, is getting a remake.
We've had countless "leaks" and speculation about this remake and I never believed any of it. I couldn't afford to believe it. As Hawkeye said: "don't give me hope." As Mr Incredible said: "I'm not strong enough."
Lo and behold, this weekend I learned that it was all true.
THE DARK HOUR IS BACK!
I've somewhat talked about Persona 3 before, but never really dove in depth into it and how incredible it is. At the end of the day, Persona 3 is a depressing story about the fleeting nature of life that delivers wholesome and hopeful messages about making the most of your time, opening your world to those around you, the idea that it's okay to not be okay, and finding joy in your life.
It also has BONKIN' music!
The Poem for Everyone's Souls/Aria of the Soul is arguably the main theme of the entire Persona series, but I believe it fits Persona 3 best. It's eerie with this almost siren-esque choir that seems to be calling out to you. Despite this, it also has an everpresent calming and relaxing nature thanks to the wonderful piano melody and serene strings.
This theme plays whenever the player enters a place known as the Velvet Room and begins to summon Personas, which are angels and demons and who knows what else from mythos and stories across history from the world over that could absolutely kill you with a flick of their wrists. While it sounds terrifying, the Velvet Room is a calming place that serves as a wonderful sanctuary where the player can forget their woes and think carefully.
Absolutely perfect.
But how about we turn it up a bit?
Across two releases of Persona 3, we got two different versions of the main battle theme, Mass Destruction. Their rap bars were spliced together for a song in the somewhat recently released Persona 3 rhythm game, Dancing Moon Night.
THEY ARE BOTH BANGERS WITH DELICIOUS LYRICS THAT I KNOW BY HEART AND WILL SING ALONG TO.
Japanese rapper Lotus Juice absolutely delivers in both of these songs with awesome lyrics that I never tire of (which is good since you hear these lyrics A LOT).
They're catchy, infectious, energetic, and make up for songs that I love enough to make battles take longer just so I can poorly sing along with the lyrics before killing the Shadows I am currently fighting.
But we can turn it up even further...
Y'all remember that first track I dropped in this column??
A final boss theme that actually makes me stand up in sheer hype is a rare, but welcome sensation that Persona 3 created to the highest possible degree. That buildup feels infinite, intense, and terrifying (which is exactly what the final moments of this game before said fight are as well). It feels like it keeps getting higher and higher, emblematic of the literal and metaphorical climb we have endured for the many hours in this game.
And then, it drops, and we are greeted with a familiar melody.
THIS IS THE PINNACLE EXAMPLE OF DOING A LEITMOTIF RIGHT!
This is it.
This is the one.
This is (until Persona 5 Royal) the greatest final boss theme of all time and I cannot accurately describe how much I love it.
Persona 3 is a wonderful time. It has an unforgettable story, a top-tier cast, a gorgeous and striking sense of style, and ALSO IT HAS A DOG AND YOU CAN TAKE HIM FOR WALKIES!
It's a game that means a lot to me with themes that hit me very hard and I honestly cannot wait to see it in HD early next year.
Thank you, as always, for checking out my nonsensical rambles, and I hope to catch you again next time with another suggestion from my Music Box.
Stay Brutal!
PS. If you want to just chill, this Aria of the Soul remix will help. It always does for me.