It's been awhile since I heard an SMT soundtrack that didn't list Shoji Meguro as a composer. Devil Survivor, a spin-off title from the series that's infamous for its many spin-offs, is a DS Strategy RPG with music by Takami Asano. And though Asano attempts to hold true to the dark, exotic dance-pop-rock styles that have paved the way for SMT musical success, the music of Devil Survivor is a horse of a different color.

That's not to say the soundtrack is bad. Though the melodies may not be as powerful, in that they do not dig deep into one's memory after a few listens, the production value is superb, especially for Nintendo DS music.

While Shoji Meguro is pretty good at hitting nearly every point along the dance-pop-rock spectrum, Asano (who is almost sixty years old and well-known as a guitarist) seems to like his music strict and categorized. Some tracks are dance tracks, others are just straight rock'n'roll. And then, occasionally, we get a nice ethnic/world piece, like the end credits track "Eternal Life." In nearly every one of the 21 tracks on this disc, I was pleased with what I heard. But I wasn't overly excited about what I heard either; that experience seems to be reserved only for albums like Digital Devil Saga and SMT3: Nocturne.

Who would want this album? Big-time fans of the DS game who want to hear the audio in its highest quality should get it. SMT fans who want a complete collection of music should definitely get it. As for anyone else... if you're willing to try something a little different, in the sense that it's a little more "mainstream," from the usually eccentric SMT sound library, you might like what you hear. Hopefully this review, and the audio samples, will help guide you!

Reviewed by: Patrick Gann