Metal Slug Music Reviews: Metal Slug 6-7

 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.

Metal Slug Music Reviews: Metal Slug 4-5

 Well, now we're onto the Noise Factory games, and while the quality of the games themselves becomes a lot more debatable, they have some killer soundtracks by Toshikazu Tanaka.

Metal Slug 4: Metal Slug 4 feels like a bit of a warm-up soundtrack for Tanaka, he hasn't fully let loose yet, but you can hear his distinct symphonic style start to form here. MS4 as a game has a very heavy spy theming, so one of the most notable aspects about its soundtrack is that it really sounds like a James Bond score at points. It's new territory for a Metal Slug game, but it sounds great.

Choose A Person
While not as iconic as Barracks, Choose A Person is yet another high-energy if short character select bolstered by some powerful brass.
3/5 Stars

Let's Run Through
Right up there with Judgement as my favorite first stage theme in the franchise. Let's Run Through is an absolute banger of a jazz tune that just screams espionage, complete with smooth guitar riffs, a fun bassline, and a great violin chorus.
5/5 Stars

Show Spirit
Show Spirit is another banger of a track, starting with a simple militaristic drum loop before bursting into a full symphony that sounds straight out of a Shimomura soundtrack, albeit with just enough energetic percussion to keep it feeling like Metal Slug. And that dramatic chorus is just sublime, Tanaka was always great at bringing his tracks to a strong climax.
5/5 Stars

Snowy Road
Snowy Road is a heavier rock track, but it maintains that spy movie vibe with heavy usage of the spy chord. The intro is probably my favorite part, starting off powerful and energetic with guitars and brass only to suddenly shift into a more mysterious-sounding synth tone.
4/5 Stars

Cadaverous
Cadaverous is a fairly low-key and spooky track, taking a simple piano riff and exploring it throughout the entire piece, throwing in eerie choirs, hard-hitting percussion, and tense violins near the second half. It's not one of the best tracks in the game, but it is suitably atmospheric.
3/5 Stars

Go Ahead
I love how shamelessly dramatic this track is. Go Ahead is full-on orchestra, starting off triumphant before slowly getting more somber, grandiose, and loud as it goes on. The violins coming in halfway already elevate Go Ahead so far, but the track just keeps getting better until reaching an chill-inducing apex in the chorus.
5/5 Stars

The Scene Of A Hard Battle
Not quite as good as Steel Beast, but The Scene Of A Hard Battle is still a totally solid boss theme. It's chaotic, frenetic, tense, and very intimidating. Unfortunately it just so happens to be overshadowed by MS4's other main boss theme...
3/5 Stars

Furiously
Now, this is a fantastic boss theme. It has a bit of a build-up with a tense horn melody and a lot of orchestral hits, but like with Go Ahead, the dramatic orchestral chorus really makes it all worth it.
5/5 Stars

Secret Place
As much as I despise Metal Slug 4's final level, man does it have a fantastic theme. The melancholic main piano melody is ridiculously catchy and just screams James Bond, and the rock/synth chorus helps the track feel climactic and exhilirating.
5/5 Stars

Uncanny Laugh
This is just ambience before the final boss. It is quite menacing and I like the beeping synths, but there's only so much praise I can give it. At least it's better than Metamorphosis.
2/5 Stars

Final Madness
Another ridiculously dramatic track, almost like a souped-up version of Furiously. It starts off exciting with intense brass before shifting into a more dramatic violin-heavy chorus. It's no Final Attack, but it's still a very strong final boss theme.
4/5 Stars

Escape
Lots of orchestral hits make for likably intense chase music, even if it's still a very short loop.
3/5 Stars

Good Ending
The good ending theme is your standard orchestral victory music, but I can't shake the feeling like I've just won a game of Mario Party. Despite the militaristic drums and horns, this does not sound very Metal Slug.
2/5 Stars

Bad Ending
Funnily enough, I like the bad ending theme more than the good ending theme. It's still not amazing, but I like the weird synths that help it sound like it's out of a Paper Mario game.
3/5 Stars

End To The War
Thankfully, the credits theme is pretty great. It's as intense and orchestral as the rest of the soundtrack, with a very heroic central melody and a strong second with a lovely flute bridge and bombastic final chorus.
4/5 Stars

Metal Slug 5: I've said it before and I've said it again. Metal Slug 5 has the best soundtrack in the series, and it's not even close. Tanaka goes full heavy metal with this score, and it leads to a relentless streak of absolute bangers, with barely a single weak track (barring the menus of course).

The Military System
This is a guitar-heavy rock remix of The Military System and while I should theoretically like it more, I feel the melody kinda gets drowned out in all the guitars here. Nice try, but no cigar.
1/5 Stars

Sortie
Another solid character select, with lots of guitars as you'd expect. Once again, it sounds a little too busy, but it's energetic enough to get you hyped for the game ahead.
3/5 Stars

Heavy African
Okay, now the soundtrack gets really good. Heavy African immediately gives a strong impression with its heavy guitar riffs, tense synth leads, and even some cool vocal samples to help give the track a tribal feel. The chorus is particularly catchy, but the whole track is a highlight.
5/5 Stars

Ruins Excavation
Ruins Excavation is also a fantastic track. It starts off similarly to The Cenotaph, but immediately asserts itself by adding an incredible guitar riff not too dissimilar from Midnight Wandering. And just to sweeten the deal, the dramatic string chorus is absolutely chill-inducing.
5/5 Stars

Windy Day
Windy Day is a highlight in an already phenomenal soundtrack, an energetic and uplifting western-inspired track that feels like a welcome breather amidst all the heavy rock. This won't be the last time Tanaka dips his toes into western but he's almost always stellar at it.
5/5 Stars

Zoom Doom
The second half of Stage 2 doesn't let up on the stellar music. Zoom Doom is back to the rock/synth that most of the soundtrack consists, the wailing guitars, catchy melody, and phenomenal synth prechorus that sounds right out of Mega Man X4 makes for a ridiculously fun track.
5/5 Stars

Intrigue
Intrigue is one of the weaker stage themes, but that isn't saying much. It's still a head-banging rock piece with a fun chorus, but it just doesn't quite stack up to the better head-banging rock pieces with fun choruses in the same exact soundtrack.
4/5 Stars

Run Through
Run Through is a bit jazzier than the rest of the soundtrack, with blaring horns and a heck of a lot of orchestral hits. It's an incredibly fun track, especially when the ever-escalating guitar solo comes in later on.
4/5 Stars

Bottom Of The Sea
Another great heavy rock piece with some powerful riffs and a dark synth riff. It's a bit shorter than your average MS5, but what is there is still an absolute bop.
4/5 Stars

Fierce Battle
Easily the best standard boss theme in the series and it's not even close. The dramatic and chaotic melody, the fast-paced guitar riffs, the heroic brass chorus, it's everything that I love about Tanaka's style condensed into a blisteringly fast boss theme.
5/5 Stars

Speeder
Here it is, my favorite track in all of Metal Slug. The moment the final mission started and I heard that opening riff, I immediately knew this track was gonna be something special. Like with Zoom Down, it almost sounds out of a Metal Slug, but with the dramatic climaxes, orchestral hits, and catchy guitar riffs you'd expect from a Tanaka song. But if the first half wasn't already fantastic enough, the anime-as-hell chorus somehow manages to heighten the excitement even more. It's a perfect theme for one of the most fast-paced finales in the series.
5/5 Stars

Last Ditch Resistance
While not as good as Speeder, this is yet another fantastic final level theme. It starts strong with lots of brass and orchestral hits, but the more tense and menacing second half with the heavy guitar riffs and melancholy synth melody elevates it even more.
5/5 Stars

Final Attack
Final Attack is back! And this time, it's a heavy metal rendition. While I still think the MS3 version is my favorite, the MS5 rendition is a very close second. It just sounds so powerful and triumphant, even more than even the original version did.
5/5 Stars

Road To Success
Road To Success is a solid but unremarkable credits theme, sadly. It's fun and upbeat, with a nice groove to it, but it doesn't feel like a culmination of the rest of the game like the credits themes in 2-4 did.
3/5 Stars

Metal Slug Music Reviews: Metal Slug 1-3

 So, I had a good time with the Touhou Music Reviews, so I wanted to do in-depth soundtrack reviews of another series... preferably a far shorter one. And seeing as I still have Metal Slug on the brain, I thought why not do that series? There's only seven games here and each of them have pretty short soundtracks, which overall makes for a great series to quickly run through. I'm starting with the original trilogy by Nazca, all of which are great jazz fusion soundtracks composed by Takushi Hiyamuta.

Metal Slug: Metal Slug's first soundtrack is short, but it established most of the series' best and most iconic tracks, so I definitely think it's fair to call it one of the strongest overall.

The Military System
This is a pretty iconic ranking theme that does fit the game's militaristic setting, but it's also a basic drum loop so why would anyone listen to this on its own?
1/5 Stars

Theme Of Metal Slug
This is a phenomenal first stage theme, it's super triumphant and never fails to get you pumped for the game ahead. The first half is this heroic and dramatic tune, but then the percussion comes in the second half and leads to a flawless saxophone solo. Hiyamuta is at his best when he goes full jazz, so that sax takes an already great track and elevates it to top-tier for me.
5/5 Stars

Steel Beast
Steel Beast is probably the Metal Slug track I remember most from playing the first game as a kid. Its chaotic energy and addicting riff makes it hard to forget, even if I slightly prefer a few of the later remixes.
4/5 Stars

Inner Station
My favorite track in the first game, hands down. Despite not being as iconic as Theme Of Metal Slug or Final Attack, Inner Station is a jazzy masterpiece with an incredibly catchy main riff, killer bass and guitar, a fun piano solo, and a head-banging chorus. As usual, Hiyamuta shifts the melody completely in the second half and pulls it off so well.
5/5 Stars

Assault Theme
This was another pretty memorable theme from when I played it as a kid. The orchestral hits at the start and that tense choir melody does a great job at giving this track a feeling of intensity, like things are really getting serious. The reprisal of the main theme later on only further heightens the mood, it's another really great piece.
5/5 Stars

Ridge 256
While not quite as strong (or lengthy) as the last few tracks, Ridge 256 is yet another really catchy piece with a strong central riff and a great saxophone chorus to end it on a high note.
4/5 Stars

Gehardt City
Despite a rousing intro, Gehardt City is probably the weakest stage theme, lacking the same drive and memorability factor as most of the others. It's still a fine track, it just doesn't do too much for me personally.
2/5 Stars

Final Attack
Final Attack is probably the most beloved piece of music in the entire series and yeah, it's a fantastic final level theme. It once again borrows from the main theme, but rearranges it to sound super climactic and like it has a strong sense of finality. There's too many brilliant bits to even mention like the drums being The Military System or the high note at the very end. However, the one thing that keeps Inner Section as my favorite track in the game is the fact that I don't even think this is the best version of Final Attack.
5/5 Stars

Final Performance 1P
The single-player ending theme is a mix of some of the stage themes, though sadly not all of them. We just get the main theme and the assault theme. RIP Inner Station and Ridge 256, I guess.
3/5 Stars

Final Performance 2P
The multiplayer ending theme is way better in my opinion. It's an entirely original track, and quite a solid jazz piece with some solid piano and guitar, and a smooth FM bass line. It probably sounds the most like a Neo Turf Masters track, funnily enough.
4/5 Stars

Metal Slug X: As far as the first three soundtracks go, Metal Slug X's is definitely the weakest, despite it being my favorite game in the series. It has a few incredible tracks, but it lacks the consistency of its predecessor or the intensity of MS3's score, and it has a lot of remixes of the first game's tracks, which kinda just leaves it feels the awkward middle child.

The Military System
This version of The Military System is slightly more echoey which does make it a lot more impactful, though it is still a very short drum loop.
2/5 Stars

Barracks
With the introduction of multiple characters comes our first character select theme, and it's really solid. Once again, it's a short loop, but what's there is quite energetic and heart-pumping.
3/5 Stars

Judgement
This is definitely one of the best first level themes in the series, if not the best, it's so fun and chaotic. The blend of the shredding guitar and more cultural-sounding instruments makes for a really propulsive and head-banding desert theme.
5/5 Stars

 Steel Beast 6Beats
I already liked Steel Beast, but the 6Beats version is just slightly better due to the faster percussion and punchier instruments.
4/5 Stars

Prehistoric Site
Prehistoric Site is a pretty slow and militaristic track with a very slow start, but the mysterious second half that carries over the motif from Judgement is actually quite good.
3/5 Stars

The Cenotaph
The Cenotaph is another pretty slow and mysterious track, but the repeating main riff is surprisingly catchy and carries this track quite a bit.
3/5 Stars

First Contact
Not quite as strong of a boss theme as Steel Beast. It's tense especially with the piano and the main theme showing up is nice, but it's just not as catchy or memorable.
3/5 Stars

Livin On The Deck
Okay, now the soundtrack's getting good again! Livin On The Deck is easily one of the my favorite tracks in the series and quite possibly Hiyamuta's high point. It's a phenomenal bit of jazz fusion, a flurry of interchanging melodies, groovy basslines, and some of the best saxophone and guitar solos the medium has to offer. The fast-paced opening is so fun and perfectly captures the energy of this level's train setting, and even the slower bits manage to keep the momentum going.
5/5 Stars

Assault Theme
I don't even think this is a remix, it's just the first game's Assault Theme again.
5/5 Stars

Back To The China
This is a very fun track, starting off with the stereotypical oriental riff before bursting into this bouncy piano riff and ridiculously catchy melody. The way Hiyamuta takes cultural music tropes and blends them with the rock/jazz of Metal Slug helps make tracks like Judgement and Back To The China sound fresh and surprisingly chaotic.
4/5 Stars

New Godokin Street
New Godokin Street is mostly a remix of the main theme, but the fantastic new bassline and tense repeating riff makes it sound unique and new in a way that, say, First Contact didn't.
4/5 Stars

Kiss In The Dark
Kiss In The Dark is just pure rock, with a heavy guitar riff and some great spontaneous guitar solos that yet again make for a pretty chaotic-sounding track. It's perfect for arguably the most hilariously sadistic stage in the entire series.
5/5 Stars

Metamorphosis
This is just ambience. Next.
1/5 Stars

Final Attack
I don't think this version of the track actually really changes anything either.
5/5 Stars

MSX Ending
It's yet another remix of the main theme. It's not quite as high energy as the original, but we at least get that fantastic saxophone solo this time, so I can't complain.
5/5 Stars

 Metal Slug 3: Out of Hiyamata's three soundtracks, Metal Slug 3 absolutely has my favorite of the bunch. It's a lot more intense and heavy befitting the climactic nature of the game, which leads to a ton of great rock tracks and fittingly climactic-sounding themes.

 The Military System
This is just the Metal Slug X version.
2/5 Stars

Barracks
I already liked Barracks, but the added guitar and punchier instruments makes this version even better, even if it's still quite short.
3/5 Stars

Blue Water Fangs
Blue Water Fangs immediately establishes Metal Slug 3's more urgent tone. It's yet another remix of the main theme, but it's way more frantic and chaotic this time, almost like it's tripping over itself. It's a pretty good way to start the game.
4/5 Stars

Marine Diver
The underwater tracks in this game are so freaking good. Marine Diver boasts some phenomenal riffs, a strong lead guitar performance, and a minor tone that almost makes it sound like it's out of a spy film.
5/5 Stars

The Unknown World
This track once again takes from the main theme, but it bases itself off of the far more underused (and underrated) second half. It works quite well here, The Unknown World is a super menacing and tense track that fits both stages it shows up in.
4/5 Stars

Steel Beast 7Beats
Yet another remix of Steel Beast that ups the time signature to makes it even more chaotic and all over-the-place. I still think X's version is the best of the bunch, but this is still a really good version of a really good track.
4/5 Stars

Midnight Wandering
As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of Metal Slug's more heavy, metal-influenced tracks, and Midnight Wandering is one of their best. The guitar riffs are godlike, the percussion is super punchy, and that wailing guitar in the chorus is chill-inducing. I adore this track, and it fits the spooky zombie aesthetic of its stage really well.
5/5 Stars

Devil's Snow Cave
Another pretty good rock track, with some phenomenal percussion from the booming bass drum, to that rocking groove once the main melody kicks in, to that perfectly-utilized triangle. It also uses the same choir/orchestra hit combo that Kiss In The Dark used to great effect.
4/5 Stars

Metamorphosis
Still ambient, still not worth mentioning.
1/5 Stars

The Shallow Sea
The unique swing feel in The Shallow Sea is pretty fun and helps this track stand out, but the slower pace still makes it one of the weaker stage themes in the game.
3/5 Stars

Hard Water
In case Marine Diver wasn't good enough, Hard Water is yet another fantastic rock/jazz fusion in the same as tracks like Inner Station and Livin On The Deck. The wailing guitar melody at the start is already great, but the absolutely wild guitar solo in the second half manages to elevate this track even more.
5/5 Stars

Assault Theme
No changes here.
5/5 Stars

Secret Factory
With the stealth stage comes a theme that sounds like it's ripped straight out of Metal Gear. It's definitely a bit unusual for Metal Slug, but it's fittingly tense and has a nice beat and some solid piano bits.
3/5 Stars

Desert
So, how do you top Judgement? Well, you don't, but you can certainly try as long you have some heavy guitar riffs and blaring trumpets. Almost everything I said about that track holds true here, Desert is yet another very fun and chaotic desert theme.
5/5 Stars

Pyramid
In almost a complete contrast to the atmospheric pyramid themes in X, Pyramid is a super groovy and upbeat track with a catchy melody and some more solid guitar riffs. Not too much else I can say here, it's just a really fun track.
4/5 Stars

The Cenotaph
Not the best track they could've brought back, but eh, it's still alright.
3/5 Stars

The Japanese Army
I admire how hilariously trollish this track is, befitting the massive difficulty spike that is the Japonese Army route. It has this blend between sounding really goofy and silly and surprisingly intense, almost as if it's screaming at you that you're screwed.
3/5 Stars

Into The Sky
Another solid remix of the main theme that starts off as heroic as you'd expect, but the second half has a surprisingly effective shift in tone that really makes the planet sequence that kicks off the final mission feel cinematic.
3/5 Stars

The Kidnapping
Despite being essentially cutscene music, the tense piano riff and frantic percussion make for a surprisingly strong and frenetic track on its own merits.
4/5 Stars

Into The Cosmos
Another high energy rock track with a phenomenal opening riff that sounds right out of a Crush 40 song. The rest of the track isn't quite as strong, but it's still super propulsive and dramatic, befitting the climactic shmup sequence.
4/5 Stars

Kiss In The Dark
Still a fantastic track, even if it's not quite as fitting here.
5/5 Stars

First Contact
Still a fine but unremarkable boss theme.
3/5 Stars

Bioinformatics
It took me a bit to realize that Bioinformatics is actual a remix of The Kidnapping, but somewhat distorted to hammer home the horror of what the aliens are doing to your captured ally. It's just as tense as the original track, but the added length and increased amount of guitar makes it slightly better.
4/5 Stars

Escape
Escape is yet another The Kidnapping remix. It doesn't do too much different from the other two versions of the track, but the heavier instruments really bring out a horror vibe that fits such a tense sequence.
4/5 Stars

Final Attack
This is my favorite version of Final Attack. It doesn't change too much, but everything flows a bit nicer and the instruments sound even louder and more triumphant than they did in the original game, making for a track that screams finality more than any other iteration of Final Attack. It's the perfect way to end off the trilogy.
5/5 Stars

End Title
Yet another credits theme comes with yet another remix of the main theme, but like with this game's version of Final Attack, this credits theme sounds a lot more triumphant and louder. It's really good... up until it cuts out the second half and its saxophone solo for a slower bridge, what a shame.
4/5 Stars