Thus enter, Will "DAGames" Ryan. Starting off on Newsground under the pseudonym "Diamond Armada" with small animations, he later expanded on to YouTube with his hilarious video style, contagious enthusiasm and all around likeable attitude. Even during the times where he was going through emotional stress either to the workload or more personal issues, he has always been driven to strive for quality in his work. This is especially evident in both his gameplay vids and his music, whether it was an original song or one tied to a video game.
So, in honour of Will's accomplishments as an artist and just for being a generally awesome bloke, I am her today to count down my top 10 favourite songs of his.
That, and I actually need to make a top 10 list eventually.
A couple of ground rules before we begin:
1. This list is purely objective, and is thus my opinion being displayed in this text. If you feel that one of your favourites should be on here, comment below and let me know. Otherwise, this is strictly bias and opinion based.
2. I'm not counting songs where Will made a guest verse. This list is concerning the songs made by him and his new band "Iris". Thus, sadly, songs like "Devil's Swing", "Classic Kids Show Theme Song Medley" or others will not be on the list. Nor will Will's own song medley that he had made almost a year ago.
3. I have not heard every single song that Will has released, thus stuff like "Follow, Greet, Wait and Repeat" or "United We Stand" will not be one the list nor will this list be revised, even after I listen to those songs.
4. I won't include entire albums, as that would just clog up the whole list.
5. This will be split into two parts. It just will. The first five for this blog and the other five in the next.
3. I have not heard every single song that Will has released, thus stuff like "Follow, Greet, Wait and Repeat" or "United We Stand" will not be one the list nor will this list be revised, even after I listen to those songs.
4. I won't include entire albums, as that would just clog up the whole list.
5. This will be split into two parts. It just will. The first five for this blog and the other five in the next.
With that said, let's delay this no longer; PRESS START TO BEGIN!!
10:
I may not be a FNaF fan (thus by proxy, not a fan of other games that follow a similar formula), but I'll be damned if I can't admit that there are kickass tie in songs because of them, and Will has made plenty.
Frankly, I think "Flumpty's Jam" has a bit of an advantage over other FNaF parody songs, because it's based on an already existing parody that doesn't take itself seriously. ONaF is meant to be a silly one and done that is still entertaining despite it's short lived lifespan, thus this is the perfect song to accompany it. It's fun, it's bonkers, it's amazingly energetic; there's not much else I can really say, aside from the fact that it's a hilarious anthem for something that, were it done by anyone else, would be quickly forgotten. But Will's energy and lyrical creativity helps keep the song stuck in my head and firmly on my Spotify list.
Not much else to say really; just a fun song by a fun artist.
9:
And:
I had only more recently gotten into "Undertale", though I doubt I'll ever play the Genocide route due to my love for the characters (especially Alphys, Undyne, sans and he, the great Papyrus). And honestly, were it not for Will's songs on this game, I likely never would've checked it out to begin.
I know it's cheating to put two songs in one spot,... but fuck off, it's my list and I'll do what I want!
"Dream On" works perfectly as a character piece for Asriel Dreemurr, a person who was so broken apart at the experience of seeing someone they care about die; someone who was stuck in the cycle of grief because they had never truly accepted that person's death and who's judgement is clouded by that grief. Will captures that character down to a T, with lyrics like "We played our very own games, Our choices left our marks, We reunite and I, Can't afford to leave you again" hitting the nail on the head while still having this poetic synergy with every line.
"Path of Genocide", on the other hand, is sheer brutality encapsulated in an excellent guitar riff and heavy drums that automatically grab your attention, the lyrics warning you of the choices you make having massive ramifications on everyone. The song essentially says "No matter what, your actions will be judged despite their intentions and you can't escape from that. Just keep your heart as strong as stone, and no judgement can ever harm you". I am going to assume, having not played the Genocide route which this is named after, that this is the ultimate message that this song is trying to spread.
Always leave it to Will to get you invested in a great game that you otherwise would've ignored.
8:
Part of the appeal with Will's video game songs is that they don't necessarily have to be tied back to their source material, which is great for someone like me given that I have never played a majority of the games that Will has made songs for.
"Bonds From The Grave" is, every sense, a DAGames song. The heart pounding beat, the intense guitar chords, the powerful vocals; all of it is distinctive and no-one else could replicate it. While with most modern rock artists, that could be seen as criticism, it helps to cement Will as a proper, consistently good artist with an amazing range of talents.
Frankly, without the "Resident Evil" connection, I can't think of much else I can say. It's just another great song from a great artist. Soooooooo,.... next one.
7:
"Cuphead" is another is the almost never ending list of games I seriously need to play, but won't either due to a lack of time or general laziness.
One of the skills that Will has is his ability to work with multiple genres, despite mainly working with rock and metal. And whenever he delves into... whatever genre this song fits into, it's a real treat.
The catchy, frenetic energy helps to keep this song in your head, and Will's differing vocals for both Cuphead and Mugman sells "Brothers in Arms" of not just a fight song, but a song expressing the importance of working together to resolve a common problem, their greatest strengths helping them overcome anything.
Once I get the time, I'll definitely check the game out, but only if I get to play this song over the rest of the soundtrack.
6:
And:
I know, cheating again, but I don't give a shit; THESE SONGS ARE AWESOME!
Even if these weren't his most popular songs (to the point where some irrational jackasses would demand him to do a Chapter 4 song before Chapter 3 even came out with no regard to his mental health. Seriously, not cool guys), these would still be up here because of how simultaneously different yet similar they are.
"Build Our Machine" is very much a storytelling song from Bendy's perspective; the recounting of the monstrosities that the characters have experienced at the hands of (presumably) a psychopath and how they have been used and abused for the sake of someone else's gain. All under the guise of an otherwise upbeat and catchy funk tune.
"Gospel of Dismay" continues the trend of a subtle horror story, this time with a perspective of not just Bendy, but Boris and Sammy as well, with Will given one of the best vocal performances of his entire music career as Boris. I can't tell you how many times I've tried doing his Boris voice with objective failure, and yet Will is able to do it naturally and with grace. It also helps that, as the title implies, there is more a gospel choir, which helps to sell the idea of the people who summoned Bendy and the other Ink Creatures being a fanatic cult.
Which, of course, leaves "Instruments of Cyanide", which I'm debating whether it's this or "Gospel of Dismay" as the best ones. This one is much more of a darker theme, with elements of fear and agony showing through in not just Will's performance, but also that of his colleagues; Caleb Hyles as the Projectionist and Chi-Chi as Susie Campbell. Their distinctive voices and vocal talents are what hold the song together and give it it's own unique flavour, complimenting by the background chants and brilliant chord progression.
Now if only some people would've gotten off of Will's back and let him take a breather, for fuck's sake.
Still, join me next time, as the list becomes a bit more personal. See you there!
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