Castlevania and Dragonforce
At first glance, these two things have nothing in common. However, they do share one thing in common, music. Anyone who knows of Dragonforce knows that their music is mostly electric guitar and drums, and I love it. I also love the music in Castlevania, as there are many fast and intense songs. The bridge between these two is music, but especially one of Dragonforce’s songs. That song is called Symphony of the Night, and both the name and song are a reference to the Castlevania game of the same name. So, what are all the references to Castlevania in the song? Well, that’s what I’m here to tell you.
Before I start finding the similarities, I’m going to explain the basic plot of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, just so everyone is on the same page. Once every 100 years, Dracula reawakens and Castlevania, which is the name of Dracula’s castle, is summoned. The current member of the Belmont family must go to the castle and kill Dracula, and the cycle continues. However, after Richter Belmont defeats Dracula, the castle disappears. At the start of Symphony of the Night Alucard is woken up because Castlevania has risen early, and there are no current Belmonts. We later learn Richter is possessed and that’s why the castle was risen.
Before the lyrical references even start, the music at the start is reflective of the time period when these games take place. However, when the guitar first enters, the music is much more similar to the songs actually in the Castlevania games.
“There will be much sorrow when the morning comes” While the line seems unrelated, many of the Castlevania games end with the word sorrow, such as Aria of Sorrow or Dawn of Sorrow. These games also both star Alucard, although not as the main character.
“Am I condemned to ride the blackest night alone?” This alludes to how Alucard appears in many Castlevania games, but is normally alone. Along with that Alucard travels the castle alone, with only brief interactions with Richter’s friend Maria.
“In this castle where affliction reigns” Affliction means something that causes great pain or suffering, which could reference the constant fighting and suffering in the castle. This could also be a meta reference to the difficulty of the Castlevania games, so the affliction is towards the players.
“This is my symphony” Symphony is being used here to describe the game, as an alternate definition is something regarded favorably as a composition of different elements. Castlevania Symphony of the Night is one of the most beloved games in the series, and that’s because it has similar platforming elements and the same main idea, however it also changes lots by changing the protagonist and level design. The symphony is also Alucard’s because it is his game, rather than him just being a side character like his original appearance.
“I hear the voice, Rising from the void, Of the memories gone by, Dark is the path for me, I’ll find my peace another way” A reference to how Alucard hears the voice of his dead mother inside the castle. He also visits the memory of his mother being burned, but she tells him not to follow his father, so he doesn’t follow the path of dark. Alucard’s other way of finding peace is to destroy Dracula rather than following him.
“Bloodline of vampires doomed to fulfill their need” This is a reference to Alucard and Dracula, as well as the Sega Genesis Castlevania, Castlevania Bloodlines. Both in name, and in the fact that there is a weapon called the Alucard Spear, and the main villian is Dracula’s niece, Elizabeth Bartley.
“Once united by the light, Father! Look into my eyes, I shall kill you tonight to avenge, All those who died in vain, Hear their distant cries, Never again!” Another allusion to Dracula’s dead wife, who united him to the light. Alucard is also avenging all the innocent people he killed during the rage when his wife died.
