Chained Echoes is one of those games that appeared on my radar completely out of the blue, as I hadn't followed its successful Kickstarter campaign. To this day, I still haven't played the game (I'm not really into old-school JRPGs), but I hold a very special place in my heart for its OST, composed by Eddie Marianukroh. He was kind enough to sit down for an interview with me, just a few days after the release of the highly anticipated DLC, Ashes of Elrant.
Hi Eddie, thanks for accepting my interview request. Could you briefly introduce yourself for those who might not know you?
Eddie Marianukroh : Hello, I’m Eddie Marianukroh and I write music for video games. My most recent work has been for the 16-bit SNES-style RPG Chained Echoes and its recently released DLC, Ashes of Elrant.
I first discovered your work, like many others, in 2022 with the release of the highly anticipated Chained Echoes, for which you composed the soundtrack. Your earliest compositions on Bandcamp date back to 2011, but I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that this project was on a whole different scale, right?
EM : Yep, that’s correct. Many of my earlier works that you can find are either solo projects, short film scores, or some music written for games that died in early development (which is an unfortunate but common tale in the game industry). However, with Chained Echoes, it was easily the longest and most involved project that I’ve ever worked on.
Chained Echoes was born from a successful Kickstarter campaign. At what point did you join the development team?
EM : I had actually joined about eight months before the Kickstarter campaign. From what I can recall, I had come across Matthias’ ad for a composer one night in May 2018 (at the time, the game was called “The Grand Grimoire”). I vividly remember being immediately in awe of what he was striving for with his project, and so I told myself, “I have to score this game.” I quickly emailed him, but truthfully, I was not expecting a response. The following morning, I received a general email from him stating that he would follow up after a few weeks.
However, he emailed me back that same day saying that he really enjoyed the music I had available online and would love to have me write some demos. I was absolutely over the moon. I took a week off from work and focused on coming up with demos for him. I recall sending him the tracks and thinking, “Alright, this is where he tells you ‘no thanks!’” And still to my utter surprise, he liked what he heard, and from there we came to an agreement that I would score his game. It’s now been seven years that we’ve been working together.
Last month, three years after the game’s release, you returned to compose the soundtrack for Ashes of Elrant, the DLC for Chained Echoes. How did it feel to dive back into that universe?
EM : Honestly, it’s been the greatest joy of my creative career. I love the world that Matthias has created. So to be able to continue writing for it is nothing short of a dream. Because I had written so much music for the base game and had spent so much time getting to learn the entire cast, it felt like being able to revisit friends again.
When were the 16 new tracks for the DLC composed? Did you work on them right after finishing Chained Echoes, or was there a gap in between?
EM : The music was composed from 2023-2024. After the release of Chained Echoes in December 2022, there was a little bit of a gap of a month or two before I started writing music again. It was strange; after the game was released, I felt very empty and somewhat lost. I had dedicated myself to Chained Echoes for so long that after it was finished, I didn’t know what exactly to do with myself. So, I started writing music before I even knew anything about the story for Ashes of Elrant. I just knew that whatever I was writing at the time, it was intended for the world of Chained Echoes.
I love asking this question to composers: what’s your favorite track from the soundtrack, and why?
EM : Ah, that’s always the most difficult question to answer! If we’re talking about Ashes of Elrant, then my answer is: I don’t know!
My first and immediate thought would be any song that has xMEIYIN on it because (1) her voice is breathtaking and (2) live vocals are my favorite. But I also can’t deny that “The Mana Machine” stands out to me because it was written during a difficult moment in my life. And “Hematophagy” was the most difficult song for me to write on that soundtrack, so to hear how it turned out, I’m really proud. However, I can answer this question for the Chained Echoes soundtrack. “Crimson Wings Spreading Through the Blue Sky” is my favorite song from the album. During the pandemic in 2020, I was not able to say goodbye to my grandmother in her final moments. And so this song, specifically the final movement, is my farewell to her.
Personally, I never get tired of “Calling Upon Bravery” — I love the rhythm and the brass! Could you tell me the story behind that piece?
EM : It was the first battle theme I wrote for the game, so I was still figuring out the overall identity of the soundtrack. Battle themes tend to be the most difficult for me to write, but they’re also some of my favorite tracks to listen to once finished. Thankfully, it seemed like I was going in the right direction with the song, as my first demo was accepted. What’s also special about this piece is that it was my first time ever hiring out for live violin, which was performed by Patti Rudisill. She completely nailed the performance.
Looking back, are there any details in the music that only you would notice, but that bother you or that you wish you’d done differently?
EM : Perhaps now when I listen back to the music, I may have thoughts of how I could have improved certain songs with their mixes, or maybe even revise some instrumentation here and there. However, for the most part, I’m proud of what I’ve written so far, and I try not to dwell too much on any “flaws” I may now realize of certain songs. Instead, I generally accept what I wrote and strive to do even better with my next pieces.
You seem to be in great company, judging by the credits on the Chained Echoes albums and its DLC. Could you tell us a bit about the musicians you worked with?
EM : Oh yes, I feel very lucky to have so many talented musicians contribute to the soundtrack. Many of the musicians were actually contracted through Hayward Publishing, as John Paul Hayward became a friend of mine who was very supportive of my music. It was through his help that many of the musicians were able to record for the songs. So I'm very grateful to him for all his help.
Here’s a fun story. When it was time to start thinking about the ending theme for Chained Echoes, Matthias and I knew that we wanted to have live vocals for it. However, we didn’t have a vocalist in mind yet. One thing about me is that I love live vocals, but I’m incredibly picky on the voice. Depending on the singer, I can quickly detach myself from the music. However, while scrolling through social media one day, I came across a cover video of Final Fantasy IX’s “Melodies of Life” being sung by xMEIYIN.
I was immediately hooked. Then I watched her video of “Schala’s Theme” from Chrono Trigger, and that was it. I knew I had to reach out to her to sing for the soundtrack. Lastly, I have a marital obligation to say this, but it’s actually my wife and I who are recorded at the end of “Filthy Humans!” She is doing the goblin chants while I handled the fairy voice.
I noticed that your music is released under your own label, Esoundsignal. Have you always wanted to stay independent and in control of your music — even with all the extra work that can involve?
EM : When I was much younger, the idea of going through a label was always a big goal. But over time, it just didn’t seem as necessary anymore, and at this point, I’m much more comfortable handling it on my own. I really find it important to be able to retain all rights to your own music.
What’s your take on the music industry today, and especially on music streaming? Do you feel at home with the model offered by platforms like Spotify?
EM : I have some mixed feelings on the music industry. On the one hand, it’s now easier than ever for independent musicians to handle their own music and have it published everywhere, which has allowed music to become so immediate and accessible for people all over the world to find. But on the other side of all this, these streaming services we submit our music to have become these gatekeepers that have a very large influence over what people will listen to, often working hand-in-hand with major labels, and focus towards the goal of enriching themselves versus the benefit of the musicians whose art is what the platform is built around.
This combined with the miniscule payouts per stream and how streaming is now the main way people listen to music, the idea of making a living from music alone just seems so unobtainable for many.
I’m trying to highlight the major differences in remuneration between streaming platforms and direct album sales. Could you tell me how much the Chained Echoes soundtrack streams have brought in since its release? And, in contrast, how much you earn from each Bandcamp sale?
EM : The differences in the payout between Bandcamp and Spotify is quite stark. Bandcamp will take a 15% revenue share, and you get the payment for your sales very quickly. Spotify and other streaming services will pay you fractions of a penny per stream (note: Spotify requires a track to have at least 1000 plays before it generates royalties). And the payout from these streaming services take much longer, too. So, if you want to really support artists and help them continue doing what they do, then purchase their music through Bandcamp.
Recently, your music for Chained Echoes was released on a beautiful vinyl edition distributed by Black Screen Records. How does that feel?
EM : I’ve been writing music for quite a while now, and honestly, the majority of my career has mainly been my music going unheard. So the idea of a vinyl never really crossed my mind. However, Black Screen Records had approached me to include a track on their Sounds of Summer 2021, so when they eventually approached me for the Chained Echoes soundtrack, I was elated. With how the vinyl turned out, especially with the beautiful artwork by Josh Corpuz, I couldn’t be happier. I’m thankful to Black Screen Records and everyone involved in making the vinyl a reality.
Black Screen Records
I imagine your work on Chained Echoes has caught the attention of other studios and developers. Can you share a bit about what you’re currently working on?
EM : Chained Echoes has certainly opened some doors for me. I’ve contributed some music to an upcoming 2D action RPG called Under the Island by Slime King Games, as well as Infinite Alliance by Critical Games, and I’ll eventually be writing some tracks for Seed of Nostalgia by Primitive Pixels. I’ve also got an arrangement album in the works with some very talented people, as well as some projects that I can’t name publicly yet. So, I’m keeping busy!
Let’s wrap up with some recommendations! Share three albums that are essential to understanding who Eddie Marianukroh is.
EM : Ah, that’s a tough one. There’s far too many albums I would love to recommend. If I had to really choose:
- The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium I think this album is the most influential album on how I approach guitar and rock music in general. An equal partner to this album for me would also be Frances the Mute. However, I listed De-Loused because it’s the album that made me become an avid Omar Rodríguez-López fan.
- Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 More specifically, the recording of this symphony conducted by Bernard Haitink and performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from the Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1-6; Manfred Symphony; Overtures album. This is easily my favorite symphony, and no matter how many times I listen to it, I am always left breathless.
- Nobuo Uematsu - Final Fantasy VII (Original Soundtrack) Nobuo Uematsu’s music had been introduced to me as a child by my cousin, as he would play the early Final Fantasy titles while babysitting me. Eventually, I got to play Final Fantasy VII as my very first title in the series, and let me be clear, I cannot emphasize enough just how profound of an impact that game had on me. Still to this day, “The Prelude” from the title screen takes me to another place. There is no doubt in my mind that Uematsu’s music was the spark that led me down the path of video game music. I will always be grateful for what his music has inspired in me.
