Into the Breach by Ben Prunty
Into the Breach by Ben Prunty pressed on translucent, smoky green vinyl by Fangamer
“We'll hold this timeline. No matter what.”
Open a Breach
Jump into a new timeline and help liberate humanity from the Vek this week with Into the Breach by Ben Prunty. Pressed on “translucent, smoky green” vinyl by Fangamer, this is one incredibly fine release that you do not want to miss!
Antiquity Row
Pulling inspiration from 2Cellos and Hans Zimmer, Ben set out to get a new feel for this puzzle action game by Subset Games. Commenting on the stark contrast between this work and FTL (Faster Than Light), Ben stated:
“It was definitely deliberate. FTL's soundtrack was smooth synths mixed with a kind of cinematic ambiance, which we decided on intentionally, because at the time it was an unexpected choice. Most space-themed media try to emulate Star Wars' music. So we approached Into the Breach with a similar mindset. What kind of musical style can we do that's not obvious for the genre?”
Seismic Activity
A stark contrast was made indeed, not only in tonality from FTL, but from the game this music inhabits. Into the Beach's wild west style of orchestration harmonizes guitar with symphonic strings and prog-like percussive elements to serenade this emaciated landscape of the apocalyptic future.
The Blast Garden
Working closely with the developers over at Subset Games, it was quite easy for Ben to get a good feel of the game early on in its development. “I got to work with a fairly robust prototype, complete with some basic art, as soon as I started. I had a pretty good idea of how the game felt before I even started brainstorming music ideas,” remarked Ben. Armed with Cubase, he set out as he always does when crafting his musical landscapes. During a moment of experimentation, he discovered the true sound that would define Into the Breach’s signature sound, stating that “...it was a pretty great moment when I recorded the first guitar parts as an experiment and realized that it was perfect for the game.” With that newfound inspiration, a Fender Stratocaster in one hand, and acoustic guitar in the other, Ben set out on the fringes of the frontier to capture the western-infused electronic amalgam that would become Into the Breach’s soundtrack!
Zenith
Eclectic and triumphant chords will carry your needle into this battle. Wading endlessly into the past, Ben Prunty will take you on an adventure of time in this bending mechanical abyss. Into the Breach is a haunting, voracious look into eons of robotic domination. An acoustic guitar strums as hypnotic rhythmic patterns push you further into the grooves of a world in disarray -- such are the consequences when you play with time.
Pinnacle Robotics
The percussion on this album has to be one of the biggest highlights in contrast with the sweeping melodies brought on by Ben’s guitars and western vibratos. The whole album has an alluring, exploratory nature to it. The vinyl comes to life, delivering a vast, unknown wasteland right to your doorstep. A dreamy piano flutters down notes that carry you further into the reaches of time and space, blending the soundscape into a truly wonderful experience.
Hive Leader
The bass on this album truly drives the momentum forward with an almost ominous tone, brooding its way into the forefront of the orchestrations, as the subtle flourishes of Ben’s Stratocaster set the background to this album. The deeper you venture into this album’s grooves, the more robotic and progressive it becomes. This stems from Ben adventuring into a genre he is not all too familiar with, stating, “I was going for a sort of prog rock feel for the guitar parts, though I was definitely only going by a vague notion of it, since I don't actually listen to a lot of prog rock.” Ben’s craftsmanship breathes more and more overdrive guitar and synthetic elements into the score until it opens up the album into this synergistic climax of arrangements, harkening back to FTL’s electronic roots. There is no doubt that this album will have one tracking their needle back for another go at the timeline, All I have to say to that is, get back to to it, pilot!
Into the Breach
Fangamer has been doing a lot more than gaming merchandise lately. Their journey into producing vinyl for some of gaming’s most beloved soundtracks has been a real treat to witness. Their dedication to bringing quality, highly artistic pieces of merchandise for one’s favorite games make them one of the best in the industry. Their continuing strive for excellence has furthered the envelope of this industry, and this release is no exception. Spreading both the inside and outside of this gatefold jacket is incredible artwork by Gareth Davies’ (spudonkey). The design work for this release is absolutely breathtaking and something you can spend time pouring over as you listen. Mastering for this release has been carried out by the wonderful team over at Telegraph Mastering -- I must say, this release sounds crisp, clean, and carries a heavy punch when its gets rocking! Overall, this release has been a treat to cover. I can really see the passion that was poured into making this a true piece of art for fans of the game and Ben Prunty’s virtuosic genius!
I want to give a huge thanks to Ben for taking the time to answer some of the questions from the community. He has graciously provided me with some Bandcamp codes of this album to give away. Keep an eye out on social media for those throughout the day, and I'll see you next week with another one!
4dmn-w💜💜💜
Hint: The twelfth word of this article… (yes it is seriously that, and yes we both thought it was crazy 😂).
Redeem here: http://benprunty.bandcamp.com/yum
Album Details
Music by:
Ben Prunty
Remastered for vinyl by :
Telegraph Mastering
Artwork by:
Gareth Davies (spudonkey)
Vinyl produced & distributed by:
Fangamer & Cascade Record Pressing
Where to Buy?
This album is still available directly from Fangamer, along with a ton of other cool Into the Breach Merch. The album is also available through multiple digital outlets and on Ben Prunty’s own Bandcamp page. If you purchase the vinyl, it comes with a high quality version of the album to download in MP3, FLAC, WAV, and more.