Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's Battle Theme is Insane 

Just got an Alex Moukala ad on an Alex Moukala video - wild!

I'm a composer as well, and I quite literally started writing music and becoming interested in music exclusively, 100% because of my experience with FFVII as a kid. It literally impacted the entire trajectory of my life, including my schooling and career path. I would not have discovered any of the composers I like, mostly very intense 20th century music, if it were not for the original game, and seeing the world and music become what it has become in this re-imagining is nothing short of incredible. I haven't really written since COVID due to life kind of going sideways, like it did for a ton of us. I need to get back to the table.

I've missed these videos from you for so long! I know you've been busy, but these are so enjoyable to listen to.

Ohohhh yeah Final Fantasy has always been metal/prog, usually filtered through Orchestra, but when they lean into it even harder it’s KILLER

*God please let Alex Moukala be one of those "25000" composers that worked on FF7 Rebirth lmaooo. Always a joy to see more of you!*

This is the best crossover of two themes I've ever heard, I'm glad Hamauzu is directing the music on 7R, being Uematsu's best student you can really hear how much he loves the original material while still injecting his own style to it. I went to the 7R orchestra world tour in Paris back in december of 2021, Hamauzu was there and the live rendition of these themes made me cry so much. VII music is absolutely iconic for a reason.

Alex Moukala, nerding out as a musician is what I love about this channel. I hope that people keep hiring you for projects. Your musical ear and producing ability and educating people on music with your enthusiasm and bravado is a boon to this world. May you keep finding greatness you beast of a person. All the best! Edit: That slap bass makes me have happy feels!

With just a simple demo, this games music has caused an emotional reaction in me twice. When the main theme slowly builds up as you begin your trip to the Mt. Nibel Reactor, i could not help but smile as memories from my childhood flooded to me. The second time was as you play tifas theme on the piano, such a Beautiful and dare i say PERFECT rendition of her theme. I cannot wait to see what they do with the forgotten capital, temple of the ancients and cosmo canyon themes.

_It was so cool seeing Alex at FFXIV Fanfest in London. His funk isn't just a RU-vid edit, it's the real deal!_

It’s great to have you back 😃 Rebirth’s music is sounding amazing!!

Love this. And your bass cover absolutely SLAPS, we gotta get a full cover version of this, please. 🙏🏻

Yo. Music and sound is so fundamentally important to our experiences and it almost always gets a little overlooked. It's especially important in these remakes as it's designed to plug directly into and tap our nostalgia and emotions and it's something that usually exists only vaguely to people almost experienced subconsciously. It's really nice to see a more fitting look into its composition and intention and trying to make people aware that it has very deliberate purpose and power. You did a great job.

legit they did a fantastic job on the music for both the remake and rebirth. Just blown away by the fact that they did such a good job matching everything. I think this is probably going to be both my favorite games of all time but also my favorite soundtracks of all time.

I can’t believe how good your ears are being able to recreate all the different orchestral sections note by note

Dude, your musical analysis videos are honestly the most feelgood content ever. Your knowledge on music production, along with your perspectives and most importantly your passion for this stuff is incredible. Genuinely makes my day watching your videos!

Hype levels are over 9000. Who would have thought the overworld theme and the battle theme could be overlaid like that?! The music from the first installment (i.e., Remake) was so good, hearing what they did with the tracks this time is honestly one of the playthrough elements that I'm looking forward to the most for Rebirth. End of the month can't come soon enough! As always, love hearing your take on the music and feeling your enthusiasm come through the screen when talking about this content!

Ahhhh and putting the drums under the orchestra was fantastic. And you wrote a drum part that a drummer would definitely be okay with too, you're.. you're doin' good stuff here.

@Alex Moukala I'm in no way, shape or form a music producer, but your excitement about music, especially in Final Fantasy games, is pretty much the same as mine lol. I always enjoy watching your videos.

The music for FF7 is always going to be one of the best game music of all time, so many emotions from just a couple of tracks. It's why I picked Aerith's Theme to walk down the aisle to.

the big theme moments in this are not something I was expecting to love so much. Somehow they keep remixing the FF7 themes in better and better ways, and it gives me chills every time. So excited to hear the rest of the music for this game. Thank you for the video Alex!

It was freaking awesome meeting you at the Ultimate Final Fantasy pub quiz. Not only that but actually being on your team! Rebirth’s music is going to be incredible I can feel it ❤

I'm sooooo happy you pointed out the dissonant chords! It brings a sense of uneasiness, followed immediately by a feeling of unsure resolve. Alex, your videos help me feel not so alone. As a pianist, and a mega nerd of the music in the Final Fantasy franchise, I often feel very alone in my obsessions with the compositions!

"I'm sorry." We're not, its what we're here for!

Man Alex does an insane job of always breaking down every single note and theme from the songs just by ear it seems! What a talented human! You rock dude!

You are also incredible! The way you break down the tracks instead of just sitting here and listening is so entertaining

This is the all-time most incredible first time viewer video I've ever watched. I love this game and felt every emotion you conveyed and holy shit I loved the Bass! You're incredible!

Seeing you get so excited about the music is making me excited for this game! I wish there were more creators who nerd out over videogame music like you do, please never change!

This game's soundtrack is un-fucking-believable and I'm glad you made this video. I'm a musician/Berklee kid too and when Remake came out, me and my roommate (also a musician/Berklee kid) sat around learning and playing the soundtrack while we slowly played the game. It took forever because we had to keep stopping to learn the next song lol.

SO GLAD TO SEE YOU DO AN ANALYSIS AGAIN! Miss seeing these man! GOD you are so good at what you do!

I'm TOTALLY HERE for the nerding out! Love the battle track breakdown. 😎

Oh man that sounds absolutely INSANE and I love watching you completely lose it as you go through it because it's exactly my same experience as I'm hearing it with you lmao! Also I TOTALLY AGREE with your point on orchestral soundtracks in videogames, I understand why some folks are apprehensive about them given the history of *some* perhaps less creative uses of orchestra in games in the past, but you absolutely can use orchestration in an authentic way for a videogame setting and FFVII REMAKE/Rebirth are excellent examples of that. 'm beyond hyped for this game!

5:24 this is exactly what I remember most about the original FF7, that feeling of an immense world to explore 👌

6:43 Those flips between minor and major in the motif... 🤌

This video gave me goosebumps! The way you broke the music and instruments down was phenomenal! Gives me chills.

Brother, during the Midgardsormr battle upon its climax, the way the music elevates is on another level!

Incredible analysis. I’d just like to add for those who don’t already know that, like every other battle track in FFVII Remake project, it also is designed to be shifted in and out of from the traditional main theme seamlessly, which means all of this was accomplished while filling every existing measure of music 1:1 and keeping the melody at the EXACT SAME TEMPO as the original theme! Unreal!

This is my very first time listening to this song, but my God, IT SLAPS! I got immediate goosebumps. No surprise coming from the same Remake team but its still IMPRESSIVE that they re-arranged the main theme as a battle theme with Let the Battles Begin. Can't wait to play the game and discover more God-tier arrangements!

Ohhh this video got me pumped!! Love it Alex, thanks for all you do. Your FFXIV composition of Close In the Distance still makes me cry every time the limit break goes off. This video had my Dynamis rocking out too!

And this is only one of *four hundred* tracks composed by the same people. It's actually a historic achievement in human history for the musical arts.

I'm lost for words with this battle theme. It's stalling me from progressing with the MSQ as i just want to keep running around the grasslands killing enemies so I can hear the transition over and over. The whole damn sound track is just GOAT tier.

So happy you made this video! Just happy you are back!

This was an interesting video. Like you say the setting where this song is played is also so cool. You first get out of the city, you on the run, this open beautiful landscape, first the calm version, then into the battle with this amazing remix of two very familiar songs.

This track feels like a celebration to me, a welcome back to FF7. So much fanfare and high emotion.

As someone that played this game as a young teenager, I got huge goosebumps just hearing these score arrangements. I feel like a kid again just hearing this awesome music and cannot wait to jump back and have this amazing experience again with this game.

Yes! I love your music break downs, your first one for Remake was what introduced me to you! Thanks for doing this!

Dude, the music gives me chills! I am so hyped

I feel you man, this sounds absolutely amazing. Thank you for the video.

@11:00 That actually took me back to Aeirth's speach on the "uncertanty" of freedom.

I can't lie, once the theme swells to that adventurous bombast I feel a rush of decades of memories all come back to me... those tears of joy and excitement, GOD.

I love you and your energy Alex. It’s such a hard Time for me at the moment and this video just makes me feel better. Thank you.

i was playing the demo and smiling the entire time you summed it up beautifully great work

Definitely missed these vids! The talent and enthusiasm never fails to drag me into each breakdown keep me engaged. Glad you got to relive your nostalgia through this music!

Alex, your videos are always so inspiring! I love how you always manage to share your excitement and passion for music 🧡 It’s so great to have you back!

Woohoo!!! Go, Alex. Such a fantastic analysis. Can’t wait for your next one x 🥳

Welcome back Alex! Awesome video for an awesome battle theme! Thank you very much for your precious insight and taking the time to show us mamy minute details. Also sick bass lines, man! See ya in the next one ❤

I'm late to seeing this video, but it's always great to hear Alex react to music of my favorite games. I would love to see him react to the music in a specific fight in Chapter 13 of Rebirth (don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I'll just say there's a jazzy flair to the song)

I MISS YOU SO MUCH and these videos!! What a grear deconstruction!

I love how excited you get. I feel the same - the specific blend is incredibly satisfying. It feels powerful but also refined and totally fitting for the storytelling.

Welcome back! I love the deep dives you do!

I love your analysis! I remember hearing this in the trailer and your description of what we felt at every given moment was super accurate. This track was so powerful, it even serves as the music for the trailer.

ff7 music has always gone hard, I'm glad the remix is even harder. every 35+ year old watching is immediately hype listening to this

So happy to receive another (awesome) Alex Moukala analysis video!

Been missing your content, Alex. Thank you for blessing our inboxes

Thanks man. This is such an amazing transcription of feelings. It will stay in my heart for a long time, if not forever. THANSK

It's great to see a new video from you! I have been absolutely floored by the soundtrack in the Rebirth demo. There's a version of "On that day, five years ago" that plays during the nighttime in Nibelheim that is just so hauntingly beautiful, I had to pause the game and just appreciate it for a while. What's even more incredible is that it transitions through forms as you progress though that scene... there's an ethereal version as you're outside approaching the manor, it subtly shifts into a more ominous version as you enter the manor, and it changes once again as you proceed deeper into the manor and you start to hear the base notes of another legendary track from FF7. What a phenomenal job they've done.

I always love these videos because it really just shows off not only your understanding of the music but that you know how to make it work yourself as a composer. I'd love to work with you one day.

ff7, ff14 and monster hunter have some best tracks, ever. i'm so excited to hear more rebirth music.

Nice analysis! I love your work, keep on rocking!

Your bass playing is wild! But what a track and what an incredible soundtrack.

I absolutely adore these videos Alex. Fantastic stuff as always. It was really great seeing you at the press event. 😊

Your passion for the craft is sooo infectious, I missed it man. Glad to see you back!

Loved the breakdown Alex. This track is pretty awesome.

Missed you Alex!!! Cant wait to listen through all this

I love you so much , so glad you’re back

Yesss, i love your videos Alex. Thank you🙏🙏

Your passion makes me smile man! Keep it up! And yes, this soundtrack is absolutely masterful. :)

Glad to watch another one of your videos!

This track is unbelievably amazing, defying all expectations! Thanks for guiding us through the details of the instrumentation, some of which we couldn't articulate. I haven't had a chance to play the demo yet since I'm traveling, but I'm incredibly excited to hear it! - Feb 29's the day.

Awesome to hear your insight. The track is so deeply layered with melodies and motifs! Can't wait to play the final game! 😁

You’re an excellent teacher! I learned a lot from your unique insights, thanks!

I found you because I am loving the music of FF7 again and playing FF7 Rebirth. Very VERY few games integrate the music to the experience. This is unreal as I'm still 50 hours in and got more to go. Keep it up and give more love to the FF7 Remake music. You could fill months to a year doing this game alone.

While watching your video I was quietly waiting for your crank base solo and then it sparkled the joy out of me. Haha, very nice done Alex. 🤩😍🤩

I was kind of on the fence about picking this one up, you helped me make up my mind. Thanks!

First time I’ve had an RU-vid Ad made by the RU-vidr I’m currently watching. That threw me off so much. Great stuff Alex!!🔥

Excellent breakdown and analysis.

I love your passion. Keep it up!

I love your commentary on video game music. This song though! And the disco-fied version at the end is great.

I love your passion, it's contagious

Such a joyful video! Your enthusiasm is infectious :-D

So glad you’re back Alex! We’ve missed your mentorship on here ✅🙌🏾

excellent breakdown. keep up the great work!

love the analysis man!

I was NOT ready for the bit at the end. That was awesome!

Music has always been a core component of why I enjoy the Final Fantasy series, and FF7 is hands-down the greatest of them. The Rebirth demo and what it does with the original game's themes--Jesus! So good!

I have been waiting to hear what youve been thinking about the ost so far! Its amazing that this game has like 5 versions of every theme depending on what youre doing or where you are. This game is actually a 10/10.

2nd commentary! Thanks for your amazing composer point of view and all your passion and hard work! It is very interesting and it gives me moooreee hype one more time for FF7 rebirth launch

@12:30 Spoiler alert: they DID show this level of attention to every freaking track in this game! You are spot on in your articulation of how genius the blending of these tracks was to communicate the plethora of emotions it's meant to communicate. The same situation occurred over and over and OVER again throughout the game. Every character theme has a happy version, a melancholy version, a battle version, a triumphant version. They'll weave Cait Sith's theme into the Nibelheim theme - two tracks that have NO business being mashed up - when he comes to the forefront for a brief moment during that arc. They'll layer in the Shinra theme or Hojo's music or Jenova's when the story is about to take a turn in those directions, adding audio cue's in advance to build anticipation. And it's all so freaking seamless! This is, I think, the greatest game soundtrack I've ever heard hands down.

FFVII Rebirth and Remake was insane for the music. Its like DJing and mixing the music in and out.

God, I love your analyses!

That is incredible! Some very talented people putting in a lot of work to make this a wild experience for us.