Music is AWESOME!!!!!! Geek music is even better. Since music is one of the driving forces in my life, I’m making you a mixtape.
February Mix Tape Theme: Michigan Artists
This week’s track is from Year 200X.
Artist: Year 200X
Song: Zelda II (Title – Battle – Fairy – Palace)
Album: We Are Error
Genre: Metal
Rounding out this month’s theme of awesome musicians based out of Michigan, our last tour stop is in Lansing to talk about Year 200X. Year 200X were a stellar metal VGM band. They had all the things that I wanted out of a metal band. Dual guitar attacks, audible low-end bass, and drums with a very liberal use of double bass. They didn’t just rely on note-for-note covers with a heavier sound. They added little touches like guitar harmonies, heavy breakdowns, solos, and other tricks known to the metal faithful. Year 200x truly made 8-bit and 16-bit video game songs their own.
I found out about them after they stopped performing. I remember reaching out to them in 2015 about the status of the band. It seems like they were on an indefinite hiatus at the time. Fast-forward to 2019, I found out that they were performing at Bit Gen Gamer Fest. The fact that they had a long overdue reunion show (after a 7-year break) at Bit Gen Gamer Fest was enough of a reason for me to travel out to Baltimore, Maryland. Yes, I had to travel all the way from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to go out to Baltimore to see a band from Lansing. Honestly, they were well worth the trip. All the members were super nice when I met them. They were surprised that I made the trip to see them. I got a cool shirt from them, too. They have since gone back into hibernation as a band. I’m hoping that I get to see them again.
Hands down, this is my favorite cover of a Legend of Zelda song. It is a nice medley of various themes. The Title theme starts with drums and guitars off in the distance, getting closer and closer during the first 15 seconds. From that point on, the tone for the metal adventure is set. The Battle theme ebbs and flows with intensity. After the Title theme makes its 2nd appearance, I like how they give a nod to the original Dungeon theme from the 1st Legend of Zelda in the middle of the song. Then, gentle acoustic guitars give you a slight breather when they reach the Great Fairy Fountain section of this medley. It is the calm before the storm. When they transition into the Palace/Dungeon theme, they pummel you with one of the best metal breakdowns in the VGM scene. Yes, I will die on that hill. I put on a mean stink face as a bob my head every time I hear it. At one point, one guitarist is doing Wah pedal wails while another guitarist and bassist are hitting dual sweep arpeggios to match the tempo of the original song. Let’s not forget the drummer, providing the thunderous double bass backbone and setting the pace with frenetic rhythms throughout this whole song. Finally, the Title theme, being the glue of this medley, brings the song to an end. The whole song is the chef’s kiss.
If you like what you heard, please support
Buy their stuff at:
https://year200x.bandcamp.com/
Like, Follow, Subscribe on social media
https://www.facebook.com/year200x
Massive shout out to Devon Camel for the Fresh artwork
and
Cassidy Warner for the additional art and coloring.
Please click on their links and support them.