Sephirot Theme ( Phase 2 ) sound familiar?

[Kerwin]

Thank you for a swift response!

[Kuwagami]

I'm no musician so I'll just leave this here hoping the guy doesn't BS :

Take my opinion as you will, as a musician of only 17 years.

The songs are as "Similar" to eachother as both are similar to all "Nu Metal" and "Grunge" released since 2001.

The drum track? Different tempo, different instruments, different pattern, different beat. PM5K sticks to the 4x4 pattern of Kick | HiHat | Kick+Snare | Hihat | Variating every so often but very little. and the XIV track seems to ignore anything not producing bass for most of it, using more loose and open hats. sometimes at 4x4 sometimes 2x2 sometimes otherwise.

The guitar? The only similarity if you can even call it that is the 2 chord progression (lol)

The intros? XIV is more bass, PM5K is more treble.

The vocals? XIV is more lower range hz and spread out, PM5K is more higher range and closer together with screaming, the only words the two songs share in common are "World's" "Taking over" nothing else.

The song overall is a different tempo, the XIV track is deeper and has more of an industrial feel to it.

I've been a fan of PM5K for a lonnnnnnnnng time, but this is making me have serious concern for their hearing abilities.

Personal conclusion: Calling this a "Rip off" of PM5K is like calling Gangnam Style a ripoff of Baby. LOL

source

However, track composer Masayoshi Soken, has also stated to me that he was unaware of the track in question while working on this FINAL FANTASY track.

Not so sure about that, but it's quite easy to forget about particulars songs for years (decades, even), and then suddenly something plays in tour mind and you find it cool again. Doesn't mean you know where you heard it though.

[TheGrimace]

I was surprised to hear that Soken had not heard the song before now, but when I think about it, that's not really that strange. There's an ocean of difference between the music industries of North America and Japan, as well as the fact that the song in question hasn't been relevant for 17 years.

I like Sephirot's theme a lot and am happy with its inclusion in the game.

[Vydos]

I never once had the impression that the music sounded like that other song. I played tony hawk 2 and that song is still very fresh in my mind.
My first impression on sephirot was that it resembled something I'd hear from a Devil May Cry game. Which also have songs that kinda sound like the Tony hawk 2 song.

That said, people need to realize that the world is VERY large and vast. And that we humans exist in massive numbers. The chances of creating something that is 100% unique is VERY small. As an artist myself, there are moments I drew something. Only to end up noticing that someone else had almost the same idea as me. Heck, if you really look deeply in all forms or art. You'll find MANY simularities to other things. Just some food for thought.

[Jhemi]

I usually don't comment on the forum but in this regard I feel the need to do so.

First of all thanks for the fast feedback Yoshida-san and I desperately hope Sephirot's encounter stays as it is.

Now regarding the matter, when I first heard it I was thinking of other songs as well and only got the "Powerman 5000" comparison from another person pointing it out.
In all fairness that resulted in me compared them as well until I heard "When World's Collide" again after a long time and realised how different they were unlike my memory wanted me to believe.
Yes there are some aspects that are close to each other (lead guitar in the beginning and the overall style) but that don’t make it a rip-off.

The lyrics and overall song are totally unique and regard the world tree "Sephirot" and reflect his being very good for me - reason I absolutely love it as it speaks to my soul on quite a primal level and sting it where it usually doesn't get much attention.
And therein lies the difference for me, I feel totally different when hearing "When World's Collide" and it is a frankly said lesser experience - no offense - thus how can Sephirot's theme be a rip-off when it at best/worst builds upon the same style Powerman 5000 has.

If everything similar would be counted as a rip-off and countered our world would be a empty and sad place without progression, innovation and rejuvenation. Is the Tiger a rip-off of the Lion just because they are both members of the "Felidae" family and have physical similarities?

Best Regards Jhemi

[Malzian]

Now regarding the matter, when I first heard it I was thinking of other songs as well and only got the "Powerman 5000" comparison from another person pointing it out.
In all fairness that resulted in me compared them as well until I heard "When World's Collide" again after a long time and realised how different they were unlike my memory wanted me to believe.
Yes there are some aspects that are close to each other (lead guitar in the beginning and the overall style) but that don’t make it a rip-off.

I have to agree with this, too. Actually going ahead and carefully listening to the two songs where they're supposedly 'the same' if you have a good ear for music you can tell that while stylistically they're similar they are not the same. The singer's tone and such really make it an easy comparison and your brain will say, 'Hey, these resemble each other so they must be the same.' But when you dig down into it the rhythm is entirely different and the actual riffs are nowhere near the same.

Honestly, I wouldn't expect anyone who's not played an instrument to pick up on it (I do sound for a band and play the electric guitar) but if you have a semblance of ear training to pick up the beats then you can tell that they're different songs. Now this doesn't mean that the style of song wasn't influenced by When Worlds Collide or some other similar sounding songs, but you can't copyright a style of music in general, you can only copyright the expression of that style in your songs. If it was a direct rip of the back line and guitar then there would be a case to be made here, but they're arguably different enough to make this simply a stylistic choice which renders copyright issues out in this case.

[Tman00]

Gee not like this has ever happened before *cough cough* Good King Moogle Mog *cough cough*

But seriously, people are over reacting to much. The songs start out the stylistically the same, but both go their own way once they hit the chorus.

What I'm most upset about is this is gonna be called the "Song that ripped off Powerman 5000" and its annoying.

[Chewy2nd]

Gee not like this has ever happened before *cough cough* Good King Moogle Mog *cough cough*

But seriously, people are over reacting to much. The songs start out the stylistically the same, but both go their own way once they hit the chorus.

What I'm most upset about is this is gonna be called the "Song that ripped off Powerman 5000" and its annoying.

Good King Moggle Mog is indeed based on another song, or perhaps two

[Torunya]

Good King Moggle Mog is indeed based on another song, or perhaps two

Wait, I'm confused. Are you claiming SE ripped off themselves?

[Chewy2nd]

Wait, I'm confused. Are you claiming SE ripped off themselves?

No, I'm saying it is based off another song, but it's not based off of A Nightmare Before Christmas, though I know realise, the person I quoted didn't mention that, but I know a lot of other people have, lol.