“Want your rib cage meat stuck between my teeth”
Even if you’re not a fan of hip hop, the silly and over-the-top Anarchy Reigns soundtrack has a lot to offer. There are some great melodies courtesy of Platinum Games composer Naoto Tanaka along with the vocal talents of a slew of rappers and artists. As much as I loved the soundtrack for MadWorld, Anarchy Reigns surpasses it in every way possible.
We ran a review of the soundtrack back in July 2012 to correspond with the Japanese release, but wanted to present it once more now that the game is out in North America. Check it out below along with samples of five tracks from the game, and if you’re interested, it can still be imported from CD Japan for about $33 USD, and Sega has even uploaded it to iTunes for $9.99.
MAX ANARCHY ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
Released: July 4, 2012
Price: 3,000 Yen ($33) (physical) / $9.99 (digital)
Availability: CD Japan / iTunes
Artists: Naoto Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Akira Takizawa
I already noted that the Anarchy Reigns soundtrack far exceeds what was accomplished with MadWorld. There’s more violent hip hop and rap spanning two discs with a wider variety of rappers and composers involved. There’s a larger emphasis on electronic music as well, which provides a nice mix across the album’s 32 tracks. I think the key is the great musical backings, as even the tracks with weak vocals are sometimes saved by a great melody.
It’s hard to call out individual tracks because I like all of them. I often found myself skipping tracks in MadWorld, but nearly everything here is great. I love the heavy rough-‘n’-tumble stylings of newcomer Tre-Dot (his opening “Ruthless” is fantastic) and the more upbeat and silly tracks by Skitz the Samurida. Vstylez offers the cool electronic track, “MDK’s” and the funky brass-accented track, “Days of Old” while MuzeONE gives us “Jaw,” combining orchestral hits and funky bassline in what’s probably my favorite track on the album. Another star is “Demise” by Wonder Brown, a bumpin’ electronic track with fun lyrics. And how can you not like the lyric, “I want your rib cage meat stuck between my teeth?”
Some returning rappers also make their mark once again. My personal favorite, Sick YG, is featured several times, with “Over in a Flash” being my favorite here. Ox, the lead rapper of MadWorld, puts in a solid effort with “Lights Out,” and Doujah Raze offers his dark and violent lyrics that are a perfect fit. His “Testin’ Me” in particular stands out, describing a character who isn’t fighting for money or fame, but rather to protect his loved ones, adding a more meaningful sense of purpose to the violent world of Anarchy Reigns.
Great stuff. The booklet contains all the lyrics and information on all the rappers as well, all in English, so it’s quite nice. I recommend it highly, and can’t wait to play this game! Read our official review to see what we thought of Anarchy Reigns.
