Mid-90s arcade synth pushed to its breaking point and it sounds incredible. Salamander 2's soundtrack is pure Konami shooting game energy from 1996, that era when their sound team was just untouchable. Silwery Wings Again opens with this soaring, heroic melody that immediately tells you this is a sequel that respects the original.
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Speed does exactly what the title promises, frantic and relentless. Then Theme of the Living Body Boss gets into this unsettling organic groove that perfectly matches the bio-horror stages the series is known for. The unused tracks are fascinating too, Fire Tripper and Nervous Break Down feel like lost alternate timelines for the game.
Giga's Rage builds to this massive final confrontation energy. If you play shmups and haven't dug into Konami's 90s arcade catalog, start here.