Arrangement of the Week: Bloody Tears

Today is Halloween arrangement number three, and we certainly couldn’t do this theme without featuring at least one Castlevania piece. For this Arrangement of the Week, we are looking at a symphonic metal cover of “Bloody Tears” from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.

Our cover artist this week is Ferdk, who has an entire album of Castlevania metal covers available. His cover of “Bloody Tears” is just one of a few pieces that he has available on the album, which covers music from a number of games in the Castlevania series.

One of the things that made this arrangement stand out to me was the quality of the mix itself. The rock instruments are balanced very well against the orchestral instruments, giving it a more cohesive sound. There are even moments, like around 1’10”, where the rock instruments drop out to give the synth and orchestra parts a brief solo. The focus on the non-rock elements really helps the arrangement stand out and feel fresh compared to the usual ocean of Castlevania metal covers that are out there.

Beyond that, it’s a very straightforward metal cover of an excellent Castlevania tune. Not much is altered or added to the original material, but it’s all delivered in a polished performance that shows respect for the source material. All said, it’s a great arrangement with a ton of energy and a well balanced orchestral rock sound.

Do you have any favorite Castlevania music remixes, covers, or arrangements? Let us know in the comments below. You can check out the Ferdk’s other metal covers on YouTube and be sure to check out Ferdk’s Castlevania arrange album, Symphony of BloodShred on Loudr.