1:10 makes me feel like I’m prepping for a space launch or getting the details of a critical mission briefing. It definitely creates that sort of tension for me and I love it.
The first time I heard this track was during my first playthrough. I had turned off the game after beating the chopper in Surface Tension and was greeted by the ambient background for the chapter: a shot of the hydroelectric dam, a lone crow perched on the sign nearby. A tank accompanied by infantry slowly crawls its way along the dam's top, headed to battles unknown. An Apache buzzes low over the dam, the crow startled and flying away. The sky is a beautiful shade of blue, contrasted by the red-orange of the New Mexico canyons. Everything almost seems peaceful but for the haunting guitar strings and mournful synthesizers, bringing back memories of what has already been and foreshadowing the tragedies yet to come. I sat there until the track had finished, long after the tank and its crew had passed, and all that was left were the sounds of distant firefights, and I jumped back in to continue my journey.
Something that Black Mesa does better than any other game I’ve seen is that there’s not a moment where you imagine yourself playing through the game. Even in the loading screen, it’s always from a point of view where you’ve been before, and as such feels like looking at a memory of Gordon’s. I’ve never been more invested in a place that doesn’t exist, because it always feels real. Mods like black Mesa Blue Shift only serve to further develop the research facility with just as much love and effort as Crowbar Collective has, and all mod that serves to create one of the most well developed spaces in any medium. Everyone in the team I imagine did their part for a project that they wanted to make as good as possible, and thus it is likely one of the best games possible in my eyes.
This piece has gotten me through several would-be sleepless nights. So peaceful. So full. So...... nostalgic. Oddly calming. I love your work on Black Mesa, mate.
Out of all the tracks that fit black mesa the most, Catalyst has gotta be the track that is perfectly matched for the game's tone and atmosphere. Mysterious and drowned of all morality, an empty husk of a song. It feels like something you'd hear within stasis, just an empty void with an echoing tune to show you are almost entirely completely alone. It captures that dreadful and somber feeling of Black Mesa, where every load-zone corner of the facility, canyon or xen feels like a pause in life as new hostilities come for you. The complete hopelessness without error.
This one is probably by far one of my favorites, you nailed the unique Half Life vibe with this one. It fits perfectly the atmosphere. Love your work !
I've listened to this music while I'm at work, so it's not a pain to work. Thank you for the wonderful work! 私は仕事中にこの音楽を聞いてやりきってます おかげで仕事が苦ではありません 素晴らしい作品をありがとう！
I truly wish Joel could compose official score for the highly anticipated Half-Life Movie series. Seriously fingers crossed for the movie to come to life, and Joel, your feel for music composition is honestly otherworldy. I am honestly so glad that we have you. You contributed so much to how Black Mesa resonated in so many players minds and I want to thank you for that. Joel, keep being awesome.
God bless Nielsen. Such an amazing sondtrack, from the first minute to the last it's beautiful, rich, well composed and it has this amazing HL-esque feeling to it which is most important. They must hire you for HL3, they simply must, after this masterpiece!
This song is powerful. It feels like sadness, fear, and either hope or no hope at all. I just don’t know how you can make songs like this. You’re a great musician artist. I think you even surpassed Kelly Bailey. If there was a Half Life 2 remake or a new Half Life game, I want you to be their composer.
I am not saying this OST surpassed Bailey's original Half Life run, since those are some of the most iconic tunes to be ever featured in gaming. What I am saying is that I keep coming back to listen to this and I'm loving every second of it. Its amazing how absolutely every aspect of this remake was polished to the max, including the OST. You guys really were the worthiest bunch to take on this gargantuan task and you all deserve major respect. Thank you.
This sounds sad and mysterious at the same time. In Earthbound, this would fit so well in UC or FAF chapter background. You've done well to make main menu theme so emotional. Love it!
I have listened to the Xen Transcendent soundtrack probably about 20 times already! It takes me to a different world. These tracks require genius level talent.
Beatifull... Its truly get me from some depresso and etc. I truly love BM ost, and its very helping in single periods of life, where is fate of some depends only from you and your head.
It's a late summer evening I sit on my black car Starring at the strange poster I was given thinking "this is the place" unaware of the adventure about to happen
This song, to me, personifies the phrase "calm before the storm". It makes me feel ...somehow both at ease and tense, I am relaxed now, but it makes me somewhat nervous at what might be waiting down the road for me -or, I suppose Gordon Freeman. Is what I would say, if I didn't also know that the aforementioned storm had an OST composed by you. That's something to look forward to for sure!
A very lonely feeling piece, can't help but to associate those waves and mono tunes to Lugaru. the feel of endless green planes shocked by a low render distance fog. A feel of abnormal geometry in unfinished games similar to the alpha of minecraft and blocky beta hl maps
if we compare black mesa and doom eternal i enjoyed a lot more this this remake captured very well done the original and the xen revamped was a lot better
What creates the first impression about the film, the game? Music When I bought Black Mesa, I wasn't sure if it was a great game. But as soon as I heard this music, the music on the menu, I knew it was excellent. What creates the first impression about the film, the game? Excellent music.
[Radio Static] "Rocket Team Red, Rocket Team Red, be advised. Target Freeman may be in your sector, stay on high alert. Do not let him get onto that launch pad." [Radio Static]
Resonance Cascade happened? Nihilanth? Black Mesa incident? Gordon, how long have you been sleeping? Now get up, pick up the donuts and coffee, and let's get back to work!
The day that one man became the catalyst for the world's downfall The day that was the last of tranquility for all. The day that went to hell. The target. The catalyst. The One Free Man.
Ever tried playing a video game with all the music turned off? feels like you're only playing half the game to me. Thank you very much Joel Nielsen you were the other half to half-life
![KRK - ชนิสรา Ft.WanMai , N/A [Official MV] Prod. By Sakarin](/img/n.gif)
this menu theme really gives you the feeling for what's about to happen, and what you're about to get into
1:10 makes me feel like I’m prepping for a space launch or getting the details of a critical mission briefing. It definitely creates that sort of tension for me and I love it.
There's a documentary that features this track in a documentary about the Mercury program. It is brilliantly put together.
@@TX_BoomSlang would you mind dropping a link? now im just genuinely curious
@@TX_BoomSlang wanna follow up there boomerslang?
@@TX_BoomSlangWhere is it? I want to see it.
Joel, you are an amazing artist. Your music is pure art.
You truly are the Hans Zimmer of gaming! I cant stop listening to this ost, its just so beautiful
He and Harry101UK make the best soundtracks for mods of the Half-Life Universe.
Bye
Hans Zimmer composed music for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Crysis 2 actually
@@jess648 Yes we know lol. His works span from cinema to video game.
The first time I heard this track was during my first playthrough. I had turned off the game after beating the chopper in Surface Tension and was greeted by the ambient background for the chapter: a shot of the hydroelectric dam, a lone crow perched on the sign nearby. A tank accompanied by infantry slowly crawls its way along the dam's top, headed to battles unknown. An Apache buzzes low over the dam, the crow startled and flying away. The sky is a beautiful shade of blue, contrasted by the red-orange of the New Mexico canyons. Everything almost seems peaceful but for the haunting guitar strings and mournful synthesizers, bringing back memories of what has already been and foreshadowing the tragedies yet to come. I sat there until the track had finished, long after the tank and its crew had passed, and all that was left were the sounds of distant firefights, and I jumped back in to continue my journey.
Something that Black Mesa does better than any other game I’ve seen is that there’s not a moment where you imagine yourself playing through the game. Even in the loading screen, it’s always from a point of view where you’ve been before, and as such feels like looking at a memory of Gordon’s. I’ve never been more invested in a place that doesn’t exist, because it always feels real. Mods like black Mesa Blue Shift only serve to further develop the research facility with just as much love and effort as Crowbar Collective has, and all mod that serves to create one of the most well developed spaces in any medium.
Everyone in the team I imagine did their part for a project that they wanted to make as good as possible, and thus it is likely one of the best games possible in my eyes.
I really love the melancholy vibe that some of the tracks have. Especially the guitar in this one.
This track is 4 years old, and even Joel still sees the comments that are recent, you're the best, man
This track is so calming yet so melancholic. It perfectly fits with some of the menu screens in the game
This piece has gotten me through several would-be sleepless nights. So peaceful. So full.
So...... nostalgic. Oddly calming. I love your work on Black Mesa, mate.
I just love how powerful and mysterious this track is. You are literally fighting the force nobody ever fought before.
Excellent work once again!
Not only that, it's just you all by yourself.
You do learn later that they did fight them a while back before the experiment, they had whole machines to teleport Xen stuff to Earth
Out of all the tracks that fit black mesa the most, Catalyst has gotta be the track that is perfectly matched for the game's tone and atmosphere. Mysterious and drowned of all morality, an empty husk of a song. It feels like something you'd hear within stasis, just an empty void with an echoing tune to show you are almost entirely completely alone.
It captures that dreadful and somber feeling of Black Mesa, where every load-zone corner of the facility, canyon or xen feels like a pause in life as new hostilities come for you. The complete hopelessness without error.
ahh the 2 minutes of me changing my settings so beautiful
This one is probably by far one of my favorites, you nailed the unique Half Life vibe with this one. It fits perfectly the atmosphere. Love your work !
Always love listening to your stuff while drawing!
I agree :)
me when i driving
@@Microbaky095 Yeah that too :D
You're fighting against incredible odds, yet somehow you know you will prevail.
THE EXTENDED MENU THEME, YES
You guys have Koba to thank for this one. Was just gonna be a mastered version, but then...
JoelNielsenMusic
What project do you do after you finish Black Mesa
@@Memer_T Not too sure yet. Just focusing on finishing Xen first. :)
@@JoelNielsenMusic What about now?
@@irelandmapping5598 Got a few things in the works. Nothing to announce yet. Keep an eye on my twitter.
I've listened to this music while I'm at work, so it's not a pain to work. Thank you for the wonderful work!
私は仕事中にこの音楽を聞いてやりきってます おかげで仕事が苦ではありません 素晴らしい作品をありがとう！
I truly wish Joel could compose official score for the highly anticipated Half-Life Movie series. Seriously fingers crossed for the movie to come to life, and Joel, your feel for music composition is honestly otherworldy. I am honestly so glad that we have you. You contributed so much to how Black Mesa resonated in so many players minds and I want to thank you for that. Joel, keep being awesome.
God bless Nielsen. Such an amazing sondtrack, from the first minute to the last it's beautiful, rich, well composed and it has this amazing HL-esque feeling to it which is most important. They must hire you for HL3, they simply must, after this masterpiece!
This soundtrack has every type of music for every mood you could possibly be in. I love it so much!
The menu theme is gives the impression of xen a lot.
The direction you took the BM OST in is exquisite, and the music you produced is excellent. Bravo.
It really captures the feel of Kelly Bailey's work without outright copying it. Good work
Somehow you know the perfect sound for the moment in everything. You're excellent at matching music with different parts of the game.
This song is powerful. It feels like sadness, fear, and either hope or no hope at all. I just don’t know how you can make songs like this. You’re a great musician artist. I think you even surpassed Kelly Bailey. If there was a Half Life 2 remake or a new Half Life game, I want you to be their composer.
I am not saying this OST surpassed Bailey's original Half Life run, since those are some of the most iconic tunes to be ever featured in gaming.
What I am saying is that I keep coming back to listen to this and I'm loving every second of it. Its amazing how absolutely every aspect of this remake was polished to the max, including the OST. You guys really were the worthiest bunch to take on this gargantuan task and you all deserve major respect. Thank you.
Never has finetuning settings been so inspiring and epic!
This sounds sad and mysterious at the same time. In Earthbound, this would fit so well in UC or FAF chapter background.
You've done well to make main menu theme so emotional. Love it!
I have listened to the Xen Transcendent soundtrack probably about 20 times already! It takes me to a different world. These tracks require genius level talent.
If I ever make a game ill be sure to contract you. Love it!
This beautiful soundtrack conveys all the mystery and immensity of Xen and makes you think....
opening Black Mesa and having this play while the live background does its thing on the title screen is awesome
I love how epic and mysterious this sounds. To me, this is a great piece of work. I only wish it was longer.
Your compositions are truly inspiring.
When the menu display Xen's landscape and this music is start playing ............................ I'm alone in the multiverse
Same, though I feel like I'm somewhere on the edge of Mars, floating in the air, seeing northern lights as this music plays.
...alone not you alone not you alone not you...
Freemaaaann~...
Joel, u just woke up my inner Nihilanth. Crystal work, love it.
The placement of the track in the Xen playlist after the credits tracks makes it hit differently
This song is so beautiful..
Nice Can't Wait To See It In Front Of My Menu Screen
Keep Up The Good Work :D
Hearing this while you hear the facility being bombed in the menu background is just beautiful
The team of crowbar collective: we need soundtracks
Joel nielsen: i can help
I always listen to the full soundtrack it's just to good
I loved the earthbound tracks and I love the Xen tracks too.
Never any bad music from Joel Nielsen!
Wow. Here at 1:09, it feels like as if I took a step outside, and saw the northern lights dancing around as this music play. A really well done music.
The music is beautiful in this game-
Amazing track, mate! Totally captures Half-Life essence.
Beatifull...
Its truly get me from some depresso and etc.
I truly love BM ost, and its very helping in single periods of life, where is fate of some depends only from you and your head.
Heartwarming track for Xen trailer (if it happens) or..... previously on Black Mesa
It's a late summer evening
I sit on my black car
Starring at the strange poster I was given thinking "this is the place" unaware of the adventure about to happen
1. Moving to video.
2. Pressing "finger up".
3. Listening track.
4. Dammit! Where the second "finger up"?
you fucked up my face
Turn your screen over, and like it again. Its ok we all understand.
It’s a strange TH-cam glitch that they won’t patch. The glitch is that the second like button appears as this “Subscribe” button. Weird, huh?
"mY mOtHeR iS dEAd?!"
Thanks for more of this Joel youRock
Wonderful music! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh wow wasn't expecting this, awesome!
This was the theme I heard when I first started up the game. I knew I was in for one hell of a ride when I heard it.
This song, to me, personifies the phrase "calm before the storm". It makes me feel ...somehow both at ease and tense, I am relaxed now, but it makes me somewhat nervous at what might be waiting down the road for me -or, I suppose Gordon Freeman.
Is what I would say, if I didn't also know that the aforementioned storm had an OST composed by you. That's something to look forward to for sure!
A very lonely feeling piece, can't help but to associate those waves and mono tunes to Lugaru. the feel of endless green planes shocked by a low render distance fog. A feel of abnormal geometry in unfinished games similar to the alpha of minecraft and blocky beta hl maps
Fantastic soundtrack all around
"Just another day at work, and I'm as late as ever. Still, today feels different, somehow”
THIS IS SO POWERFULL , THIS SOUNDTRACK FEELS LIKE WE ARE IN BLACK MESA INBOUND. CAPSLOCK BECAUSE I AM INCREDIBLY HAVING GOOSEBUMPS...
if we compare black mesa and doom eternal
i enjoyed a lot more this
this remake captured very well done the original and the xen revamped was a lot better
Joel! How do you keep making these amazing songs?!
I'm sure my luck is running out. ;)
@@JoelNielsenMusic I can assure you its not, buddy
Hello Joel Nielsen, I wanted to know if I can use the black mesa soundtracks? I wanted to know if they have copyright?
Reminds me of motogp 2's menu soundtrack. Great work!
This is so relaxing
love it
the first time i heard this track play at the BM title screen, I just sat there and listened until the end before finally clicking 'load game'
I just found this game and the soundtrack ROCKS
Black Mesa Source is just one of the best fan made games I've ever played.
I almost get a Deus Ex feeling from this and I love it. This is the perfect soundtrack for Black Mesa.
lovely
easily one of my all time favorite games
Its menu theme 1, I wonder if this will be played for both black mesa and xen's menus.
I didn't even finish the game yet, but I HAD to search for this.
I fucking love it so much.
Freeman is the catalyst in all events in the HL universe, that's what the name of this composition means!
Awesome
Best remake I have ever played.
This track makes me think of the portal storms and the 7 hour war
There's music in Black Mesa's menu?
A lot of what you have produced for this game would go well for a planetarium.
One of the best gaming OST I've ever heard. Probably #1 in my opinion and I've played it all. No really, since Mario Bros on NES, lol.
I was today years old when I realized this soundtrack played a huge inspiration on the Oppenheimer OST
What creates the first impression about the film, the game? Music
When I bought Black Mesa, I wasn't sure if it was a great game. But as soon as I heard this music, the music on the menu, I knew it was excellent.
What creates the first impression about the film, the game? Excellent music.
Not only was this game good, but it had a fantastic ost!
A rather "uncomfortable" reminder that something serious is going to happen.
There is no song playing when the player enters Anomalous Materials. I think this would fit great :-)
Markodds it’s on the menu screen when you boot up the game
the H.E.V. startup is all you need for the chapter.
@@TheEmeraldSword04 facts
This reminds me of the quote: "Scientia potentia est"
I always go in shotgun blazing when the music drops
This music gives a new look to the Half Life universe, a dramatic look for what is about to happen to mankind...
[Radio Static]
"Rocket Team Red, Rocket Team Red, be advised. Target Freeman may be in your sector, stay on high alert. Do not let him get onto that launch pad."
[Radio Static]
This goes well with deep city nighttime environments idk how
this soundtrack gives an odd satisfaction, as if you're the one who will gonna fight aliens and soldiers in one facility
... 3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!
2020 begins
This music starts playing
Resonance Cascade happened? Nihilanth? Black Mesa incident? Gordon, how long have you been sleeping? Now get up, pick up the donuts and coffee, and let's get back to work!
The day that one man became the catalyst for the world's downfall
The day that was the last of tranquility for all.
The day that went to hell.
The target.
The catalyst.
The One Free Man.
i remember this music in earthbound chapters is it mixed?
?
I needed this after finishing this boring and frustrating Uncharted 4 game. Now it's time for some proper gaming like Black Mesa
If you are going to save the world you will need this song to help.
YEET A NEW MUSIC BOI
This sounds like something grander than ourselves
Ever tried playing a video game with all the music turned off? feels like you're only playing half the game to me. Thank you very much Joel Nielsen you were the other half to half-life
Small cave - lake. Water aliens - snatchers. Eliminate resistance. Proceed to next portal.