Thursday, April 28, 2011

FW: Who is Wintertusk's Mystery Composer?

This just came across the newswire from the fine folks at Kingsisle!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PLANO, TEXAS (APRIL 28, 2011) - KingsIsle Entertainment, creators of the
award-winning online game Wizard101, announced today that the soundtrack
for its upcoming expansion world, Wintertusk, was composed by one of the
hottest young musical talents in the entertainment industry. Over the
course of several weeks the company plans to provide hints about the
composer's identity, culminating in a final reveal timed to Wintertusk's
launch later this spring.

"This is a cool idea, because our mystery composer has a huge name in
the music business but has never created music for a video game," said
J. Todd Coleman, vice president and creative director of Wizard101. "I'm
really impressed by this artist's adaptability and talent. I think our
players are going to be very surprised and totally blown-away."

To create the soundtrack for Wintertusk, the mystery artist composed
seven original pieces of music, each representing a different facet of
the upcoming epic storyline. Additional information about the world of
Wintertusk can be found at https://www.wizard101.com/game/april2011.

Wintertusk continues the storyline that began in the icy world of
Grizzlehiem, offering a variety of challenges for accomplished Wizards
and fantastic rewards such as new spells, high-level pets and exclusive
loot. For lower-level players the expansion brings back the underwater
realm of Crab Alley, continuing the story of the Crab King, newly
returned from his musical world tour.

. . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awesome! I wonder who the mystery composer is? Any ideas? Part of me
is thinking it's Eric Bloom?

**Update** oh yeah, didn't catch "hottest young musical talents" on my first read of that ... Definitely NOT Eric Bloom. Taylor Swift? **Update**

Leave your thoughts below!

Happy Dueling!

28 comments:

Tipa said...

I'd be shocked if it were Eric Bloom. Besides, what kid would care about some 70s rocker? Buck Dharma is the composer of the group anyway; he did the background music for Bad Channels, which also featured BOC tunes.

My guess: Some generic throwaway teen sensation.

My hope: Danny Elfman.

Captain Jack said...

I'm thinking, much to my dismay, that it is either Selena Gomez, or Justin Bieber. I would hate to see it be Bieber, but you never know. "Hottest young musical talents," is often used to describe that guy. Thanks for your posts Friendly! We all appreciate them!

Jack Raven/Dunestrider/Icebringer

John said...

I mentioned on twitter as soon as I logged into test how I loved the new soundtrack! No idea who it could be though... One thing is for sure, soundtracks definitely mean a lot to me in a game!

Jester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Duncan Daystone said...

I have to admit, I am disappointed by this. Nelson Everhart's music is very good, because it a major part of the fantastical and inspiring environment of Wizard 101. It seamlessly evokes the nostalgia of Wizard City, the mystery of Krokotopia, the intrigue of Marleybone, the beauty of Mooshu, the danger of Dragonspyre, the epic atmosphere of Grizzleheim, and the excitement of Celestia. In fact, I find often that I am humming one of the tunes to myself. Because of this, I realized very early on that Everhart's music incorporates the true spirit of the game, and features the same talent, skill, and devotion that are evident in every other area of the game, but in such a way that you can take it with you. Trading in Everhart for one of the "hottest young musical talents" is like asking a jazz muscician to compose the music for an Indiana Jones or Star Wars film, instead of John Williams (the Mozart of our time). I have taken a particular liking to many of the Celestia themes (the way the Marleybone theme is remixed for part of the Base Camp music is fantastic), and was looking forward to hearing the Wintertusk music (few people actually hear it, but the music inside many of the Grizzleheim boss rooms, including the Coven, is SUPER EPIC), but now I am a little skeptical, and somewhat concerned that Wintertusk’s music will be awkward and dull, a feeble attempt at creating something epic and exciting, by a person who may be able to compose and sing a fun rock or pop song, which is more lyrics that legitimate music, but has little to no experience creating instrumentals and a mere fragment of an idea as to the true spirit of Wizard 101. I understand that I am probably in the minority with this, but I have been told before that I have a very discriminating and sophisticated taste when it comes to music. I have not actually heard the music yet, so I will look at this optimistically; KingsIsle is a smart company that may very well know exactly what it is doing. Nevertheless, a part of me can’t shake the feeling that this will be absolute disaster. And even if the music does turn out to be good, I doubt it will be on par with that which was created by the greatest video game composer in the business.
My apologies for the novel, but this is truly very important to me.

Diary of a Necromancer said...

WHY did I have to lose membership NOW!? WHY!?

Cheats and Crackers said...

Does anyone else think that Nelson Everheart did a WAY better job with Grizzleheim's music than this "mystery composer" did with Wintertusk's? I feel that Wintertusk didn't capture the Grizzleheim feeling, and the battle music is simply horrible. I can't stand it. BRING NELSON EVERHEART BACK. That's all I can say.

Cheats and Crackers said...

I didn't read your comment, but Duncan, you put everything in a nutshell. My feelings are EXACTLY yours. I am very disappointed. :(

Anonymous said...

NO! IT CAN'T BE!


I think I know who it is!

Either Justin Bieber (I HOPE NOT!) or Silena Gomez (Would be slightly better)

Anonymous said...

Well, you guys can surely relax, because the first hint says the composer has performed on Saturday Night Live and that their initials are not J.B.

So, not Justin Bieber. And a quick check of Google doesn't seem to bring up anything about Selena Gomez having been on SNL, so I'm thinking it's probably not her, either.

Anonymous said...

Justin Timberlake.

TALON NIGHTSHADE said...

Yay! your back!

anyway, i really don't think it could be j.b becuase he does not seem like he would do this. Taylor swift doesn't seem likely too. Hmmm
so hard!

neverhart@mac.com said...

Wow!

It's great to hear such positive feedback of my music! Thanks to Duncan and Cheats n' Crackers for the kind words. (And Duncan: good catch on the Marleybone theme inside Celestia!)

And don't worry, I'm sure I'll be writing more W101 music soon!-)

thanks for listening!
nelson

CRAZYEPiC said...

hope its muse! but thier not young. is 30 young? but they are awesome and have on snl twice. it would be nice to have some mystical rock on w101.

Sgt. Miller said...

nice.can some one please tell me how to take a video when playing w101?i have webcam etc.

Unknown said...

Honestly people, cut the kid some slack. Do you think that Everheart's first try on the Wiz101 music was as epic as it is today? Great things take time. I think that kingsile has made a good choice because i, personally, turn off the music 3 or 4 areas into a world because hearing the same thing over and over and over for hours on end bores me. Plus, can't you hear the same type of patter in all the music? It all fits the same pattern and hearing a new spin on video game music will make me want to turn my sound back up. Please note that this comment was not meant to bash Nelson Everheart because he's my idol (Not kidding, I hope to be a music composer for video games someday soon) but honestly, it all gets a little repetitive at times, and with my ADHD I cannot stand repetitve.

Duncan Daystone said...

Well, I actually heard the music for the first time today and it is even worse than I thought. Ugh! The music for Hrundle Fjord is just the same eight or ten notes over and over again, with slight variations (usually in pitch) and perhaps an added background instrument or one taken away. The battle music follows the same pattern, and the Austrilund music as well, but with even fewer variations. This is barely even music because there is never any melody, just the incessant repetition of a pattern of notes. Good thing I can turn the music off.
However, Stormzilla, I do understand where your coming from in that Dragonspyre and Grizzleheim lack variation in their soundtracks. That is not, however, bad composing, simply bad distribution. Of course, this was not the case in Celestia. The Wintertusk music, awful as it is, is distributed well, too.
I LOVE Wintertusk itself, though. First the lava-filled land created by the Dragon (Fire) Titan, then the ocean that the Storm Titan created. As a Thaumaturge, I was hoping the next world would be frozen over and focus on the Ice Titan. My hopes were not entirely fulfilled- Wintertusk isn't a world in the literal since- but I'm satifsied :)

The Deadly theurgist said...

IT IS NOT JUSTIN BEIBER!!!!!!!! OKAY!!!

cfarm said...

i honestly think it will be justin bieber, could be anyone but "hottest YOUNG musical talents" says justin bieber to me. i hate him, along with lots of America, but i dont know why. anyway, its either him or one of the jonas brothers

Lydia Greyrose said...

We are leaving hints both on our Facebook page and on our Mystery Composer page at https://www.wizard101.com/game/promotions/mysterycomposer

"I’ve performed on Saturday Night Live and my initials are not J.B.!"
"My natural hair color is brown."

Anonymous said...

I believe this mystery composer is Miley Cyrus

Duncan Daystone said...

It actually may be Miley Cyrus, since the second hint says that their NATURAL hair color is brown.

Diary of a Necromancer said...

Miley Cyrus! It's gotta be!

Anonymous said...

I would have to say one of 3 people: Justin Timberlake, one of the Jonas Brothers, or Chris Brown. These are the 3 most likely based on the hints given by Kingsisle.

Anonymous said...

ok here im getting annoyed with people saying its justin beiber cuz the hint said the initials were NOT JB. i think it could be justin timberlake

Victoria Dragonsong said...

My thought, and hope, is that it is one of the Jonas brothers. I've heard a little of their music and it isn't that bad. The rest I have never really listened to.

A side note: I always leave the music up and, honestly, after about three minutes in an area - I really don't even notice it anymore.

~A said...

Oh my gosh!! I totally thought i would be Justin Timberlake...

But, uh, i dont know anything about him with these hints... so... maybe not Timberlake.

It wouldnt be Selena Gomez because the composer is Male.

And, what else?

I havent a slightest clue as to who this person is. BUT! It opens TODAY! WHOOHOO!!

I am so excited to begin another journey through W101, and cant wait to stop hanging out at the Commons searching for someone to talk to.

I would say if anyone wanted to talk, I would be in the Commons, but once it downloads completely, I'll be in Wintertusk! Hope to see lots of eager wizards there ready to get through another world!

~Autumn IceWhisper, Level 60 IceWhisper and eager player for WinterTusk! :D

Duncan Daystone said...

So the mystery composer is Nick Jonas. I expected as much. The music was so bad (there was one track that was a little better than the others that I liked) that it didn't really matter to me who it was.