If you want to create epic songs about pivotal themes in MLP, where do you start? On this rockin’ track, Lord Sunfyre takes us back to the first episode of G4 and explores Celestia’s psyche on the 1000 year anniversary of Luna’s banishment to the moon. How does Celestia feel about her time serving as Equestria’s sole ruler? Why weren’t we treated to an epic Celestia vs Nightmare Moon showdown? The artist offers an answer through some great lyrics and guitar work. Accompanied by a nice lyric video to help transport the listener to that moment, it’s a great first offering from a new horse rocker!
Rock
[ASOS] Burning Gryphon – Hate (feat. PrinceWhateverer, Bree, Scoonie and Stallionslaughter) | Metalcore/Deathcore
What a debut track for his first major compilation album! Burning Gryphon has been making himself known in 2020 with his live sets over the number of online pony conventions. Now he steps into a huge stage on ASOS: Chocolate!
Not holding back in this deep and angry track, he was inspired by Starlight Glimmer’s lesson in not holding your feelings in. The track is based on personal life experience, and boy, is it not for the faint of heart. The deep and howling melodies go with this harsh track about BG dealing with emotions that he had long suppressed and much like what happened with Starlight, it has done a number on him. The guitars and drums are hard and full of spite. There is this epic and haunting melody to go with those lyrics, really driving home this feeling of anger and sorrow in these elements.
Speaking of that, BG composed the music and wrote the song, but it’s the guest vocalists that bring it to life. Bree sets up both verses with spoken word inserts, with Scoonie and Stallionslaughter joining them in the emotional growls of those heavy lyrics. So heated and hardcore! With the chorus, the one and only PrinceWhateverer lends his powerful voice into the mix with everyone else, expressing the emotional message of anger. The clean and screaming vocals work so well. BG knows what he’s doing I tell ya. Don’t sleep on him now.
Oh, and a couple fun facts about this song. The album also marks the first compilation album Stallionslaughter has been on, as well as Prince’s first time on ASOS and Bree’s first compilation album in the fandom. What a historic track! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
[ASOS] Painters & Poets – Everything Here | Acoustic
Today we’ve got ourselves another song from Chocolate, Painters and Poets bring us this great Acoustic track. The song starts with just the guitar for a bit until the lyrics start and later we get a beautiful lead guitar solo. The lyrics tell us that we have to try to make something great from what we have and that we have everything we’ve ever wanted right here and we just have to discover it. And on a more personal note some of the lines really made my eyes water up simply because of how beautiful this song is and how much nostalgia it brings to me, back in the day when my parents had a CD full with songs like this one when we drove into another country for our vacation and I hold those memories so dear.
MelodyBrony – Stay | Punk Rock
MelodyBrony quickly became one of my favorite rock artists in the fandom, and for good reason. He has a knack for genuine, heartfelt lyrics and this song is a shining example of that spirit. The message is something I personally relate with, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who enjoyed the little homage within a certain line. While a little on the short side, the track gets its meaning across without overstaying its welcome; it being that things are still alive and kicking. A deserving member of the repeat-button club
SDreamExplorerS – Vandroŭnickaja (feat. Koron Korak & Pavel Lipski) | Folk Metal
This time we got ourselves something special everypony! SDreamExplorerS brings us a folk metal song in Belarusian language and with the help of Koron and Pavel he put together an epic 5 minute track. The lyrics are fully in Belarusian which you think may make it lose some of the flair if you don’t understand the language, while that may be true a bit I also don’t speak nor understand Belarusian but either way I like this song. The combination of guitar violin, Belarusian and the bits of narration by Pavel Lipski gives this whole thing a very epic feeling.
[Equinity] Suskii – Crystal | Metalstep
Track 2 from Equinity 03: Breach is Crystal, a unique contribution from Suskii! Beginning with a deep electronic riff with a sample of Celestia speaking about Sombra, a quick build up is telegraphed by her saying “now go!”, before building up to an insanely heavy dubstep drop with powerful punchy drums and intense synth sounds. We’re given a small break with a deep synth melody before the second half kicks in… A light synth sound makes up the bulk of this section before we’re treated to the sound of Suskii’s vocals, which are harmonius and filled with emotional. Right after is a sudden change of pace with the addition of heavy drums, distorted guitars and screaming. This metal/dubstep fusion showcases a lot of his musical chops while being a welcome fit on the compilation. And this is only the beginning!
Studio Quinn – Alone (feat. JustKat and Koron Korak) | Orchestral Rock
Oh, the wonders of making music based on the fandom’s headcanons… Now, just to be clear, it’s long been said that Twilight will not outlive her friends. That has not been changed or been confirmed by Big Jim Miller.
However! That doesn’t mean that wonderful music can be made from it, like this track! There are many pretty yet somber aspects to the composition of this track by Quinn. The vibe of the melody goes with the thumbnail artwork and the orchestra elements are wonderful. You really feel for Twilight as the bittersweet vocals of JustKat tells that story to really sell it. You have the fantastic violin from the one and only maestro Koron Korak to further those feels. It’s a very unsettling feeling for the new ruler of Equestria. Poor Twilight… As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
SlightlyAmiss – Life to Lead (feat. Acouste Wholenote) | Hard Rock
Some musicians really get it. The start of this track has a profound message for many in this fandom. That piano solo paired with Acouste Wholenote‘s gentle vocal) says it all. There has been a dark cloud over the brony fandom since the series finale, but it doesn’t have to be that way, and don’t quit with the brony spirit; keep that vibrant and positive energy going! This is a song the fandom needs to hear; these musicians like Pony Life and plan on keeping the power of brony music going!
(Continued after the break)
Bayanic – Hadron Sonata | Progressive Rock
In the means of revamping past songs for an improved effort of production, Bayanic has pledged to recompose his Equinelibrium album. Off to a great start with this really catchy song if you ask me. This one creates an OST-like sound by mixing some old school techno elements, along with pleasing keyboards tones and some really fun Prog Rock guitars and drums. The melody dances around to some extremely catchy music that you just want to go for a power walk while doing the grocery shopping! I want to hear more! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself. –
SDreamExplorerS – Ildy pad Ružovymi Kryłami (feat. Velvet R. Wings, Koron Korak & Pavel Lipski) | Folk Metal
SDreamExplorerS or Soul Strings is about to release a new album, Ephemeral III: Imhnieńnie Ščaścia, a folk metal album with vocals in Belarussian and the third part of the Ephemeral circle. It will release on the 28th of August, but pre-orders are available. Alternatively, bandcamp will cut out its fees on the 4th of September, which is a great opportunity to support awesome artists like SDreamExplorerS. This track is a single from the upcoming album. As per usual from him, there’s a lot to listen to in the song, including plenty of acoustic intruments like Koron Korak‘s violin or the dulcimer programmed by Pavel Lipski, all professionaly mixed. And as always, Velvet R. Wings and Soul Strings’ vocals work together beautifully despite being polar opposites, each vocalist getting a solo part too.
Horse Music Herald 