Watch it now: Darkness and Starlight Concert Video

The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight is the third arranged soundtrack album of video game music from the Final Fantasy series of role-playing video games. The album contains a selection of musical tracks from the games, arranged and performed in a hybrid of power metal and progressive metal by The Black Mages in a similar manner to their previous albums. It was released on March 19, 2008, by Uematsu’s Dog Ear Records, spanning ten tracks and a duration of 60:40. The Black Mages sing the chorus for the song “Darkness and Starlight”, the only vocal track on the album. The album has been described as being composed of a mix of “intense” symphonic metal pieces and rock opera. Like the previous album, Darkness and Starlight features an original piece, “Life ~ in memory of KEITEN ~”, which was composed by Uematsu for Yoshitaka Tagawa, a boy he had met who died of leukemia.

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Nobuo Uematsu is a name that needs no introduction. Many may be familiar with his rock band, The Black Mages, who perform and record arrangements of classic pieces from the Final Fantasy series. We recently spread the word about the final track list and the launch date of their highly anticipated third album, Darkness and Starlight. We were able to ask Uematsu-san a few questions from his secluded winter home leading up to the March 19th launch for the album, so please join us as we learn more about The Black Mages and how they go about producing their albums.  Interview conducted by Music4games.net. copyrighted by music4games.net. Special thanks to Hiroki Ogawa for translating the Q&A.

M4G: The subtitle of the new album is “Darkness and Starlight,” which is a reference to your “Maria and Draco” piece from Final Fantasy VI. How early on did you know that you’d be including this piece on the album, and what has that piece meant for your career?
Nobuo Uematsu (NU): The recording had already started when the idea of adding “Maria and Draco” came to me, and I decided to add it because I wanted to try something new with this album. I thought that it would be fun to add new lyrics and melodies and sing the vocals ourselves. Nothing has changed from when I was composing Final Fantasy VI. I always want the challenge of something new, and in those days, it was Opera. Nobuo Uematsu (NU): The recording had already started when the idea of adding “Maria and Draco” came to me, and I decided to add it because I wanted to try something new with this album. I thought that it would be fun to add new lyrics and melodies and sing the vocals ourselves. Nothing has changed from when I was composing Final Fantasy VI. I always want the challenge of something new, and in those days, it was Opera.

M4G: The first album featured arrangements of only combat themes, while the second album explored other styles. Who is responsible for song selection, and once a song is selected, how does the band go about arranging a piece of music for each performer?

NU: At first, I select the song. After my selection, other members give me their opinions, and finally I decide with all the members. When we decide the arranger of each piece, we have a show of hands first, and decide it. They send me demos, and we discuss and decide the final arrangement.

M4G: Please describe the recording process. It appears as though all the artists are assembled at once. Is this difficult to do given that everyone has a busy schedule?

NU: Most of the basic synth parts are programmed by each arranger. And if there are instruments which we feel must be recorded in live, we go to the studio and record it. We usually use the studio for the drum recordings most of the time, but we also use the studio when we want to re-record the guitars using a real amp. It is really difficult for all the members to use the time for The Black Mages recordings. We didn’t have much time to gather in the studio at the same time, so sometimes recordings started late at night.

M4G: It has been said that initially you wanted only to produce for The Black Mages, but the band insisted that you perform alongside them or they would not perform at all. Given its success, can you tell us your thoughts on the development and growth of the band, and what it means to you as a composer to be able to perform your music in front of an audience?

NU: I’m very thankful that a lot of people in many countries love our music. There is a member who wanted to be a musician in their youth, so their dream has come true. I also used to perform as a band member when I was young, but I hadn’t played music in front of the audience for 20 years, so it’s always hard to come back as a live musician. Even so, it’s really fun to do a live concert. If the audience could have fun listening to our performance as well, nothing would make me happier.

To perform in front of audience is thrilling but also fun. When composing for the video game, I could not see the people playing directly, and there was a lag time until I heard their opinions about my music. But at a live concert, I easily know if the audience is having fun or not.

M4G: Following the formation of The Black Mages, you left Square Enix to pursue other projects through Smile Please and your record label, Dog Ear Records. You still contribute frequently to projects at Square Enix, so please describe your relationship with the company since your departure.

NU: I’m continuing working with them the same as before. I still go for a drink with the staff of Square Enix.

M4G: Since your U. S. debut at Dear Friends at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2004, you have travelled many times to the U.S. and abroad. Describe your experience developing the “Dear Friends” and “More Friends” concerts and how the shows changed you as a person and as an artist.

NU: It has always encouraged me when I have felt directly that my music is accepted by a lot of people even outside of Japan.

M4G: You stated recently that you are a fan of Koichi Sugiyama, famed composer of the Dragon Quest series. After the formation of Square Enix, were there any hopes on your end to collaborate with Sugiyama-san given the popularity of both Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest concerts in Japan? It seems like the opera from Final Fantasy VI would be of interest to him given his classical background.

NU: It would be wonderful if that collaboration could be realized!

M4G: It has been said that you are a huge fan of beer. As a fun question, if each Black Mages album, including Darkness and Starlight, could be a type of beer, which would they be and why?

NU:
1st album: My homemade beer.
2nd album: Letting my friends drink my homemade beer.
3rd album: Finally, we start selling our homemade beer at shops.

Enjoy the Concert