By Malcolm Brown
Hoo boy, where to start. Of all the non-flash tracks, this one has the most specific setting and purpose, relative to the webcomic itself.
The song’s structured as a medley: each of the trolls have a basic theme, mostly from the Alternia album, and in one form or another, they’re each revisited in this tune. But it’s not just twelve songs stitched together: there’s a great, coherent original theme, and each of those wide-ranging leitmotifs flow well throughout the track.
My favorite bit’s the heavy, fuzzy electric guitar that kicks in around 5:30. After all of the other trolls quit clowning around, Vriska steps in to put the king down.
The song has an official script of sorts in the liner notes that describes the action. It’s inspired some pretty crazy fan projects, too — even as we speak, a multi-year project is nearing completion to create a fan-Flash that shows the battle between the trolls and the Black King. With this song as its centerpiece, of course.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
Under the Hat is a great stand-alone piano tune, but this takes it to the next level. The grainy, warbly organ, the distant, stale muted trumpet, the twangy bass, the static… it’s the perfect introduction for a hard-boiled 40’s detective radio serial.
By Toby “Radiation” Fox
Image source: Homestuck.
In the liner notes, Radiation sums it up best: “I didn’t call it “Kanaya’s Theme” because I didn’t think that it was stylish enough for her.”
By Malcolm Brown
A cool mashup with the tone of Terezi’s Theme and flow and energy of Sburban Jungle.
By Joren “Tensei” de Bruin
The combination of spaghetti-western harmonica and surf-music guitar just screams Quentin Tarantino. Of course, so does the Mexican standoff paired with this tune. The only troll that makes it through unscathed is the dead one. Go figure.
By Mark Hadley
Even more legitimately chilling than Blackest Heart. Fuck that clown.
By Seth “Beatfox” Peelle. “Theme” by Toby “Radiation” Fox.
I always thought of this as sort of a companion piece to Homestuck. With all of the energy, the anger, and retribution on Alternia, this song feels almost artificially sentimental.
Of course, that label only applies when trying to shoehorn this into the album’s context. And its mellow, positive vibe does well to slow down the album’s breakneck pace a little. As a stand-alone piece, musically it’s right up there with Sarabande or Indigo Heir.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
Dreamy. This is the song that will play for the big, final, reveal Flash. You know, the one at the end of Homestuck that shows John (or Jade, I guess) sleeping, implying that the entire comic was just a dream.