The Black Mages (Discography)

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The Black Mages were a Japanese instrumental rock band formed in 2002 by Nobuo Uematsu, Kenichiro Fukui and Tsuyoshi Sekito - three composers for Square Enix. The band arranged Uematsu's Final Fantasy video game series-based compositions in a rock style often similar to progressive metal, achieved with the additional use of synthesizers.[1] Since its inception, the band had expanded to six members with the addition of Keiji Kawamori, Michio Okamiya and Arata Hanyuda. On August 7, 2010, Nobuo Uematsu announced the band had disbanded, but he would continue to perform rock arrangements of his music as a part of another band, the Earthbound Papas.

The band has released three studio albums. Their first was released eponymously as The Black Mages in 2003, and contained arrangements of Final Fantasy battle themes. The second album, The Black Mages II: The Skies Above, was released in 2004 and featured additional pieces besides battle themes including the group's first original song, "Blue Blast ~Winning the Rainbow", which was created for Japanese K-1 fighter Takehiro Murahama. The third album, The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight, was released on March 19, 2008. Music from the group has also appeared in other albums, including one track in Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange, an album of arranged music from the video game Dark Chronicle, a piece in the animated film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and its corresponding soundtrack album, and one track on Final Fantasy III Original Soundtrack, the soundtrack album for the Nintendo DS version of Final Fantasy III.

The Black Mages did not tour as a band, but performed several concerts to promote their album releases. For their first album they performed in Shibuya and Kanagawa, Japan in 2003 and later released a live video of the first concert on DVD exclusively to Uematsu fanclub members. They repeated this for the release of their second album, performing in Kawasaki and Osaka, Japan in 2005 and similarly released on DVD to fanclub members. The third album saw a performance in Yokohama, Japan in 2008; a DVD of the show was released commercially on March 25, 2009. In addition to these concerts, The Black Mages made live appearances at two Final Fantasy concerts, More Friends: Music from Final Fantasy and Voices - Music from Final Fantasy, as well as another video game music event, Extra: Hyper Game Music Event 2007.

Band members :
Nobuo Uematsu – keyboards (2002–2010)
Kenichiro Fukui – keyboards (2002–2010)
Tsuyoshi Sekito – guitar (2002–2010)
Keiji Kawamori – bass guitar (2003–2010)
Arata Hanyuda – drums (2003–2010)
Michio Okamiya – guitar (2003–2010)

Discography :
The Black MagesTracklist :
1. Battle Scene (Final Fantasy I)
2. Clash On The Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
3. Force Your Way (Final Fantasy VIII)
4. Battle, Scene Ii (Final Fantasy II)
5. Decisive Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
6. Battle Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
7. J-E-N-O-V-A (Final Fantasy VII)
8. Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII)
9. Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)
10. Fight With Seymour (Final Fantasy X)
Download
MF (FLAC-lossless)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

The Black Mages, Vol 2: The Skies AboveTracklist :
1. Rocking Grounds (Final Fantasy III)
2. Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV)
3. Vamo' Alla Flamenco (Final Fantasy IX)
4. Hunter's Chance (Final Fantasy IX)
5. Otherworld (Final Fantasy X)
6. Matoya's Cave (Final Fantasy I)
7. Man with the MacHine Gun (Final Fantasy VIII)
8. Maybe I'm a Lion (Final Fantasy VIII)
9. Battle with the Four Fiends (Final Fantasy IV)
10. Skies Above (Final Fantasy X)
11. Blue Blast (Final Fantasy X)
Download
MF
Part 1
Part 2

Black Mages, Vol. 3: Darkness and StarlightTracklist :
1. Opening: Bombing Mission (Final Fantasy VII)
2. Neo Exdeath (Final Fantasy V)
3. Extreme (Final Fantasy VIII)
4. Assault of the Silver Dragons (Final Fantasy IX)
5. Kurayaminokumo (Final Fantasy III)
6. Distant Worlds (Final Fantasy XI)
7. Premonition (Final Fantasy VIII)
8. Grand Cross (Final Fantasy 9)
9. Darkness and Starlight (Final Fantasy VI)
10. Life (In Memory of Keiten)
Download
MF (FLAC-lossless)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

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