The Black Mages

[Tebian-DJ]

in progress


The Black Mages is a Japanese instrumental rock band formed in 2003 by Nobuo Uematsu, composer of the majority of soundtracks in the Final Fantasy video game series. The band arranges Uematsu's musical compositions in a rock style often similar to progressive metal, achieved with the additional use of synthesizers.

The Black Mages have performed only three concerts that have celebrated their album releases. The first, ""THE BLACK MAGES" LIVE: Featuring Battle Music of FINAL FANTASY", was held in Shibuya, Tokyo in 2003 and later released on DVD exclusively to Square-Enix fanclub members. The second concert, "THE BLACK MAGES LIVE "above the sky": Featuring The Music of FINAL FANTASY" was held in Kawasaki City, Japan and similarly released on DVD to club members. The third concert, "THE BLACK MAGES III Darkness and Starlight LIVE", was held at the Yokohama Blitz in Yokohama, Japan and is currently still awaiting a DVD release. The Black Mages have made several live appearances in various Final Fantasy concerts, including "VOICES" and "More Friends".



The Black Mages is an arranged soundtrack album of video game music from the Final Fantasy series of computer role-playing games. The album contains a selection of musical tracks from the games, arranged and performed in a hybrid of power metal and progressive metal by The Black Mages. It was first released on February 19, 2003, by DigiCube, and subsequently re-released on May 10, 2004, by Square Enix. The original release bears the catalog number SSCX-10080, and the re-release bears the catalog number SQEX-10019. It spans 10 tracks and covers a duration of 51:29.


The Black Mages II: The Skies Above is an arranged soundtrack album of video game music from the Final Fantasy series of console role-playing games. Like the previous album, the album contains a selection of musical tracks from the games, arranged and performed in a hybrid of power metal and progressive metal by The Black Mages, and it is the first of their albums to feature vocal tracks, which were performed by KAZCO and Tomoaki Watanabe, or Mr. Goo. It was released on December 22, 2004, by Universal Music. The release bears the catalog number UPCH-1377, spans 11 tracks, and covers a duration of 50:56.
Tracks



The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight is the third arranged soundtrack album of video game music from the Final Fantasy series of console role-playing games. The album contains a selection of musical tracks from the games, arranged and performed in a hybrid of power metal and progressive metal by The Black Mages. It was released on March 19, 2008. The Black Mages themselves sing the chorus for the song "Darkness and Starlight".
Tracks

[Tebian-DJ]

This is a qoute from Nobou about the last song on their Starlight cd.

In this album, there is a track which wasn't used in the videogame of FINAL FANTASY.
It is "LIFE" which is included as track#10.

About 8 years ago, I met a boy named "Yoshitaka Tagawa" who was 15 years old then. Yoshitaka(who is the big big fan of FINAL FANTASY) got acute myeloid leukemia from his childhood, and it was difficult for his doctor to expect how long he could live. I wish him to get better and presented him the song "LIFE". After I presented him that song, he started to participate in a lot of events of mine from far Kyushu with his mother. When I first met him, he seemed to lack energy, but while meeting him for a several time, he got energetic and smiled a lot. In fact, I met him at "PRESS START CONCERT" last year, and he was full of vigor. Everybody around him was thinking confidently that he is getting better, but on Jan.25th 2008, He suddenly passed away. I was really sad and was full of regret. I thought that the delightful things must have waited for him in his future. But no one can predict what's going to happen, he passed away.

Is Life unequal? No, I don't want to think like that. I expect Life to be fair and each of us has a equal role in their life. We also want you to know the meaning of his 22years life and decided to include "LIFE" in this album.

How hard the life is if someone whom you love or someone who is important to you passed away suddenly. If I had known this would happen, I would have given him more opportunity to have fun, and I would have invited him to the recordings and the concerts more. But after the sad thing happened, It's too late even if I thought so. If you have a family, friends, girl friend or boy friend whom you love, please send them your love and express your hearty thanks to them as much as you can at this moment. Yoshitaka let me know about the importance of it through his own experience.

Thank you, Yoshitaka. Rest in peace.
I'll always remember you with your wonderful smile.

Nobuo Uematsu

[Tebian-DJ]

The Black Mages celebrated the release of The Black Mages III ~Darkness and Starlight~ with a live concert at Yokohama Blitz on August 9, 2008. Preceding their performance were 'cello quartet performance of three Final Fantasy arrangements and a DJ session with Ian Hartley and Matt Baggiani featuring material from Final Fantasy Remix. The performance of the opera also featured performances by the drama production company R-Mix.

-SquareEnixMusic.com


Composed by Nobuo Uematsu / 植松伸夫

Arranged by Kenichiro Fukui / 福井健一郎, Tsuyoshi Sekito / 関戸剛, Michio Okamiya / 岡宮道生, Keiji Kawamori / 河盛慶次, Arata Hanyuda / 羽入田新

Performed by THE BLACK MAGES, Etsuyo Ota / 太田悦世, Tomoaki Watanabe, Tetsuya Odagawa, Manami Kiyota

01    Opening - Bombing Mission (from FINAL FANTASY VII)    
02    Premonition (from FINAL FANTASY VIII)    
03    Grand Cross (from FINAL FANTASY IX)    
04    The Extreme (from FINAL FANTASY VIII)    
05    Force Your Way (from FINAL FANTASY VIII)    
06    KURAYAMINOKUMO (from FINAL FANTASY III)    
07    Assault of the Silver Dragons (from FINAL FANTASY IX)    
08    Clash on the Big Bridge (from FINAL FANTASY V)    
09    Distant Worlds (from FINAL FANTASY XI)    
10    Darkness and Starlight (from FINAL FANTASY VI)    
11    Neo EXDEATH (from FINAL FANTASY V)    
12    Maybe I'm a Lion (from FINAL FANTASY VIII)

Watch "Starlight DVD Promo"

(Support the station and get your copy from where we are affiliated, thanks.)


This DVD is produced by

[Niko]

Im a big fan of black mages I hope they will perform in finland one day ^^

[Rhynovirus]

I would hope for  US tour but I don't want Uematsu to stop working on the tracks for FFXIV.

[Tebian-DJ]

we should get any tour dates up on the calendar, idk if they are doing concerts at all now

[Pelonenkeli]

Finnish people never get the good stuff, do they Niko? 

[Tebian-DJ]

The Black Mages Have Been Disbanded

Black Mages Farewell from Final Fantasy Fans

   
07 Aug 2010 - EXCLUSIVE: The Black Mages Have Been Disbanded
Nobuo Uematsu confirmed today on a radio station (thanks Cedille) that The Black Mages have been disbanded. Established in spring 2003, the band were principally dedicated to arranging and performing Final Fantasy battle themes.

The six member band — featuring guitarists Tsuyoshi Sekito and Michio Okamiya, keyboardist Kenichiro Fukui, organist Nobuo Uematsu, bass guitarist Keiji Kawamori, and drummer Arata Hanyuda — have produced three studio albums together and appeared at multiple concerts around the world. Their last appearance together was at The Black Mages III Live "Darkness and Starlight" on August 2008, commemorated with a DVD release.

The reasons for the disbandment still remain mysterious. However, in an interview  with SEMO last year, Nobuo Uematsu revealed that it had become difficult for the band to make time to rehearse together, noting Kenichiro Fukui's university post and Tsuyoshi Sekito's move to Osaka. It is also believed that the band's links to Square Enix have resulted in copyright issues and have limited the range of material they can play.

Nevertheless, Uematsu has recently assured fans that he will continue to perform rock arrangements of his music. He recently established the Earthbound Papas, which debuted on the Distant Worlds II CD. In a new interview with SEMO, Dog Ear Records' producer Hiroki Ogawa said to expect much more activity from the band later this year.

[Iekae]

Sad sad day because they disband

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