This is a very fun track to listen to! Intriguing really, the transition at around 1:28 is remarkable, this whole section has a classical feel and though it is different then the stabbing percussion that precedes it, it still fits well within the track. The track goes on to mix classical elements with the throbbing house beat. Also I would say I'm getting a bit of Asian vibes here with the melody. I didn't read you're whole text, sorry being lazy but I really enjoyed this one.
Author Comments
I first heard the Wild Witches’ Ballad in an imperial procession. Not in its pure form, no, but in a butchered form, with different chords and a remarkably bland playing style. I found the tune intriguing, but wanting in something, as if someone suffocated the original composition. But before I could contemplate further on this predicament, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the forest.
Apparently I hadn’t done a good job of blending in amongst the crowd. But when you stand wearing a dark hood and cloak and donning a metallic mask, what else could you expect?
My “captor” revealed herself to be the Owl Lady, as I had mentioned before, and took me to her house, which she dubbed the Owl House. She introduced me to her compatriots and her newfound apprentice before teaching us about the true origins of the Wild Witches’ Ballad, which I detailed in the description for my recreation of the tune.
After I learned about the ballad, I then inquired as to why the Owl Lady wanted me to know. It appears that my trying to reserve a venue to play my extradimensional tunes earned me a reputation, and the Owl Lady wanted to exploit it. She asked me how well I could write music notation; I replied that I was familiar with it. She then gave me a final proposal: indefinite residence at the Owl House with all my expenses covered in exchange for cooperation a plan to instigate unrest towards the Emperor of the Boiling Isles.
I didn’t need the perks—a chance at inspiring freedom was enough for me. So together, the Owl Lady and I got to work. I was in charge of the sheet music, replacing the chords, harmony, and chorus of the “Imperial March” with the ones corresponding to the original ballad. Afterwards, the Owl Lady would slip them into the pamphlets of the performers and ensure that the less cooperative musicians were taken care of.
The performers would start with the “original” melody, how they had recited it for so long. Then, in the middle, the mood would abruptly shift to its minor form, its defiant form, its true form. It was at that moment that we knew we would strike.
Needless to say, our plan was an overwhelming success. The moments that followed after its execution are too great to describe, but let’s say they involved plenty of fireworks, writhing tentacles, illusions everywhere, and a swift ride into the sunset as Bonesborough erupted into pandemonium.
The splendor of those moments, as the people of the Boiling Isles rediscovered their own free will, I tried to convey through the shifting energies of this track. From its chaotic dynamics to its moments of prowess, I wish that the spirited and subversive nature of the Isles makes its way to every listener. In the meantime, as I make my way into the next dimension, I hope that my work with the Owl Lady can inspire new ambitions within the B.I.’s residents, and that their desire for more can bring about a fairer and freer Isles for millennia to come.
Key: F-sh Maj/b-fl min
BPM: 200
Genre: Frenchcore/Hybrid
Orchestral non-percussion instrument sources can be found in the track description for TWWB.
Hybrid downbeat and upbeat libraries from Ferrum free libraries.
Claps combined from 99Sounds Clap Machine.
Clogs, timpani, and gongs from Alan ViSTa.
Additional percussion by Black Noh and VSCO.
Spell circle and cast and spider sounds generated via Vital.
Beast roar sampled from a friend’s recording, provided gratuitously.
Ambient sounds processed from self-recorded metro and waterfall noises.
Kick drums made through a combination of Sytrus, Vital, Serum, and HDN (for click) before undergoing heavy processing and resampling.
Kick fill FX made with Vital.
Synths made through Vital, Serum, and OB-xd.
Eda vocals sampled from Zelda Black voice work.
Other vocals from Freesounds and courtesy of a friend.
Additional sample sources include FL stock libraries, Freesounds, Cymatics, Antidote Audio, and the NG 2020 sample pack.
Painstakingly mixed and mastered in FL Studio.
Freesounds attribution links:
“Marching.wav” - https://freesound.org/people/WebbFilmsUK/sounds/200321/
“Slide Projector.wav” - https://freesound.org/people/smowens/sounds/118634/
“cymb shwish 08” - https://freesound.org/people/hokstnator/sounds/150128/
“Party Pack, Sparkler, Still, 01-01.wav” - https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/484270/
“Fireworks Crackle” - https://freesound.org/people/16FThumaF/sounds/505264/
“Cheer Crowd” - https://freesound.org/people/Johanneskristjansson/sounds/371339/
Download full master here
Listen to The Wild Witches’ Ballad here:
Read the lyrics of the ballad:
https://www.deviantart.com/offi-dtrguo-cial/art/The-Wild-Witches-Ballad-881773760
Cover art by @KamenArts! Follow her on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kamenarts/?hl=en
Subscribe to Zelda Black on these platforms:
Sounds really upbeat and melodic and I like how there is a story behind it. The only thing I criticize is that in the first drop at the start there are too many high pass filtering out of the main kick, its kinda hard to follow.
Btw. it really doesn't feel like its 200 bpm fast lol
I like the high speed percussion
the intro reminds me of B.O.B
First of all nice to hear your music, haven't heard your stuff in a while. Second of all I like the song is very fast pace, catchy and seems like party music. Third the story written with the song is very interesting.
This is actually incredible! Hardcore is such an upbeat genre and there is so much variety going on in the entire track to keep me listening the whole way through. I thought the breakdown took a bit too long to get back to the upbeat dance part again but it was so beautiful sounding that I really can't complain about it lol. Great Work!
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Licensing Terms
Please contact me if you would like to use this in a project. We can discuss the details.
* Contains third-party samples.
Excercise caution when using it, refer to author comments / contact the author for details.
