Game Composer Reacts to MESSMER THE IMPALER from ELDEN RING SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE 

I've done a TON of videos on FromSoft's music including Bloodborne. Check em out over here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4nQexcuDPAw.html

"Duty" is basically all that Messmer is. He's a shell of a man, simply existing to serve his mother. He's only here to carry out a crusade for the sake of a mother that hates him for something he can't control.

Messmer is honestly one of the most tragic characters in Elden Ring. He thought himself a treasured son, one who could bear his mothers burdens for her. But in the end he realizes he was only a tool.

Take a look at Midra’s OST. It’s amazing

The rhythm you are hearing at 3:43 is Radagon's theme, pretty cool!

15:57 “Sounds like you are doomed” man you are so skilled at reading the game by the ost. If you are killed in the second phase Messmer literally says: “Embrace thine oblivion, as shall I”. So basically messmer knows no matter the outcome, he is doomed, for its death or his curse that now is released

My favorite boss fight and boss ost in the dlc, you should do midra next, you wont be disappointed

The ability of this man to listen to the OST and get so much about the character/theme from it is incredible. Speaks volumes as to how much thought is put into each track and how good you are at analyzing it!

SPOILERS FOR MESSMER'S STORY: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Messmer was at the front of the violent war in the Lands of Shadow. A crusade of vengeance for his Mother. He but accepted that he is the vessel for her pain and suffering, he was fine with it. He was calm, cool, and calculated. He shielded his Mother from Pain and took it upon himself. Made it his calling. But when the tarnished makes their way to challenge him, something within him breaks. Why does the tarnished, a lightless creature, no better than him, is more worthy to stand beside his Mother as a Lord ? He pulls out the only connection to his Mother which is his eye that was gifted to him by Marika to hold the Abyssal Serpent, his curse, within. He lets the serpent consume him in his rage at the beginning of phase 2. Whenever he kills you in this form he says ''O'Lightless creature, embrace thy oblivion as shall I''. He embraced the tragedy of his character in full. But there is no longer hope. No dream of his Mother's gratitude. There is nothing. He fell into the jaws of the serpent. Messmer as he was, died. I am so freakin impressed by Davi's interpretation of this. The eternal fall is the perfect description of Messmer's character. The difference was he plunged into the hole himself at first, for his Mother. But when even she has forsaken him, there was no reason to control the fall anymore.

bro in the gameplay clutched up; zero flasks and one shot. true soulsborne moment there

Best track for the best boss in the DLC. And on another note, this theme holds alot of similarities to Radagons theme, almost a sort of dark reflection of Radagons theme, which makes sense if you know the story.

Oh I really really hope your cover midra, lord of frenzied flame. Best track in the entire game imo, it sounds so incredibly evil

I love the moment when he says ”Wilt thou be taken in the jaws... of the abyssal serpent, shorn of light.“. During that scene he sounds so serious and kinda like he’s about to cry. He can’t control his emotions after thinking about his mother and how she abandoned him. He wants to take out all his anger on your fragile vigor 60 body. To bad I first tried him shortly after. Edit: to the people that also found him really easy: he’s not. I did some testing and apparently he’s just extremely weak to slash damage. Using a heavy weapon for example makes him way more enjoyable because of that. When fighting him at around scadu-level 12 he’s pretty much perfect, even tho phase 2 is somehow easier than phase 1. 9,5/10 fight.

It reminds you of the title screen music because it is referencing radagon's theme (one half of the main theme) because Messmer is Radagon's son, and a champion if the golden order (at least in phase 1)

During the phase transition cutscene, the choir mimicking the harmony is playing the two notes backwards. Instead of sad, disturbing, sad, disturbing...as the harmony was played during the first phase (and sounds similar to the plin-plong of the main menu theme), the choir goes disturbing, sad, disturbing, sad. My crackpot theory is this harmony is representative of Marika's golden order. During the first phase of Messmer's fight, he is very much acting in accordance with Marika's wishes, as he was forced due to Marika's seal. In the phase transition, Messmer breaks this seal and unleashes the abyss from within him. This moment is an ultimate blasphemy against Marika's order, and it is fitting that the harmony be played upside down.

I always love to see you analyze Fromsoft boss themes! Messmer’s was one of my favorites from the DLC, but I think you would get a kick out of the final bosses theme if you get the chance!

so glad youre covering this track, definitely my second favorite fight and song in the game. Please cover Bayle the Dread next, its an amazing track!

After all the hype built around him, I expected an epic theme song for him. After reading his story, I realized the sadness and rage in his theme fit him perfectly. It sounds a bit like title theme music, and there is a good reason behind it. Since you have started playing the game, I won't give you spoilers. Thanks for the amazing reaction, as always!

Best boss of the dlc so far. Hope to see you fight him if you enjoy elden ring. *Some lore spoilers related to messmer* On the topic of chromatic keys being ones not typically supposed to be used and a sound of sinking and doom: messmer has a symbiotic relationship with something called the abyssal serpent which his mother feared and sealed within him. The phase 2 music change could have to do with the forbidden power that he makes use of that brings destruction.

The title music motif you keep hearing is actually the OST of Radagon’s fight, Messmer’s father!

He is such a central figure of the DLC and his fight is amazing, at first I was a bit disappointed by the OST but the more I hear it the more it hits the feelings. I wanted to suggest a song I didn't see many people suggest it is super emotional: Those united in common cause also from this DLC

Ok, now you gotta react to Radagon's theme to fully understand this one once the DLC hype pass (the track name is "The Final Battle" btw).

You understanding the story of this fight purely through the music is so impressive to me. Impressive from you to be able to interpret it, but it also shows how incredible the writing is.

5:30 is not only similar to Radagon's theme, it also contains the same chorus that starts after the strings in the dlc trailer

So the theme you were hearing is the theme of Radagon which is also the title theme. It seems rather fitting as this character is the son of Radagon and marika who was born with a curse, explaining why it seems like a corrupted version of that song

He’s always spot on with the themes of the boss fights without even having seen them. He lets the music tell him everything

11:44 that part sounds reminiscent of a certain part of Radagons ost here

no way I was just watching your Divine Beast reaction lol. I'm sure this will be amazing as always!

The final chorus makes me think of angels falling from heaven - the grandeur, doom and despair of it. Considering Messmer's heavy parallels with Lucifer I think that's exactly the idea Fromsoft is trying to evoke.

Bro you need to do Midra, Lord of frenzied flame. It makes Mohg and Rykards themes seem cheerful in comparison it’s so evil.

Hey hope you are doing well, hugs from Puerto Rico

Good ear with noting the way it sounds like the Title screen music. Specifically, it sounds similar to Radagons theme. But like a broken version of it almost. Fitting for possibly the most emotionally broken man in this game.

That part sounds just like the main theme. I assumed it means that Messmer is very central to the overall arching story of Maricka and the Elden Ring.

i also recognize this pattern from somewhere. the only thing i could come up with was „dont tell aunt rody“

Ooh I’ve been waiting for you to check this out😂❤best in the game

I dont know about the leitmotif but in some moments, the rythm is trying to replicate The Final Battle OST. Makes sense, Messmer is the direct offspring of queen Marika, so he is related to royalty and order, but was abandoned by his mother.

I really think the motiff it reminds us of is of the main theme, the menu, radagon's theme. As it appears that the "plin plon" notes are once again used as inspiration to create a similar melody but distorted, perhaps melded with a shadow, as the theme of this expansion suggests. BTW you should definetily check out Midra's theme next, or The lord of frenzied flame soundtrack. IT IS GREAT

It’s absolutely incredible that in the first phase, the crescendo of Radagon’s theme never quite gets there. He’s been spurned and shunned by his mother. And in phase 2, when he rejects her grace completely, it hits with a darker undertone. What a masterpiece.

Midra’s ost is top tier😉

You should definetely check out Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame next

Watching these feels like the composers are writing the lore out in a secret language and sending it to Davi so he can decipher it

the familiar sounding melody that isn't from the intro/radagon's theme, seems to also be present in mogh's theme. around 1.21 in messmer's theme and 1.07 in mogh's. at least they sharr a rhythmic pattern. or something? i have no backgroud in music, but people who do have told me i have an uncanny ear for similarities like this lol.

Messmer has an amazing theme but Midra lord of renzy is my favourite out of the dlc.

You should try Midra next

Messmer and Midra made this dlc worth it alone, phenomenal bosses 🙏

Hey Davi, you should check out Romina saint of the bud next!

AHHHH this would be the best song of the DLC if Midra's thene was nonexistent (imo, obviously) In typical Fromsoft fashion, the DLC has mostly banger OST.

Okay, so the Messmer fight is my personal favorite from Elden Ring, right after Mohg, and its not just because they have the best music which fits "oh so well" thematically with their characters and story. Messmer's fight, at least to me, mirrors the Radagon fight from the main game, but not as in it resembles it, no, it's more like an inverted image of it (Its shadow, lol). If fighting Radagon and the Elden Beast is like fighting God, then fighting Messmer is like fighting The Devil (He even has a serpent, or becomes a serpent). And yeah you're right, the music is like something that's more like a dance because of the commonly used phrase "dance with the devil". They also did a rearranged version of "Radagon of The Golden Order" to use for the music to which you do your dance with this guy. The choice is probably because of the aforementioned thematic elements, and because some fans speculate that the identity of Messmer's father being non other than Radagon himself. To whomever reading this, if the suggested innuendos when talking about Messmer didn't make sense to you, then I hope this helps a little. 😅 Enjoy the one foot and a half long snake 😂

You couldn't be more right with your interpretation of the music. Duty is exactly right, and the boss sounds like he's just going through the motions. Then he transforms and accepts death. Awesome how composers can tell the same story in notes as shown on screen.

Bayle the dread would be awesome to see you do. I think it is the best song of the dlc.

You think you could take a look at Shantiens' themes from Monster Hunter Frontier G1.... there are 4 phases....

9:42 It’s incredible how you described it perfectly. In the first phase Messmer is restraining himslef on his mother’s orders, but in the second, he lets himself go, breaking his shackles and disobeying the orders. The fact that musically educated people like you can tell all of this from the song makes me appreciate the masters at From Soft musical team even more.

Probably my favorite boss and OST in the game so far🔥 and I think the leitmotif you’re recognizing is from the DLC trailer you analyzed a while back, Great video as always Davi 👏🏽

Messmer has easily rose to being my favourite character and boss fight in elden ring

Bro gotta react to Midra's ost, the actual best of Elden ring

Please please do Midra’s theme next 🙏

Can't wait for you to tackle Midra's OST. It's by far the most evil sounding track fromsoft has made to this days trac

the orderly feel you have is because messmer is still so loyal to his mother marika. he got her order to start a whole holy war in the shadow lands and that war is somehow still going on there. on the other side, messmer knows exactly that his mother didn’t just abandoned the shadow lands but him as well. and that’s where the second phase soundtrack intensifies, where it’s getting chaotic. marika was so scared and terrified of her sons power that she sealed his powers with a glass eye which has a marika seal on it but even after that she was still so scared that she locked him away where he just can order the war. in the second phase messmer breaks the seal and when he dies his last words are: o mother, curse you… messmers track has this „born of a god“ vibe in my opinion that it’s giving me goosebumps every time i hear it.

Davi react to midra lord of frenzied flame for the next vid his track is fire

The story of Messmer is a tragedy. He is born the imperfect child of, who in the eyes of the people is, the “perfect” god, matriarch of the “perfect” order. He loathes himself for his impurities which he cannot control and embarks on his crusade to prove himself to his mother. For this crusade, which his mother likely supported in private yet ridiculed to the public, would ostracize him and his followers from the erdtree. Finally, after the deed was done and his mother’s enemies felled, what was his reward for his obedience? For his service and loyalty? Exile; he would be secreted away, along with his army, in the land of shadow to never be seen again. And after all this, to add salt to the wound, he would find the tarnished in the land of shadow, and the grace of gold in their eyes. He would realize that to top it all off his mother chose the tarnished, individuals just as disgraced and flawed as himself, to be her next lord, while he was shunned and belittled from the start. Messmer, for his mother, had to become the devil, so she could become god.

I feel like the reason it reminds you of the title screen theme is because Messmer is Radagons son albeit writ from history intentionally. He was one of the most faithful to the golden order, or at least to Marika, and yet she still abandoned him and would rather a tarnished Lord (you) than to even remember him. Of course he's sad, he's angry and somewhat justifiably so...

I love this guy his passion for music really shows

In short, Messmer theme is "Orderly Tragic and Full of Depression"😢

oh hey, i've never been the first viewer, cool!

This track is so good, but I like "Romina, Saint of the Bud" better

If you don't mind spoilers, the final boss theme (The Promised Consort) is soooo good!

Always on point, Davi 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. I already suggested on Twitter hahahaha, but please do Romina, Saint of the Bud. I was trying to figure it out where did I hear that melody from (this one you that you were also trying to figure out), when it hit me. I'm no music expert, so I could be wrong haha, but the very beginning reminded me of this Messmer's melody (different tone, of course, but maybe a similar theme?). I really hope that you give it a try. It's one of my favorite tracks from the game 🙏🏼❤️🎶

I think the track you’re trying to remember that’s sounds similar is the story trailer music.

Midra’s boss music is up there with Ludwig for me

You should check out "Those United in Common Cause". It's my personal favorite soundtrack from the dlc of elden ring because it represents a sort of hopefulness as well as a bit of sadness which perfectly fits the fight it is paired with.

Midra and Bayle are going to be a ride for you

The theme this is reminicent of seems to be radagons in the first part of The Final Battle Track, fitting given radagon would be messmers father

They definitely pulled a little Dracula inspiration for Mesmer, "The Impaler" was the title given to the real world inspiration for the Dracula legend, Vlad Țepeș who was also a warlord famed for lifting those he conquered on spikes like Mesmer does with spears, and they followed through with some of the theming. That sense of politeness and refinement in the first phase music is the same as the usual outer layer of nobility that Dracula has, while there's a monstrous form underneath released in rage when challenged by the unworthy that you can hear in the second phase. He even lives in a dark confusing castle with odd architecture and has an underlying fire thematic, like recent depictions of Dracula particularly the Castlevania series. He's not a vampire and the parallel isn't complete, nor is the story the same, but they definitely had some of that vibe going.

“It’s like an Eternal fall” Messmer has the Abysal serpent. I’m amazed you can bring so much more meaning just by listening to music, amazing!!

Loved the video, I would love to hear your thoughts on this theme after you're given context on messmer!

There's a desperation and self righteousness to phase 2, like a Zealot who cannot lose under any circumstances no matter the personal cost. He's a very tragic character.

There really seems to be similarities with the main menu/Radagon theme. For lore reasons and maybe composer is the same? Edit. The motiff in the song was probably a reference to the cinematic trailer and to a certain other boss theme in the DLC.

Midra's theme is DEFINITELY worth checking out

He needs to do Midra’s and Bayles or just the shadow of the Erdtree theme itself

Mesmer was fooled into an ethnic cleansing in behest of his mother. And then, he was abandoned. Only until the moment he dies, he realizes he was fooled, lied to and forsaken

I reccomend the Putrescent Knight theme from the DLC, I find it quite enchanting and also a bit of a stray from the typical formula

I have a wild theory: The first three notes sound a lot like the leitmotiv from the fellowship of the ring. Messmer is represented by a snake, a beeing associated with cunning and malevolence. Davi said, the ost was orderly. Could it be that in a way the composer indirectly referenced Lord of the Rings? Because if one song sound to me, as if it was saurons theme song, this would be it.

Please react to Scadutree Avatar ost. It's so good. My favourite from DLC.

Surprised people aren't suggesting The Saint of the Bud or Promised Consort. By far the best tracks.

day 4 of asking for saint of the bud!

Hiiiiiiii. Indeed, I can hear the order of the first phase, that's probably why I like it way more than the second phase, good to know jajaja. Today I have a suggestion: Grime, it's a metroidvania, despite I don't like it very much, some tracks are pretty cool, like Surrogate Vulture and The Final Perfomance, this one with Cenopath City. I need to finish it. That's it. ¡Adiós Davi!

Midras theme is amazing give it a listen

Mesmer’s theme is dual of the fates from Star Wars with an added bridge and removed second and fifth notes…I love it

Best OST for the best boss in the game imo, I love how many conflicting feelings are shown through it’s different sequences, it almost sounds like an anthem at times, Messmer’s duty is the only thing that remains for him, his connection to a mother that hates him for something that he was born with, a mother whom he’s still so loyal towards, despite his abandonment. His roots within the golden order and Marika are reflected through the leitmotif of the final battle (or Radagon’s boss theme), but in an almost mournful version, he remains loyal to the order and his mother, but that loyalty is not mutual, that love isn’t mutual, he was abandoned in the lands of shadow in an eternal war due to a curse he never could do something about. And by the 2nd phase, everything changes, the song becomes a lot more desperate and frantic, he removes his mother’s seal which kept the Abyssal Serpent inside of him, fully intent on stopping you, but by that point of the battle, the realization has already set in, Marika is never coming back for him, he’s doomed to be eternally stuck in the lands of shadow, and he’s aware of that, when he kills you in that phase he simply proclaims in an empty tone “O lightless creature, embrace thine oblivion, as shall I.” His fate WAS always to be forgotten, and he’s already realized that, win or lose, he’s stuck here, waging a war that his mother started, a mother that never loved him. And that’s where the final minute of the track comes in, it’s pure tragedy, despite everything he did for the order, despite everything he did for his mother, Messmer will always be seen as a monster, by the golden order, and a symbol of fear for everyone inside the lands of shadow. A shell of a man with nothing left, other than his eternal duty to an order that would never acknowledge his loyalty.

Listen to St Tina's ost (also from the DLC) It's so beautiful

6:47 When you said you think this theme have the leitmotif as the "Main Menu Theme", you are on point since Messmer is technically related to that "Main Menu" character, Radagon aka Marika

you should take a look at the calamity mod ost's by DM Dokuro, I'm addicted

Davi, I'm so glad you're doing the Elden Ring DLC OST. No pressure, but take a look at Midra's theme.

Love your videos every time.

Rellana, Twin moon knight is a very good track too!

16:23 David, you played this in the story trailer in the messmer part!!!!!

There’s a hint of radagon in the Messmer track

I'm just happy I'm not the one who heard the main screen's soundtrack while starting the fight

My favourite track of the entire game currently

Make sure to give Bayle the Dread a listen for my boy Igon