Epic Music & Eve Online

Something I have been getting into a lot lately has been a new (at least for me) genre of music called Epic Music. I've learned through the radio show that several listeners are already aware of this stuff, and I'm just arriving late to the party. For those that are unaware:

What is Epic music, and what does this have to do with Eve?

I'm glad you asked! Think for a moment about any epic movie trailer you have born witness to, or any part of a movie where something epic is happening. That music they play to TOTALLY PUMP YOU UP, that is Epic Music. While there is some variety in the pace and emotion of the various pieces, I have found a few relative constants.

1. Gratuitous use of string instruments.
2. Strong percussion, including drums and/or piano.
3. Some chanting, usually not actual words.
4. Tracks are usually short, 2 to 2.5 minutes, lest the epic become too much and cause your brain to explode. To compensate, the albums usually contain 22+ tracks.

In relation to Eve, as I've said many times,  after 10 years the in game music has worn thin on me. For proper immersion, standard popular music, like rock, rap, country, etc just won't do for me. I need something that takes me a bit beyond the now, or 20 or 30 years ago. Something a bit more cinematic to accompany my epic journey through the stars. I have found this genre, and the artists linked below, to really fit well with Eve. For me, proper music can increase focus which (at least in my own mind) gives me an edge in PVP situations.

Different pilots may get different results of course, but I urge all of you to at least give some of the artists below a sample, and see if maybe they'll fit your journey as well as they have mine. Whether you PvP, mine, run missions, do exploration, even spin your ship in station, epic music may take you to another level.

I'll be playing a lot of this stuff on the show over the next few weeks, so if you find yourself online from 0000-0200 GMT Saturday mornings (Friday nights in North America) feel free to have a listen at Eve-Radio. You can also catch the show on the rewind service if you miss it.

Through a lot of sampling, I have found 3 artists I really like for this Genre. I'm including links for Amazon Mp3. I tend to avoid iTunes due to the restrictive DRM that does not allow me to use SAM broadcaster to play (and stream) their music without using a program, or other methods to strip the DRM first. This is silly, because as an online radio station, Eve Radio pays royalties for the music we play (one of the reasons it's so damn expensive to run an online radio station, but that's a topic for another day). Anyways, Amazon lets me play my mp3s in whatever player I please, so unless something can't be found there, it's the service I use.

Two Steps From Hell - Came as the most highly recommended of the bunch from listeners and followers. I've already grabbed the album "Invincible" and it's, well, epic. "Sky World" is next.

Audiomachine - I featured their album "Chronicles" in a previous posting. That's really what got me started on this kick. I recently picked up "Tree of Life," and from what I've heard thus far, I don't think you can go wrong with any of their 4 available albums.

Future World Music - Of the 3, this one seems to have the most variety of emotion and theme on any one album. So far I've purchased "Reign of Vengeance," and it's all over the place bouncing from pirate movie worthy "The Swashbuckler and Fair Maiden," to "A Winter Fairytale," and then coming off with something that wouldn't be out of place in a Star Trek movie (pre JJ Abrams) with "Flight of the Imagination."

If anyone has some solid recommendations in this genre of music, please feel free to drop a comment below so I can check them out.