MagWeb.com

Emperor Triumphant Music CD

by Robert Hamper

The selection of one’s choice of music is a very personal appreciation that is probably the most diverse for all the arts. So, it was with some trepidation that I tackled the review of this CD from Magweb.com. More so since my technical knowledge of music and its creation is only passing at best. Nevertheless, I plunged in to do my duty for The Courier’s readers.

The creation of a CD of “battle music” fills a bit of a void in the gaming world where we have every accessory for the table but few for ambience and background. Most times, enthusiasts compile their own from various classical recordings. As far as I know, this is the first dedicated compilation for military history buffs and wargamers. Magweb’s CEO, Russ Lockwood, actually created a story from which the music would be drawn. Essentially it’s about an empire which is suddenly invaded by its enemies. After initial setbacks, the Emperor and his forces defeat the invaders and peace is again restored. The music pieces are set up as contiguous chapters of this story.

If you’re expecting Wagner as performed by the London Symphony, you’ll be disappointed. The music is entirely synthesized. However, there are pieces where you’ll be hard pressed to say so. The music is composed and arranged by Wynter, a classically trained songwriter.

The CD opens with one of my favorite tracks, “Cavalry Clash” which is to be interpreted as the opening of the surprise attack. It is vigorous and the more you listen to it, the more the scenes of the horsemen’s battles can be imagined. It’s a pity that it’s the shortest track on the CD at 2:29. My other favorite is “Armorer’s Forge” which brilliantly captures the Emperor’s preparations for war. This track lasts a more satisfying 4:01.

By contrast, “Rally to the Emperor” and “Battle Royale” are the longest at 9:08 and 15:25 respectively. They’re both a little lengthy to capture your imagination like the aforementioned “Clash”...or maybe computers have decayed my attention span! “Battle Royale” is the heart of the CD and, as it plays out, the bass drums roll along like artillery in the background. The music does an admirable job at portraying a conflict on the field. I personally wish that the tempo had been altered a bit more to reflect the ebb and flow of battle and furious cavalry charges, but that’s just me.

The remaining tracks complete the saga. The synthesizer music falls down a bit on “Tattoo for the Dead” where the simulated bagpipes don’t do justice to the real thing. However, the rest of the music is a suitably mournful piece that aptly closes the battle. The final two tracks are “Accolades for the Heroes” and “March of Triumph”. The latter lacks the vigour a finalé should have. I wish it had the same energy in closing the CD with which “Cavalry Clash” opened the CD. “Accolades” is a lively enough tune and fits smoothly into the musical story.

I played the CD on my Discman with desktop speakers, then on my computer player and, finally, on my home stereo system. While it sounded good on all the machines, the stereo really brought it to life. The bass and snare drums sounded great and the stringed instruments were realistic enough. Synthesizing the rich sound of the brass and woodwinds is still a monumental task and there were no breakthroughs here.

The music would be great as background music while painting your minis. I personally can’t read with music playing, but some may find it adds to the experience of indulging in their history book. The CD is certainly a superior replacement of the dismal soundtracks found on PC wargames. I’m not certain if music and the tabletop go together, but I’d love to at least introduce the players to the latest game session with tracks from this CD. It’s a great addition to your wargaming paraphernalia, pick it up from Magweb.com.

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