#epic the musical the thunder saga

[elianzis]

I have to see her

[caleohateclub]

the epic fandom:

[shadebloopnik]

I WILL BE SPAMMING SCREENSHOTS TOMORROW I JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN FOR A SECOND HOLY SHIT

BUT

THE WAY IM GONNA MURDER THIS MAN THEN REVIVE HIM TO SHAKE HIS SHOULDERS ONG LMAOOOO

[lovelylulib]

The one who has the final say.

You?

Or your crew?

[poppitron360]

i love epic too! and i think ur super smart so can you share any cool things that you noticed/learned about it?

So I think my favourite song in Epic in terms of the composition is probably Scylla.

Btw this analysis barely scratches the surface of the composition/production of this song alone. I could talk for hours about this.

Also if I use any words you don’t understand, please please please ask me to elaborate and explain further (please). I tried my best to make it as easy to follow as possible but I grew up around this stuff so I tend to under-explain things and assume everyone knows what I’m talking about.

Most of the time when you’re recording vocals, you record the singer singing the melody two or three times (this is called double-tracking, and it makes the voice sound richer and better) and then you record the harmonies in the same fashion.

But with Scylla, they just recorded the singer singing the melody a bunch of times, and then pitch-shifted some of it to the harmonic note. When using any kind of DAW (Digital Audio Workspace (Sidenote but from what I can tell from the vids, Jay uses GarageBand, which I believe is free for most devices)), manipulating a note- changing the tempo, or in this case, changing the pitch- of a naturally-recorded instrument like a singing voice will make it sound really artificial.

(I love this because it’s clear that Jorge doesn’t have the best equipment and he’s using it to his advantage. Something recorded on a crappy four-track tape recorder in your bedroom can sound so much cooler than something recorded at Real World Studios or Abbey Road with the world’s best recording equipment- but only if you know what you’re doing.)

Also, in the context of Epic, the more synthetic, artificial, and electronic sounds are reserved for the mythical characters- the gods and monsters.

Taking a quick re-listen to Scylla’s song, I’ve noticed she’s harmonising on the 3rd and 5th of the note (now, I don’t have perfect pitch (which is when you can tell what note it is just by ear) so I could be wrong).

This is a very simplified explanation, but basically any key has a scale, and most chords are comprised of the root (the first 1st note in the scale) the 3rd note, and the 5th note. You can add or take away extra notes to make it ✨sparklier✨.

So she’s harmonising on the 3rd and the 5th, and her harmonies are mostly moving in parallel motion (in the same way) with the melody. This gives a clean, sweet, consonant feel. (Consonant= not dissonant. Dissonant= “smushy”)

Most of the melody is conjunct (moving in steps- no big leaps) and also descending, like you’re falling down in steps with her. Then, at the end of each line rising back up again.

Except for “Deep down” which is disjunct (big leap), moving downwards. You are plunging into the depths.

This has a chilling simplicity to it. And the fact that it’s repeated over and over and over again makes it almost sickening. I love it.

What I love about this is the duality of simple, beautiful elements, and dark, haunting elements.

So! You have the combination of:

The main vocal melody being sung by a natural voice- imo showing how Scylla was once a beautiful nymph

The harmonies being sung by a pitch-shifted voice, giving it a strange, creepy, artificial, “mythical” sound to it- as established by the other uses of electronic instruments in Epic to show myth

Consonant harmonising on the notes of the chord, which is something we are trained to hear in music and feels very “right” and “natural”

The parallel motion of the harmonies, which give a simple feeling- you’re not being sent out in loads of directions. You’re falling down with her.

The descending nature of the melody taking you “deep down”, then rising back up.

The continuous repetition of this simple melody line

The fact that it’s sung in a minor (sad) key

Ultimately these two factors create a stark contrast- a juxtaposition- which creates a super cool and bone-chilling effect. The only thing I can relate it to is something akin to a creepy children’s nursery rhyme from a horror movie. It’s unlike any other song in Epic just because of how twisted it feels. This beautiful, creepy song being played as you hear Ody’s men screaming as she slaughters them

(While we’re on the topic of the screams, in music production there is this thing called “panning” which (if you’re listening in stereo and not mono) controls how much to the left or right the sound is coming from. This is why I love to listen to Epic, specifically this song, on headphones, because you can hear the men being gruesomely killed all around you.)

Also “Drown in your sorrow and fears/choke on your blood and your tears/bleed ‘til you’ve run out of years” is just a mood and a half (there’s a whole other post I could write for the literary analytics of the lyrics- how she uses imperative verbs. It’s a command. It’s an instruction.)

And so when Odysseus joins in with Scylla singing “We are the same you and I…” it really hits home just how much of a monster he’s become- how unfeeling he was when he sacrificed his men. This is so subtle but in my opinion it’s what really turns him. Jorge is using all of these contrasting techniques to make Scylla seem horrific and creepy as fuck, and Ody is empathising with her. He is relating to her. I just… *shivers* wow.

[naarlar]

Okay so I’ve seen a lot of people being like “oh Eurylochus is not a hypocrite bc he didn’t intentionally sacrifice the crew with Circe like Odysseus did with Scylla”

And while yes it is not the same, uh…….. here’s the problem from my perspective and why I still totally think he’s a hypocrite.

He was the one who had those men under his command. Odysseus gave him a mission and for that mission, Eurylochus was in charge of those guys. Then he LOSES (yes it is his fault, he was responsible for those men) the men to Circe and then runs back to Odysseus and immediately is trying to leave. He in a way is actively choosing to ABANDON those men without even TRYING to attempt a plan to save them. Like he doesn’t even think about it.

Yes Odysseus and the Scylla situation are messed up and it is not the same as Eurylochus and the Circe situation, but sorry guys this man is absolutely still a hypocrite. For his own self preservation he was about to abandon a bunch of men HE LOST to a supposed evil. The only difference is that Ody did it deliberately while Eurylochus’ incompetence caused it.

And here’s the thing, we can argue that Odysseus bc of the Scylla situation is more of a monster than Eury. I’m not even saying the mutiny is not justified. IT ABSOLUTELY WAS. The crew absolutely should have mutinied and Eury was right to challenge Ody.

However, these characters are complex and like yeah, Ody is a monster and a conniving schemer, but he is ultimately just a man trying to get home. And Eury is a fool and a hypocrite that would abandon his men for his mistakes but he is also just a tired man who is starving and suffering.

[letsplaythermalnuclearwar]

how long do you think it was between the Underworld Saga and the Thunder Saga?

they say it's been 'about 12 years' which is the same time given in the Circe Saga so it can't have been that long (assuming Ody wasn't lying earlier and they're even half decent at keeping track of time).

in Different Beasts, the whole crew acts like Ody's ruthlessness is expected, even though we haven't seen it since Troy. they don't hesitate to obey him at any point, not when he says to cut off the sirens tails, not when he says to let them drown. Eurolychus doesn't hesitate to light the six torches, the men don't hesitate to follow him into Scylla's lair. they sing about being different beasts now, about how he's a different beast now. how long do you think that strategy had been working for them? how many monsters do you think they dealt with ruthlessly? how long had it been since they lost a friend?

I just. there's so much trust between Ody and his crew for the first half of the Thunder Saga and it all goes out the window the moment they realise their acceptable collateral damage to him

[second-wolf]

Eurylocus: “But we’ll die”

Sir you chose to ignore Odysseus’ warnings about the cow, and you literally just finished singing about how you have no hope anymore.

[copycat170]

SIR?!

[ODYSSEUS] Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do

[EURYLOCHUS] Ody, we're never gonna get to make it home You know it's true THE FUCKING NICKNAME!!!!

[glacierruler]

Mutiny being a parallel to Luck Runs Out. Your luck runs out now.

[idiewhenrhythmgamesdie]

filming a room tour and u accidentally picture the thunder saga cover

Edit a boat in and it's the same

[elianzis]

SPOILERS!!!!

It hits me too much with pain now🥲

[thaliajoy-blog]

Hello my soon to be snacks 👋

It's my greek summer, so I finally get into greek myths drawing with a Scylla design (from Epic the Musical 🫶)

[crisisartz]

Siren :3 Tried to go with both the bird and fish inspiration with this one. I wanted to use colours that would maybe help them blend into the ocean when they’re not luring men in

[reinafish]

Abt to listen to the Thunder Saga w my sibling soon ooo :0

[passionmaterial]

Im glad I dont sleep early..cuz Primus Below..THE THUNDER SAGA WAS AMAZING.