Review
I have heard the previously released soundtracks to Attack on Titan, and they never fail to blow my mind. The use of vocals with electronic synth sounds is something I have never heard before in a soundtrack. So naturally, as soon as I heard the release date for the score of Season 4 Part 2, I started counting down the days. And it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. With an intensity that somehow outmatches the previous three seasons, it not only brings in some new motifs, but also brings back old ones reimagined. For instance, the track “attack ON taian (TFSv)” features a motif that has been present since Season 1. We have seen a couple of different versions of it through the subsequent seasons, and each one has a whole new take on it that brings a whole new emotion. For example, in one version a choir sings the vocals, and in another a solo vocalist; each version carrying a different auditory meaning. The latest iteration brings yet another wonderful new take on the track, with emotion that feels far more aggressive than before, with much more dramatic percussion. The soundtracks to this show always evoke intense emotional impressions, ranging from tragic at times, to epic at others, to even happy in some moments. The first three seasons were scored by Hiroyuki Sawano, and while he was involved in the score for this season, it was primarily scored by Kohta Yamamoto, who had worked alongside Sawano on other anime scores. Season 4 Part 2’s score has a more grim, desperate feel to it than some of the previous soundtracks of this show. Any of the Attack on Titan scores are a frequent listen of mine, and this one will be no exception.
Review by Michael.