I’ll admit, I’ve been on a bit of a Persona 4 kick lately. Between the currently-airing anime, the upcoming fighting game, and the Playstation Vita port, it’s a great time to be a Persona fan. This brand new arrange album, Never More -Reincarnation: PERSONA4-, is the delicious cherry on top of a Shin Megami Tensei sundae. Its musical energy peaks with exuberant highs and settles down into melancholy, contemplative lows.
The well-known battle theme, “Reach Out to the Truth,” has not been remixed, but has re-recorded vocals instead that make it feel fresh. “Dream Song” is decidedly morose and conveys the sting of loss with powerful piano notes accompanied by a sweet violin harmony. “Heaven” has been converted into a slow jazz tune that showcases Shihoko Hirata’s soulful voice. “Never More” was a sentimental song to begin with, and this version layers its bittersweet feelings between a clapping backbeat and thoughtful lyrics. My favorite track, “I’ll Face Myself (Battle),” is positively rocking. High-energy violin, passionate guitar, and melody-carrying piano combine in an exciting, adrenaline-pumping arrangement of an already excellent boss theme.
This album is a good taste of what Shoji Meguro is capable of and should intrigue newcomers to the Persona series. Every track succeeds at delivering an emotional impact, and doubly so for Persona 4 fans. Being one myself, I couldn’t help but grin ear to ear while reminiscing about my good times in Inaba. This soundtrack undoubtedly deserves its reincarnation.
