WoW songs are all so high quality its stunning. This song is actually Silvannas last words spoken to her people before she died. She was the defender of her people at the time and tried to buy them time.
@@MrTheatrick Yes she was, she became the ranger. First however if u have listened to the Sylvanas soundbook, it was suppose to be shes oldest sister that should have that title.
This song is a more somber version of the "Eversong woods" theme, which is the part of the high elf kingdom that wasn't completely ruined by Arthas and is the starting zone for blood elves. It replaces the female voice with a gorgeous cello and you can still hear a subtle feeling of grief, I really advise you to listen to it even though it's a more ambiant song and you might prefer to listen to it on your own. It's really nostalgic to me and I just realized that blood elves music in general with its distinctive mix of harp and cello is what I think about first when I hear "high fantasy"...
That music haunted me when i was a kid 😂😂😂 i legit would get terrified because of how real the graphics seemed back then. i would look at stronghold crusader graphics and what i saw was just something more 😊😮
Actually the Highbourne Elves, which Slyvanas was one, was the elves of Silvermoon. It was their crowning jewel, until Arthas sacked it, in the events of Warcraft 3. It was then, that as a reminder, the remaining Highbourne elves took up the moniker of Blood Elves, to remember all the blood that was shed that day. (That's the high level generalization at least.)
The voice actress for Sylvanas, the character who sings this song, sang her own version on her channel which has a much harsher tone to it, giving it a whole new emotion. Her name is Patty Mattson and her voice is absolutely powerful too. This version you listened to is sang by Vangie Gunn who sings for a lot of films varying from Disney films to Marvel and even the latest Avatar film
thank you so much for mentioning this, did not know she made her own version - you've made my day! I'm not saying I would play WOW ever again after all the years spent there, but this really reignited some buried emotions about that song in particular, and the great depth of Worldcraft lore in general.
I've always enjoyed this song, and probably one of the reasons why I would always make a blood elf in game. These lyrics being the last orders given as the ranger general before being overrun by arthas and the scourge he commanded.
I haven't clicked on a video so fast. This song actually clued me into the fact that there was a continuation of Warcraft after Warcraft 3. Thus led me to fuel my obsession over Warcraft Lore. Love this song
Lament of the Highborne was my first "WOW!" moment in WoW. I started in The Burning Crusade in 2008, as a Blood Elf. Seeing her break down and start signing in front of me when she saw the locket I brought her.... just wow. Awesome. No wonder I fell in love with TBC back then, then again in classic until they yanked it from me again. Maybe 3rd time's gonna be the charm... if there ever is a 3rd time.
Lament of the Highborne is one of the WoW songs I've had on my playlist for years and years. It just squeezes your heart just right. The song plays throughout the Bloodelf starting song and when you hand in a specific quest to Sylvanas she basically performs it with a choir of banshees. Really hits home the tragedy of what happened to the high elves. WoW is too rarely lauded for its incredible soundtracks, both with and without vocals. My personal favorites are the zone music for Sholazar Basin, Bastion and Oribos, as well as Ardenweald! You should totally check out Nightsong/The Dreamer from the Shadowlands soundtrack. It moved me to tears when it played in the game.
Wow's zone music has for many years had a great ability to fit the zone so well it felt completely natural to hear it as you progressed through the zone. I think they really *started* to find their tone in that regard in TBC with like, Terrokar Forest, but Wrath it took off.
Not just what happened to the High Elves but the Forsaken as a whole. There's a reason why back in the day most of Undercity rushed into her throne room whenever she started singing. ;)
Best part- players got to hear this song in game back in the day. And the story behind it is great. You find a pendant while clearing out a spire of ghosts and cultists. It's inscribed on the back. You are instructed to deliver it to the queen of the Forsaken (undead), because this is her pendant, given to her by her sisters. When given to her, she will sing this song and shed a tear for what was lost. I miss the days when WoW was actually good.
No way! I requested this song in the last arthas video! I never believed you would react to it!!! So happy! Nightsong is my other favourite which is next!!❤
Another song you would absolutely enjoy is the zone music for Howling Fjord. The Celtic/Irish inspired strings hits the soul just right and is a fond WoW memory of my first time going to that zone back in 2008. A close one behind Howling Fjord would be Grizzly Hills. Blizzard may not make bombastic songs you can sing along to like Square does for FFXIV, but the sheer musical talent that has went into WoW cannot be understated.
If you look up the official wow version, the animation shows what happened to Sylvanas and and why she sings this song now. It shows her failure to protect her people, her death a tthe hand of the Lich King and her resurrection as a banshee. Really enjoyed the breakdown of this and so many other tracks. Never really understood how much is behind the music I really like. Have been playing this track since it first came out in 2007(?) and regularly play in the car, but after listening to your breakdown I am seeing it in a whole new light! looking forward to more videos, especially of video game music I know well! Thanks and take care!
This song used to be sung by Sylvanas and her elven banshees in-game, the first time players had heard the creatures do anything but wail, after a questline in the Ghostlands zone, where you recovered a keepsake from the Windrunner Village, her former home. Before Blizzard ruined her character.
@@VeGohan all the 'wow killers' end up being half the size and 10fps. if they would just use last gen tech to save money and make a huge mmo thats decent wow would have rolled over in its grave long ago
Excellent breakdown, love your inputs on it! You've nailed a lot of it, It's a "Lament", after all. Kinda worth mentioning here the singers are all "Undead" beings, which makes the sense of loss they feel quite apt. Also, would LOVE if you could check out "Daughter of the Sea - Warbringers: Jaina" - It's an excellent piece I think you'll get a lot out of both lyrically and visually! Keep up the amazing work Marco, you're one of the only channels I follow with notifications on!
Sylvanas did everything she could to defend her people. It wasn't enough. As a bunch of people have already mentioned this is what she said when the end of her people's civilization was closed. A little context as to what happens right after. The undead Massacre all of them. Our purpose is incredibly beckstedt her for defending so efficiently he turns her into a banshee and she slaughters the rest of her people. All she can do is watch on as her body acts on its own, it breaks her mind over and over again. The song itself takes place a few years later after she breaks free and controls the remaining Undead in her continent. I forget exactly what the quest was, but she sings this song remembering what she lost and what she did.
Another thing they added to the story is that her brother who was murdered would sing this song often, probably a quel’dorei version, but it adds to the lament Sylvanas is doing.
There are a few really cool things about this song. One is that it is actually shone in game. In the Blood Elf zone there is a necklace you can retrieve from undead in an area that Sylvanas used to live. It used to belong to her and her two sisters each have one that matches. If you return it to her, she sings this song. Snippets of this also play throughout various areas in game. In Eversong Woods (the starter area for Blood Elves) you hear it as part of the main theme. In the Ghostlands (the area where they were invaded, and the land became plagued and the people were slaughtered) this also plays. But it is hidden in the background and is a lot more mournful and subtle. This also has snippets echoing in a ghostly way throughout parts of the Blood Wing in the raid Icecrown Citadel. Arthas, the Lich King, was the one who slaughtered the elves. Those who he raised into undeath reside almost entirely in the Blood Wing, so it's just tragic to hear the echoing strains there. Edit: For context Sylvanas is the leader of the Forsaken, or the undead that broke away from the Lich King and regained their own will and minds. But before that she was the Ranger-General of SIlvermoon and in charge of the defense of the land and people. She died fighting to protect the city and Sunwell from Arthas and was raised into undeath. This song is her mourning her death and the deaths of all those she was unable to protect. Before the attack, they were known as Quel'dorei (high elves) but were renamed to Sin'dorei (blood elves) after the fall of Sunwell and invasion of Silvermoon.
They used the elven language in a few of wows songs to great effect, as well as latin in the case of some of the arthas centric pieces. If you liked this one, I very much recommend 'canticle of sacrifice' ... also a deeply emotional track and probably my absolute favourite. Thank you for deep dives into music that shaped so much of my teen years, hope you're doing well friend! ^^
I remember the first time I heard this song. For some reason it played in-game when I was in Dalaran and I stopped what I was doing just to listen it, then immediately tried to find the name of the track. It was so beautiful. I'll probably remember myself being shocked back there for the rest of my life.
I love how you just from the opening melodies when you said that there is a sense of mystery,fog and looking over your shoulder which perfectly encompasses the it is a song sung by a banshee who died defending her people and land that is now gone, devastated and ruined but she is left unable to pass on, cursed to un-death and to remember and lament what has happened.
The background music is also the music for the starting area of the Blood Elves. You hear this a lot when leveling then you get to see the banshees sing this at the end of a long quest chain before you leave the area. It was really well done.
There is a version of this song which is being sung by the voiceactress of Sylvanas, it might be fun for you to visit that one as well. It has a rather interesting shift in tone.
One of my favorite parts about the instrumental of this song is that it's actually one of the ambient soundtracks for Eversong Woods, the starting zone for blood elf players (the "sin'dorei" referenced in this song). You don't get to hear the lyrics of this song until completing a quest in the Ghostlands around 20 levels into you character. So in a way, you retroactively find out that the entire time you were questing through Eversong Woods, the music accompanying you was literally a lament, a series of mourning and funeral songs, which makes perfect sense when you know the lore of the blood elves and why they're called that
One of the most iconic warcraft music pieces. In Hots you can hear a ghostly Anar'alah when Sylvanas casts her mind control and it's my favourite thing about playing her
Lament of the highborn is sung in-game by Sylannas Windrunner - who was slain by the Lich King while defending her elven kingdom as Ranger General. This is a lament to the countless elves who died under the march of the scourge toward their capital city.
I'd highly recommend going over A World Divided, aka Anduin's theme, not only is it a beautiful piece of music, it also carries some leitmotif of Arthas "O Thanagor", which is quite fitting.
Your vision of a creature, "an elf perhaps" are spot on. Quel'Thals had powerful magical defences. The enemy was let in by one of their own, a traitor. His betrayal led to the was majority of the people of his nation got slaughtered.
Highly reccomend 'Nightsong' from the WoW Cataclysm soundtrack, its pretty much the 'lowborn forest elf' version of this (if the context is elves at war). It's a very beautiful track, probably my favourite in the whole game to this day.
There is a remix that Patty did herself of the song. It is my favorite version; I think this version is my second favorite for the words. Highly recommend listening. I'm sure others gave the story of the Dark Lady, Queen Sylvanas, who herself was turned into a banshee and this song is actually about the Troll wars and the lost elves. It was sung yearly by her mother iirc--the source for this is in the book Sylvanas published by WoW.
I'm so happy that u reacted to this song. It's my favorite one of Wow. It's a plaintive song of the high elves who died during the invasion of Arthas. He destroyed and corrupted the lands who were beautiful but who are now only barren. After this war the High elves rename themselves Blood elves in commemoration of the blood who flowed.
Great reaction as ways - I'd love to see some more Bayonetta please, especially on songs like Fertile Rondo, you May Call me Father, Dark Eve, and Lumen Sage and Temperantia
This was and maybe still an in game reward for returning a locket to the undead leader of the Forsaken in World of Warcraft Sylvanas Windrunner. Back in 2006 you got a treat to hear this song and an in game performance with this very song playing and there was all this fireworks shit going on in the background. It's well worth looking up TH-cam for old videos of this and the original singer of this song. Vangie Gunn
A simple but truly beautiful song. I don't know how they managed to make it sound mysterious, exotic in the sense that it feels foreign, and very elvish.
I remember the video for this song using WoW Machinima footage. it was meant to reflect the sad plight of the elves in the game and their inevitable destruction by the forces of the not yet Lich King - Arthas Menethil.
Ahhh, "Lament" is such a classic WoW song. So good to hear you react to it! If (or when) you do another Warcraft song, please do Illidan's Theme or Anduin's Theme (namely the one by Neal Acree andJulie Elven)! Illidan's is so grand and darkly dramatic I think an opera buff will get a real kick out it. And Anduin's is sweeping and so emotionally epic. Can't wait for the next one Marco!
songs like this make me miss the days I loved most about WoW that are gone now but at least I'll always have my memories and these songs. This one especially was one of my FAVORITES I listened to it all the time before Legion and I'm so happy to hear it again. I'll always miss my blood elf paladin :')
There is a stunning piece in the Battle for Azeroth expansion called "Ruins of Zin-Azshari" the music equally invoke sadness, power, grief, and hope when I played in that part of the game where it plays I always just stopped what I did and listened. The place is the biggest oldest elven city destroyed by the Great Sundering old elven ghost haunt the place even after 10000 years I like to think these ghost sing the song.
This song is about the fall of Quel'thalas the home of the High Elves. Arthas and his Scourge forces attacked and eradicated over 80% of their population. Sylvanas Windrunner who is supposed to be the one singing this was the Ranger General, she was in charge of the military forces of Quel'thalas and she fought hard to try and stop Arthas but eventually was felled, Arthas then tortured her and turned her into a Banshee as punishment for the trouble she caused him. It was actually a traitor that allowed for their kingdom to be vulnerable in the first place, he told Arthas the secret to this their protective wards in exchange for power. After the massacre the prince of the High Elves Kael'thas Sunstrider renamed them from Quel'dorei to Sin'dorei in honor of all those that fell.
This could be taken 2 ways. A lament for all the Highborn lost at the hands of Arthas or a lament for the Banshee queen, Sylvanas, and all she has lost at the hands of Arthas.
Lorewise the song is about the attack by the forest/Amani trolls but since Shadowlands isn't really popular I'm not sure how much did like this Redcon in Sylvanas novel
"The banshees are responding to I dunno their queen or something" Funny story, the main singer in this Sylvanas is literally called "The Banshee Queen"
Yeah, as mentioned by others, this is Sylvanas' last words, and those breaking through are Arthas, the lich king, and his undead. Someone youre already quite familiar with. Long sad story of loss, and rage, and trying to protect ones people and ultimately failing and falling, for all those involved.
This is my favourite track from world of Warcraft and the incredible thing is it was a hidden completely missable quest from burning crusade when leveling a blood elf. It’s sylvanas Windrunner singing this mourning the loss of the high elves a while after arthas invaded and destroyed quel’thalas and the sun well.
They did redcon the song a little bit in the sylvanas novel but it a great song, and they didn't really change it meaning only the "places" of origin" the first "version" describe the attack on the high elfs by the undead. The change in the sylvanas was only that the song predates the third war and is on the Attack of the Trolls
The "Highborne" are also know as the "Blood Elves" this is the twilight of the Highborne, the falling of their last stronghold, the sun is setting on their empire and they are fading into the mists of eternity. This is a song of loss and regret, the end of their empire and their lives.
Haven't heard this in quite a while. I stopped playing WoW a little after the Death Knight class came out - that was the one point I bothered to get a character to level 60 before wiping their slot and restarting since the low-level parts of the game were the parts I found interesting. (And that was the main reason I stopped playing. The endless cycles of trimming things down to more smoothly get new players into the part of the game actually under development were starting to get to me.) Do recall making sure every one of my Horde characters did the quest to hear this sung in-game. (I couldn't record at all back then.)
I'd like to see him listen to Hallowfall's (a zone/region in The War Within, WoW's newest expansion) "Arathi Memorial" OST. It's a very Georgians chant inspired kind of music.
So lore wise, in warcraft there used to be Night elves(Kal'dorei, children of the stars) who gained power from the Moon well and the High elves(Quel'dorei, children of noble birth) that gained power from the Sun well, the high elves were attacked and ultimately overcome by the undead hordes led by Arthas, Arthas then used the Sun well to resurrect a powerful necromancer tainting it in the process, the invasion decimated the population of High elves killing 90%, the ones left behind called themselves the Blood elves (Sin'dorei, children of blood) in memory of their fallen kin. This song I believe is Sylvanas a former Night Elf lamenting the fall of the noble High elves
would want to add some of the context to help. You give an undead elf Sylvannas her lost pendant from her sister when she was still not undead and although she is very "this means nothing to me" thing, she breaks out in a song and Im sure that if you search it up, you can see what some of what happens
Project Wingman: FRONTLINE-59 is out now. If you loved Kings from Project Wingman, you are going to love this new soundtrack. It's twisted. This game takes place on the opposing force, and it's really good.
There is this song that sits quietly in the WoW universe that I'm sure you'll like. The reason why it probably didn't stick is that that dungeon was kind of boring. But I do really love this soundtrack, give it a try. It's this one - Warlords of Draenor - Auchindoun Soundtrack
This song feels like a funeral procession through that foggy wilderness you described at the start. Is it a line of living elves walking away from their ruined homes? Is it a line of spirits who died suddenly and can't let go? There's a sad reverence to the song either way.
honestly...if u want more operatic tracks , maybe you should search the OSTs in Pathfinder : wrath of the righous. That game has some really epic sounding OSTs imo. Particulary "mythic power" - it's probably my favorite Another fun listening experience would be the OSTs in fate stay night visual novels. "Emiya" is a personal favorite of mine. Both games have really good tracks.
Going into the nerd deep dive here, but in the games story, this song is one her brother would sing, who was murdered. So that information adds a very sad depth to the song even if that part was added later on.
I feel like Marco would have a higher appreciation for the music if he saw the cinematic when Arthas stormed through the walls of Quel'thalas and what he did to Sylvanas would put the music into a greater perspective.
This song has to do with the desecration and death of an elven people by armies of undead hordes led by a messenger of Death, ripping apart man, women and children alike and the pain they felt as they lost their fight for their home city of Silvermoon.
I usually love your reactions to all the video game music, loved your reaction and decypher of Invincible and Arthas, but tbh this one was a bit of a hit and miss for me? Like it's in the name "Lament" that it is a song about loss a horrible loss of elven life slaughtered by Arthas by the way :) Also as I saw in the comments, I highly recommend Daughter of the Sea as well. It is amazing and I think it will be fun for you.
The song is about the last defense of Quel’thalas (home of the high elves) when Arthas and the scourge destroying their land and they pray to the light for help against the evil. Sin’dorei Children of blood or blood elves as they call themself because their story is one of blood and suffering after 95% of their race went extinct by the hand of Arthas
The high elves arent actualy the elves of high society from the old empire. Some of their families where nobles in it but most lf the core of the old empire would be the Nagas
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Nightsong is next. ;)
Fk yesss
YAY!
Let’s gooooooo!
I promise you will enjoy it
YES. YES!
should definitely do Daughter of the Sea
Yes! Omg
Yes! Yes!
I went back and rewatched Warbringers:Jaina cuz of this comment, what a masterpiece. Def Marco must react to that 👍
that one is really good
Yesssss, I love Laura Bailey's voice!
WoW songs are all so high quality its stunning.
This song is actually Silvannas last words spoken to her people before she died. She was the defender of her people at the time and tried to buy them time.
She was the high ranger of silvermoon as far as I remember
@@MrTheatrick i know but i wanted my message to be understoof by people who have never played wow ^^
They are, they are kinda like the "Lord of the rings" when it comes to quality , but from the gaming world instead.
@@MrTheatrick Yes she was, she became the ranger. First however if u have listened to the Sylvanas soundbook, it was suppose to be shes oldest sister that should have that title.
This song is a more somber version of the "Eversong woods" theme, which is the part of the high elf kingdom that wasn't completely ruined by Arthas and is the starting zone for blood elves. It replaces the female voice with a gorgeous cello and you can still hear a subtle feeling of grief, I really advise you to listen to it even though it's a more ambiant song and you might prefer to listen to it on your own.
It's really nostalgic to me and I just realized that blood elves music in general with its distinctive mix of harp and cello is what I think about first when I hear "high fantasy"...
That music haunted me when i was a kid 😂😂😂 i legit would get terrified because of how real the graphics seemed back then. i would look at stronghold crusader graphics and what i saw was just something more 😊😮
Actually the Highbourne Elves, which Slyvanas was one, was the elves of Silvermoon. It was their crowning jewel, until Arthas sacked it, in the events of Warcraft 3. It was then, that as a reminder, the remaining Highbourne elves took up the moniker of Blood Elves, to remember all the blood that was shed that day. (That's the high level generalization at least.)
The voice actress for Sylvanas, the character who sings this song, sang her own version on her channel which has a much harsher tone to it, giving it a whole new emotion. Her name is Patty Mattson and her voice is absolutely powerful too. This version you listened to is sang by Vangie Gunn who sings for a lot of films varying from Disney films to Marvel and even the latest Avatar film
thank you so much for mentioning this, did not know she made her own version - you've made my day! I'm not saying I would play WOW ever again after all the years spent there, but this really reignited some buried emotions about that song in particular, and the great depth of Worldcraft lore in general.
Shes the best voice actor in all of Warcraft accord to me id say
Her version is so much more visceral imo. Patty is a professional singer I believe also
I've always enjoyed this song, and probably one of the reasons why I would always make a blood elf in game. These lyrics being the last orders given as the ranger general before being overrun by arthas and the scourge he commanded.
I haven't clicked on a video so fast. This song actually clued me into the fact that there was a continuation of Warcraft after Warcraft 3. Thus led me to fuel my obsession over Warcraft Lore. Love this song
Lament of the Highborne was my first "WOW!" moment in WoW. I started in The Burning Crusade in 2008, as a Blood Elf. Seeing her break down and start signing in front of me when she saw the locket I brought her.... just wow. Awesome. No wonder I fell in love with TBC back then, then again in classic until they yanked it from me again. Maybe 3rd time's gonna be the charm... if there ever is a 3rd time.
Lament of the Highborne is one of the WoW songs I've had on my playlist for years and years. It just squeezes your heart just right. The song plays throughout the Bloodelf starting song and when you hand in a specific quest to Sylvanas she basically performs it with a choir of banshees. Really hits home the tragedy of what happened to the high elves.
WoW is too rarely lauded for its incredible soundtracks, both with and without vocals. My personal favorites are the zone music for Sholazar Basin, Bastion and Oribos, as well as Ardenweald!
You should totally check out Nightsong/The Dreamer from the Shadowlands soundtrack. It moved me to tears when it played in the game.
Wow's zone music has for many years had a great ability to fit the zone so well it felt completely natural to hear it as you progressed through the zone. I think they really *started* to find their tone in that regard in TBC with like, Terrokar Forest, but Wrath it took off.
Not just what happened to the High Elves but the Forsaken as a whole. There's a reason why back in the day most of Undercity rushed into her throne room whenever she started singing. ;)
Best part- players got to hear this song in game back in the day. And the story behind it is great.
You find a pendant while clearing out a spire of ghosts and cultists. It's inscribed on the back. You are instructed to deliver it to the queen of the Forsaken (undead), because this is her pendant, given to her by her sisters. When given to her, she will sing this song and shed a tear for what was lost.
I miss the days when WoW was actually good.
No way! I requested this song in the last arthas video! I never believed you would react to it!!! So happy! Nightsong is my other favourite which is next!!❤
My goodness! Your explanations of these WoW songs have become such a guilty pleasure of mine!!! I just can't get enough!!!! Very well done!!!!!
Glad you like them!
Another song you would absolutely enjoy is the zone music for Howling Fjord. The Celtic/Irish inspired strings hits the soul just right and is a fond WoW memory of my first time going to that zone back in 2008. A close one behind Howling Fjord would be Grizzly Hills. Blizzard may not make bombastic songs you can sing along to like Square does for FFXIV, but the sheer musical talent that has went into WoW cannot be understated.
Marco should absolutely listen to the Grizzly Hills theme if only for his own amusement
If you look up the official wow version, the animation shows what happened to Sylvanas and and why she sings this song now. It shows her failure to protect her people, her death a tthe hand of the Lich King and her resurrection as a banshee. Really enjoyed the breakdown of this and so many other tracks. Never really understood how much is behind the music I really like.
Have been playing this track since it first came out in 2007(?) and regularly play in the car, but after listening to your breakdown I am seeing it in a whole new light!
looking forward to more videos, especially of video game music I know well!
Thanks and take care!
This song used to be sung by Sylvanas and her elven banshees in-game, the first time players had heard the creatures do anything but wail, after a questline in the Ghostlands zone, where you recovered a keepsake from the Windrunner Village, her former home. Before Blizzard ruined her character.
is wow even wow anymore? to me it died years ago, it will never be what it was
@@thunderborn3231 times change
@@VeGohan all the 'wow killers' end up being half the size and 10fps. if they would just use last gen tech to save money and make a huge mmo thats decent wow would have rolled over in its grave long ago
@@thunderborn3231 in my eys only Blizzard can really kill wow
@@VeGohan i mean they basically have, heres hoping microsoft can save it
Excellent review / reaction, Marco! Thanks a lot for paying attention to every little detail! 💚
My pleasure!!
Excellent breakdown, love your inputs on it! You've nailed a lot of it, It's a "Lament", after all. Kinda worth mentioning here the singers are all "Undead" beings, which makes the sense of loss they feel quite apt.
Also, would LOVE if you could check out "Daughter of the Sea - Warbringers: Jaina" - It's an excellent piece I think you'll get a lot out of both lyrically and visually!
Keep up the amazing work Marco, you're one of the only channels I follow with notifications on!
Sylvanas did everything she could to defend her people. It wasn't enough. As a bunch of people have already mentioned this is what she said when the end of her people's civilization was closed. A little context as to what happens right after. The undead Massacre all of them. Our purpose is incredibly beckstedt her for defending so efficiently he turns her into a banshee and she slaughters the rest of her people. All she can do is watch on as her body acts on its own, it breaks her mind over and over again. The song itself takes place a few years later after she breaks free and controls the remaining Undead in her continent. I forget exactly what the quest was, but she sings this song remembering what she lost and what she did.
Another thing they added to the story is that her brother who was murdered would sing this song often, probably a quel’dorei version, but it adds to the lament Sylvanas is doing.
There are a few really cool things about this song. One is that it is actually shone in game. In the Blood Elf zone there is a necklace you can retrieve from undead in an area that Sylvanas used to live. It used to belong to her and her two sisters each have one that matches. If you return it to her, she sings this song.
Snippets of this also play throughout various areas in game. In Eversong Woods (the starter area for Blood Elves) you hear it as part of the main theme. In the Ghostlands (the area where they were invaded, and the land became plagued and the people were slaughtered) this also plays. But it is hidden in the background and is a lot more mournful and subtle. This also has snippets echoing in a ghostly way throughout parts of the Blood Wing in the raid Icecrown Citadel. Arthas, the Lich King, was the one who slaughtered the elves. Those who he raised into undeath reside almost entirely in the Blood Wing, so it's just tragic to hear the echoing strains there.
Edit: For context Sylvanas is the leader of the Forsaken, or the undead that broke away from the Lich King and regained their own will and minds. But before that she was the Ranger-General of SIlvermoon and in charge of the defense of the land and people. She died fighting to protect the city and Sunwell from Arthas and was raised into undeath. This song is her mourning her death and the deaths of all those she was unable to protect. Before the attack, they were known as Quel'dorei (high elves) but were renamed to Sin'dorei (blood elves) after the fall of Sunwell and invasion of Silvermoon.
They used the elven language in a few of wows songs to great effect, as well as latin in the case of some of the arthas centric pieces.
If you liked this one, I very much recommend 'canticle of sacrifice' ... also a deeply emotional track and probably my absolute favourite.
Thank you for deep dives into music that shaped so much of my teen years, hope you're doing well friend! ^^
I remember the first time I heard this song. For some reason it played in-game when I was in Dalaran and I stopped what I was doing just to listen it, then immediately tried to find the name of the track. It was so beautiful. I'll probably remember myself being shocked back there for the rest of my life.
I love how you just from the opening melodies when you said that there is a sense of mystery,fog and looking over your shoulder which perfectly encompasses the it is a song sung by a banshee who died defending her people and land that is now gone, devastated and ruined but she is left unable to pass on, cursed to un-death and to remember and lament what has happened.
The background music is also the music for the starting area of the Blood Elves. You hear this a lot when leveling then you get to see the banshees sing this at the end of a long quest chain before you leave the area. It was really well done.
This is a gorgeous song, and it hits really hard when you know the context.
Glad you got to listen to that one Marco
This reminds me a lot of Lord of the Rings - The Passing of the Elves . It has deep sadness and beauty created only by the voice of singers.
Nightsong next?
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I second this certainly
yea ;)
@@MarcoMeatball Whooooo!!!
I highly recommend the Val’sharah version of Nightsong and Jaina’s Dalaran theme.
There is a version of this song which is being sung by the voiceactress of Sylvanas, it might be fun for you to visit that one as well. It has a rather interesting shift in tone.
One of my favorite parts about the instrumental of this song is that it's actually one of the ambient soundtracks for Eversong Woods, the starting zone for blood elf players (the "sin'dorei" referenced in this song). You don't get to hear the lyrics of this song until completing a quest in the Ghostlands around 20 levels into you character. So in a way, you retroactively find out that the entire time you were questing through Eversong Woods, the music accompanying you was literally a lament, a series of mourning and funeral songs, which makes perfect sense when you know the lore of the blood elves and why they're called that
One of the most iconic warcraft music pieces. In Hots you can hear a ghostly Anar'alah when Sylvanas casts her mind control and it's my favourite thing about playing her
This is one of my favorite Warcraft songs!
Lament of the highborn is sung in-game by Sylannas Windrunner - who was slain by the Lich King while defending her elven kingdom as Ranger General. This is a lament to the countless elves who died under the march of the scourge toward their capital city.
when i played WoW, i made sure to do the quest that this plays in. it was amazing and it's one of the few i wish i could see again for the first time.
I'd highly recommend going over A World Divided, aka Anduin's theme, not only is it a beautiful piece of music, it also carries some leitmotif of Arthas "O Thanagor", which is quite fitting.
Your vision of a creature, "an elf perhaps" are spot on. Quel'Thals had powerful magical defences. The enemy was let in by one of their own, a traitor. His betrayal led to the was majority of the people of his nation got slaughtered.
Highly reccomend 'Nightsong' from the WoW Cataclysm soundtrack, its pretty much the 'lowborn forest elf' version of this (if the context is elves at war). It's a very beautiful track, probably my favourite in the whole game to this day.
Whoop I see you're already on it, enjoy my dude. Love your videos!
The Val’sharah version that plays after you kill Ysera is even better imo.
There is a remix that Patty did herself of the song. It is my favorite version; I think this version is my second favorite for the words. Highly recommend listening. I'm sure others gave the story of the Dark Lady, Queen Sylvanas, who herself was turned into a banshee and this song is actually about the Troll wars and the lost elves. It was sung yearly by her mother iirc--the source for this is in the book Sylvanas published by WoW.
I'm so happy that u reacted to this song. It's my favorite one of Wow. It's a plaintive song of the high elves who died during the invasion of Arthas. He destroyed and corrupted the lands who were beautiful but who are now only barren. After this war the High elves rename themselves Blood elves in commemoration of the blood who flowed.
Great reaction as ways - I'd love to see some more Bayonetta please, especially on songs like Fertile Rondo, you May Call me Father, Dark Eve, and Lumen Sage and Temperantia
One of favourite songs from WoW. It is so somber and beautiful.
This was and maybe still an in game reward for returning a locket to the undead leader of the Forsaken in World of Warcraft Sylvanas Windrunner. Back in 2006 you got a treat to hear this song and an in game performance with this very song playing and there was all this fireworks shit going on in the background. It's well worth looking up TH-cam for old videos of this and the original singer of this song. Vangie Gunn
A simple but truly beautiful song. I don't know how they managed to make it sound mysterious, exotic in the sense that it feels foreign, and very elvish.
I remember the video for this song using WoW Machinima footage. it was meant to reflect the sad plight of the elves in the game and their inevitable destruction by the forces of the not yet Lich King - Arthas Menethil.
I love the music in WoW and this is one of my favourite tracks. It's so pretty.
Nightsong!
Ahhh, "Lament" is such a classic WoW song. So good to hear you react to it! If (or when) you do another Warcraft song, please do Illidan's Theme or Anduin's Theme (namely the one by Neal Acree andJulie Elven)! Illidan's is so grand and darkly dramatic I think an opera buff will get a real kick out it. And Anduin's is sweeping and so emotionally epic. Can't wait for the next one Marco!
Nightsong would be a great one to do next, but also, I feel like we need to give a consideration to Daughter of the Sea.
Ah, this one. I cannot explain it, but whenever I hear this one it always hiits like a truck. Such inexplicapbe sadness, it always gets under my skin
songs like this make me miss the days I loved most about WoW that are gone now but at least I'll always have my memories and these songs. This one especially was one of my FAVORITES I listened to it all the time before Legion and I'm so happy to hear it again. I'll always miss my blood elf paladin :')
There is a stunning piece in the Battle for Azeroth expansion called "Ruins of Zin-Azshari" the music equally invoke sadness, power, grief, and hope when I played in that part of the game where it plays I always just stopped what I did and listened.
The place is the biggest oldest elven city destroyed by the Great Sundering old elven ghost haunt the place even after 10000 years I like to think these ghost sing the song.
This song is about the fall of Quel'thalas the home of the High Elves. Arthas and his Scourge forces attacked and eradicated over 80% of their population.
Sylvanas Windrunner who is supposed to be the one singing this was the Ranger General, she was in charge of the military forces of Quel'thalas and she fought hard to try and stop Arthas but eventually was felled, Arthas then tortured her and turned her into a Banshee as punishment for the trouble she caused him.
It was actually a traitor that allowed for their kingdom to be vulnerable in the first place, he told Arthas the secret to this their protective wards in exchange for power.
After the massacre the prince of the High Elves Kael'thas Sunstrider renamed them from Quel'dorei to Sin'dorei in honor of all those that fell.
This could be taken 2 ways. A lament for all the Highborn lost at the hands of Arthas or a lament for the Banshee queen, Sylvanas, and all she has lost at the hands of Arthas.
Lorewise the song is about the attack by the forest/Amani trolls but since Shadowlands isn't really popular I'm not sure how much did like this Redcon in Sylvanas novel
"The banshees are responding to I dunno their queen or something" Funny story, the main singer in this Sylvanas is literally called "The Banshee Queen"
Yeah, as mentioned by others, this is Sylvanas' last words, and those breaking through are Arthas, the lich king, and his undead. Someone youre already quite familiar with. Long sad story of loss, and rage, and trying to protect ones people and ultimately failing and falling, for all those involved.
This is my favourite track from world of Warcraft and the incredible thing is it was a hidden completely missable quest from burning crusade when leveling a blood elf. It’s sylvanas Windrunner singing this mourning the loss of the high elves a while after arthas invaded and destroyed quel’thalas and the sun well.
The song is actually originaly about the war with the Amani. And has a personal meaning to Sylvanas.
WoW music is a whole answer for when someone asks what kinda music you listen to
They did redcon the song a little bit in the sylvanas novel but it a great song, and they didn't really change it meaning only the "places" of origin" the first "version" describe the attack on the high elfs by the undead. The change in the sylvanas was only that the song predates the third war and is on the Attack of the Trolls
The "Highborne" are also know as the "Blood Elves" this is the twilight of the Highborne, the falling of their last stronghold, the sun is setting on their empire and they are fading into the mists of eternity. This is a song of loss and regret, the end of their empire and their lives.
Should definitely do “A Call to Arms”.
Haven't heard this in quite a while. I stopped playing WoW a little after the Death Knight class came out - that was the one point I bothered to get a character to level 60 before wiping their slot and restarting since the low-level parts of the game were the parts I found interesting. (And that was the main reason I stopped playing. The endless cycles of trimming things down to more smoothly get new players into the part of the game actually under development were starting to get to me.) Do recall making sure every one of my Horde characters did the quest to hear this sung in-game. (I couldn't record at all back then.)
Never realized before that the entire thing is nearly just the same 3 lines on repeat xD Still love it tho, it's beautiful.
I'd like to see him listen to Hallowfall's (a zone/region in The War Within, WoW's newest expansion) "Arathi Memorial" OST. It's a very Georgians chant inspired kind of music.
So lore wise, in warcraft there used to be Night elves(Kal'dorei, children of the stars) who gained power from the Moon well and the High elves(Quel'dorei, children of noble birth) that gained power from the Sun well, the high elves were attacked and ultimately overcome by the undead hordes led by Arthas, Arthas then used the Sun well to resurrect a powerful necromancer tainting it in the process, the invasion decimated the population of High elves killing 90%, the ones left behind called themselves the Blood elves (Sin'dorei, children of blood) in memory of their fallen kin. This song I believe is Sylvanas a former Night Elf lamenting the fall of the noble High elves
Wow you did "Invincible" when I was reading the Arthas book. And now this one when I am reading Sylvanas!
i am in your walls.
Excellent work as always!
I have exclusively played Alliance in wow since just before BFA in 2018, I can see I will have to play a Horde toon or two.
would want to add some of the context to help. You give an undead elf Sylvannas her lost pendant from her sister when she was still not undead and although she is very "this means nothing to me" thing, she breaks out in a song and Im sure that if you search it up, you can see what some of what happens
Project Wingman: FRONTLINE-59 is out now. If you loved Kings from Project Wingman, you are going to love this new soundtrack. It's twisted.
This game takes place on the opposing force, and it's really good.
I hope you Check out Anduins theme from the Legion Expansion.
Quel'dorei- high elves
Sin'dorei- blood elves
Kal'dorei- night elves
There is this song that sits quietly in the WoW universe that I'm sure you'll like. The reason why it probably didn't stick is that that dungeon was kind of boring. But I do really love this soundtrack, give it a try. It's this one - Warlords of Draenor - Auchindoun Soundtrack
C'mon Marco, give us a Nightsong reaction, pretty pleaseeeee 😇
This song feels like a funeral procession through that foggy wilderness you described at the start. Is it a line of living elves walking away from their ruined homes? Is it a line of spirits who died suddenly and can't let go? There's a sad reverence to the song either way.
You should listen to the voice actress for Sylvanas do a cover of this song. She brings a whole other depth to it.
I'm also recommending Canticle of Sacrafice !!
Yes, the song called, "Lament of the Highborne" is a song of loss.
You should listen to: A world divided - (Legion Soundtrack) it’s insanely good and just a trip.
you should check out Killzone 3 main theme and Medal of Honor European Assault Main theme
Oh more more MORE WoW ❤❤❤❤❤❤
honestly...if u want more operatic tracks , maybe you should search the OSTs in Pathfinder : wrath of the righous. That game has some really epic sounding OSTs imo. Particulary "mythic power" - it's probably my favorite
Another fun listening experience would be the OSTs in fate stay night visual novels. "Emiya" is a personal favorite of mine. Both games have really good tracks.
The song recounts a terrible slaughter of their people. In the common tongue sin'dorei means bloodelf.
Going into the nerd deep dive here, but in the games story, this song is one her brother would sing, who was murdered. So that information adds a very sad depth to the song even if that part was added later on.
*Quack* Lament of Marco Meatball...
I feel like Marco would have a higher appreciation for the music if he saw the cinematic when Arthas stormed through the walls of Quel'thalas and what he did to Sylvanas would put the music into a greater perspective.
This song has to do with the desecration and death of an elven people by armies of undead hordes led by a messenger of Death, ripping apart man, women and children alike and the pain they felt as they lost their fight for their home city of Silvermoon.
I usually love your reactions to all the video game music, loved your reaction and decypher of Invincible and Arthas, but tbh this one was a bit of a hit and miss for me? Like it's in the name "Lament" that it is a song about loss a horrible loss of elven life slaughtered by Arthas by the way :)
Also as I saw in the comments, I highly recommend Daughter of the Sea as well. It is amazing and I think it will be fun for you.
The song is about the last defense of Quel’thalas (home of the high elves) when Arthas and the scourge destroying their land and they pray to the light for help against the evil.
Sin’dorei Children of blood or blood elves as they call themself because their story is one of blood and suffering after 95% of their race went extinct by the hand of Arthas
amazing, I would love to watch your listen to and review the title cinematic for Tenchu - Wrath of Heaven for the PS2. The track is named "Fate"
I remember the first time i triggered this song in game it was so amazing
I would love to hear your thoughts on some of Baldur's Gate 3's music.
Lament of the highborne, to me conjures Hebrew Cant.
I don't know if anyone recommend you yet, but i think you should try dota 2 theme
Please react to some Starcraft music! There is gems out there!
you are also stunning, tbh
The high elves arent actualy the elves of high society from the old empire. Some of their families where nobles in it but most lf the core of the old empire would be the Nagas
Next must be Legends of Azeroth.
Seth rogens long lost brother?