The Alpha 2 original soundtrack did not feature full versions of the opening and ending songs. Instead, it was released as a single along with karaoke versions of them. I thought the songs were quite good overall, thus I would like to give my two cents to the full versions of the song “Skill” and “Forever & Ever.” Besides, JAM Project is a great J-rock group.
The opening song “Skill” starts out mellow and simple, with a lighthearted melody and soft lyrics. I find that portion a bit cheesy to be honest, but it grew on me. Around 35 seconds into the song, it kicks it up a notch, JAM Project style. No surprise, the vocals are very strong, making the song engaging. Melody-wise, I like it more than some of their other songs, though I consider JAM Project’s “Victory” from Super Robot Wars MX to be a winner in the melody category, as well as one of my personal favorites. The games themselves are very intense, especially the battle animations that compliment, so it needs a strong opening to start things up. Fortunately, JAM Project’s themes always manage to deliver.
Next we come to the ending song “Forever & Ever.” Though the song is good, I personally find this song to be one of their weaker works in my opinion. It still has good vocals, along with a decent melody, but I find the soul of the song to be empty. I basically felt like there could’ve been more to the song to give it that extra punch, but felt pretty stale. Like I said, it is a good song, but I like a lot of their other songs more. The ending is especially nowhere near the caliber of the excellent “Brother in Faith” ending in Alpha 3. You be the judge of how you like this song.
Personally I thought the single for “Gong” was much more enjoyable, but the songs provided on this single are great too. JAM Project is a very talented J-Rock group, so I have great respect for their works. The opening is great, and the ending is alright, so it’s worth a listen.
