EP Review - Sonic Frontiers OST (vocal songs only) · 4:39am Nov 25th, 2022
Hey everyone. In case you couldn’t tell by the title, I’m doing things a bit differently today. A little over two weeks ago, a game called Sonic Frontiers came out. You’ve probably heard of it. This blog is gonna reflect absolutely none of the gameplay or story for that game, but I’m gonna go ahead and say potential spoilers may be ahead.
Sonic The Hedgehog is known for having amazing music, with songs like “Live And Learn,” “Seven Rings In Hand,” and “Knight Of The Wind.” But let’s admit it, it’s been awhile since any really good music came from a Sonic game. But it was after getting Sonic Frontiers and hearing the first song with a vocalist that I realized that I had to make this.
I’m only reviewing this “EP” based on songs with vocalists. And it’s also completely possible that I may have missed a song, so feel free to tell me down in the comments. Also, I’ll be leaving a link to each one as I go, since only two of them can be found on Spotify as of this posting. Finally, I’ll be listing the tracks in order of release, then game appearance.
Track One
Vandalize
This is the song everyone knows. It was released all the way back in September to first advertise this game. This song is performed by ONE OK ROCK, which I admittedly know nothing about.
This is the perfect lead song for this EP. The guitars come in choppy, but not too choppy. The vocalist (again, no idea who) sounds amazing, especially for the pre-chorus. The line “Vandalize my heart” is a bit repetitive overall, and the guitars never do anything outrageous, but admittedly that’s a nitpick. It’s not too over the top or on the nose
Track Two
I’m Here
This is the only other song that can be found on Spotify right now and is performed by Merry Kirk-Holmes.
It starts off with a haunting piano riff and some very… high pitched vocals before delving into a cool guitar solo. But it’s quickly overcome by a studio produced rhythm. The speed kinda goes all over the place for a bit. But then the chorus hits, and it raises a few red flags. Sonic has always had a bit of a reputation for being really on the nose, and this song definitely falls into that cliche. Kirk-Holmes is trying his best here, but he… isn’t the best singer. It’s not a bad song by any means, but it just isn’t a great pick to precede the game. The guitar work is great though, I will say that
Track Three
Undefeatable
This was the song that made me realize I had to do this post. It’s performed by Kellin Quinn of the metalcore band Sleeping With Sirens, as are the next two songs.
I’ll admit, it was a little jarring to hear the unclean vocals at first. But once Quinn started singing, I was immediately entranced. I never thought that Sonic and metalcore would mix, but it feels like a match made in heaven. The lyrics are insanely catchy, and Quinn’s vocals are beyond stellar. That said, it’s a good thing she sells this song as well as she does because without her, it’s just pure chugga chugga guitar work. There is a cool guitar solo after the second chorus, which helps, but seriously, I never wanna hear this without vocals.
Track Four
Break Through It All
This song is somehow both better and worse than “Undefeatable.” It’s not quite as catchy in terms of lyrics other than the brief chant “No more compromise, this is do or die, I’ll warn you one last time, you’ll wake the beast inside.” The guitar work stands out a lot more here as a clear riff rather than the obscure chugga chugga. Quinn’s vocals in the beginning are also very brief, but one the guitar solo hits and the speed picks up, it becomes basically a different song. Quinn is back with a vengeance with her delivery, and while the ending is a little cheesy, it still really sticks out
Track Five
Find Your Flame
I was a little hesitant at first when it came to this song. It’s definitely grown on me, but I do still have some reservations. For whatever reason, it feels like Quinn is giving a bit less effort than before. Tyler Smyth also comes in here and is a… not unwelcome change. Don’t get me wrong, I like this song, but I just feel like more could’ve been done. A lot of people really love this song, and I can see why. The “Now here we go, it’s the end of the show…” is also a really nice touch and a good way to show off Quinn’s vocal ability. The ending is very haunting as well and leaves me with goosebumps.
Track Six
Dear Father
If you were expecting metalcore for this entire EP, this song will throw you for a loop. It is very much not metalcore. It’s a pop-ballad with a piano and what sounds like synthesized drums in the background. It’s a very much vocal centralized song, done by Quinn Barnitt, who does a very good job. I wish her delivery could be a bit stronger, as it is a little faint overall, but this is such a sad song that I can look past it. It’s basically a girl writing a very emotional goodbye letter to her father, and even without its accompanying scene (spoilers if you haven’t seen it), it still manages to bring a tear to my eye
Track Seven
One Way Dream
The seventh and final song of this EP is performed by none other than game OST cover artist NateWantsToBattle. Good for him
This feels like the perfect song to end things on, especially after a slow and emotional ballad like “Dear Father.” Nate does an amazing job on the vocals, and the music behind him is made so well. My one problem with this song is that it is a little on the long side, but again, that’s a nitpick. Amazing guitar work, and beautiful pianos as well. Once again, this is the perfect song to end things.
Obviously, one, this isn’t a real EP, and two, I’m a little partial to Sonic The Hedgehog in general. But you cannot deny the pure talent and energy put into every one of these songs. The guitar work can seem a little repetitive at times, and interludes of certain songs can linger, but that’s about the only problem. The mixing is perfect, the real instruments really stand out, and even the studio produced back tracks are solid. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these songs reached the top ten of the Mainstream Rock Charts by the end of the year
9/10
Songs to check out:
Vandalize
Undefeatable
Break Through It All
If there's one aspect of video games that's remained consistently good over the years it's the music, and it sounds like this new Sonic game has music that's more than just good.
Think I'll have to check it out.