Various Artists - GIANTS: Legend of the Master Musicians, A Video Game Concept Album

GIANTS is an ambitious video game concept album, meticulously crafted over six years by Tokyo-based record label Brave Wave Productions under the direction of Mohammed Taher. The colossal 98-minute album showcases the talents of legendary composers known for their iconic work on series like Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, Panzer Dragoon, Sonic the Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, among others. The album is a rich tapestry of new, game-inspired compositions from these celebrated artists, paired with innovative remixes from their classic catalogue as reimagined by their contemporaries.

A highlight of the album is its emphasis on collaboration, exemplified by original tracks like Ultramarine—the first collaborative effort from Mega Man 2's Takashi Tateishi with Mega Man 3's Harumi Fujita and Sonic Mania's Tee Lopes. Another standout track, Ronin, marks a historic reunion for the Ninja Gaiden composer trio—Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Nitta, and Kaori Nakabai—collaborating for the first time since their work on the NES Ninja Gaiden titles. 

The collaborative spirit extends to the remixes as well, such as Final Fantasy series composer Yoshitaka Suzuki's cinematic reimagining of Mega Man 2’s Wily Stage, featuring Bayonetta co-composer Takahiro Izutani on acoustic guitars and producing, as well as Celeste composer Lena Raine's tranquil rendition of Panzer Dragoon Saga’s Art Thou the Holy One, crafted in harmony with original composer Saori Kobayashi.

GIANTS transcends traditional boundaries, featuring a diverse array of genres and styles brought to life by over two dozen talented musicians, making it a celebratory anthology of game music's rich history and evolution, led by Brave Wave’s in-house rock band Super Strikers and a legion of legendary game composers.


RELEASE NOTES
• A video game album like no other - 6 years in the making
• 22 phenomenal tracks by 26 legendary musicians
• Featuring Manami Matsumae, Akari Kaida, Takashi Tateishi, Lena Raine, Tee Lopes, Harumi Fujita, Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Nitta, Kaori Nakabai and more!
• Pressed on heavy-weight 3xLP 180g curaçao vinyl
• Artwork by Matt Cummings
• Produced by Brave Wave Productions
• Co-released, manufactured and distributed by Black Screen Records


TRACKLISTING
A01. Waldgeist by Super Strikers
A02. Face-Off at Mammoth Mountain by Manami Matsumae
A03. Wily Stage 1 & Boss (Mega Man) by Super Strikers
A04. Iron Whale (Shovel Knight) by Akari Kaida

B01. Ultramarine by Takashi Tateishi, Tee Lopes, Harumi Fujita
B02. Quick Man Stage (Mega Man 2) by Takahiro Izutani, Monomirror
B03. Wily Stage 1 (Mega Man 2) by Yoshitaka Suzuki, Takahiro Izutani
B04. Full Circle by Harumi Fujita, BUNBUN

C01. Needle Man Stage (Mega Man 3) by Danimal Cannon
C02. Wily Medley (Mega Man 3) by mamomo
C03. Mission (Pulstar) by Smoke Thief, Harumi Fujita

D01. Ronin by Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Nitta, Kaori Nakabaii
D02. The Amazing Ryu (Ninja Gaiden) by Maxo
D03. The Parasprinter (Ninja Gaiden 2) by Pentadrangle
D04. Stage 4-2 & Stage 1-1 (Ninja Gaiden 3) by Xavier Dang

E01. Terra Incognita by Saori Kobayashi, Takahiro Izutani
E02. Art Thou the Holy One (Panzer Dragoon Saga) by Lena Raine, Saori Kobayashi
E03. Atolm Dragon (Panzer Dragoon Saga) by Super Strikers, Lena Raine

F01. Quiet & Falling (Celeste) by ABSRDST, Lena Raine
F02. Apricot Dreams by Masashi Kageyama, Dino Lionetti
F03. Ultimate Medley (Gimmick!) by Super Strikers
F04. Echoes by mamomo, Super Strikers


SELECTED GIANTS ARTISTS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
• Super Strikers: Brave Wave’s in-house band, composed of several renowned video game artists such as Stemage (of Metroid Metal) and Dino Lionetti (from Cheap Dinosaurs).
• Manami Matsumae: Composer of Mega Man 1, Mega Man 10, Shovel Knight
• Akari Kaida: Composer of Mega Man Battle Network, Breath of Fire 3
• Takashi Tateishi: Composer of Mega Man 2
• Harumi Fujita: Composer of Mega Man 3, Pulstar, Strider, Final Fight, Gargoyle’s Quest
• BUNBUN: Composer of Mega Man 3, Final Fight, Mega Man 10, Breath of Fire
• Tee Lopes: Composer of Sonic Mania, Sonic All Star Racing, Streets of Rage 4
• Takahiro Izutani: Composed for Bayonetta series, Metal Gear Solid 4, Ninja Blade
• Yoshitaka Suzuki: Composed for Final Fantasy 15, FF16, FF7 Remake,
• Keiji Yamagishi: Composer of Ninja Gaiden (NES), Tecmo Bowl, Captain Tsubasa 1 & 2
• Ryuichi Nitta: Composer of Ninja Gaiden 2 (NES)
• Kaori Nakabai: Composer of Ninja Gaiden 3 (NES), Captain Tsubasa 3
• Saori Kobayashi: Composer of Panzer Dragoon Saga
• Lena Raine: Composer of Celeste, Chicory, Moonglow Bay, Harmony
• Masashi Kageyama: Composer of Gimmick!


www.bravewave.net
www.blackscreenrecords.com