Opera Singer Reacts: Main Menu Theme (Dark Souls 3 OST) 

The first time I launched Dark Souls 3, I just sat in the main menu listening to the music for like 20 minutes. I was stunned.

Fun fact, this was supposed to be the final boss theme in early development. Back when pontiff Sulyvahn was supposed to be the final boss. Still happy with it being the main theme and Sulyvahn having a different theme that fits him OH SO WELL.

Elden Ring main menu theme is nuts and all, but man, this one is still the absolute best

From Software is the sole reason I got hooked up into classical music. It's just beauty at it's peak, it talks to you, through your spirit. One of my favorites, is The Living Failures Theme, from BloodBorne. Its quite inspired in Mars, by Gustav Holst :D

I would kill to be able to go to a live concert of Fromsoft music. You summed it up perfectly at the beginning of the video

To me this piece perfectly incapsulates the desperation and finality that everyone in this world must be feeling. It practically screams "FINALE”, and it is. Things are coming to an end, and there can be nothing after this. In a way, thats the point of the entire game. It is sometimes wiser to move on, and leave the old things behind. In a way it will sadden me if there is ever going to be another dark souls game because… why? This world has quite literally burned through all of its fuel, and the entire impact of dark souls 3 would be destroyed for me if they went "nevermind we’re doing another one". Thats what this piece is telling me, its a collapse, an epic conclusion. The end of an era.

What I really love in DS3 main menu theme is that it contrasts very hard with main menu themes from previous two titles but at the same time represents it's own story point perfectly. Dark Souls 1 had basically just silence when it started, the music only started when we were choosing or creating new character which really well set up that it's just a start of an Adventure and kept the nature of the game unknown. DS3 however is already a third game in the series, we kinda should know the stakes at this point and it starts and ends with a big bang. It's the last game in the trilogy and story wise it repredents a dying world that literally burns out and it's in a very desparate state so this theme almost makes you feel you are going to fight everything for survival of your world, no matter how hard and terrible it gets. But the more calm, singer moments really nicely build up thaf hiding in plain sight sadness as this is the end of a very long Journey in terms of the player and the series as a whole. For comparison theme of Elden Ring sounds almost positive compared to this theme. It's heroic but also very melancholic and sounds more like a scream for chance to live rather than a start of that life.

I always hate that video games such as these still aren't recognized for the art they are. Seeing this song and many others like it in concert basically fills up half my bucket list, but no. These songs are reserved only for the play station and game specific showcases.

5:52 I am in disbelief on how you managed to understand what this theme is trying to portray so perfectly

Dark souls 3...my first souls game and favorite so far still. Loved this game and end to dark souls. Thanks so much for the reaction man

Fun fact: the original name for this song was. Or speculated is "Old king of the eclipse" which was the original final boss. Using pontiff sulyvahn's model.

Nobuo Uematsu, Masayoshi Soken, Yoko Shimomura, Kajiura Yuki, these are the big composers of our era and they get little attention from the west because they work in videogames and anime. Shimomura's Song of Mana is so beautiful and it got me into Swedish. Oh, also Taro Umebayashi earned a lot of my respect for the Yuri on Ice soundtrack and how versatile it is, with everything from Classical, Pop, METAL...

I really like this music theory analysis stuff even though I don't understand a thing. But knowing why this artist use this melody/notes is really amazing. Great work. Can't wait for your take on Shadow of Colossus musics.

One of my absolute favorites from any Souls game, certified banger. The elements present in this theme are in the opening cinematic for the game and basically gives away the entire game, but you don't realize it until the last DLC. I think there's something about the way a lot of the main epics from video game OSTs employ a driving, percussive beat under a very melodic and ethereal sounding soprano voice to capture their emotion. Nier Automata music really nailed it, much like a lot of tracks from DS3. Interestingly, in both games you aren't really even going to fight evil, or at least part way through you realize you aren't. The songs are those of mourning, sorrow, anguish, and yearning. This main theme I think really illustrates that with the main voice, and most Souls veterans by the time DS3 came out kind of knew that the theme of DS3 was not going to be about epic battles and fighting evil, but trying to continue or end the age of fire (arguably an age of pain).

Oh, man. You NEED to listen to Ludwig, the Holy Blade's theme, if you haven't already.

you just give DS3 a new meaning "we are facing or judgement" and that's totally awesome for a point of view, Miyazaki would be proud and this is why he created these game, for everyone to give the meaning you feel while playing the game (sorry, my english is not the best)

It's funny how we interpret the piece differently; where you hear a vanquishing of evil, I hear crushing, unending hopelessness. A dying world brought to its knees, a people crying out for mercy to deaf gods as everything they've ever known crumbles and turns to ash around them. It's epic and exciting, while simultaneously utterly depressing and soul-crushing. It's damn near apocalyptic. Which, I think is a perfect encapsulation of the entire Dark Souls vibe. ESPECIALLY DS3, where the world basically finally does come to its end. Freaking love this piece of music, I always like to joke that the true first boss of Dark Souls 3 is pushing the button to leave the main menu and end the music.

I pre-ordered this game since Dark Souls was one of my favorite games and I loved the music from it... When it finally finished downloading and I got to the main menu... I just sat and listened to it. It was so intense and amazing, just the menu alone built up so much hype. Sometimes I wish I could be there again, opening this game up for the first time.

Yuka Kitamora's composition is so good in this game in addition to Sir Alonne from Dark Souls II is really top class and what makes it even more amazing is the fact that she's only 32 years old

I really really enjoy these videos. I am no artist (far from it), but I think music is definitely the passion of my life, it is such an inspiration. What I also love is trying to analyse the music and understand its structure. I'm not that good at it, but watching someone who knows what he is doing do it somehow teaches me a lot !

One of my favorite opera pieces. This song sounds like a violent, unstoppable fight between 2 tired warriors. Warriors so far gone they don’t even know what they’re fighting each other for. Each tired swing of their swords slamming down into the ground with such great force it vibrates the whole world. It’s the definition of utter perfection.

I always must fully listen to this before starting the game. Blows me away every time

This will forever be the most epic main theme, Kitamura and Sakuraba are briliant. And this is the main theme!

I love the way you see game music, and the way you feel it and how you show us your perspective about it. I enjoyed your videos a lot. Hope you can keep sharing your passion for videogame music, and thank you!

When the choir dies down and the strings sound like a looong lament.. YES! I always loved it!

The look on your face, feeling the music and being completely immersed in it, is every composer's dream.

I really love Monster Hunter's music as well and I hope you'll do a reaction to them some day. Have a listen to these: 1. Arch Tempered Kulve Taroth - Phase 3 (fury) theme 2. Alatreon theme (Iceborne version) 3. Safi'jiiva theme 4. Fatalis phase 1 and 2

I really love this theme! I feel like it's moving back and forth between hope and despair. Of course the chorus is very bombastic and gives you the strength to move forward, but then the calm parts with the violins are kind of mysterious and going left and right and you don't know where it's going, what to expect, you're lost. I love the songs you have covered so far, I share some of your tastes. I wouldn't hate to hear some Shadow of the Colossus, Monster Hunter or maybe Odin Sphere music on your channel in the future!

It so sad nowadays its very rare to listen this kind of music as many music is replace by those DJ things.. As For me i 1st hooked into this kind of music after i listening to kalafina / Yuki kajiura. They have sing for many anime and games,. their music sound like came from very mysterious distand land with magical, dark yet beautiful vibe..

My name is marco too! And i LOVE meatballs! Subbed

I never skip past the menu theme. I listen to it all the way through at least once before I start playing this game.

I love the lyrics. It's basically telling you not to go hollow.

Another amazing reaction! Becoming one of my favorite music reaction channels. DS3 has such a beautiful OST. FromSoft always kills it with the soundtracks.

It's really cool to me that the genre of classical music composition has transitioned into less...formal/pure expressions of the art and in a way migrated to video game compositions. The inspirations of classical is all over modern video game soundtracks, not least of which includes FromSoft's incredible ability to convey stories and emotions with their music. It reminds me of when classical music was entering the romantic era. Composers were less focused on music for music's sake and more so on using the music to convey characters (like the ubiquitous leitmotif), ideologies, emotions, any part of the human experience really. Now, we see this transition again, except now there is always a concrete visual and participatory experience to capture and contextualize the music you're hearing, giving it further gravitas. In a way, the video games exist specifically to contextualize and deepen the music we hear in it. If the DS3 Main Theme existed on its own, with no video game and story attached to it, it would still be a work of art, but none of us would be as moved by the piece as we are now.

Glad to know i'm not the only one who feels that way.

It creates an atmosphere that entices curiousity.

I listened to this in full every single time I booted up the game before going in. So moving, makes me wanna slap dragons and take some souls and of course die die and die

Yeah, the first time I heard Dies Irae, I instantly loved it and I thought to myself, this is boss battle music.

I heard someone saying that this is the song that bosses hear when they fight us

Would love to see a reaction/analysis of Gael or twin princes theme.

Oh man, I really really REALLY! love your reactions to this kind of music! It's always amazing to see that others enjoy these great soundtracks too and to see your emotions and all and that is just super super great. You're really cool and bring me back to the great music of for example dark souls 3. Thank you very much, you're just awesome!

Man I love your channel bro. I've watched this video 20 times simply because you're awesome.

Marco, I'm so glad you finally said that these deserve to be in the concert hall. I'm not an adult. But I've grown up to listen to all sorts of music. From orchestral to rap and I can safely say that Dark Souls? Some of the greatest compositions I've ever heard. Bloodborne? Some of the best grandur horrors that lie in the music. I believe that these songs, these Epics of a greater battle deserve a place in history. Classical will never die. It'll just continue to evolve into something from the foundations of its forefathers.

We really need an opera concert for the souls games

I saw someone say that even though this was originally Pontiff Sulyvahn’s theme, since it’s the main theme, it’s what the enemies hear when they fight the player. In other words, the player themselves is the ultimate boss with their own theme.

I have been looking for this exact video

A little bit of fun trivia surrounding this track: Back when the game was in development, Pontiff Sulyvahn was meant to be the final boss and the game had a plotline in which an eclypse blocked out the sun. Sulyvahn was called 'Old King of the Eclypse' back then, and this track was meant to be his boss fight theme. It was such a fantastic piece that, even though the whole eclypse idea was scratched and Sulyvahn became the evil pontiff we know and hate today, the track became the game's main theme.

My brother, you have a new subscriber. Fire Emblem and Soulsborne on the same music appreciation platform? Even someone like me who can only strum guitar & tickle ivories by ear enjoys hearing people appreciate this music. - Slave Knight Gael. - If you discuss the multiple vocals in that piece at length with comparisons like you did this piece, I will literally drop what I'm doing and come running. Hell, tell us all about the unexpected leitmotif in Soul of Cinder that sent shivers of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder down every Dark Souls 1 player's spine the first time, and I'll be right here listening.

My head cannon is that this song is our players boss music, what every boss hears when they face us

You said this song feels like vanquishing evil, to me this song has always been a mixture of hope and tragedy, just like the game itself. You get these angelic harmonies that inspire hope, but you also have the dissonance that you pointed out, and the almost mournful violin that tell a sadder tale. In the game you're going around killing these bosses, and sure, some of them are evil (looking at you pontiff). But many of them are tragic, whether they are fallen heroes (yhorm), princes banished from their homes and stripped of everything, including their name for fighting for the dragons rather than against them, and some are members of the legion that have been holding off the darkness of the abyss (abyss watchers, and we even are essentially taking the side of the corrupted abyss watchers in this fight, as we kill off the last few sane ones). Hell, the final boss, the soul of cinder is anything but evil, its a manifestation of all the people who have linked the flame throughout the ages. The entire game is the tragedy of the journey while being pushed forward that the choice you make at the end of it will make things better for the world. And I feel that from this song.

About the experience/memory part: Because I do speedruns in DS3 the last thing I always hear after a successful speedrun in which I've achieved a new personal is this theme. And it always reminds me of the struggle I just experienced the last few hours, but at the same time motivates me to continue. It's weird I know, but especially the part about 1:30 gives me so damn chills especially after a speedrun, where I'm just sitting at my desk, head in hands, shaking from the pressure and ahhhh it's just feels so good all the time. And more to DS3: Many themes in the lategame always give me goosebumps make me shiver, because I always recall the memory of the first time I've beaten the boss, like Gael, the Twin Princes, Soul of Cinder, Abyss Watchers, Sulyvahn and Sister Friede ... They're so majestic and emotional and epic and you should definitely give them all a try (of course you only accept Patreon OST commissions, but I am poor and I still try to do it that way haha)

I personally think that a lot of sekiros music is very under appreciated. I’m fact all Fromsoft games have great music in my opinion. My fav track from sekiro is Demon of Hatred. Vocals are not really the focal point of the track but damn it is so great…

The melancholy in those strings is enough to make you cry

bindging all your fromsoft reactions, you dont interrupt the track constantly, and enjoy watching you enjoy it, really infectious. well done

First time I played DS3 I was so catched on the title screen it even doubled the emotions looking forward to play the game. Also I dont know exactly what it is, but parts of it strongly remind me of the song "Lilium" from "Elfen Lied" (Anime). It triggers so similar emotions in some parts that I sometimes confuse between them. Maybe its that holy, but sad and disturbed mixture. If you never heard "Lilium", you definitly should check it out. Would love to see a reaction from you to it. Thanks for your awesome videos!

I love how the lyrics. It's basically telling you not to go hollow.

To me this piece tries to have the deepest feeling of what most DS3 players felt when they played it. They knew it was the end, so you had to send the ashen hollowed world off with a bang.

This piece feels simultaneously glorious, forlorn, heroic, and saddening all at the same time. A longing for a new world, but the fear of losing the one you have.

The only thing better than listening to this track is beating one of the major bosses solo level one then quitting out to let this tune execute your headset

This is my favorite game theme song ever, and thank you for reacting to it 😭

It is extremely woeful and despairing, but it also brilliant and triumphant. It is a genius piece of work and it perfectly captures how playing dark souls feels at both the worst and the best of times.

i was a non believer, tried a few fromsoft games at my friends house. then, my friend said, listen to this (ds3 menu theme) and i kinda went through it, i played a few minutes, got beaten up like crazy. fast forward, 3 years later i played every soulsborn (and a few soulslike) and this theme literally brought me into souls years later. now when i start ds3, i get teary eyed everytime. this theme is the fucking best theme i've ever heard

This was my bed time music for a few months after i first found it. Glad to see more people enjoying it.

I just can't stop watching your face reaction, cause is the same as me, and I think many people have the same reaction. For me is the duty-tragedy of a hero who is fighting for something greater and important than his own life and he knows he will suffer, he knows he will lose everything in the process, but... he will stand up and never surrender until he defeat the evil or his body become dust. (pardon if my english is wrong, I'm not a native speaker) Regards.

When I played the souls games, I played them almost back to back. When I beat DS1, I immediately played DS2 and it took so long because of the DLCs and also I was savoring the moments especially since DS1 really got me hooked to the series. Now when I finished DS2 and jumped into DS3, the main menu theme just hit me on the face. I felt that it was gonna be the last DS game and im gonna play, it was gonna be brutal, harsh and epic. So i sat there to finish the entire song.

i love this so much that i went through all the trouble of changing your iPhone's ringtone just to make it this one.

Yuka Kitamura truly is the goddess of video game soundtracks

I feel like all of the menu themes for all of the souls games just embody "They didn't HAVE to go that hard... but they did"

This song gives me feeling of melancholy. Not like "I'm good, going to defeat evil!" but more like "I'm aware that I'm heading for certain defeat, but there is no other option". It's a fantastic theme!

You’ve made me fall in love with classical all over again.

I always found the fact that a lot of songs in videogames can be performed with an orchestra only to have them being so ignored as a whole to be pretty sad.

You're sooo right!! it's not just vg music. It's music, incredible, profound, emotionally charged music on par with classical pieces. I share the same passion for vide games and music. Have to say you've inspired me to pursue a career in vg music composition and voice work!! Who knows maybe I'll get to work on a Bloodborne sequel, if that ever happens. Thank you for doing what you do and inspiring others like me!! ✌️💜

I listen to game soundtracks when I write, and the Dark Souls 3 main theme is one of my favorites, such an epic theme. This gives me chills every time. It's the hero's journey, the voices encouraging, then praising, exalting, raising up to send the hero forth, but with darker undertones because the hero may not survive, but there is no choice. They must go.

ever since i first heard it when the game came out, still gives me goosebumps

That track at 6:50 is really similar, gave me chills

This song says to me "I will wrest purpose from the end of the world."

Dark Souls 3 was my first game. I had no interest in classical music but booting the game up I just sat there completly stunned and captivated for like 5 minutes…… it is another level for sure.😅

The WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, a German broadcast orchestra based in Cologne, Germany, performed a live concert of Final Fantasy X video game music, led by chief conductor Wayne Marshall and featuring pianist Benyamin Nuss, on October 8, 2016 at the Cologne Philharmonic Hall. It included pieces composed by Masashi Hamauzu, Junya Nakano, and Nobuo Uematsu. A video of the concert was uploaded on RU-vid on August 11, 2020. A number of live concert and studio versions of orchestrated versions of Japanese video game music by Japanese symphony orchestras are up on RU-vid.

Yeah man, tears well up in my eyes too whenever I hear this.

I really like the way you see video game music. I understand you and I am glad that I found someone that feels the same as me. Classical music is alive and kicking because of video games. You should listen to Code Vein OST, the game has some music that fits an opera very well. Also, some music from Ace Combat like Rex Tremendæ + Megalith Agnus Dei (Yes, if you are thinking about Mozart's Rex Tremendæ, you are right), Zero from ACZ, and AC 5 The Unsung War.

There is someone that translated the lain vocal in this piece. It basically the calling of ashen one[Player] to rise from the death and encourage them to go forth. Which is very fitting for a menu theme that player heard before begin the game.

it’s so crazy seeing you barely be able to contain your excitement while listening to this song

My favorite thing about this theme is that the main solo soprano vocal is Kitamura herself. I love that as a composer, she wrote the whole thing and sang for it. I would love to be that type of composer. (She also played that solo violin too. Ugh, I love it so bad.) Edit: Freakin love your passion about this beautiful Soulsborne theme, my friend! I finally found someone that shares those overwhelming feelings of appreciation for this extremely underrated music.

DS3 had the bosses, the setting, the story, the *music* , the arena’s, it had everything. Elden Ring can’t hold a candle to the majesty of Dark Souls, but it can become something more- as it should- as it rises from the ashes of Dark Souls

Out of all the games I have played, only DS3 and a game called Starbound have had me sitting in the main menu after booting it up for the first time, absolutely mesmerized by the theme music. Like goddamn.

As soon as I heard this music on the title screen, I already knew this would be one of my most favorite games

i remember spending so much time on the main menu just listening to this

If you played Demon Souls, Dark Souls 1 and 2 before this, you UNDERSTAND the music, it says "this is the epic, and tragic end of it all"

I started liking Dark Souls 3 music from the first time I heard it. However, after watching this video, I started to hear sounds I had never heard before, and the music sounded richer.

I hear the painful determination of a ashen one, trying to find fire in the darkness of his soul, bravely facing all sorts of danger, chaos, evil and death, more and more, again and again, strangling himself against fate, to finally achieve victory, or what it seems to be it.

This music is literally why I've played dark souls.

One track I forgot about that I absolutely love - Vergil Battle 3 from Devil May Cry 3. Not sure if you're familiar with it, but it's so good. Edit: Had to find a link for it, because there are so many "tampered with" versions on youtube. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R8I1Hku8GQk.html this particular version includes its full intro piece which is cut out of the track proper normally.

"this menu song sounds like, 'im going to vanquish evil'" na, more like "if you press that start button, you are going to wish you were never born." 😂

2:35 Never fails to give me goosebumps. Amazing.

Talking about a Requiem, if there is a Soulsborne song that fits this description is Gehrman, The First Hunter.

I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said this track was one of the main things keeping me coming back to DS3 for a long time. Even when I'd ragequit a boss, the next day I'd think of turning on the game and hearing this, and there was no more hesitation.

To me, the scene that comes to mind when I listen to this is someone walking through a long night, then they begin to run when they see a light in the distance.

Its like hes squeezing out nuts or feeling the music so intensely his face cant handle it

Fun fact , this was meant to be Pontiff Sullivan's theme when he was planned as the final boss (during early development)

By the way, this is the original final boss theme of the game. During development the plan for the overall story and scenario shifted which lead to the final boss changing pretty late in development. Also if you want more video game music suggestions: - Wood Carving Partita, Dance of Pales - Castlevania Symphony of the Night - EXEC_HARMONIUS/. - Ar Tonelico - METHOD_REPLEKIA/. - Ar Tonelico 2 - Megalith Agnus Dei - Ace Combat 4 - Hilltop Mausoleum suite - Medievil Resurrection - Victoria's Laboratory - Little Big Planet 2 (Note that finding a recording of this is tricky as the song is dynamic in the game and there aren't many examples of uploads that play all of the sound layers at once.) - Vergil Battle 3 - Devil May Cry 3 - Destati - Kingdom Hearts - Fantasia Alla Marcia - Kingdom Hearts 2 - Nachtflügel - Kingdom Hearts 3