The Minibosses first LP was not the first VG Rock (if there’s an official name for the genre, I haven’t found it yet. VG Rock seems as good as any) I found. That honour goes to Megadriver’s Raging Metal EP, which probably deserves a later review (short review: Their best work which isn’t saying much). However, it was the first release I listened to that made me go I NOW HAVE MORE THAN JUST A PASSING INTEREST IN THIS GENRE. It came at the right time too, there hasn’t been a metal/rock band that I’ve really liked since 2004 (other than….erm….I don’t know, Wolfmother?).

To demonstrate the brilliance of the album, I listened and loved most of the songs before playing the majority of the games they were based on. I was raised on SMS and Mega Drive, so most of the NES classics slipped by me.

The album starts with a medley of songs from the original Castlevania. There’s an ongoing debate as to whether or not the songs from the early Castlevania games work because they fit the game’s eerie atmosphere or because it’s just really good music that could have been used in any Konami game. Regardless, the song made me love Castlevania after first spurring it after playing Castlevania 64. It took me a while to warm up to Vampire Killer simply because the Wicked Child section that follows works very well when covered with a shed-load of guitars. Much the same can be said about the Ninja Gaiden medley that follows: I base most of my understanding of the game via this song, which unlike the other medleys on the LP flows like one long twisting, dramatic piece rather than several songs stuck together.

The last level of Double Dragon is covered and sticks to the song’s fast-paced and slightly weird nature. It’s a lot shorter than the previous two songs which makes a nice change of pace. Plus, after this it’s the Super Mario Bros. 2 medley! Clocking in at six minutes sixteen seconds and used for the bulk of Botchamania 5, this beast features all of the songs featured in a game that I had actually played and sometimes wondered ”What would Birdo’s theme sound like played with guitars?” One of the reasons why the album works so well is that the squeaky rough sound of the guitars keeps the bouncy, jumpy feel of the NES chiptune and this medley is definitely the best example of that. The ending theme may grate on some, but fuck them this is my review.

After that, it’s a single song cover again in the form of the main level theme from Ikari Warriors. This song works to the other positive aspect of the bouncy guitar sounds of the Minibosses, in that it makes you want to do push-ups and punch communists (or whatever the plot of Ikari Warriors was). Blaster Master/Contra follows, mixing two completely different games together. The BM part is the only slight misfire on the album, as the marching beat is tremendous but the URGRRHRRHRHRRJRJRJR noise just grates the ear. It may be sticking to how it sounds in the game but CHRIST. Never mind, the Contra medley massages the ears with a succession of tracks that get steadily faster and dramatic. Maybe it would have worked better without the Level Complete jingle in between but it doesn’t ruin the song or anything. The first Contra always made each segment that followed it to be more important/difficult than the previous and this medley does a good job of sticking to this. No Snow Level though. Bah.

The music for Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! like the game blends fun with the theatrical, which makes it ideal for The ‘Bosses. Between this and SMB2 it’s easy to see why the band focuses on NES games. Sometimes you want an introspective horror game, sometimes you want a game where you shoot a lot of foreigners in the face and sometimes you just want a game that’s fun. The first level from Kid Icarus gets a good seeing to next and it’s all good but what’s that next track after it, eclipsing it in every possible way? Yes it’s a medley of every song from Mega Man 2. There’s your review in that sentence. One of the greatest games ever made with one of the greatest soundtracks ever made. There’s little I can type that hasn’t already been typed, so I’ll just say it does the game proud.

To close the album, The ‘Bosses sooth our pulses with an atmospheric selection of songs from Metroid. The shrilling guitars this time around make for an effective emulation of the mood Metroid generates, feelings of isolation and being stuck on a planet full of weird creatures. Kind of like how I feel when I say ”Hey listen to these guys, they cover NES songs with guitars!” to people I know, only for them to sneer and put Disturbed back on.

Amongst the mess of a love-letter this review has turned into, you can see that I hold this album in high regard. It’s easy to say if I’d only discovered Megadriver and never encountered this album I would have given up on making Botchamania a long time ago.

Brass LP can be downloaded for free from The Minibosses website.