...of many things, but when it comes to Eminence, I'm quietly rabid. I'm not a big fan of fans, they tend to be a little overwrought and gushy -- but let's face it, Eminence deserves all the gush we can give. I'd never do it, but if I were ever to yell 'Aussie Aussie Aussie' in patriotic pride, it'd be because of Eminence.
You guys have come a long way since '04. I remember attending Fantasia at the Con', with Uematsu a few rows back, and thinking: this will make or break the game-orchestra scene in Australia. Well, we never saw him again but who did you get? Mitsuda, Nakatsuru, Shimomura (a street fighter 2 composer!), Kajiura, Sakimoto, Otani, Shiina...the rising stars and the underappreciated, especially in Uematsu's shadow -- and who better to promote them than the rising stars of orchestral game performances? I've seen Play!, VGL and of course Eminence, and there was never any competition. Who'd have thought the finest orchestral game performances *in the world* would come from my home city, from somewhere so typically distanced from the stereotypical hearts of video game creation?
Right now, I have the Echoes sample tracks on loop. The sound quality is beyond expectations: I have a Fantasia '03 cd, and recording-wise, it's like listening to a backyard demo compared to the richness of these samples. I almost can't believe it's Eminence -- but then I remember ANIF '07 SGE, and there can be no doubt.
I don't play World of Warcraft but this music is spectacular. I DO play Diablo and so the effect of 'Eternal Conflict' is entirely more visceral. Okay, I'll admit it -- I really hate World of Warcraft. That I can get over this possibly irrational hatred to listen to the music is a massive testament to the achievement of Eminence.
As I said in another of my rare posts to this forum, one of my most incredible experiences was hearing 'Gnosis' live, from the front row. Played so well, with Mitsuda somewhere behind me. I knew from that precise moment that whatever Eminence did, it would be big. And it was: you guys aren't just a cover band anymore. You're not just fans playing your favourite tunes (as much fun as that was) -- you're leading the way. Yeah, some of us complained about the dwindling live performances, and I was worried groups with potentially more substantial backing would crash the party, but when I heard about the D3 trailer music, I had a feeling it was just the start. 'They'll do more', I said to myself, and yet that hasn't in the slightest diminished my joy at Echoes Of War's announcement.
So while I'm sure I was just another dude in the line getting my autographs and asking a few questions each time (answered at least once, when 'Meridian Dance' made it to Youtube even if it wasn't on the Passions CD), to me and a lot of people I know (gamers and non-gamers alike), Hiroaki Yura and Eminence represent something we never thought possible: an Australian-based first-class video game/score orchestra, now working with the biggest game company in the world. Yep, Eminence has come a long, long way, and I've been glad to watch it happen. Glad and maybe even a little proud to be just a peon in the crowd, to pass on the name of Eminence, to bask in your work...in short, to be a fan.
P.S. I hope you get a full tour out of Echoes. It's long overdue. As for what I hope is an inevitable performance in your hometown, my hometown -- Sydney Town Hall has never seemed so attractive as when Eminence filled it with thunder and song.