Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment Music Details (Samples Included!)

It was last year that Konami unveiled a new Vandal Hearts game titled Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. As a fan of the original Vandal Hearts, I was shocked to see a revival of the franchise, and was even more surprised when I learned it was being handled by a Western developer. We got our hands on the title briefly and E3 2009, and while I enjoyed the classic strategy gameplay, I found the cartoonish visuals to be quite different from the Vandal Hearts I remembered from when I was a kid.

So, is the music different as well?  The score for Flames of Judgment is actually being handled in-house by Doug Brandon, who acts as both Audio Director and Marketing Manager for Hijinx Studios in Southern California. Pretty interesting combination of roles for sure. In terms of audio, he’s responsible for the music, sound design, and voice over production work on all of the projects at Hijinx, and has worked on titles such as Wayne Gretzky Hockey, San Francisco Rush, and the Chess Master series in the past. We’ve fortunately been able to catch a few words with him between his numerous other duties, and Konami has even supplied us with some lengthy music samples for your listening pleasure.

Check out what Doug Brandon has to say about the game’s music and listen to some music clips after the jump!

[A shot of the audio department at Hijinx Studio]

OSV: Thanks for talking to us, Doug. Vandal Hearts is a pretty old franchise, and we haven’t seen a new title in the series for nearly a decade. With that in mind, and the fact that the series has such a different visual style compared to the first two titles, was it challenging to create the music for the game?

Brandon: Creating the audio landscape for Vandal Hearts was a fun and challenging experience for me. The music score is orchestral in nature and seeks to capture an epic battle feeling throughout the game. In addition to the battle music, there are “discovery” interludes that change the mood while the player is investigating his present world. I also enjoyed weaving music in and out of dialogue and sound effects during the creation of the score for the cutscenes.

OSV: I always enjoyed the music in the original Vandal Hearts. It was orchestral also and fantasy in nature. What was your approach to the score, and what sorts of tools did you use?

Brandon: While incorporating standard orchestral instruments, I also blended African and Asian sounds into the fabric of the score to give a little hint of the Far East. I love the uniqueness those cultures bring to the table. It was particularly enjoyable to get to work with a vocalist for the title theme of the game.

OSV: On that topic, the game’s main theme features vocals in French. What can you tell us about the creation of this track?

Brandon: I wrote the melody and lyrics, but the translation to French was challenging. We intend to make the English vocal version available after the game is released.

OSV: Well, we’re looking forward to hearing how it turned out. Thanks for your time!

Brandon: Thanks!

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Sample 1 (2:24)
Sample 2 (2:12)

[We don’t know her name, but she sang the title’s main theme in French and English!]