Do you want a composition score that is beautiful but gives you such a sinister chill down your spine, with such foreboding and haunting emotions? Yet given how epic and downright evil this sounds, the music provides you pure goosebumps of terror. Armed with a full choir (35 singers strong in the Sofia Session Choir!), this track on P@D: Zenith is a prime example of how to do a villain song. The overwhelming feeling of dread and nightmares seep into your very being as you listen to all the basses, strings, and chilling violin. The vocals bring it together with one message: “Praise the nightmare queen or else!” This track is another feather in the cap of the orchestral brony community on this album! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself!
Original
[VibePoniez] PHES – Boardwalk Ballad | Chill Funk
Vibeponiez: Downtown wastes little time in its 7th release by immersing you in the sandy beaches of Maretime Bay with Sunny Starscout with this fly track by PHES! Sunny insists that it is party time with an ice-cold smoothie and the waves looking prime for surfing. The melody, the slapping bass, and the 90’s beach vibe with the smooth lo-fi beats make you feel like you’re enjoying the overcast of sunray as Sunny is building a sand castle with Izzy, Hitch, Pipp, and Zipp. Oh, and those soft radio vocals oozing with the chill factor as waves are heard over the boardwalk of Maretime Bay. As always, This Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
[VibePoniez] GhostXb – Midnight Bliss | Downtempo
I love GhostXb’s chilled out hip-hop songs like this one. He manages to create pieces with full, punch drums, but the rest of the instrumentation still brings a sense of calm a relaxation. But this also has a bit of a twist as it gorgeously transitions halfway through into a more ambient section. It feels like a sonic representation of breaking through the clouds to a clear night sky… Fitting choice of background art then, isn’t it?
[P@D] Kyradeen – Incertitude | Ambient / Chillout
Kyradeen has, this time around on P@D: Zenith, crafted a tale that brings together the joys of life and its conflicts. In her own words the structure of the music, the elements of pianos, sine synths, and other features in the flow of this track, convey her fears and anxieties. But then there’s the image of Fluttershy, the counterbalance of those things – comfort, warmth, and peace. It’s a mindful piece of music to listen to, a well-composed one fitting for one of many talented orchestral bronies on this album. Beautiful stuff here. As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
[P@D] TCB – For The Taking (feat. General Mumble) | Colour Bass
Songs about MLP villains are nothing new, as musicians over the years have used creative talents to make music that embodies that character with their skill sets of music. Then you have this track from TCB and General Mumble from P@D: Zenith – a villain song with major style points! TCB captures the essence of Nightmare Moon with those sly drops and his trademark bass crunches, blended with these melodies that sound from the outer limits of the galaxy itself! Oh, and Mumble adds these 80’s like pop vocals that are far out and so deliciously speak for the motives of Dark Alicorn of the Moon herself. As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
Khaliber, Kholat & Keisha Sounds – Rocketship (feat. Odyssey Eurobeat & Drummershy) | Melodic DnB
The meaning of this track may not be so apparent at first. But when it comes to the spirit of the musician community of the brony fandom, the hunger for all of this new talent is coming into our fandom is unquestionable! Khaliber has bought in some friends to express that in this track. Brony music legend Odyssey Eurobeat and brony drummer ace Drummershy lend their talents to this message along with Keisha Sounds and Kholat. The lyrics are about never losing your love for making music; that newer musicians don’t always get their work noticed, but that never should stop you from making the craft you love. The melody of momentum sounds off in this hyper beat of energy, and live drums feed into this thanks to Drummershy! Odyssey’s voice adds fire to the lyrics’ message, along with Keisha’s vocals bringing uplifting vibes. To all musicians in this fandom trying to get noticed, this song is for you! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
[P@D] Frozen Night – Laniakea’s Curse (feat. Holly Frances Royle) | Orchestral
Suppose there is one obvious thing you can say about P@D: Zenith. It’s that orchestral bronies have clearly stated the fandom’s depth of talent. P@D celebrates its 25th album, MY GOODNESS. Frozen Night’s beautiful fantasy epic. Loaded with all the goodies. Mightly orchestra melodies, symphonic metal guitar for an added punch! Lastly, Ms. HollyRoyle’s vocals tell the tale of the Kirin Goddess. (You are welcome to read the lore of Time’s arrow with the link in the description!) A morsel of how this genre shines on Zenith! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
Biscuit – PAY YOUR PENANCE | Metal
Metal is such a perfect storytelling medium for a character like Spout. Biscuit, who is making a splash for themselves in the brony metal scene, ideally takes the actions of Spout and turns the up-in-your-face emotion and elements of Metal. The intensity of flow from Spout’s total transformation from a jealous insecure brat to a hateful tyrant is solid. Especially the little bits of Sunny and Hitch’s insight in the lyrics. It is a much more serious take on spouts actions which adds a needed edge to the story in contrast to the comedic dumb tyrant presentation of Spout in the G5 movie. Plus, be sure to listen to the end as it adds weight to Spout’s relation of how dire his action was. Powerful stuff!. Keep an eye on Biscuit’s work, friends! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
Vylet Pony – F*CK MARRY K*LL | Glitch Hop
Editor’s note: Profanity warning, in case it wasn’t obvious
Is it any surprise that Vylet did a Queen Chrissy track and made it sound like pure violent intent? Even more interesting is that she uses a genre not typically composed by her, yet she captures the spirit of bug queen with complex grinding elements and bass drops that come with ill intent of one vile Queen Chrissy! If those Chrissy vocal chops were not enough for an edge, Vylet’s haunting vocals, singing of Chrissy sucking the love out of you, should send a chill down your poor spine. As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
[P@D] L-Train – Horizon | Metal
If you’re savoring some tasty and brutal metal, then one of the cornerstones of brony metal wishes to deliver! Nightmare Moon’s emotion speaks with every fiber of this composition. Those instruments build up with the drama and rage; the drums add just the exemplary brutality to the mood. The return of Nightmare Moon? Those lyrics tell us just how patient she is, watching and waiting to return and strike vengeance. It’s not metal from L-Train without that guitar solo to convey that sentiment. But, if you listen closely, you hear all the little things L-Train has done to enhance his sound over the years, the elements that make his music storytelling a step above the rest. P@D Zenith is full of what the brony metal scene is about, and this is just one of many on this album! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
Horse Music Herald 