Record of Lodoss War

RECORD OF LODOSS WAR
VOLUME 1
JNA Animation
JNA-1502-2
ISDN #09119 15022

-- by Charles McCarter

Track Listing

1. Prologue 4:16

2. Fantasia of the Wind 3:35

(vocal: Sherry)

3. Addesso e Fortuna 3:30

Flame & Eternity(Instrumental)

4. Deedlit's Theme 1:34

Fairy of the Wind

5. Parn's Theme 2:09

Friendship

6. Reminiscence 2:03

7. Dark Emperor Beld's Theme 2:26

8. Karla's Theme 1:32

9. Fatal Struggle 2:05

10. Fire Dragon 2:02

11. Underground Sanctuary 1:33

12. Wart's Study 1:34

13. Magic Spell 1:36

14. Karla's Witchcraft 1:17

15. Adesso e Fortuna 1:36

Flame & Eternity

(vocal: Sherry)

16. Fantasia of the Wind 3:33

(Instrumental)

When I first saw RECORD OF LODOSS WARS many years ago, I remember being hooked by the Prologue where the narrator relates the history of the island. Mostly I remember this because of the music--in a sea of OVA's that rely on electronic music or small-scale instrumental groups, the fully-orchestrated music of LODOSS stood out.

And it still does. The first track, "Prologue", is probably my favorite instrumental, as it offers a hint of everything to come. The opening bells and the fluttering woodwinds give it an air of mystery and fantasy, the strings add the tension, and the brass lend the feeling of impending battle. All of this is underscored by the subtle and gradual building of the percussion, which combines all these elements into a very richly interwoven piece that dissolves suddenly and foreshadows the events to come.

All of the instrumentals are performed by the "Kaze no Orchestra" (Orchestra of the Wind), and are very beautiful. "Reminiscence", for example, is a slow piece that sounds like a Bach air; the slow, serene melody flows and undulates as it is carried along by the violins.

"Fatal Struggle" has considerably more energy and tension; it takes one of the themes from "Prologue" and develops it more fully, adding a greater sense of urgency and intensity in the brass. "Fire Dragon" starts off quietly but very quickly takes on a somber and serious tone as the brass take the lead.

"Wart's Study" has an almost angelic sound, provided by a pipe organ and a synthesizer. Again, the music starts softly and gets gradually more intense. However, this is intensity of a different type, and one is reminded of Wart sitting at his desk pouring over a book with the candles glowing. In stark contrast to this is "Karla's Witchcraft", which gives the listener an eerie sense of dread. The music rolls in and out softly, like fog through a dark forest. The volume of the music never seems loud enough to imply Karla's immediate presence, but rather gives the impression of her watching from a distance.

The two vocals on this CD are "Fantasia of the Wind" and "Adesso e Fortuna", the ending and opening, respectively. It is a little odd that the ending song appear on the CD as the second track, but that's how the Japanese version is, too. I imagine that decision was because the song is faster and more upbeat than "Adesso". Both the songs are sung by Sherry, who has a nice voice, even on those occasions when she seems to be singing outside of her optimum range. The songs themselves are beautiful, both musically and lyrically, and there are english translations/adaptations in the booklet.

The CD booklet bears mentioning, too. It has, as far as I can tell, retained all the images used in the original Japanese release. In addition, the credits, notes, and songs have all been translated into English. The only improvement I could suggest is including both the Japanese and English lyrics, so that those who know (or want to know) Japanese, can have the lyrics for reference. (It can be blessedly difficult to determine words in a Japanese song without written lyrics.)

One final note, as I know this item will be of concern to many fans who are skeptical about domestically-pressed anime CD's. The sound quality on this CD, like all the other JNA CD's I have heard, is indistinguishable from the original.

In short, for $17.95, you get a marvelous soundtrack that would have otherwise cost you $30 or more. In the words of Martha Stewart, It's a good thing.