When I started working on this album, I planned for it to be a video game concept album, largely orchestral in scope, with inspiration from OSTs that have had the biggest impact on me (so far). When I really started thinking about what I wanted the story of this album to be, I began doing some pretty intense world building. I already had some ideas, but the more I thought, the bigger it became. I even downloaded a Wiki software. Eventually this even turned into the rough outline for a novel that will likely never see the light of day.

All that to say, this isn't so much a "video game concept album," anymore, but a "fantasy concept album inspired by video game music." There are a few tracks here that could work as area background music, and that was their intention. There were a few more like that, but I ended up cutting them because they weren't very good, and didn't really fit with what the album became. Most of these I feel are more cinematic in nature.

The music on this album was inspired by different soundtracks and their composers, and I wanted to evoke the feelings for the settings that these games make me feel through their music. So, a very special thanks to Yasunori Nishiki ("Octopath Traveler" series), Bear McCreary ("God of War," "God of War: Ragnarok"), Kenji Hiramatsu and Yasunori Mitsuda ("Xenoblade Chronicles 3"), and Philip Glass ("The Truman Show") for making unbelievable music that transcends their medium.

Music composed, mixed, and mastered by John Tadlock