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View Back Cover	Demon Castle Dracula Apocalypse Original Game Soundtrack
	Composed by: Masahiko Kimura, Motoaki Furukawa, Mariko Egawa
	Arranged by: Masahiko Kimura, Motoaki Furukawa
	Publisher: Konami
	Catalog Number: KICA-7942
	CD Info: 1 CD - 39 Tracks
	Released: March 26, 1999

Review by: Sensei Phoenix

Castlevania game scores have been some of the most impressive, complex, and downright catchy music to ever grace a console. The mixture of darkness and fast-paced rock help create an ambiance that appeals to more than just the goth crowd. Still, every now and then, a Castlevania game's score takes an alternate direction, as was the case with Super Castlevania IV and, as is the subject of this review, Demon Castle Dracula Apocalypse, aka Castlevania 64.

Dracula Apocalypse and Super Castlevania IV have very similar styles to their soundtracks. Both involve a very ambient, new-age motif with a lot of water, wind, and creaking sounds. They also don't rely as heavily on previous game scores for their content. What separates Dracula Apocalypse from Super Castlevania IV, however, is that, while Super Castlevania IV shines, Dracula Apocalypse winds up being merely middling, while falling short of being above average.

There are a lot of tracks in this album, most of which are very short and unmemorable. There are a few remarkable pieces, including the "Introduction" which has a nice solo violin rendition of Richter's theme from Rondo of Blood, and "Planetarium" which is both beautiful and atmospheric, lending an air of cosmic wonder to the piece.

One thing this album is good for doing is setting the mood. While I have never played the game (lacking an N64) I could definitely tell what kind of situations Schneider was facing depending on the tone of the piece. Aside from their evocative names, it's easy to come to the conclusion that "Shudder," with its feelings of danger and use of snare drums, involves the first encounter with some sort of malevolent presence, such as Castle Dracula. And "Intrusion" with its volume changes delivers suspense; just what you'd expect when infiltrating a dangerous area.

On the other hand, some of the pieces are truly excellent, albeit few and far between. I really found the music box theme "Rose" and "Planetarium" to be excellent, along with "A Night of Peace and Quiet," a very nice violin piece that provides a soothing melody to end the album. This album is not without redemption, of a sort.

In the final tally, I recommend this album to those who are fans of the Castlevania series' music, especially Super Castlevania IV, and who enjoy atmospheric, ambient tunes. This is the album for you.

Bottom Line: B-