Opera Singer Reacts: Bayle the Dread || Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree OST 

Curse you, Bayle! I hereby vow! You will rue this day! Behold, a true drake warrior! And I, Igon! Your fears made flesh! Solid of scale you might be, foul dragon... But I will riddle with holes your rotten hide! With a hail of harpoons! With every last drop of my being!

CURSE YOU BAYLE!!!

The lore of this boss and Igon just screams of Captain Ahab and Moby Dick. The harpoons really give it away. CURSSSE YOUUU BAAAYLE!!!🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥

He is a major villain, just not of our age. He’s the big bad of the dragon’s age, who challenged the Elden Lord of the past era and almost succeeded but was forced to retreat and spawned an entire sub race of lesser dragons. He really is just a bad dude, a bad dude that needs killing. And a naked F*** with a stick and a god killing complex is just the man for the job

Marco describing Bayle as being like the average day on Twitter is both the most hilarious and most accurate description of him I've ever heard.

This isn't Bayle's theme song, this is Igon's Theme song.

The fact that you were able to nail Balye's whole backstory at 6:45 is utterly nuts! If you can remember the Dragonlord Plasidusaxx, Bayle was a dragon that eventually betrayed the dragon lord in a challenge for power, and they both got mortally wounded in the attack.

Personally I think while the music can stand on its own to a degree, it doesn't feel the same without the visuals.... hearing phase 2 drop as Bayle roars while magma and thunder blast the arena as he unleashes his rage. Has me literally awestruck every time.

“Oh the pain… The pain! My arms! My legs! Each lies a bloody ruin! The pain… the exquisite pain… Bayle! Vile Bayle! Oh terror incarnate! There is life in me yet! I will soon feast upon your heart! Mark my words! You too shall know fear!” ~ Igon, Drake Warrior

"Solid of scale you might be, foul dragon... But I will RIDDLE with holes your ROTTEN hide! With a HAIL of HARPOONS! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!" Igon, Drake Warrior, eating every stone on the Jagged Peak for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Marco: "Whatever is happening here with Bayle, is the first of these characters to really really really wants us dead.." Meanwhile Igon:"CURSE YOU BAYLE!!!!!!"

Best dragon fight in the series, and half of it is because of Igon and his truly iconic war cry.

"He's the average day on twitter" Truer words have never been spoken.

I didn't think Fromsoft could top Midir, but IMO, maybe this is a hot take, they did. And, yeah, lore-wise, someone put it best like this: Bayle is Dragon Satan.

Perfect! Your take on Bayle owing loyalty to someone and it has been severed due to his violence is literally spot on. He is a tyrant dragon and once served Placidusax

CURSE YOU BAYLE! I hereby vow, you will rue this day! Behold, a true drake warrior! And I, Igon! Your fears made flesh! Solid of scale you might be, foul dragon! But I will riddle with holes your rotten hide! WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING! RAAAAAAAAGH!

Everyone screaming "Curse you, Bayle" in the comments, I love you

I got chills when you were explaining your view on the story of the music once it ended. You were practically spot on. You’re a mastermind at musical analysis, seriously

I'm really impressed with your observation around 7:20, Bayle is a broken and very wounded dragon so much so that he tries to smash you with the stumps of what were once his wings. But in his second phase he grows spectral wings and takes flight for the first time in presumably a very long time.

Love how you managed to infer some lore about Bayle the Dread from his two phases, shows what music truly can convey!

CURSE YOU BAYLE!!!!! I HEARBY VOW, YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY!!! BE GOLD, A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR!!! AND I, IGON, YOUR FEARS MADE FLESH!!! SOLID OF SCALE YOU MAY BE FOUL DRAGON!!! BUT I WILL RIDDLE WITH HOLES YOUR ROTTEN HIDE!!! WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS!!!! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!!!!!!

I would say that the music less of Bayle’s theme and more suited for his nemesis (and the player’s ally) Igon. Igon is a character similar to captain Ahab, and he hates and seeks vengeance against Bayle to the point of obsession. When the player first meets him, he’s been injured, and it’s implied that he lost everything by seeking his honor in challenging Bayle. When you summon him, he rants and raves like a lunatic hunting his great white whale.

This is essentially the theme of Captain Ahab vs Moby Dick Honestly you nailed it but that vitriol also fits Igon perhaps better than Bayle. Seriously, if you’ve ever read Moby Dick, Igon is just Ahab. Mad fury and hatred directed at his white whale, Bayle.

IMHO Igon and Bayle is like A Homeless Dude having Feud with Crippled Giant Lizzard

Bro Igon spawns into the arena talking crazy and screaming to the heavens he wants to throw hands with Bayle. He’s a legend.

Given Bayle's lore, in the second phase he seems to scream "I will never lose again" and that's cool, anger and resentment for the past make him give new wings and go to the end. I feel more humanity in this dragon than in any other.

VILE BAYYYLLLEEEEE!!! O’ TERROR INCARNATE!!!! Edit: also, you described the song perfectly. As the fight is happening, you can summon someone named Igon, who will monologue during the fight, and the music really does feel like a once loyal soldier having to help put down his master, the evilness mixed with the slightly somber parts.

Most epic dragon fight in the history of souls game💯

It’s incredible to me that he can gather so much detail about Bayle and his lore/connections just from the music. Truly amazing stuff

I love how not knowing about Bayle he almost told his lore perfectly just by the music. Bayle is an unstoppable force of nature that once served a lord (Placidussax) wich he betrayed and run away

That 4:30 shift always gives me goosebumps paired with the visuals of his second phase explosion/take off.

To add some lore for bayle which is just from me assuming and reading the item description with npc dialogue. Bayle the dread is the ancestor to all drakes while placidussax is the ruler of the dragons that have stoned scales like gransax and fortissax. At one point bayle and Placidussax fought, this is speculation but it think there is reason to believe they fought in farum azula and because of this fight farum azula is crumbling. To put in perspective of how big this fight mustve been they are the reasons that when we fight them they are both heavily wounded with placidussax losing his two heads which we assumed for the longest time was because of godfrey but it was bayle since the dragon priestess confirms this and since bayle has two severed placidussax heads biting on his back. Bayle has lost a leg and his arms are messed up. What makes this so interesting is because placidussax was elden lord most likely during the fight and to have bayle who was able to inflict as much damage as he did could make the argument that they were both equals in strength. We also learn that partaking in dragon communion is encouraged because it encourages the killing of drakes which the priestess also says its what the thier lord, placidussax, wishes

The subtle dynamic shifts that are perfectly tuned to phase shifts always astound me. The composition is immaculate. Also, dude NAILED the backstory.

I love that Bayle's 2nd phase is him growing spectral wings out of pure hatred- Hatred for *you* and Igon, as he puts his all into tearing you down, these horrible ants that have overstepped your bounds and WOUNDED him.

“This is really me, and you will die now.” Honestly about sums up that phase change yes

"A fallen from grace dude." A fallen from the temple in the sky dragon.

It always bewilders me how Marco can just understand the story behind the subject of the soundtrack just by LISTENING to the music and the instruments used. FASCINATING ❤️

Now that Mohg is clear, Bayle is the only truly and purely evil character in ER, along with possibly Midra in his Lord of Frenzied Flame form.

i love how bayle and igon are counterparts to each other. they are two sides of the same coin.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHG!!! BAYLE THE DREAD! YOU SHALL HAUNT ME NO LONGER!!!" ~ The true main character, Igon

Best npc ever and the best dragon fight. Just pure cinema. Mad impressed with your analysis with just the ost, but you pretty much nailed Bayle as a character from just listening to the ost.

My take on this theme is ''Generational Relentlessness'' the track feels extremely evil. but the small parts where the violin takes over and the rest of the musical elements kind of.. fade. i think that represents just how long bayle has been at it. and that despite his long and infamous tyranny. he is scarred. and old. a beast who has envoked fear on many generations. and never lost a battle. But upon thinking further, i noticed that the violin, and the harmony of his theme is at points also very similar to placidusax's theme. which is a really cool detail considering that some of placidusax still lives on in bayle. not just in his memory for being the greatest challenger of his life. but there's literally pieces of placidusax's body still on his model. he carries placidusax's heads on him. almost like some sort of trophy of his viscousness. a warning sign that even elden lords must Dread Bayle.

This theme admittedly doesnt hit as hard without the *CURSE YOU, BAYLE*

it's wild how you nailed the analysis of his backstory just from the song. And yes, there is indeed a transformation, bayle basically shows you a vision of what he was when he was whole (with lots of explosions)

Came to the comments for all the "CURSE YOU BAYLE" quotes and was not disappointed! The analysis is pretty spot on as usual. I wonder if you would in future reactions look at the boss and/or fight once you're finished with your reaction? Can't wait to hear your take on Midra!

Bayle, is effectively a hater fueled by pure rage, funnily enough NPC that you can summon against Bayle has the exact same emotions towards him

You knocked it out of the park once again Marco, and find it even more impressive with a character like Bayle compared to a much more established character like say, a league champion. First, yes he is hellbent on killing us but not because he has beef with us, but also because he is a cornered, wounded/cripled beast. There is also, as others have mentionned, a captain Ahab/Moby dick rivalry going on with an NPC you can bring to this fight. I wonder if knowing that some parts of the theme echoes to this. As for the fallen knight type, he betrayed the dragon lord and had a vicious and vilant fight with him for power, to the point where we can find the two missing head of said dragon (placidussax) still biting on Bayle's neck. In what little information we have about him, he is portrayed as a tyrant, vicious and vile creature for the most part. Lastly about the second part of the song, he doesn't shed his skin but he does show you his true power. As I mentionned he is crippled from his fight with dragonlord Placidussax long ago, he is missing a leg, his wings are also gone (one was ripped off and the other one only has bones left on it). He is suprisingly agile despite this but the fight is very different that dragon fights usually are, as he is not able to fly and mostly lunges and jumps around. When you trigger his second phase, he unleashes his true power, or what he has left in a beautiful yet terrifying display as he conjures some magical wings and starts also having flying attack and triggers lava explosion all over the place. Overall you absolutly nailed it!

VILEEEEE BAYLLLEE🗣❗️❗️

Bayle is an evil dragon version of Moby Dick. And Igon is the guy obsessed with hunting him down

New subscriber here. Just wanted to say that I am enjoying these so much. As an audio engineer myself and someone who's been producing music for over 12 year, I've never done Orchestra. Ever since I finished the DLC I was curious if there's anyone breaking down these epic scores so that I could learn a bit and get some insight about the sounds themselves, the root of the emotion that the sound is producing and why/when is it used. What job does each instrument have and why does something happen in particular moments in that particular way. You're exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you a lot for doing these. You're super chill to listen to and I'm enjoying these videos a lot. I hope that you do a whole OST series with these cause they really deserve it and you're doing a good job with it. Cheers!

the amount of times you tend to hit the nails that are these music pieces on the head despite knowing nothing about the boss is astonishing. having played it i keep sitting here listening to your breakdown and thinking "yep that fits very well for this boss"

God I'm so glad you did this one, it was one of the highlights for me of the whole DLC. I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the context but it's such a great track

I'm a violinist, and I think that this would be so much fun to play with an orchestra

"he is an average day on twitter" LMAO

It amazes me how spot on you are with these boss fights just by listening to music. You’re awesome dude

It’s amazing that he intuited the relationship between Bayle and Placidusax becaue of the cello and violin.

It never ceases to amaze me how much the music lends to the story. Like if you're really listening to this music blind before even learning the lore or playing the game yet almost explained Bayle to a T just from the soundtrack then FromSoftware's Music director and music department has all done their jobs to perfection.

As a double bassist I love hearing the bass section going incredibly hard in this track. The lower strings & brass (are those bass tubas? I can’t really tell) give a great aura of menace and power, which perfectly sets the mood for the Bayle fight (along with Igon’s lines).

Again you nail it, while Lowkey explaining the entire lore of the game. Amazing work.

I'm completely blown away by the fact that you pretty much nailed everything you said about Bayle just by playing the battle OST, your work and knowledge are impressive man! impressive!

2:50 Malicious and Agitated thing is Bayle nuking the arena probably...

Curse You Bayle!!!!!!!!! Igon Goat 🐐 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 10/10 OST, sorry Midir, you got replaced buddy😂😂😂

My man, it was way more than just loyalty that was severed

check out the lore, they already are getting on top of videos. The emotion Igon's voice actor puts in makes this one of the most moving boss fights. Apparently the dragon flower the blooms on the mountain covers the boss arena-- the item description of the ones you can collect say they grow from the bodies of fallen champions. Bayle in an old era challenges the Elden Lord at that time, Placidussax. They severely wounded each other, the two missing heads from Placidussax are still attached to Bayle, biting onto him. Two giant dragons-- King or Dragons and King of Drakes. The second phase of Bayle involves him using the lighting magic of dragons to create the full form of his broken wings

I will never listen to my favorite songs near Marco, dude is gonna describe my whole life in minutes

I was waiting for you to cover this one, great video and analysis as always my friend 👍🏻

I really like the lull before the transition to the second phase. It's so breathtaking and fills you with the determination to win.

This song is a great example of how writing music for a game not only requires good music but also good interaction with whatever is happening on screen. Honestly it feels like without the soundeffect of the battle the song is missing half of its "instruments".

love the commentary! the blatty brass and sharp staccato bits are such wonderful contrast to the sweeping strings and choral background

Bayle's phase change sounds identical to Godzilla Minus One's OST "Divine". Knowing From and his Godzilla references in dragon fights, it's probably intentional

Marco, you surpassed my expectations immediately. Your interpretation of this song is so accurate I wouldn't be surprised if you had read the story beforehand. Bayle is a Dragon literally described as a tyrant on multiple occasions. He betrayed his lord in a bid for power that left them both mortally wounded. In his new domain where the player fights him, he has long been forcing all the lesser dragons who sided with him against the same lord to kill and consume one another to gain even greater power. Where once there were potentially hundreds there are now only a handful left when the player arrives, all dead by the hands of their brethren and presumably at Bayle's insistence. The major tone shift is literally the beginning of his second phase in which he grows a new pair of wings, physically changing the shape of his body and leaning heavily into his explosive draconic magic where previously he only did so sparingly. Even after the player has killed him, Bayle refuses to submit and the player is warned that should they consume his heart to gain his power, then his spirit will one day take over their body. Exactly as if nothing will stand in the way of his malevolent purpose, no matter what. I can't wait to see the rest of your reactions.

Thanks for making the only "react content" that actually adds something to the originial, rather than just existing while the original plays out!

I think the descriptions of "Fallen from grace" and "Broken loyalty" are the most fitting based on the lore. If Dragonlord Placidusax was the divine consort of the ancient age, then Bayle is the tarnished coming to slay him. In this, the fight is almost a mighty and terrible reflection of the player, a disastrous, godslaying force that really shines in the second phase where you see Bayle in his prime. Would definitely like to see Midra or Metyr's theme next, both are standouts amongst the rest of the DLC, in both fights and songs.

CURSE YOU BAYLE! I HEREBY VOW! YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY! BEHOLD, A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR! AND I, IGON! YOUR FEAR MADE FLESH! SOLID OF SCALE YOU MIGHT BE, FOUL DRAGON... BUT I WILL RIDDLE WITH HOLES YOUR ROTTEN HIDE! WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!

Holy shit, I can’t believe how much lore you were able to gleam from bayle just from listening the theme! That’s incredible!

I love how no matter where you go, everyone is like "Yeah Bayle is cool and all, BUT HOLY SHIT IGON ROCKS!" The boss has been completely overshadowed by the dragon equivalent of Captain Ahab 🤣 also whilst the "CURSE YOU BAYLE!" line is great, I adore the passion in the way he says "BAYLE! VILE BAYLE!" it's like he's spitting venom

I'm amazed at how much this guy can extrapolate from just hearing the soundtracks to these battles. Very impressive

6:26 Bayle challenged the Dragonlord Placidusax to a fight (Which is why both of them are missing limbs) and then fleed and started his lineage of mortal drakes, which are the "normal" dragons and are despised by the original stone, inmortal dragons. So this bit about betrayed loyalty is spot on.

They way the song gets explained by a proffesional, and being mostly accurate lore wise means that Miyazaki really was cooking

I love how at 4:40 it sounds like Bayle landing after his initial phase transition attack

Pretty incredible that you really got such a handle on Bayle and his fight just from his theme. And I, Igon!

I'm impressed that despite how little you knew about the lore or even what Bayle is, you managed to get a SHOCKING amount of the lore implications correctly. Other than the bad guy in question being a dragon, you were practically spot on

Spot on analysis! Bayle is the oldest and “most vile” of all dragons in the Elden Ring universe, and at one point challenged Dragonlord Placidusax resulting in mutual grievous injury. Bayle now resides at the Jagged Peak of the land of shadow, hiding away, a grievously injured and deeply angry and hateful beast. However, in his second phase, he uses his flame lightning abilities to “restore” himself, in a way, to his former glory, brandishing new wings to fly around the arena. Even his unique incantations state that his now-devoured heart is so hateful and strong-willed that it will one day consume us from the inside. Amazing video as always!

"BAYLE THE DREAD YOU SHALL HAUNT ME NO LONGER"

I am continually amazed by how correct you are in guessing the story of the characters just by hearing music.

5:50 - 6:15 😢 I was wondering if this was the "fall" point of the song when everything is meeting in a chaotic end game full of emotion and rage.

You absolutely killed it with the last loyalty and relationships. Bayle used to be loyal to Plasidusax before betraying him. This is my second favorite track in the DLC it’s just amazing.

To my untrained ear, as well as due to obvious lore reasons, Bayle's whole theme is very reminiscent of Placidusax's. Both give off this ethereal majesty, one ferocious and one eternal.

I like that this soundtrack has some kinda of climax with the Violin/Cello when *CURSE YOU BAYLEEE* starts the second phase like right in 4:48 . Truly a piece on his own

This boss is a tribute to George R. Martin, Igon as Prince Targaryen, Bayle like Balerion. And the music reminds me so much of the soundtrack that starts in Game of Thrones when the flying dragons are framed. Maybe its called arrival to winterfell? Something like this

This is the most incredibly interesting analysis of music I've ever heard. Identifying Bayle as the #1 hater, the comment about the fallen knight maybe representing Igon, the fractured relationship with placidusax the lord of his time, and the "revealing his true self in phase 2" where his injured wings and body parts appear etherally regrown showing his full self. Absolutely incredible that you can discern all of that information but also incredible work by the sound design team to convey that information so well.

Another Yuka Kitamura masterpiece. She is easily my favourite composer of all time.

the second half screams "time's up, you failed. you're fighting for nothing now."

This is one of those musics that gets elevated a lot in gameplay fighting the giant Dragon that is Bayle and specially with the summoned NPC Igon and his brilliant voice acting

I feel like Bayle's soundtrack was designed so much to have the lightning sounds as well, I love this fight so much because it feels so much more immersive than most of the boss tracks

The thing you mentioned about loyalty is really interesting, because he definitely did betray Placidusax and challenged him for the right of lordship over the dragons - it's implied that this was an extremely brutal and vicious battle, and there was no honour in it. Both Placidusax and Bayle carry grievous wounds from this fight eons ago, and Bayle clearly let all of this hatred bubble up within him.

Let’s not forget, Bayle stood claw to claw with Dragon Lord Placidussax and claimed two of his heads, then limped away. I’d love an animated recreation of that fight. Showing how Bayles aggression and rage lead to him biting two of Placidussax’s heads off, and in turn the Dragon Lord becomes enraged himself, roaring flames turning into beams of sunlight that sever Bayle’s leg almost instantly.

The face that Marco can always almost nail the exact lore provided by the game from just music is always amazing. Bayle betrayed his loyalty by betraying his Dragon Lord and was wounded in a fight against his Lord. Also another character a crest fallen dragon slaying warrior Igon who’s spirit got reignited by watching us the player character fight other dragons who swore to kill Bayle and have his revenge. And in the video you mentioned both a connection to a warrior fallen from grace and loyalty and betrayal, amazing analysis. And also during 2nd phase he calls upon his try strength and even grow out a new pair of wings over above his old pair, which you also mentioned. 🔥🔥👍✨

It´s almost frightening how spot on some of your analysis are, especially the part with fallen from grace and the severing of a relationship

EARRLLYYYYYYYYYYY I WAS SO HYPED FOR YOUR REACTION TO THIS ONE