Early 90s arcade FM synthesis doing exactly what it does best, punchy and bright. V-Five (also known as Grind Stormer) was Toaplan's vertical shooter and the soundtrack rips through stages with relentless energy. "WONDERFUL DREAMER" kicks off with driving percussion and melodic leads that feel way too catchy for a bullet hell.
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"A POISONOUS SNAKE" gets darker, almost menacing, with these rapid arpeggios crawling over heavy bass. The boss theme "NIGHT BIRD" goes full intensity. Just walls of sound from the Yamaha chip. "INVITATION FROM THE WIND" is a surprisingly gentle ending track that earned its spot after all that chaos.
If you dig Toaplan shooters and haven't explored their soundtracks, this one delivers.