While searching for information on Yoshitaka Hirota's lesser known works (i.e. not Shadow Hearts), I came across a few interesting videos on NicoNico Video (Japanese version of YouTube) and those videos led me to a website:

http://www.rmix.net/

Maou Tenshou (魔王転生) translates to Devil King/Satan Reincarnation and is one of "their" "works" (i.e. I still don't know who they are and what they do). However, based on the videos on NicoNico, Maou Tenshou does appear to be a play/drama/theatre of some sort and it took place in late 2008.

Trailer/Preview: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm4867972

And a few videos which I assume someone recorded on the day of the play:
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm6517220
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm6797912

*Note: Registration required in order to view videos.

I have no particular interest in drama/theatre but the music did pique my interest enough to visit their website. Here's the advertisement flyer:

http://www.rmix.net/pdf/maou_tenshou_2008_web.pdf

Also on the cast/staff page, under the heading "音楽製作チーム" (Music Composer Team), there is a list of some famous game music artist names including Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Sakimoto, Kenji Ito and Yoshitaka Hirota. However, I am unsure if most of them had any direct involvement with this production. As for Shimomura, she is credited as the Music Director/Chief.

Lastly, I would like to direct your attention to this video:

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm5090284

According to the video, the song Dokomademo (何処までも) appears to be composed/arranged by Yoshitaka Hirota and the vocals by Nantetsu Kyodai (軟鉄兄弟). Yasunori Mitsuda is the ブズーキ, whatever that is. Nice song, by the way.

That same video is linked to by Yoshitaka Hirota on his blog so I assume the above information is not incorrect. I scoured through Hirota's [not quite complete yet] discography but I couldn't find anything that resembled the above track.

A quick search of the English internet for more information on anything related to the above yielded nothing so far.

So anyone here can add to what's already known?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouzouki

Mitsuda played it when I saw Kirite live a few years back.  Had no freaking clue what it was the first time I saw that katakana either.

Hmm, I might take those words back. From the same group:

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm5541285
http://www.rmix.net/past_work/past_08.html

A live re-enactment of the medieval chapter from the game Live-A-Live (remember also that Yoko Shimomura was the game's composer). I think the magic spell "special effects" during the protagonist/antagonist duel at 1:10 was pretty clever.

Damn those loan words! Well, it sounded like Mitsuda at 0:23 anyway.

http://vgmdb.net/forums/showthread.php?p=29501

Thoughts?

Well, in my quest to fulfill my own bounty and obtain Yoko Shimomura's "Ibara no Michi (Path of Roses)" song, I went through the trouble of grabbing the 魔王転生 MaouTensyou DVD but unfortunately, the situation was less than ideal. The song in context isn't exactly crystal clear and it is interrupted by sound effects and acting (well, it IS theater). I was expecting that but I was also hoping for a bonus jukebox menu or something, which there was not.

Since the song still doesn't seem to be released on an album, then we've only got the 30 second sample and the song, sort of complete, but with flaws (see above paragraph). On that note, I have uploaded both to my YouTube channel:

Yoko Shimomura / Ibara no Michi (Path of Roses) 30 Second Sample
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxhIOxrKgag
This is the same thing as on the website, but I figure that nobody knows about that website so I'll spread it/publicise it on YouTube so it gets more attention, somehow.

R:MIX / Maou Tenshou & Yoko Shimomura / Ibara no Michi (Path of Roses)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBLKCVi5qoI
Original content here probably since this DVD is rare as hell. Basically what you're watching is theater and the part I uploaded is somewhere about 3/4 into the story, from the beginning of the song to the end. There may or may not be spoilers but it's all in Japanese anyway.

Here's the credits and liner notes for the song:
作曲：下村陽子／編曲：MARS (i.e. Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: MARS)
ヴォーカルアレンジ：太田光宏／ギター：MARS／作詞：町田誠也
歌：清田愛未・伊田恵美・岸川恭子・粋夏・軟鉄兄弟・MARS・堀川りょう
絶望はあらゆる形で勇者達に降り注ぎ、それでも残された命は立ち上がることを決める。 勝てることなど無いとわかっていても向かう先に信念があると信じて。

As for the DVD/play in general, I assume it's a story about good and evil, love and betrayal, war and peace etc... it's pretty long, 2+ hours.

Furthermore, I also got another two of R:MIX's DVDs: ストラルドブラグ 魔神邂逅 (Struldbruggs: Majin Kaikou) and 魔王降臨 Live Side and Evil Side (Maou Kourin). Both of which involve Yoko Shimomura (among other game musicians). I get the feeling all of these stories have a common link with a certain demon king.

The Maou Kourin DVD does have a nice little bonus: a 30 minute or so interview with Shimomura which may or may not already exist on YouTube and/or Nico Nico Video (Is Nico Nico even a thing in Japan anymore? They probably switched to YouTube by now à la Mixi/Facebook).

In any case, the everlasting search continues...