I've posted a number of samples from the CD release.  You can find them under the CD link in this thread's sidebar or by clicking here.

I also plan to post a preview on the CD page in the near future.  After a first listen through both discs I'm impressed.  It's understated yet sweetly cinematic, and the production values are generally of high caliber, particularly some of the synth work.  I can see how some parts might get repetitive but in most cases once monotony does threaten to set in, along comes an dramatic synth segment or an unexpected choral passage to liven things up.

The MGS main theme is missed but other than that things are looking good.

So, this is the second case a gaming company pleads guilty to stealing music? Or Konami just avoids to use a piece of music under suspicion? A shame.

My brother just called his friend, who got the soundtrack. According to his friend, the main theme is in the soundtrack and intact, so I'm not sure who's correct. He thinks perhaps you guys missed it, somehow? Could it have been renamed or remixed to hide it?

He's wrong. The Metal Gear Solid main theme cannot be heard. However, the original melody that Harry Gregson-Williams composed for the Metal Gear Solid 3 'arrangement' is present in "Metal Gear Saga". I suppose it has similar compositional elements, but the melody is original.

What was the first case? (Sorry if it's obvious)

Preview posted.  More like a review basically... I'd give the soundtrack a solid four stars but want to have a few more listens before I make it official

Excellent p/review, Adam.  A cinematic score that can readily stand on its own is obviously an awesome thing, but one can imagine just how much more affecting it'll be in context.  As if it were possible, my excitement for the game has raised a little higher due to my newfound appreciation of the music.

Also, even if he doesn't, I want to give a shout-out to Chris' Square Enix Music Online preview of the OST.  He covers the factual side of the release, including a clear description of individual composer credits.  Very cool.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Original Soundtrack: The Ultimate Preview:
http://www.squareenixmusic.com/musicnew … m=&ucat=2&

Thanks for that, Angela! I would have been lost without your review for my description of the Konami Sound Team's works.

I really enjoyed your review, Adam. I think it gives a strong taste of the soundtrack's soundscapes.

Namco once removed the ring tone of "Waltz for Ariah" (plus some tracks) with the announcement of "a copyright problem going on".

Agreed.  Having not played any of the MGS games aside from the original's demo at E3 Atlanta (wow, that really dates me), I haven't really bought into the MGS4 hype, but hearing the score has me genuinely curious to play the game and see how some of these scenes play out.

And thanks for checking out the review   I'll be sure to follow you guys' coverage at SEMO, Chris.

It was surprising to see Sota Fujimori pop up here of all places. Unfortunately, the tracks are traditional MGS with only a hint of his style. Fujimori could have done interesting things with MGS music, but that would have required more freedom and much longer tracks than these minute dittys. Well, at least the paycheck should have been good? And he's still available to Konami outside bemani, unless it was precisely the high-profile title that convinced him to lend his half-hearted participation.

Sota Fujimori is a Konami resident employee. I don't think he has that much choice where he is assigned and probably wouldn't have received much of an additional paycheck for this project. Still, I'm sure this title was a nice diversion from his usual Winning Eleven and Bemani projects. I know little about these titles, so I can't say I'm an avid follower of him, though I enjoyed his work on Gungage, Elder Gate, Neo Contra, and Shin Contra.

It would have been interesting to see what he would have offered with an arrangement for Metal Gear's 20th Anniversary Album. The arrangements on there are all pure gold, but too few.

Looks like we've got a final tracklisting confirmation for the bonus CD soundtrack that comes with the Limited Edition version of the game.  Thanks to dabookerman from NeoGAF for the shot:

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~adamesa … 0_3681.JPG

Alas, the sixteen tracks, totaling one hour, really is just a selection from the official Original Soundtracks release.  No new material whatsoever.

I went ahead and updated GMR with the album info:

http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?CatNumber=none0341

They did manage to put a lot of the best tracks on there though.  If I were compiling a single-disc OST from the double-disc set that's pretty close to what I'd come out with.

Except for BB Corps.  Those vocal effects kill the track.

does anyone have a clear picture of the case the limited edition version soundtrack came in?

Thanks for the info Angela. I went and updated. Anyone know of any good CD scans?

I think it's a good compilation overall, though I think the fact it is all Gregson-Williams pieces or vocal themes means it doesn't entirely capture the full richness of the soundtrack. Of course, I'm disappointed that it's nothing more elaborate unlike previous efforts for Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater.

Just finished the game, it is nothing more than an absolute masterpiece. I refrained from listening to the soundtrack before beating the game, and I must admit this was a fine experience, although I'm afraid the soundtrack will be incomplete, just like MGS3... Well, we'll see.

During the credits I noted that Naoyuki Sato, of Bemani fame, is also credited as composer (in-house), and that Michiru Yamane worked as voice-over editor.

As long as she's not composing anything.

Yeah, I'm nearing the end of the game myself, and I've already noticed a number of tracks that didn't make it on the soundtrack release - most notably some sweet new arrangements from past MGS titles toward the last few locations.  Spoken as a completest, the 'Evasion' portions of the alert themes are also missing, as well as the quieter more tense variations of the boss fight themes.  Looks like it's time to start warming up for some recording sessions. ;)

And if you guys are still looking for a scan of the Limited Edition soundtrack casing, I'd be happy to oblige.  Just lemme know.

Someone uploaded some scans at VGMdb: http://www.vgmdb.net/db/covers.php?do=gallery&id=8964

I own the European limited edition, the bonus disc case is a little bit different. The disc is not blue, but gray.

Starting the game again has given me the opportunity to do up some recordings - specifically, the tracks that didn't make it on the OST.  We'll start with the 'Evasion' rendition of the alert theme in Act 1, a variation of War Zone and A Rebellion Rests -- as well as the Another Side piece "Conclusion."

-Conclusion
-Evasion (Act 1):
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8380 … 079e38a063

Thanks for these first rips. I can't remember when "Conclusion" plays, could you remind me?

Also, I guess you will record the "Victory Song" that plays at the very end, on the result screen? It is quite unexpected to hear it, especially when the credits say it is sung by the US cast.

I have to say that 'Mobs Alive' is one of the highlights on the soundtrack. That's so stunning and powerful with the orchestration and vocals, especially starting at the 3:02 minute mark. What a way to close that one! I can't wait to see how they use it in-game. If it fits the scene or event like a glove, I'll be even more blown away.

'Metal Gear Saga' is also wonderful, despite not being the original main theme. I'm really surprised at how cohesive and like the review on STC said, 'cinematic' the soundtrack is. Put it against a Hollywood blockbuster soundtrack and it stacks right next to the best of them, synth and orchestral-arranged combined. I can easily see 'Gekko' being used in a major action set piece with the tension apparent - another one of my favorite tracks - and even more than that, want to see how it's applied to the in-game action. The boss battle themes are also phenomenal. 'Laughing Octopus' and 'Raging Raven' are perfectly sinister, dangerous, and nail-biting suspenseful.

Count this as one of the Top 10 VGM soundtracks of the year. I'll be grabbing myself a full copy - the LE edition is great for a quick run, but the meat's all in the 2-disc set - and I'll be uploading it to my iPod right after that. Nothing beats roaring down the road at 60 MPH with both windows rolled down, blaring 'Gekko' or 'Metal Gear Saga' until I'm sure the cars next to me can feel the aural beats.

"Conclusion", near as I can tell, isn't actually a track featured in the game.  It's available as a downloadable Extra for the in-game iPod, and its 'album' is dubbed "MGS4 Another Side."  Unreleased material that didn't make the game's cut?  My first thought was that it was a wink to MGS2 Other Side, as least as far as the title naming convention goes.  In any case, I'm hoping Konami will release more songs.

You bet.  I'm surprised that that song became such a recurring theme, and sort of wished it developed into a full-on arrangement, rather than the simple humming and whistling variations we've been hearing throughout the game.

Mobs Alive is the finale piece for the third act - and you're right, it is AMAZING both in and out of context.  You won't be disappointed.

Though I was somewhat lukewarm on them before, I've developed a newfound respect for the the boss themes now that I've seen and played them in context; the fights this time are terrifically epic affairs, and they come across just as sinister, dangerous and suspenseful as the accompanying music.  Aside from the B&B, there are a number of other great boss themes like Sin and Infinite Loop.  There's also a seriously amazing variation for the Screaming Mantis battle not featured on the OST, which I'm hoping to grab soon as I get there again.  (I really wish I had kept separate save files.)

Angela, because you are the most beautiful and wonderful person ever, I come to no one else but you to ask for a clean and delicious recording of an MGS4 ipod track apparently called "SOLAR BOY DJANGO", which should be the Boktai 2 main theme.

It, um. It should be obtainable by the MkII somewhere in the Act 1 debriefing, which may be the Act 2 briefing, I don't know.

I, uh, don't have the game.

...

Pretty please?

Flattery rocks; you got it.  It's included in the next batch I just uploaded, which includes the following:

-Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django Theme
-End Game Ranking
-Evasion (Act 2)
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/angie_liu … +4&.view=l

I've also got a track that's considered quite the spoiler, so I won't name it here - and I'm putting it in its own designated folder.  For those who haven't finished the game yet, I strongly suggest you don't look through this folder:

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 SPOILER TRACKS

Is it really "flattery' when it is so sincere, so heartfelt, so accurate?

(thanks!)

Now I'm really flattered. ;)  Thank ya, appreciate it.

Next batch up.  These include:

-Evasion (Act 3)
-Laughing Octopus (Variation)
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/angie_liu … +4&.view=l

I also did up a re-edit of the tracks "Metal Gear Saga" and "Here's To You" -- a fusion that begins and ends with the Saga melody.  It's structured this way in the game's ending - and I thought it makes for a more emotionally-cohesive listen.

Metal Gear Saga & Here's To You:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R3UW6Q4E

Oh, in case anyone's interested, someone over at NeoGAF seems to have made an index of all the files in the game. I don't know if it's legit, but it lists a whole bunch of music....including the main themes of Boktai 3 and Lunar Knights. (as well as lots of other Kojima music, probably from CDs)

Basically, Angela....is there a flower shop you want? Or maybe a subcontinent?

(actually, I have the sneaking suspicion that someone will find a way to translate those files directly into mp3s and release them en masse...)

(and a sneaking dread that the Boktai 3 theme might not be findable in the US version)

Well, that'd sure make my job a whole lot easier.  Till then, though, I'll keep pushing on with the recordings.

That said, I've got Raging Raven (Variation) up now:
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/angie_liu … +4&.view=l

Waoh thanks, those rips are great! The results screen music is stunning/funny, though i think its actually the MGO main theme (despite it not being in MGO persay; you can get your character to hum it with the codec pack, and it was first heard in the MGO trailer).
Hope we get an offical release soon, recordings are top-notch but some tracks play at the same time as dialogue or other audio and arnt on the current OST.

Hm, maybe.  I honestly haven't messed around with MGO too much yet, but the song does play a key role in the main game itself.  It's a theme we most closely associate to the.... *SPOILER*  Paradise Lost resistance group, and an anti-Patriots theme in general, it seems.

I went ahead and finished up the recording session last night.  It became apparent that I was going to run out of space on my Briefcase, so to make it easier, I've uploaded the entire thing to a zip file.  (I left off the Boktai and Conclusion tracks, since they're not necessarily part of the main game - and instead uploaded them to Mediafire.)  I'm fairly confident that I've captured all of the relevant in-game BGM specific to MGS4, but I also recorded two choice cutscenes - which I absolutely implore you NOT to listen to until you've finished the game, as they're extremely spoiler-heavy due to its accompanying dialogue.  I just had to grab them, though, as they contain some terrific musical cues.  In fact, I'd suggest avoiding the entire download period, since there are a couple of in-game track spoilers as well.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Game Recordings Soundtrack:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8G64RLC9

I've also taken the liberty of re-shuffling the official OST's listing to reflect the unreleased material - as well as placing certain tracks back into the game's exact chronological series of events.  So if you're wondering why Drebin 893, Haven Troopers, BB Corps, and Guns of The Patriots are out of order, that's no mistake.  Again, this listing contains track spoilers, so take heed.

In addition, you can find another listing where I simply integrated the disc 2 tracks 18-27 alert/caution themes back into the soundtrack's proper order; it never did sit well with me that they chose to place all those at the end of the soundtrack. 

MGS4 Tracklistings:
http://geocities.com/angie_liu201/misc.html

Now that i think about it your right, i didnt reconize it... Sunny isnt that great a singer...

Thank you very much for this, Angela. I'm especially happy to have the new Mantis Hymn.

Also, I read that you haven't really played MGO, but in the list of music you can select during a mission, there is this track called *SPOILER* Rex VS. Ray. I don't remember if it plays during this (epic!) battle, but it is freaking awesome. Do you know more about this?

Uh... spoilers much?