Southern California-based band Super MadNES, known for their video game music (VGM) heavy metal covers, have released their fourth studio album, Defenders of the City. The 14-track album focuses on paying tribute to action arcade games from the 1980s, covering titles such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robocop, Double Dragon, and Ninja Gaiden.
Continuing their established style, Defenders of the City interprets the original arcade soundtracks through a lens of Judas Priest-inspired heavy metal. The band highlights that while console versions of these games have received numerous arrangements, their album specifically addresses the arcade scores. Inspiration for the album’s sound is cited from bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, and Accept.
The album has been preceded by two single releases, including a music video for the track “Fire!”. Defenders of the City is now available digitally, via streaming services, and in physical formats including CD and cassette tape. Merchandise bundles are also available through the band’s Bandcamp page.
The “ultimate tribute”
According to Super MadNES’s arranger and drummer, Nico Saavedra, who says “Defenders of the City is our ultimate tribute to classic heavy metal music and ’80s retro videogames. We believe this material and release to be the most representative of Super MadNES as a band, as a live act, and as an entity showcasing the energy and passion we have towards Judas Priest-style heavy metal and ’80s arcade retro gaming.”
The tracklist for Defenders of the City includes:
- Shadow Solider (Ninja Gaiden Arcade)
- Chasing Him Until the End (Ninja Gaiden Arcade)
- The Last Fight (Ninja Gaiden Arcade)
- Prime Directives (Robocop Arcade)
- The Future of Law Enforcement (Robocop Arcade)
- Part Man, Part Machine, All Cop (Robocop Arcade)
- Cleopatra’s Theme (Double Dragon III Arcade)
- Streets of U.S.A. (Double Dragon III Arcade)
- Cursed Magic (Double Dragon III Arcade)
- Double Dragon + The City Slums (Double Dragon Arcade)
- TMNT Theme (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade)
- Fire! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade)
- The Technodrome (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade)
- Shredder + NES Theme (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade)
Defenders of the City was produced, arranged, and mixed by Nico Saavedra, with mastering by Grant Henry and artwork by Ben Hosac.
About Super MadNES
Formed in Los Angeles, Super MadNES is a tribute band that performs retro video game soundtracks in a traditional ’80s heavy metal style. They are known for their guitar and synth-driven arrangements of music from NES, SNES, and arcade games.
Since 2016, the band has released four albums, toured within the US, and received coverage from music and gaming publications. They have also performed at various gaming events.
Super MadNES is scheduled to hold an album release show on Sunday, May 4th, in Los Angeles. Their repertoire includes music from games such as Castlevania III, Batman NES, Robocop, TMNT, Double Dragon, Ninja Gaiden, and Mega Man X, often accompanied by a pixelated visual display.
Defenders of the City is now available on Bandcamp.
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