This EP-sized gem from Egg Music and composer/arranger Koji Hayama features some classic Super Robot Taisen original character/mech theme songs, now vocalized and/or re-arranged by Hayama-san himself. If you’re ready to be floored by a sound that is as silly as it is epic, then you’re ready for this album.
The first three tracks are from one of the newest titles in the SRT franchise: Super Robot Taisen Z. The mecha “Gunleon” is the center of attention. The first two tracks are vocal pieces singing about the trials and the glory of the Gunleon. Hayama’s voice, if you’ve not yet heard it among his other works, is a low, gruff, small-ranged voice. But what he lacks in prowess as a vocalist he makes up for by being emotionally expressive and intense with every word.
Hayama sings again for the “Baran Doban” theme, from Super Robot Taisen Alpha 3. This is my favorite of his vocal performances on the CD. In fact, these three tracks from SRTA3 are my favorites on the disc. The music from Z is cool, but it’s not as catchy or as memorable as the fantastic soundtrack of Alpha 3. The instrumental arrangements (tracks 5 and 6) are songs that I could listen to many times over. An incredible mix of synthesizers, keyboards, and guitar (the trademark for Hayama and his ilk) make for some great arrangements.
The last three tracks, from the first Alpha title, I could do without. There is not much difference between the “orchestral” and “pop” version of the final track. “Enraged Spirits” is a neat track because it uses voice samples (is it Hayama’s voice? I suspect it is, but I’m not sure).
Much of Egg Music’s catalog is digital-only, but this is one of the CDs they’ve released. Super Robot Taisen fans, and/or Hayama fans, should be sure to pick it up. It sells for a reasonably low price, and there’s a lot of fun, peppy, enjoyable music to be heard here.
