Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies Original Soundtrack
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The Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies Original Soundtrack was published by Scitron Digital Content, and was officially released on December 19, 2001. The majority of the soundtrack was composed by Tetsukazu Nakanishi and Hiroshi Okubo, the only two members of the Namco Sound Team that remained after Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere.
Description
The soundtrack contains a total of 48 songs, divided evenly into two discs; Disc 1 features the menu and in-game music that plays until the 12th campaign mission, while Disc 2 features the music that plays in the remainder of the missions as well as all of the interludes and other miscellaneous areas.
The soundtrack is considered a major turning point for the series, as it combines a sweeping combination of orchestral, synthesizer and rock elements. As well, Ace Combat 04 holds the title of the first flight simulator in history to employ a Latin chorus. All of these elements would thereafter become the norm for Ace Combat games to come.
Of note is the fact that inexperienced music composer Keiki Kobayashi joined the Namco Sound Team during the development of Ace Combat 04, which was his first major production. Despite having little experience in music composition, Kobayashi demonstrated a raw talent at it, which would come to a climax with what is widely considered to be his most important piece, "Megalith -Agnus Dei-". His works in this soundtrack would net him the ascension to status as the Namco Sound Team's director in games to come.
Track List
Disc 1
- Shattered Skies
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This song is a very short remix of Blue Skies, and plays during the intro cutscene of the game. - ISAF
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi. This song plays during the second cutscene in the game's story, where the player is caught up on the events that have happened thus far in the Continental War. - Gateway
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This is the theme of the title menu. - Operation
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This theme plays during mission briefings for Missions 1 through 12 of the campaign, and it is replaced by "Second Strike" during the briefing for Mission 13. - Stardust
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays during the mission select menu after the briefing for Missions 1 through 12 of the campaign, and it is replaced by "Prevail" after the briefing for Mission 13. - The Hangar
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays in the hangar, when a player is purchasing or selling aircraft, colors, or weapons. - Scramble
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays when the player is choosing an aircraft and weapon to sortie with for the upcoming mission for Missions 1 through 17 of the campaign, as well as all special or multiplayer missions. It is replaced by "Mobius" during the sortie selection for Mission 18. - Sitting Duck
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays throughout the first mission, Sitting Duck. - Imminent Threat
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays throughout the second mission, Imminent Threat. - The Northern Eye
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays in the third mission, The Northern Eye, until the Mission Update when it is replaced by silence. - Blockade
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi. This plays throughout the fourth mission, Blockade. - Lifeline
Composed and arranged by Hiroshi Okubo. This plays in the fifth mission, Lifeline, until the Mission Update when it is replaced by "Aquila". - Aquila
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays during the Mission Update of both Lifeline and Stonehenge Offensive. It is considered by fans to be the theme of the Yellow Squadron, since it only plays when they appear. - Invincible Fleet
Composed and arranged by Hiroshi Okubo. This plays throughout the sixth mission, Invincible Fleet. - USEA National Anthem -Hymn of Liberty-
Composed by Tetsukazu Nakanishi and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi, with unknown credit for the lyrics. This is sung by ISAF pilots in a short cutscene at the end of the sixth mission, Invincible Fleet. - Echo
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This theme plays during mission debriefings. - Deep Strike
Composed and arranged by Hiroshi Okubo. This track plays during the first half of the seventh mission, Deep Strike, before the Mission Update when it is replaced by "Stonehenge's Attack". - Stonehenge's Attack
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during the Mission Update in the seventh mission, Deep Strike. It is considered to be a remix of "Stonehenge", and bears some similarities to "Aquila". - Comona
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays throughout the eighth mission, Shattered Skies. - Operation Bunker Shot
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi. This plays throughout the ninth mission, Operation Bunker Shot. - Tango Line
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays throughout the 10th mission, Tango Line. - Escort
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays throughout the 11th mission, Escort. - Stonehenge
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays during the first half of the 12th mission, Stonehenge Offensive, until the Mission Update when it is replaced by "Aquila". Quite obviously, this is considered to be the theme of Stonehenge. - Requiem
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays whenever the mission is failed. (Crashed, shot down or the player did not accomplish the goal in some scenarios. [e.g. : The launch of ICBM missile from Megalith's central silo, in which the mission will fail.] )
Disc 2
- Second Strike
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This is considered to be a fast-paced remix of "Operation", and as such, it plays during mission briefings for Missions 13 through 17 of the campaign. It is replaced by "Silent" for the briefing in Mission 18. - Prevail
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This is considered to be a remix of "Stardust", and as such, it plays during the mission select menu after the briefing for Missions 13 through 17 of the campaign. It is replaced by silence after the briefing for Mission 18. - Safe Return
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays during the first half of the 13th mission, Safe Return, until the Mission Update when it is replaced by "Enemy Attack". - Enemy Attack
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during the Mission Update in the 13th mission, Safe Return. - Breaking Arrows
Composed and arranged by Hiroshi Okubo. This plays during the majority of the 14th mission, Breaking Arrows, until the final part of the mission when it is replaced by "Breaking Arrows #2". - Breaking Arrows #2
Composed and arranged by Hiroshi Okubo. This plays during the final portion of the 14th mission, Breaking Arrows. - Emancipation
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays throughout the 15th mission, Emancipation. - Whiskey Corridor
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays throughout the 16th mission, Whiskey Corridor. - Farbanti
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays throughout the 17th mission, Siege of Farbanti. - Silent
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during the briefing for Mission 18. - Mobius
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during the sortie selection immediately before Mission 18, and comes with a speech by an unknown person. It is considered to be the theme of the Mobius Squadron. - Rex Tremendae
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi, with lyrics from the "Rex Tremendae" hymn of the Latin requiem mass. This track plays immediately before the 18th mission, Megalith, begins, in a short cutscene. - Megalith -Agnus Dei-
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi, with lyrics from the "Agnus Dei" hymn of the Latin requiem mass. This track plays during the first portion of the 18th mission, Megalith, before the Mission Update when it is replaced by "Heaven's Gate". It is considered by many to be the theme of Ace Combat 04 as well as the Ace Combat series in general. - Heaven's Gate
Composed and arranged by Keiki Kobayashi. This plays during the Mission Update of the 18th mission, Megalith. - Victory
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This plays during a cutscene that immediately follows completion of the 18th mission, Megalith. - Blue Skies
Composed by Hiroshi Okubo, with lyrics and vocals by Stephanie Cooke. This plays during the game's credits. - North Point
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during some of the Trial Missions and multiplayer missions. - Megafloat
Composed and arranged by Tetsukazu Nakanishi. This track plays during some of the Trial Missions and multiplayer missions. - Prelude
Composed by Agustin Barrios Mangore and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes. - Sadly
Composed and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes. - ZIGZAG
Composed and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes. - Una Limosnita Por Amor de Dios
Composed by Agustin Barrios Mangore and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes. - The Bird Spread Its Wings
Composed and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes. - Session
Composed by Agustin Barrios Mangore and arranged by Katsuro Tajima. This song plays during some of the interludes.
Trivia
- The text at the top of the album's jacket cover reads as follows:
FARBANTI / ERUSEA 19 SEPTEMBER 2005 12000FT 42.0 102.5
SIEGE OF FARBANTI <>. 013 28 118 81 04 75 19 9 765X4000.05
- 19 SEPTEMBER 2005 is the date of Operation Autumn Thunder.
- 42.0 and 102.5 are Farbanti's coordinates (N and E, respectively).
- 013 is a reference to Yellow 13.
- 118 is a reference to Mobius Squadron.
- 04 is a reference to the game's name.
- 19 is Kazutoki Kono's lucky number.[1] This would later be used in the 19th Task Force.
- 765 is the Goroawase number for Namco and is a recurring number in the series.
- "Blockade" was remixed into "First Flight" for the Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Original Soundtrack.
- "Aquila" is the 13th song in the soundtrack. This acts as a reference to the lead of Yellow Squadron, who is only known as Yellow 13.
- "Comona" will be featured as a playable song in Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version[2], along with the ASF-X Shinden II as a playable guest character.[2][3]
References
- ↑ @kazutoki on Twitter. Published on 31 January 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Taiko Drum Master: V Version adds Uta no Prince-Sama and Ace Combat songs. Gematsu. Published May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
- ↑ GUMI And Freedom Wars Mascot Appear As Guests In Taiko: Drum Master V Version. Siliconera. Published May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.