Fallen Hero Review
Buy Fallen Hero
Ro Panuganti isn’t playing it safe with his latest album. In a literal sea of Undertale covers, there’s only way one way to stand out, and that’s to be fearless. Fallen Hero pushes Undertale arrangements to their absolute limits by including a variety of genres, instruments, and styles that blend together well thanks to Ro’s smart mixing and AHMusic’s deft mastering.
For those familiar with Ro’s work, this album is the culmination of all his previous work. Fallen Hero includes seamless song transitions a la The Wild, prog metal genre-blending similar to The Temples, chunky riffs that evoke Metal Trainer, and bold collaborations like the recent album Moon Rock. Nevertheless, there is a maturity to these arrangements that wasn’t present on those previous albums. Ro is more sure of himself than ever, knowing exactly when to lean hard into one particular style or another.
Consider “Bonetrousle” which pairs prog metal riffs with a klezmer clarinet, courtesy of Soundole. Another great example of this kind of genre-bending is “Spear of Justice” which includes a Western and traditional Indian section toward the end of the track. Of course, Ro isn’t a one-trick pony, and his more traditional tracks hold their weight just as well, such as album closer “Megalovania” which pairs Ro with VGM legend FamilyJules. For an album that clocks in at 85 minutes, there isn’t a single dull moment or wasted note, and finding anything to critique on this album was a challenge.
Every musician included on the album (and there are quite a few) gave their absolute best, so it’s no surprise that my biggest critique has to do with something that wasn’t performed, but rather programmed. The drums are probably the one area on the album that could use some improvement as they sometimes felt a little dull or lifeless compared to the rest of instrumentation. It’s a small complaint in the grand scheme of things, so I’m sure these arrangements will delight anyone who gives this album a spin.
Fallen Hero proves that Ro Panuganti isn’t afraid to take chances, whether that’s including traditional Indian instruments or stacking four lengthy tracks at the end of the album. For a game that literally changed the shape of VGM, I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to celebrate its 5-year anniversary.
RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(Most VGM Fans Should Enjoy)