Super Sonic Songs Review

This album was requested by Heroic412227, I hope you like it.

Date Of Release: November 19, 2009

Crush 40 is a Japanese-American Hard rock band that formed in Japan in the year 1998. Although many members have played in the band and left, the two consistent members are:

• Jun Senoue (Guitarist, Composer)
• Johnny Gioeli (Lead Vocals)

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Jun Senoue is employed by Sega as a composer and sound director since 1993. He's known for adding a "rock feeling" to soundtracks he works on because, in his words, "He's a rock kinda guy". While preparing music for the game Sonic Adventure, Jun contacted Johnny Gioeli to see if he wanted to collaborate on a song he was writing for the game, as Jun was a fan of Johnny's band Hardline at the time. The first song they would work on was the opening theme to Sonic Adventure , titled, Open Your Heart.

Following the recording sessions, the two would remain in touch and would further collaborate to record more songs for other Sonic games.

During their early years they went under the name, Sons Of Angels. But because there was already a band with that name, they then renamed themselves to Crush 40. As Crush 40 the duo would record songs for 9 Sonic games and 1 NASCAR game. They would also release 2 studio albums, 2 compilation albums, an EP, and individual tracks.

Crush 40's musical style mainly focuses on hard rock. I often compare their style to that of 80's hard rock bands, such as: Van Halen, Tesla, Mötley Crue, Def Leppard, and Guns N' Roses, just to name a few. Because of that a few of their songs also sound very much like glam metal. Which only further aided in making the soundtracks they worked on, sound unique and stand out among other games.

I've only played a handful of Sonic games when I was younger, as I didn't really like Sonic around that time. Back then I was a die hard Mario fan, I literally worshipped him lol. It wasn't until I got a little older when I decided to give the games a chance. Sonic games I've played are:

• Sonic Classic Collection (DS)
• Shadow the Hedgehog (PS2, I will defend this game until my death bed)
• Sonic Unleashed (Wii version, the superior version in my opinion)

Aside from loving those games, I also loved their music. There was just something about the fast paced rock songs that were filled with positive and empowering lyrics that filled my little heart with joy.

So that brings us to today's review of Super Sonic Songs by Crush 40. A compilation album that contains previous Sonic songs as well as newly recorded songs. It was a lot of fun re-listening to songs from my childhood as well as taking a listen to songs I haven't yet heard. Although these songs are fun to listen to, I can't help but feel that a lot of them tend to sound the same halfway through the album. Johnny's vocals also aren't very appropriate for a few songs but I'll get to that later.

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Songs

I Am... All Of Me
Starting the album off with an absolute banger. I Am... All Of Me is a borderline metal song with some electronica components inserted in. I absolutely love how industrial the beginning of the song sounds. The clanging of metal along with the distorted, muddy guitar tone, sounds so good. Johnny absolutely kills it on vocals. One part I also love is the bridge to the chorus, they take out the drums, replace them with a dance beat, and slow the song down a bit. The way I'm describing it may make it sound like it doesn't work but you'd be surprised.

Since this song was the opening track for the game Shadow the Hedgehog, expect the lyrics to be edgy, and boy are they! Lyrically this song centers around the duality of man. Which ties in the game's gimmick of having multiple endings, and you having the choice of making Shadow evil or good. I was surprised at how much of the lyrics I was able to remember despite me not playing this game since forever.

His World
This track comes from the game Sonic 06'. The beginning to this song is epic! It features string instruments playing alongside electric guitars and that iconic stinky RHCP bass. I love the presence of the string instruments throughout the song, it gives the track this sense of a final battle looming. The riff that the electric guitars play sound awesome, amazing drumming on here as well. The guitar solo that plays at the halfway point of the song is also fantastic. Johnny's vocals do a great job of getting you pumped up.

Un-gravitify
This song is a cover song that comes from Sonic Riders: Zero gravity. When I first heard the intro to this song I had to restart it to make sure my ears weren't fooling me. The intro or this whole song for that matter, is very reminiscent of Soundgarden songs. In other words this song gives off light grunge vibes and I'm all for it! The guitar riff for this song is absolutely killer. The drums also really pop on here. Johnny's vocals are powerful on this track as well.

Lyrically this song centers around stuff to hype you up to, things to empower you, etc. Lyrics like, "Don't stand down, break through. Through light in which sun drowns. Don't stand down, break through. Let all go, break them lose" are just about all you need to read in order to know what the song is about. Despite that though this is one of my favorites off of the album.

All Hail Shadow
Although this song is originally from Shadow the Hedgehog, this version comes from Sonic 06'. This song is almost entirely electrionic but still has electric guitars, bass, and drums that play. This song is also set at a much quicker tempo than the previous songs. The electric guitar's riffs are awesome on this song. Johnny's vocals are harsher on here and occasionally he even growls, which fits the character.

Originally this song would play at the credits if the player were to get the heroic ending. So lyrically, this song is essentially Shadow's theme song. It paints him in a way where he's an Antihero that has found the answers he's been seeking about his past. Lyrics are pretty good, my favorite verse being, "Obliterating everything that's not your friend. Nothing can stop you now. No ghosts to bring you down. When there's nothing left to lose, you win".

Never Turn Back
This song comes from Shadow the Hedgehog. Coming completely out left field, this song starts off with melancholy notes emanating from a piano. It doesn't last long though as it is quickly taken over by booming drums and aggressive electric guitars. Johnny absolutely kills it in the vocals department. The main riff coming from the electric guitars sound awesome. The bass line is very catchy as well. Overall great song, one of my favorites off the album.

Revvin' Up
Unlike previous songs, this one isn't from a video game but entirely it's own thing. Kicking things off with a fast tempo. Revvin' Up reminds me heavily of the song Heaven & Hot Rods by Stone Temple Pilots, what with the heavy guitars and fast tempo. Johnny's vocals are amazing here, especially with how long he drags them out. Every instrument really gives it their all on here. To sum it up this song is pure adrenaline.

Into The Wind
This song is also entirely it's own thing, no attachment to games. I really like the guitar riff played at the beginning and throughout the song, it feels you up with positivity. Really the electric guitars on this song are a big stand out. The solo near the end is quick but still very much good. The bass is also great on this song. As always, Johnny's vocals are phenomenal.

Lyrically this song is about overcoming obstacles in your life and how good things never come easy. It does a good job in motivating you. The fast tempo, aggressive guitars, and powerful lyrics, certainly help it's cause.

Watch Me Fly...
This song is also a stand alone track. Unlike many of the previous songs, Watch Me Fly... takes the aggression down. This song is more laid back and mellow. The booming bass coupled with the light percussion makes for a nice atmosphere. The inclusion of the piano towards the middle of the song is a nice touch.

I do have a problem with Johnny's vocals on this song however. Despite how laid back the song is, Johnny still hollers during certain parts and really it almost completely kills the song for me. I'll be sitting there enjoying the song, next thing I know my ears are getting assaulted by Johnny's screams, it really isn't necessary. Vocals aside though, this song is very good.

Fire Woman
Perhaps the most unique song off the album. Fire Woman is a cover from 80's rock band The Cult. There's not much to say here, they did a pretty great job at this cover. Obviously not just being a carbon copy of the original, they add their own quirks to the song as well. I like that the bass for Crush 40's version is the stinky RHCP bass. Overall nice cover.

Sonic Heroes
This is the opening track to the game of the same name. Seeing as this game was released in the early 2000's, I love the drum and bass for the beginning. Actually the bass is the driving force for this song, it's fast and has a lot going on. That's not to say the electric guitars are lacking though, they have some very good solos as well. Giving the nature of this song, Johnny's vocals perfectly fit in. I especially love the chorus, it's very catchy.

Lyrically like past songs, this one is about determination and powering through your obstacles. Except this is told through Sonic's point of view, the lyrics reflect this well. Verses like, "You try to strike but a bit too late. I got you hooked by my own bait. Watch me rule the night away, watch me save the day." Give it that signature cocky attitude Sonic is known for.

What I'm Made Of...
This song also derives from Sonic Heroes. We open this song up with good guitar riffs and drums straight out of the get-go. As usual the solo for this song is pretty good. There isn't much for me to talk about here, this could be considered your standard for Crush 40 songs.

Lyrically this song is about facing a powerful opponent but despite that, you won't give up easily, which is fitting. As this song is used for the final boss of the game.

Live Life
This song comes from Sonic and the Black Knight. Violins kick this song off, which is a relief as a lot of the songs start sounding the same after a while. The violins are the only instruments that play before other instruments slowly and smoothly join in. This song slows things down and is laid back. Other instruments don't do anything to standout but instead are humble, which is perfect. Johnny's vocals on this song are perfect, he takes it down a notch and when he does holler he does so at appropriate times. Overall amazing song.

Knight Of The Wind
This song also comes from Sonic and The Black Knight. This song, like it's predecessor, also starts off with violins, except I think it sounds ugly this time. It only lasts 5 seconds and it may seem like a silly thing to complain about but personally that part makes me cringe a little. Intro aside though, this song is good, just like any other on this album. One thing I do like is how the violins blend in and works well with the bass and electric guitar.

Lyrically this song is about being a hero to the common people, reminding me a lot of Robin Hood. It's funny too cause this game centers around knights and medieval times, so props to Jun if that's what he was aiming for.

Live & Learn
An absolute classic! This song comes from the game Sonic Adventure 2. I mostly remember this song from Super Smash Bros Brawl but damn this song is awesome. The techno laser that starts off the song, alongside the aggressive guitars and drums immediately fills you up with adrenaline. Out of all the songs on this album I love Johnny's vocals on this one the most, this song was perfectly crafted to accommodate to his voice. The guitar solo for this song kicks ass as well.

The lyrics to this song are my favorite out of all the songs on this album. They're very powerful and pack a punch. This song is about how no matter how hard life gets, no matter how much you want to give up, you just gotta live and learn. My favorite verse is, "Can you feel time slippin' down your spine? Ooh, you try and try to ignore, yeah! But you can hardly swallow, your fears and pain. When you can't help but follow, it puts you right back where you came." I can't believe this comes from a video game soundtrack. Crush 40 really outdid themselves.

Open Your Heart
This song is the opening track to Sonic Adventure. As I said earlier Open Your Heart is the first song Jun and Johnny worked on together. This song in my opinion has the best drums in the album, they just sound so good. The bass is also very groovy, it has a lot going on. So much in fact it sometimes overshadows the electric guitars. Speaking of which, the main riff that's played is awesome.

Is It You
An entirely original song made for this album. This song starts off with electric guitars using reverb pedals. Because of this it ends up making this song sound like an 80's rock ballad, which I'm a big fan of. Johnny's signing is absolutely killer on this song too, it's just the right balance between aggressive and soft. I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard this song, definitely one of my favorites off the album.

This track is also unique in terms of lyrics. Unlike previous tracks Is It You is about love. The lyrics are also very sweet and put a smile on my face. This song could be looked at as a love letter to 80's love ballads.

Free
This song is from the game Sonic Riders. This song blends techno with hard rock, a combination Crush 40 absolutely nailed down. The electric guitars and bass mix in nicely with the techno beats. It even manages to mix well with the drumming. Johnny's singing on here is awesome as well. The chorus is very catchy and makes you want to sing along. Overall great song.

With Me -Massive Power Mix-
This song comes from Sonic and The Black Knight. Quite possibly the heaviest song Crush 40 has made. This whole song reminds me a lot of The Everlasting Gaze by The Smashing Pumpkins. The guitar riff for this song is heavy and awesome. The bass as always doesn't disappoint. I like how at times the drums almost have a blast beat going on in some parts of the song.

This song is the theme to the main villain of the game, which explains why it's so heavy. Lyrics are typical villain stuff. You know, stuff like, "you think you can overpower me?" and, "I'll be the last one standing" things like that. I'm not trying to downplay the lyrics by saying that, as they are still pretty good. I'm just trying to paint you an idea.

Seven Rings In Hand
This song comes from the game Sonic and The Secret Rings. This is it. We've reached the last song off of the album. For starters, I like how chaotic the start of the song is, the electric guitar is just all over the place. Johnny's vocals, especially at the chorus are rough and great. There's also some light electronic components used for this song. Bass and drums are played tightly as well. Overall a decent way to end off the album.

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Final Thoughts
In conclusion Super Sonic Songs by Crush 40 is a pretty good compilation album of their previous hits, as well as new songs. Their fast paced rock songs, filled with positive lyrics were, for the most part, very fun to listen to. There are quite a few songs that feel completely the same, both musically and lyrically, and because there are 19 songs on this album you may or may not start to get sick of them. That's not to say it's all bad though, there are also some absolute gems in this album as well.

So is this album worth taking a listen to?... I'd say maybe. I guess it all really depends on the listener. Obviously Sonic fans will absolutely adore this album.
However when it comes to non fans I'd say it might be a hit or miss. I think there are quite a few songs on here that just about anybody could appreciate without knowing anything about the games. Then again It IS music after all and that's what matters most in the end.

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If I Had To Rate It Out Of 10: 7/10

Songs I Liked:

• I Am...All Of Me
• Un-gravitify
• All Hail Shadow
• Never Turn Back
• Revvin' Up
• Fire Woman
• Sonic Heroes
• Live Life
• Live & Learn
• Open Your Heart
• Is It you
• Free
• With Me -Massive Power Mix-

Songs I Disliked:

• None!

For Those Who Are Interested In Checking It Out Here's A Preview Song: