So I finally got my imported copy of the new Star Onions CD, Sanctuary.

I guess I could go into a track by track thought of the CD, so here we go!  Just be aware beforehand, I do not claim to be a music aficionado, and these thoughts are just my own.

1. Voyager – I, for one, have always loved the song that plays on the boat ride from Selbina to Mhaura, and this re-imagining of it is really very nice.  The introductory 20 seconds are wonderful.
2. Flowers On the Battlefield – A very nice flow to this song with the flutes and violins guiding you through a majority of the song.
3. Xarcabard – The twisted sounding bass strings at the beginning really bring a feel of just how maniacal the northlands are.  The accordion an acoustic guitar provide a much different sounding feel to the original than you anticipate, and it comes off very well.
4. Fighters of the Crystal – Accordion headlining  the beat again…the selection of instrument is interesting, but the overall feel for the song stays true to the original, so I think it’s not as bad as some perceive it to be.
5. Faded Memories ~ Promyvion – One of the best songs in the album, in my opinion.  It keeps the haunting feel of the original song, and the area in which you hear the song.
6. Mhaura – Wonderful woodwind sounds, to go with the acoustic guitar and violins the accompany this piece, along with the accordion, yet again.  Mhaura is a soothing port town, and this redo is very much a soothing song.
7. Gustaberg – Being a Bastokan, this song carries a special resonance to me, and this track stays very true to the original throughout.
8. Rapid Onslaught ~ Assault – The background sounds to this tune sound very true to the original track, while the accordion and violins play out the lead to this battle track. A very unique sound to a song I am sure many of you have heard quite a bit in Vana’diel.
9. Distant Worlds – This is I believe the 4th different version of this song that has been released so far, and this one certainly has a much different feel than the previous iterations.  It has a very lighter tone, almost like a smooth jazz cafe type feel. It’s nice to get a much different take on this great song.
10. Griffons Never Die – This version of the San d’Orian past theme has a more upbeat tone to it as well, with many sections full of Piano, guitar, and flute elements.  Has a nice feel to it, and is good to listen to.
11. Wings of the Goddess – Another favorite of mine.  The past Vana’diel March tune has been redone with guitar, flute, and a very upbeat tone throughout. I’ve already done a file swap in my FFXI to make sure this plays over the original, lol.

There you go.  If you were expecting some in depth look into the OST, I’m sure there are websites out there that will critique the CD to death, but as a fan of the music in FFXI, and Final Fantasy in general, Sanctuary is a new favorite in my enormous collection.