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The Black Mages

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The Black Mages
File:Black Mages Above The Sky AfterShow.jpg
Left to right: Arata Hanyuda, Kenichiro Fukui, Nobuo Uematsu, Tsuyoshi Sekito, Keiji Kawamori, Michio Okamiya
Background information
Years active2003 - present
MembersNobuo Uematsu
Kenichiro Fukui
Tsuyoshi Sekito
Keiji Kawamori
Arata Hanyuda
Michio Okamiya
For their eponymous first album, see The Black Mages (album).
For the Final Fantasy character class, see Black Mage.

The Black Mages are a Japanese instrumental rock band in the charge of composer Nobuo Uematsu. The band revised some of Uematsu's most popular fighting themes from the games of the Final Fantasy line in order to publish them in newly-arranged shape on the album The Black Mages: Battle Music of Final Fantasy, released on February 19, 2003. The songs on the first album are all instrumental and all arrangements of battle themes. The Black Mages' second album, entitled The Skies Above, was released in Japan on December 22, 2004. This album features guest vocalists on two tracks and features arrangements of a few tracks that were not originally battle themes, but the majority of tracks are still instrumental arrangements of battle themes. The album also contains the entrance theme for Japanese K-1 Fighter Mr. Murahama entitled "Blue Blast - Winning The Rainbow".

The Black Mages performed live at Shibuya-AX, April 26-27, 2003. The performance was released on DVD exclusively to fanclub members residing in Japan. The performance marked the debut of the later released "Matoya's Cave" and featured additional solos within songs. During the introduction of band members, Michio Okamiya performed a rendition of the Chocobo Theme and Nobuo Uematsu performed the intro to Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water."

According to Uematsu, The Black Mages will release their third album in 2006[1].

Band members

  • Tsuyoshi Sekito (関戸 剛) — Electric Guitar
  • Michio Okamiya (岡宮 道生) — Electric Guitar
  • Nobuo Uematsu (植松 伸夫) — Organ and Keyboard
  • Kenichiro Fukui (福井 健一郎) — Keyboard
  • Keiji Kawamori (河盛 慶次) — Bass
  • Arata Hanyuda (羽入田 新) — Drums, and Percussion

Works by The Black Mages

Main article: The Black Mages (album)
File:TheBlackMagesCDcover.jpg
The Black Mages first album cover.
  1. Battle Scene (Final Fantasy I)
  2. Clash On The Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
  3. Force Your Way (Final Fantasy VIII)
  4. Battle Scene II (Final Fantasy II)
  5. The Decisive Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
  6. Battle Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
  7. J-E-N-O-V-A (Final Fantasy VII)
  8. Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII) Audio file "The Black Mages - Those Who Fight Further.ogg" not found
  9. Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)
  10. Fight With Seymour (Final Fantasy X)

During an interview, The Black Mages confirmed this album utilized sequenced drum tracks (unlike the second album)[2].

Main article: The Black Mages II: The Skies Above
File:TheBlackMagesTheSkiesAboveCDcover.jpg
The Black Mages second album cover, The Skies Above.
  1. The Rocking Grounds (Final Fantasy III)
  2. Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV)
  3. Vamo' Alla Flamenco (Final Fantasy IX)
  4. Hunter's Chance (Final Fantasy IX)
  5. Otherworld (Final Fantasy X)*
  6. Matoya's Cave (Final Fantasy I)
  7. The Man With The Machine Gun (Final Fantasy VIII)
  8. Maybe I'm A Lion (Final Fantasy VIII)
  9. Battle With The Four Fiends (Final Fantasy IV)
  10. The Skies Above (Final Fantasy X)*
  11. Blue Blast - Winning The Rainbow

* Note: The songs "Otherworld" and "The Skies Above" feature guest vocalists. "Otherworld" is performed by KAZCO, former chorus singer for Do As Infinity and indies singer, and differs greatly from the original Final Fantasy X version. It is much more melodic, since it relies more on the two synthesizers and features a female vocalist who sings in place of the vocals similar to a death grunt featured in the original version. "The Skies Above" is performed in a quasi-operatic vocal style by mr. goo, whose voice is often criticized as sounding unsuitable for a rock song, although precedent for this vocal style exists in the work of vocalists like Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and James LaBrie (Dream Theater). One likely explanation for Mr. Goo's seeming out-of-place vocal style has nothing to do with the clash of opera and rock. Mr. Goo's vocal range is that of a baritone, and the melody from "The Skies Above," by some critics' account, calls for a tenor.

Other Works

Concerts

The Black Mages have participated in several concert events.

File:"THE BLACK MAGES" LIVE.jpg
The Black Mages at the Shibuya-AX.

"THE BLACK MAGES" LIVE

  1. J-E-N-O-V-A from FINAL FANTASY VII
  2. Force Your Way from FINAL FANTASY VIII
  3. Battle Theme from FINAL FANTASY VI
  4. Battle, Scene I from FINAL FANTASY I
  5. Battle, Scene II from FINAL FANTASY II
  6. Matoya's Cave from FINAL FANTASY I
  7. Those Who Fight Further from FINAL FANTASY VII
  8. The Decisive Battle from FINAL FANTASY VI
  9. Clash on the Big Bridge from FINAL FANTASY V
  10. Dancing Mad from FINAL FANTASY VI
  11. Fight With Seymour from FINAL FANTASY X (encore)

Shibuya-AX

This overnight concert introduced the song Matoya's Cave (which would feature in their next album) and included additional solos not seen in their first album.

Kanagawa Univerity

This free concert was part of the Kanagawa Jindai Festa. As Nobuo Uematsu graduated from the University they were performing in, The Black Mages all wore the student uniform colors (white shirt, black pants).

File:LIVE "above the sky".jpg
The Black Mages at Club Citta.

LIVE "above the sky"

  1. The Rocking Grounds from FINAL FANTASY III
  2. Zeromus from FINAL FANTASY IV
  3. Hunter's Chance from FINAL FANTASY IX
  4. Battle Theme from FINAL FANTASY VI
  5. Battle with the Four Fiends from FINAL FANTASY IV
  6. Vamo' Alla Flamenco from FINAL FANTASY IX
  7. Maybe I'm a Lion from FINAL FANTASY VIII
  8. Those Who Fight Further from FINAL FANTASY VII
  9. The Man with the Machine Gun from FINAL FANTASY VIII
  10. Clash on the Big Bridge from FINAL FANTASY V
  11. Otherworld from FINAL FANTASY X
  12. The Skies Above from FINAL FANTASY X
  13. Blue Blast - Winning the Rainbow (encore)

Club Citta

Namba Hatch

These concerts featured Kenji Itou who performed piano renditions of SaGa Series songs. Also featured were muZik, a group who performed seven Techno and Pop-style Final Fantasy arrangements.

File:The Black Mages - More Friends.jpg
The Black Mages at the Gibson Amphitheater

More Friends

  1. The Rocking Grounds from FINAL FANTASY III
  2. Maybe I'm a Lion from FINAL FANTASY VIII
  3. Advent: One-Winged Angel from FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN

This was The Black Mages' first appearance in North America. Advent: One-Winged Angel was performed with orchestral accompaniment.

VOICES

This was a concert featuring performances of various Final Fantasy vocal tracks. The Black Mages played Advent: One-Winged Angel (from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children) along with the Prima Vista Philharmonic Orchestra and GYA. The song was played a second time as an encore.

References

  1. ^ http://www.rpgfan.com/features/interviews2006/index2.html
  2. ^ http://www.cocoebiz.com/report/tbminterview.html
  3. ^ http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?CatNumber=SQEX-10076~7
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