MUSIC DIRECTOR REACTS | Armor-clad Faith (Potemkin Theme) - Guilty Gear Strive OST 

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I love when my music comes with a video game

Daisuke: I wanna release a rock album for your new system Sony: Uh, the Playstation is for playing video games Daisuke: ....I'll be back in 20 minutes

Im still so glad you notice the basslines in these songs because whoever is playing really does just go CRAZY every time but the composer Daisuke Ishiwatari is also just an underrated genius in his field

I love the song because it has the exact same momentum as playing him in strive. The rise from the bridge feels like Potemkin taking you straight up into the sky only for him to fall with a loud “DISCOOOOOOORRRDDD” dealing a third of your health bar, I love it

Not really a music guy, but one of my favorite parts when I first listened to Guilty Gear was realizing that every part of the song, lyrics and music, were put where they are deliberately and intentionally. You mentioned during the video how songs communicate with both lyrically and rhythmically, and I think my favorite example is the second to last part of the chorus, where the song would normally say "ARMOR CLAD FAITH" but its notably absent, and the music switches up in response to that, and the story it tells of losing faith, and the part immediately after reflecting a choice to persevere.

The whole conversation that goes in these songs is insane. In Potemkin's you have very clear the descriptive voice of what he sees, then his own angry reaction towards it, gives way to his dream of a better world, but that dream gets interrupted by the reality of the strife he still has to deal with. Yet, despite all of that, he steels his resolve and soldiers on. Rinse and repeat. And the musical structure and choices made just reinforce this so strongly every single time. No wonder busting feels so good. Looking forward to when it's time for "Alone Infection" and "Mirror of the World"

this one is an all-timer. potemkin is an indian man, slave-turned-soldier, with a bomb collar strapped to his neck. the belief in the people, the faith in his morals, it's all so powerful, but the part that always rips my heart out is the "nirvana" part. that, to me, is 100% the call of the void. he has fought for so long, and im sure there are times where he just wants to slip up once and give his oppressors the chance to end it all for him. but he fights on, and perseveres, for the sake of his faith and the people. brutal, man. i god damn love this theme and this character. excellent analysis, glad you liked it

My favorite thing about this song is the ending. Two potential meanings. "I have made mistakes, but I shall soldier on in hopes that what I am doing will lead to a better future for those who come after." Or "I know I'm not strong enough to forcibly right all the wrongs in the world any more. I will not stop trying though, because that is the right thing to do."

In Guilty Gear at the turn of the 20th century the whole world swapped from technological power to magical power. The whole world except for India that is. They rejected magic and built a country sized airship named Zepp (named after Led Zeppelin) using "black tech" aka the old technology. However, Zepp was founded as a slave state. Potemkin was born into slavery in Zepp, but him and his commanding officer, a man named Gabriel, worked together to revolutionize Zepp and overthrow the regime. Gabriel became Zepps new president and Potemkin loyally follows him, and they're very close friends and rivals. Potemkin is a deceptively thoughtful and gentle person, and can also be very sensitive. He's unquestionably a hero but he struggles to make sense of the world sometimes. His appearance is due to a genetic condition that causes his muscles to grow infinitely. His red gauntlets are actually limiters, without them he could cause disaster without even meaning to, but even with them on he's excessively powerful. He's a fan favorite, partially because he's a big body grappler, and partially hecause he is a big beautiful man ❤️ we love Potemkin Edit: Additional tidbit you'll like! His theme in Guilty Gear XX, "Burly Heart", has a section in it about 28 seconds in that's based on the intro to Kashmir by Led Zeppelin!

We truly live in a Armor-clad Faith

Please roar of the spark next it’s actually so goated it’s insane

Honestly I love your take on Armor Clad Faith since it’s also my favorite Strive theme. I’m not a music theory guy but I love how the structure and execution definitely has this feel like institutionalized chaos. Almost as if it you’re experiencing dissent into dystopian madness between the heaviness and finding brief periods of relief before the paradigm changes again into something more twisted yet nuanced and complex.

Freesia next? its a beautiful power ballad from guilty gear revelator.

I played this game so much this song is in my DNA now. Forever a member of (the grappler) society

I'm happy that you enjoy the Guilty Gear soundtracks. I didn't realize the different tempos until you pointed them out since I was always focused on the main chorus or guitar.

To me one of the most fun things about this song is how Armor Clad Faith sounds like "I'M A CLOWN OF FATE" during the chorus, which fits so well with the lyrics lol

glue national anthem really glad to see you react to this song and this game in general, it's sick :D

This is the first reaction where Ive seen you genuinely pumped up and almost giddy

You REALLY liked this one huh? I could feel it! Wait until you listen to The Gravity, THATS gonna be a ride

SOCIETY YOUR SOCIETY God i love GG music and ive been catching up on your reactions after finding your channel on the most recent release

You would love Let Me Carve Your Way - Zato-1 from guilty gear it has wacky time signatures and a lot of unique moments that would be with you for a while

The character for this theme is a fascinating one. Potemkin was a slave in a futuristic India that separated from the world, and he led a revolution in the country to bring back democracy, but is himself delusionned about the system. You can find that full story in how this song goes.

When it comes to guilty gear music, if you really enjoy vocal layering and cultural instruments you definitely need to check out Mirror of the World which is Baiken's theme. Or honestly any of Baiken's themes.

That ending honestly feels like a spiritual epithany , where the rest of the song's structure and overall composition is the pushing and pulling of a character struggling to believe their life choices are still in line with their personal beliefs and moral compass... This is definitely one of the better Guilty Gear Strive songs and I love coming back to your detailed reaction and analysis, Tony 🤜🤛

This song makes me feel like I'm a fool and that I know nothing. After listening this it I feel as though I take the role of a silly clown. But I still wont turn my back on life

I think I sometimes forget how good GG tracks are since I've listened to them SO so much, just recently when the newest song came out it was weeks of non stop listening, watching your videos always makes me appreciate them again as if it was the first time hearing them, and then appreciate them even more now understanding how cool and complex they are!! I love your vids but the Guilty Gear ones are my favourite! can't wait for the next one!!!!

Just found out today that there is a guilty gear video game that expands on all the characters introduced in the albums, very cool!

The most variability, in my opinion, is in the Chaos' Theme Drift. Gorgeous piece of music.

I LOOOOOVE this song. One of my favorite in the entire soundtrack. I remember when the samples of it first dropped, I knew this was going to be a killer track.

One of my favorite tracks. So glad you got to this one

Some has GOT to recommend him Let Me Carve Your Way, its such an amazing Guilty Gear song that represents so much of the feelings people get from the franchise man

i literally cant help but smile and headbang when i hear Pots theme cause of how AWESOME it sounds, but then towards the end im freaking crying. I love this so much, thank you for the awesome analysis ^^

Happy you enjoyed this song, this track is unfortunately VERY underrated in the GG community, but I'm glad you were able to pick up what makes this piece so special~

Always love these breakdowns by you man. I learn so much about music, sound design and composition.

Man with how you're liking all the little changes I feel like you'd LOVE Drift. It's Happy Chaos's theme and it definitely is Chaos in all the best ways. Easily one of my favorite tracks in the whole game.

That 'armor-clad faith' part still sounds like "I'm a clown of faith"

We patiently wait for Happy Chaos theme.More guilty gear tho

Hoping for Rock Parade soon. That song is literally the reason I decided to play the character it's connected to.

this song literally brings me to tears sometimes its so good

Might wanna check out "extras" molly scarpine is speaking facts

Would love to see either Elphelt, Baiken, or Happy Chaos’ theme

Still waiting Mirror of the world

For future reference: Beyond the main initial roster and Drift, CloudDrop lyrics must not be treated as accurate.

This is one of my favorites, I really hope you review Nagoriyuki’s theme!

I keep forgetting to say this on your new videos, but daisuke would love you saying it sounds like sound garden lol

It was clear during the video, im glad you could really get into why this song became an instant guilty gear classic when strive came out

It makes me so happy whenever you listen to a Guilty Gear song and just geek out about how it's made! Guilty Gear is for music lovers, hands down!!!

Love armor clad faith, also love how all the music tells a story with the characters as well, very fitting. Love to see Mirror of the World next!

The switches between quiet and loud are pretty fun.

You should do Drift next, best song in guilty gear imo

I love this song so much. Guilty Gear Strive's OST never fails to get me amped. Also, I've never heard the term "butt rock" before so I just went down a whole rabbit hole of videos explaining it. Interesting stuff.

Love the way Guilty Gear songs sounds like several different bands all in the space of one song

Everyone hold up your glue sticks!!

"Armor-clad Faith" has been one of my favorites since I first heard it, and I'm glad to see you cover it. I'm a big fan of "Extras" and "The Gravity" from _Guilty Gear -Strive-,_ and I hope you cover them some day. For other tracks from the same composer, I also recommend the arranged versions of both "A Fixed Idea" and "Meet Again" from the original _Gulity Gear,_ "Does the sheep count the sheep?" from _Guilty Gear Xrd,_ and "MUST DIE" from _BlazBlue: Centralfiction._

Armor-Clad Faith is my favorite song from the entire game. It's just so good, and is so perfectly emblematic of everything Potemkin stands for as a character. It truly is the *perfect* character song.

The game that comes with this album is pretty good too

Fuck yeah so glad to be seeing more guilty gear on the channel would love to see more (especially drift or play the hero) but im glad youre enjoying them

If you like the change ups in this so much you really should listen to "drift" (the theme of happy chaos) I feel you would really like that one

As a potemkin main I can't tell you how many times I've heard this song in training.

He definitely needs to listen to some killer instict, tj combos, orchids, spinals and especially cinders themes are top tier

Please react to happy chaos' theme "Drift". This song will absolutely suprise you on how its made up and how all over the place the song is with genre but it works

Potemkin is basically a freed slave who has doubts about if he can make the world better in his lifetime. So he resolved to have faith in humanity for a better future and pray for a world without the slavery he endured.

Just subs because you cover your artistic professionalism critic on one of my favorite song of all Guilty Gear AND My main character i play in this game.

I'd love to request 'Find Your One Way', 'Drift', 'The Disaster of Passion', 'The Town Inside Me', or 'Hellfire' if you intend to continue the Guilty Gear Strive series coverage. Though tbh any GGST vids from you will keep me coming back, all the songs are great

4:43 Vergil Jumpscare

Whoever you are out there recommending these to Tony, he *NEEDS* to hear The Gravity.

So many good songs from guilty gear

if you liked this, you'll love Wickedest Eyes with vocals by Adrienne Cowan. it's the song used for the intro to Guilty Gear at EVO 2023.

Makes me wonder if Tony will play this again in the gym.

I hope you look into Bridget's theme someday! It's definitely different compared to the other bunch and id love your thoughts on it

The impecable music for GG did not start with Strive. While iirc vocal tracks wouldn't appear in game until Guilty Gear 2 Overture, tracks as far back as the first game have such a flavor and style that make them shining examples of 90s and 00s fighting game music, between the different versions of Holy Orders, Writhe In Pain, In Slave's Glory, Burly Heart, and Good Manners and Customs are some of my favorites. Guilty Gear 2 Overture's OST is amazing, with tracks like Keep Yourself Alive III, the Quest Clear theme, the third version of Holy Orders (Be Just Or Be Dead), Worthless As The Sun Above Clouds (which has lyrics!) and especially Diva being highlights. That being said, it is first Vastedge XT and then Xrd that would more concretely establish the musical identity you see continue into Strive, with vocal tracks like Dice, Storyteller, Coming Home, and Shotgun&Head appearing in Vastedge XT and then the Xrd games. the Xrd series itself has great non-vocal battle themes, like Magnolia eclair, Does the sheep count the sheep, diva of Despair, the Spider's thread, Juno, Sky Should Be High (which gets a vocal version later on),and Rokumon making up my favorite non-vocal themes. Xrd still has many amazing vocal tracks as well though they're mostly not dedicated to any specific character, such as personal favorite Freesia, as well as Dear song, Tsuki no Shihai, Wanna Be Crazy, All I can Do,and Icarus being some of my favorites.

Alright, who’s gonna tell him to react to Drift?

632146p, magnificent

I keep rewatching this video and all I gotta say is that u need to react to "Drift". Also new guilty gear character came out so ofc a new song also released!

patiently gonna wait for requiem i-no theme from strive

The part at 7:33 always struck me as a very C&C Red Alert kinda sound, like hell march with lyrics

Guilty gear music ROCKS!

glue

God I love Guilty Gear

You should do “your new home” from the show the amazing digital circus

Cant wait for “Drift” to be covered here!

It's perfect they gave the canon glue sniffers the best rock song possible and it's holy music Ps have you heard chipp zanuffs theme

“I take the role of a silly clown”😩🤡me fr

Just watched zero ichi reaction. Can you do Hana ni natte which is the opening to the apothecary diaries.

Do a react of Elphelt theme

About the lore: Potemkin was a slave in flying Nazi India, and he was one of the members of the revolution that took down the government to replace it with a democracy

Tony, still waiting for the day you'll listen to either drift or let me carve your way and change your opinion of that being your favorite guilty gear song

Really want to know what you'd think of Love the Subhuman Self or some of the other female-led songs from the Strive soundtrack.

Fellow glue eaters rejoice

Since you mentioned you haven't checked out anything from the older Guilty Gear series, I'd urge you to check them out, even if it's not for reactions. Many of the songs are love letters to various rock and metal songs of the past, often borrowing riffs directly from those songs. 'DOA' is a reference to Dokken's 'Kiss of Death', 'March of the Wicked King' is based on Guns n' Roses's 'You're Crazy', 'Midnight Carnival' is basically a reprise of 'Kurenai' by X-Japan, among others. It's impossible to touch anything in the game series without tripping over a musical reference. The main protagonist of the series is practically a stand-in for Freddie Mercury.

i highly recommend some of the Xrd games' soundtracks! some songs from Sign and Rev are even better than some of the ones in Strive IMO. some personal favorites are Dice, Tsuki no Shihai, Shotgun&Head, and Big Blast Sonic

Love The Subhuman Self next?

Another Potemkin theme that you can listen to is Engage from Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-

Please do I-No’s theme. I think you would love her gituar

Lets go! More guilty gear

Did anyone recommend Drift yet?

IM A FOOL, I KNOW NOTHING

alone infection next pls

Well, if everyone's suggesting... Alone Infection has cool drums imo. Vanish Into Dark has a weird hybrid time signature thing going on where it's got sections of 3/4 being played on top of 4/4. Mirror of the World has... well it's got big booba lady so tbh don't use the lyric video if you don't want that on screen the whole time, but also bits are in japanese... anyways it's got one of the coolest drops I have heard. The Gravity has fewer reaction vids and is truly excellent but it's less percussion-focused so idk.