Ending off this very short series, we have the last two Metal Slug soundtracks. I decided to separate them from the other Noise Factory games as Metal Slug 6-7 use an entirely new engine, and thus feel quite different from the first five games in a few ways. And similarly, the soundtracks feel particularly different as well.
Metal Slug 6: I have a lot of really mixed opinions on Metal Slug 6 and I'm still trying to work out how I feel about it overall, the soundtrack included. MS6's soundtrack stands out by being composed by Manabu Namiki and Mitsuhiro Kaneda, two composers new to the series. I'm not too huge on Kaneda's tracks those they're few and do have some highlights, but Namiki who did the bulk of the soundtrack absolutely nailed the Metal Slug sound, combining the jazz fusion and orchestral rock of past titles with his own techno shmup style so naturally. This used to be my least favorite soundtrack since I used to find it super disjointed, but after some more listens, it might genuinely be Top 3 for the Namiki tracks alone.
Last Resort
As far as character select themes go, this is probably my least favorite. It's certainly not bad, boasting a decent groove and a nice blend of jazz and techno, but it just loops way too fast even by character select standards.
3/5 Stars
Main Theme From MS6
Like the game itself, Metal Slug 6's soundtrack gets off to a fantastic start as the first half is composed almost entirely by Namiki. And it shows, this game's remix of the main Metal Slug theme has some serious shmup vibes, with an intense heroic-sounding orchestra that gives off some serious Radiant Silvergun vibes. It may not have the sax solo of the original, but MS6's main theme manages to almost rival it.
5/5 Stars
Cliff And Cave
Cliff And Cave is a beautifully mystical-sounding mountain theme boasting airy flutes and synths, and some driving percussion. It also carries over the new motifs added in MS6's main theme to great effect, leading to a chill-inducing chorus. Definitely one of the most underrated tracks in the series.
5/5 Stars
Steel Beast 6+7 Beats
Metal Slug 6 finally brings back Steel Beast, and it's as good as always. This version almost feels like a conglomerate of every prior version of this track, and the updated instruments makes it sound quite good, even if I still think the X version reigns supreme.
4/5 Stars
Inner Goldfield
Ooo, Namiki has taste! MS6 remixes a lot of the first game's tracks, likely due to being a soft reboot of sorts, so I'm very glad Inner Station was one of the tracks they decided to remix. While the riff is as banging as always, the melody is entirely different, but Namiki managed to maintain that same jazzy feel with a particularly groovy chorus.
5/5 Stars
Asian Impact
I absolutely adore this track, it's probably a top 3 candidate for me alongside Speeder and Livin On The Edge. Asian Impact is an Eastern-infused EDM dance tune with an incredibly catchy central melody, and a ridiculously head-banging and hard-hitting chorus. Seriously, every time that drop happens, I gets chills, it's so good! This is Namiki at his absolute best.
5/5 Stars
Biotoxic
Well, here's the first Kaneda track... and it's probably his best. Biotoxic is a very intense orchestra/techno blend that goes surprisingly hard, and perfectly captures the ramp up in stakes (and difficulty) once the aliens arrive. Shame I associate it so heavily with the worst boss in the series.
4/5 Stars
Bridge 256
Despite the name, Bridge 256 doesn't sound anything like Ridge 256. Instead, it's just kind of a generic sweeping orchestral piece with barely any defined melody. It's absolutely one of the blandest themes in the series, and is a perfect example of Kaneda's style sticking out like a sore thumb and holding this soundtrack back.
2/5 Stars
Aim High, Chase Fast
Thankfully, Namiki is back for a ridiculously smooth jazz piece that would sound right at home in the Nazca trilogy, as well as a shmup (fitting considering the stage this plays in). And when the guitar comes in at the second half, god damn! Seriously, I can't understate how much Namiki understood the assignment with his music for this game.
5/5 Stars
Final Attack
It took a bit to warm up to this theme. Namiki tricks you into thinking you're getting Final Attack only to quickly swap it out for a haunting and atmospheric track that sounds right out of Metroid Prime. However, over the time, this version of Final Attack is brilliant. The way the tempo ramps up as the track slowly goes out of control culminating in a chaotic reprisal of the Final Attack motif, the way it effortlessly nails that Metroid vibe, the way it so perfectly captures the horror of the situation you're in. Namiki's a freaking genius.
5/5 Stars
Unavoidable Duel
Another Kaneda track. His more techno pieces generally fare better and fit in with Namiki's stuff more, but this is still a fairly unremarkable track outside of its distinctly deep synths and overall tense atmosphere.
3/5 Stars
Discharge
This is just straight-up horror music. The heartbeats in the background, the psycho strings, the absolutely chaotic chorus that sounds like Ishikawa made it, Discharge is absolutely terrifying, but it fits the fight very well and remains pretty entertaining to listen to.
3/5 Stars
The Military System
It's The Military System again. The vocal samples are a nice touch, but it's still The Military System.
1/5 Stars
Critical Maneuver
Oh good, Kaneda remixed his best track for the credits. It's a solid remix of Biotoxic that at least ends the game on a strong and intense note musically.
4/5 Stars
Metal Slug 7: Well, Tanaka's back and offers up his most consistent soundtrack so far. He's not pushing the mold with 7's music quite as much as he did with 5, but if you like his style as much as I do, you're probably going to like this score.
Barracks
Barracks is back! And this is easily the best version of it, with punchier brass and a ton of different instruments all grooving out.
4/5 Stars
Scrap Island
Scrap Island definitely sounds like a first level theme in a Metal Slug game, even reusing the main theme quite liberally. The first half is already quite tense and dramatic, but the chorus is the best part as per the usual, between the Final Fantasy-sounding pre-chorus and soaring orchestral climax.
4/5 Stars
Former Master
Former Master is pretty standard event music. Chaotic and frantic, but not really worth listening to, especially considering it just sounds like a worst The Kidnapping.
2/5 Stars
Coal Mine
Coal Mine probably sounds the most like a track from Metal Slug 5, with some heavy riffs at the start and overall powerful feel to it. The dramatic chorus completely with opera vocal samples is great, but it isn't quite as memorable as some of the other tracks.
4/5 Stars
Underground Fortress
This is a fantastic track, pure Tanaka. From the tense and frantic opening to that phenomenal chorus. This is easily one of my favorite choruses in the series, by the way, it's so soaring, triumphant, heroic, dramatic, and melancholy. I'll never forget running away from that boulder as this music plays, it fits so well.
5/5 Stars
The Waterfall
The Waterfall is Tanaka's second western-inspired theme and while I do still slightly prefer Windy Day, this is yet another series highlight. The blaring trumpets, uplifting melody, and head-banging string chorus are already so great, but my favorite touch is the piano arpeggio that almost sounds like the Final Fantasy prelude.
5/5 Stars
Ruins Base
Ruins Base isn't quite as bombastic as the last two tracks, but it's still quite good. I love the dark and intimidating opening, and despite the long build-up, the chorus still manages to hit pretty hard.
4/5 Stars
Snowy Country
Snowy Country is another one of Tanaka's more intense tracks like Underground Fortress. I love how it keeps changing instruments, from strings, to trumpets, to flutes, and each section is strong and memorable on their own. I particularly like the string bit though because it takes the catchy central riff and just heightens the intensity even more.
5/5 Stars
The Beginning Is The End
Man, does Tanaka know how to make a final level. While it starts pretty basic, it quickly shifts into a heavy symphonic rock piece and it goes incredibly hard. The chorus is also stellar, super reminiscent of MS4 in how orchestral and dramatic it is.
5/5 Stars
The Military System
This... might be the best version of The Military System? I really like the more echoey drums here, they tickle my ears in just the right way, you know?
2/5 Stars
Combat School
The music for a side mode doesn't need to go this hard. Combat School is an incredibly fun, jazzy piece with a ton of energy, especially in the lead synths and very anime chorus.
4/5 Stars
Beast Of Beat 9/8
Despite the name, this is not a Steel Beast remix, it's an original boss theme, and it's fine. It gets off to a pretty slow start, and while it does pick up in tempo around the halfway mark, it still fares as probably my least favorite main boss theme.
3/5 Stars
Assault Theme
HOLY CRAP. The assault theme is already an iconic Metal Slug track, but my jaw dropped when I heard this remix, it's so good! It takes the fundamentals of the original track and remixes it in a techno style, with frenetic percussion and hard-hitting synths, and it rocks so hard. And when Tanaka blends it with the main Metal Slug theme? Peak gaming.
5/5 Stars
Final Attack
This is a more orchestral remix of Final Attack and yeah, it's good. I don't really know what else to say, I think it's impossible to mess up Final Attack.
5/5 Stars
Melody Of My Own Way
Another totally solid credits theme, but not super remarkable. It has a pretty good chorus, but nothing that really sticks out to me.
3/5 Stars
So, now that I'm done with this quick retrospective, have I learned anything about Metal Slug music? Well, kinda. After my first playthrough, I was primarily enamored with solely Tanaka's music, but I feel like I've gained a stronger appreciation for the other soundtracks too. Hiyamuta's solos are absolutely sublime, and I severely underrated how much Namiki nailed his parts of Metal Slug 6. As I said earlier, the MS6 soundtrack in particular really rose up the rankings after this retrospective, which is pretty cool. But most of all, this series just solidified how unbelievably badass and consistently fantastic Metal Slug's music is.
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