Game Composer Breaks Down ABYSS WATCHERS PHASE TWO - Dark Souls 3

What? Abyss Watchers again? Turns out I accidentally left out half of the song in my previous Abyss Watchers theme video, so I just had to record this extra video to make up for it. Hey, if it means one more Dark Souls music video on the channel, fine by me!
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Video Game Music Reaction Videos: • Game Music Composer Re...
Game footage credit to Golden Silver: • Dark Souls 3 - Abyss W...

[@DaviVasc]

Make sure to watch the video on phase 1 if you haven't already: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYLYh5qifqxnps0

[@HerrscherofSimp3164]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

[@elver2218]

Plz react to Shadowlord from Nier Automata i think

[@duhzilla590xYensitheninja]

Can you review prior extinction OST #3 combat theme

[@otaviobz]

Cara tu é brasileiro?

[@featherfall1211]

What I love about the Second phase is that it goes from a full Chorus in the first phase where there are multiple enemies, and the second phase is a Solo singer while you fight the Last Abyss Watcher.

[@Aya_Albion]

I agree. Towards the end of the theme, an atmosphere of loneliness and emptiness is creating more and more, which beautifully expresses the development of the fight. Absolutely stunning.

[@danielantony1882]

Basiccally the last Wolf standing. And if you know Dark Souls enough, you know who the wolves are, and who the First Legendary Wolf Is.

[@sebastianpenales2861]

that's insane attention to detail

[@marcosceles2789]

Actually, my interpretation about this fight is that all Abyss Watchers united in thid body commited to stop you. And the voices where all united to the single voice

[@kratkartan1486]

I think it's more. You're fighting the very first. The Abyss Walker himself. The lore states that the Watchers all partook in the blood of the Wolf Knight (who's armor is clearly Artorias' that we find later), and the cutscene shows all the blood coming together. As he no longer has a body. He uses the most powerful Watcher he can fine. However, He does not come back correctly in a sense. He has been completely consumed by the Abyss, and has become the Dark Wraith that Manus attempted to turn him into.

[@DanS044]

Still upset they didn’t group these together on Spotify

[@nathanpace3090]

Still upset I can't access any Souls music on spotify , but also this

[@simonolomudzski3985]

They were grouped together, untill one day they suddenly took the whole Dark Souls 1 to 3 soundtrack out of Spotify

[@ctesiphon2978]

I believe it's because the licensing expired

[@Nate_Doggin]

@@simonolomudzski3985 they replaced it with Elden ring.

[@wetskunk8108]

It's not even there on Spotify anymore

[@gurpgoober]

YOOOO I DIDNT THINK YOUD MAKE A SECOND VIDEO ABOUT THIS. I COULDNT BE HAPPIER. DAVI YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY

[@DaviVasc]

So many people were disappointed that I forgot phase 2. I just had to :)

[@jhost1258]

thanks so much davi we appreciate it!!

[@DASCSWEM]

One of the few soulsborne tracks that actually gets calmer in phase 2, which is pretty cool.

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

This is such a harrowing track. That loneliness and sorrow creeping up as the second phase approaches is so powerful.

[@dertuun]

The woodwind section at the end seems like a reflection on the original intent of the abyss watchers. Reflecting on their progression from honest beginnings to corrupted monsters.

[@ocfvortex8536]

I love this comment

[@user-wr1zz8ni8n]

I always thought woodwinds in video games always had a sense of reflection back to a happier time and accepting their fate in peace

[@gabrieldehyrule]

The second part having thinner orchestra and a bigger focus on solo makes all the sense since in the second phase you fight the last abyss watcher standing instead of a group.

[@kendrickexperience2556]

The Abyss Watchers are indeed tragic characters but it's even more tragic with who they based their entire ordeal after.

[@blueblaze5160]

Considering Artorias, the knight who fought the abyss, would also succumb to the abyss, it’s only fitting that an order spawned of the legendary knight would befall the same fate.

[@danielantony1882]

@@blueblaze5160 They were very much aware that they're gonna suffer the same fate but chose to pursue the abyss regardless.

[@Warcrafter]

it would be great to do Artorias next!

[@sebastianpenales2861]

Cries in Artorias

[@deusvult6164]

@@danielantony1882 imo they are even greater than artorias

[@marioburgos712]

If phase 1 wasn't enough to showcase the severity of their fall, phase 2 is bound to make me shed a tear every time I listen to it. The background strings are so consistent at being painfully heart-touching, having just enough vibrato to emulate that teary sensation, and the octaves marked by the vocals boost both the strength and somberness of it all (especially when the rhythm appears more prominent). The wind instrument can be faintly heard before taking the main stage, and I applaud how mournful makes the ending sound. I'm in love with this theme 🖤

[@madtomk3318]

Another reason that the loneliness in this phase is more prominent may be because while the fight starts with multiple Watchers, the second phase only has one. I always interpreted the vocals in that phase as the lone Watcher mourning the fallen and fighting in their memory

[@noxallenoir2770]

Did you notice another thing going that way ? The bells no longer ring, other abyss watchers no longer rise

[@domad-umburus]

Now, I'm waiting to Pontiff Sulyvahn Theme reaction. He is just brilliant. Nothing else.

[@fantomeduchateaux8136]

Yuka is 🔥 but she shines even brighter in experimental or melancholic compositions lile Aava the King's Pet, Rennala Queen of the Full Moon, Regal Ancestor Spirit, Dancer of the Boreal Valley, Abyss Watchers, etc

[@ChaosProject05]

The second phase really sets in how tragic the story of the abyss watchers is. I'm happy and surprised that this got uploaded!

[@hereticaldoctor7060]

I’m glad you’ve done both phases of the Abyss watchers. This boss is in a way both tragic and beautiful. Tragic in the way that they failed their mission but beautiful in the form of how in the end they all came together into one body for one final stand.

[@Diego-df8zp]

I would love to see Artorias' theme from dark souls 1

[@saturnoperative4484]

i love the empty and kind of "lost" feeling of the second phase, it's really fitting as you go from sort of joining in on and getting caught in the middle of a bunch of the abyss watchers fighting each other in the first phase to facing a single, lone warrior that's the last remaining member of the legion and dueling them one-on-one after they take on the power of their fallen comrades, and the music reflects that change from chaos and confusion with many different voices to lonely and sad with more emphasis on the solo sections :')

[@broly829]

Glad you looked at phase two of the fight. Not gonna lie I was a little sad when the first video only had the first phase haha! Absolutely love their theme!!

[@daniellauriapalencia4607]

A great theme you should listen to also is Slave Knight Gael or Sir Alonne

[@mt2r-music]

You’re the best for doing this haha. The saddest part about the abyss watchers is their mission itself. They worshipped a knight called artorias who fell to the abyss in dark souls 1 (2011). He fights you with a broken souls and a broken body. His left arm dangles to the ground so he can’t even hold his shield up. In the end the player banishes the abyss for a while after killing the already corrupted artorias but in the end everyone believed artorias itself defeated the darkness. He went into the pit and later it was gone. Everyone thought he’s the hero. Artorias absolutely was one but he didn’t actually win. Many years later the abyss watchers were formed to praise artorias‘ sacrifice and honor him without knowing the truth about him. The only one who knows what really happened is the player. And after all this time the watchers died to the exact same thing their master did to. They got corrupted and fell to the player itself. Artorias had a wolf as a pet which also died tragically to the abyss during his mission which can be heard in the OST youre listening to itself at a specific high note.

[@emanuelbonilla8822]

You kill sif in DS1, sif never died to the abyss. When you go to the past in oolacile, you have the choice to save her and she helps you fight manus, father of the abyss. She later recognises you in a cutscene and she whimpers and howls that she has to fight the one who saved herself from the past. Even if you don't save sif in the past she still manages to escape lorewise, otherwise there would be no bossfight.

[@badagent5446]

I'd love to see you react to the Champion's Gravetender theme, (DLC for dark souls 3) it's a very, "powerful" composition.

[@motazfawzi2504]

"Lonely" You are fighting a single watcher now...

[@tarkhantarkus]

I'd recommend Slave Knight Gael from DS3

[@ricoaioa]

the best track in DS3, in my opinion

[@welltaco1833]

For the dark soul as well it’s my favorite track

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

It's crazy how I'm like the only person who didn't like that one too much. I loved the first phase track though. Second and third, while they complemented the fight extremely well, did not feel like they were telling an entire story the way Abyss Watchers or Soul of Cinder did.

[@tarkhantarkus]

@@TheStraightestWhitest It's a bit like Vordt's theme, where it doesn't tell a story but still sounds greats either way. Also based name

[@queenvictoriann]

Wow! You made a second video!! I’m so happy, haha. The second phase is just as gorgeous as the first. I feel like there’s this stunning, tragic buildup with the female vocals that just swirls into such a satisfying crescendo. It’s one of the most emotive Soulsborne tracks out there. It was also fascinating to hear the woodwinds, wasn’t it? I always liked that detail. Thank you for breaking this part down as well!

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

This remains one of the best Soulsborne tracks. Hell one of the best tracks in gaming. Kitamura put so much of her soul into this one that I'm amazed we still had such great tracks for the DLC, Sekiro and Elden Ring from her as well.

[@kixakii436]

@@TheStraightestWhitest on spotify atleast it usually says the composers for the songs and she actually doesm't have many tracks, but i do think she composed godfrey, first elden lord/hoarah loux and Malenia's theme so yeah she made some serious bangers

[@zetta8277]

This is why you're awesome, thank you for the follow up.

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

Would love to hear his interpretation of "Slave Knight Gael" or "Sister Friede's" themes. Those two also go way different in their 2nd (or 3rd) phases.

[@moisesperez62]

I really wished at the time that Abyss watchers was a more difficult boss so i could listen to this song a lot more

[@louiemeister9646]

I was hoping you’d listen to phase 2 :)

[@colorgreen8728]

The strings in the second phase and in the song in general are amazing

[@mariolago387]

Souls music is so beautiful and unique, but if I'm being completely honest, vort of the boreal valley is such an intense song, so much fear brought onto us, so I do hope you listen to that one day, I would love to see your reaction

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

Vordt has that hidden last minute in the second phase almost nobody knows about where it completely changes up and goes ballistic.

[@laughingtraitor1969]

This is the last song for a knight that finally stands uncorrupted, the abyss driven out and the full soul of a Lord of Cinder reunited in one knight. And yet, there is no real hope, the person that tipped the scales seeks to claim their soul, but if they defeat them the scales will soon reset as the darkness creeps back out of the tomb they are bound stand watch over.

[@Healozavr]

You should have a closer look at the DS3 Midir OST. That's a real hidden gem of all ds games, and it have a lot of piano covers on KZbin :)

[@Phoenix-oy3pn]

This is probably my favorite breakdown so far, both videos that is. You hit almost everything to note!

[@biblemansings]

Part 2! Love your videos man!

[@jentyheijstek3135]

speaking of second phases, i would love to hear you talk about the theme of Vordt of the boreal valley, the 2nd phase is so intense it became the "why do i hear boss music" meme

[@sobaco32]

Duuude this was amazing thank you for doing the second part you are so kind!!!!

[@jayswag2259]

Really glad you posted this, thank you!

[@almightykars9350]

Good Sir, that was an unexpected surprise, after the Phase 1 video. I'm really impressed with how perfectly you read the tale that music tells us, and even more so, I'm thankful you did this, second video! There are alot of Souls/Ring tracks that tell us tragic stories, but one theme in particular, Regal Ancestor Spirit, seems to be quite different. Would be really interesting to see how you would break it down!

[@virael3801]

Two breakdowns for 1 OST? This proves Abyss Watchers is objectively the greatest Souls OST I'm afraid.

[@Ugglehjelm]

He said he missed the second phase the first video xD

[@MOD99]

Abyss Watchers and Ludwig's Theme are my favourite Soulslike soundtracks of all time.

[@matthewwhittall1205]

Seeing as it's the same video part 2 I'll leave the same suggestion, haha! But uh, yes, Oceiros the Consumed King. The boss fight has a couple of things you can only assume about it. But it is a brilliant piece of music for an optional boss that, spoiler, can get you the Moonlight Greatsword in DS3.

[@thewitchrenna]

Great video as always !

[@killerb359]

Okay im gonna say it, the fact you can listen to a track then play it like just by listening is crazy, it may not be cool to some people but I find that incredibly cool and that's gotta take skill

[@Aya_Albion]

Thank you so much for this, Davi! Great video :)

[@GunterThePenguinHatesHugs]

Wow thanks for the extra vid! Love it! 😊👌

[@simonolomudzski3985]

My absolute favourite track from all Souls games, it just gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

[@BrokenWings8613]

I would highly recommend the Dancer of the Boreal Valley next. It is one of the few pieces in a different time and it makes the fight even harder than it normally would be

[@hgbguy]

Massive props for doing the second phase knowing a lot of the lore it's great to see this deeper understanding of the music we probably all feel but having it described is like clues that confirm lore around these boss battles even more its great stuff keep it up my man just love it.

[@JoelEChaney]

I love this series of videos that you’ve done! I would love to see you review Slave Knight Gael’s theme, you have extremely good insight on the music you review

[@IvoryMadness.]

I've never played dark souls, so I didn't knew that this song had a phase two! It was a nice video!

[@t0q14s9]

You should play it. The game is every bit as amazing as the soundtrack

[@dudu_alonne]

Thanks for making your reaction to second phase

[@hasanm3707]

I enjoyed this video so much, I love how every time you open my eyes to the music and I appreciate the games even more. I'll be waiting for when you do Slave Knight Gael, cheers man.

[@paulohgracioto]

Another great video, I simply love how you, even though you don't know much about the story of the game, can pin thing just by the song. That shows how amazing you are. I believe that the "home chords" represent the fight itself, the true nature of the watcher, fighting and enduring for their duty even before ages. The loneliness comes from... They all died and just one of them is left.

[@danielantony1882]

Not just that, the lonliness comes from the fact that they knew the real Artorias and still decided to follow in his footsteps. They knew he was no hero, but he was a brave man who tried regardless of the futility. That is what inspired them to build this suicide squad of sorts to fight the abyss.

[@nils7825]

As always a good video! I'm always amazed how much I look at the songs differently every time after your videos. There are so many wonderful Souls songs, I would like you to react to Yhorme the Giant!

[@scinder.]

I'd love to see you react to 'For the Dark Soul' It's a much shorter piece than you're probably used to with the DS OST but I feel it summarises the series as a whole really well

[@bavosaVSghiozzo]

I love the emotion and passion that you put on your reactions and I love the fact that you did this part. You take care of the people who follow your content and this is highly professional by you, and very appreciated

[@nathanbrown8196]

I feel like the emphasis on solo sections in the second piece is due to there being only a single abyss watcher left. However he seems to gain some semblance of his old power when his brothers give their essence to him for a final stand. Which gets progressively more intense. Incidentally, they didn't fail in their mission. In their time they gave up their lives to link the flame after gaining a reputation for taking extreme measures to hold back the spread of the abyss.

[@dorkmoonblade4315]

But you can't look at the way they are now and call that a success. Eventually they were doomed to fail, if for no other reason than because their whole order was based on a lie.

[@nathanbrown8196]

@@dorkmoonblade4315 To be fair, they weren't even supposed to be resurrected. None of the lords of cinder were supposed to come back. Hence the sadness of the piece.

[@mekookami]

Amazing content. You earned a subscriber in me. Keep up the great work.

[@user-lk5dt3tl1c]

I'm really impressed with your reaction! Of course, the Abyss Watchers theme is one of the most powerful theme in DS3. Please, pay your attention to Lothric and Lorian's theme and to Slave Knight Gale's theme.

[@mokspeed1856]

Great video as always, I'd love it if you could react to Artorias' theme from DS1 as it is like the predecessor to the abyss watchers.

[@FailcopterWes]

I appreciate the integrity of going back to a theme you missed a bit on. Abyss Watchers is a great bit of music, so I'm not complaining, but that aside it's a nice character moment, so to speak, for you.

[@signa8]

Since you're doing undertale on the weekends, I'd be happy to hear you do Spear Of Justice now that you finished the Undyne fight

[@ChaoticAvenger]

I think it’s a genuine crime that the second phase of most of the songs from ds3 were not included in the official ost

[@kornklone]

I could be way off but to me it feels like the first phase feels like the character slowly coming to the realization of the fate and reality of what the Abyss Watchers have become. Maybe almost feeling pity and sadness for them. Where as the second phase feels a bit more like solidifying your resolve to grant them death, rest, respite etc. I think a lot of these bosses have a feeling of granting closure in some kind of way but this one feels a bit special considering the back story and the other person summoned to help bring them to their end.

[@baines803]

It would be interesting to hear you react or breakdown the scarlet and violet "vs professor" theme or the "vs champion" theme

[@kenpachimarty3795]

you mentioned gustav holst when talking about the living failures, i'd like you to do a video on astel natural born of the void

[@ricoaioa]

Oh nice! I was wondering why you didn't listen the second part in the other video.

[@Shadowflare-nq7gg]

Would love to see you react to God Devouring Serpent from the Elden Ring soundtrack, from one of my favorite bosses!

[@ramiasaad5386]

great vid, could the next one be maliketh the black blade pls its great

[@hermera4544]

Would love to hear your interpretation of Gwyndolin & Aldrich themes!!

[@decidedsundew]

I don't know why, but I always found the abyss watchers to be one of my favorite fights. I am not sure why, but they are.

[@Tanuki_Misu]

This is ironic was just recently playing darksouls 3 then I go on KZbin and then I found this on my recommend awesome

[@MediateTax]

You have to break down slave knight gael, best ost in all the souls games imo

[@godloser4938]

I'm still waiting for the day you'll react to the battle against Slave Knight Gael from Dark Souls 3

[@forlornfriend]

Great analysis! Could you do Father Ariandel and Sister Friede (free-deh) boss theme next?

[@topsykrett1744]

You gotta do Dancer of the Boreal Vally's theme from this game! It is one of the hardest bosses in the game mainly because the rhythm of the fight is uniquely different than a majority of the fights in the game if not the only one in the game that follows that rhythm of combat. I believe the theme itself reflects the difference as well but it is very subtle.

[@bisongaming729]

all the boss themes from dark souls 3 take the spotlight, but theres more songs than just them!! my favorite track in the game is Epilogue from the Ringed City DLC. it made me cry at the end of my first playthrough. you should check it out!

[@dryactar509]

I would love to see you analyse Sister Friede's theme, of Dark Souls 3

[@drawing-with-eva]

Two videos instead of one... I don't mind at all!

[@mackmagoo9936]

Davi now that you've done the Abyss Watchers can you please do a video on Artorias please. I would love to hear your impressions on his lore and the song.

[@peterbrot5765]

Great Grey Wolf Sif is also an very nice theme i recomenbd you

[@frasergunn1881]

Hey Davi I'd highly recommend the Darkeater Midir theme from Dark Souls 3... I don't think you've done a breakdown of it yet, at least not that I remember, but I still think you'd enjoy it

[@maniacalmurderer4123]

Something interesting I want to pick out from the track is at 1:20 I think I heard a higher tone, less intense version of a piece from Gaels track. Could this choir be just a tone used to describe the undead? Given Gael is also a undead?

[@wumbosaurus9121]

Yo Davi, with God of War Ragnarok now out I was wondering if you could do some music form the first game, specifically 'The Dragon' by Bear McCreary. The first minute is some of the best music I've heard anywhere, and there an epic beat throughout with some beautiful violins near the end. Another brilliant track is 'Valkyries' with its head-nodding drums and gorgeously haunting choir and chilling lead vocalist Cheers man, love your stuff 👌

[@noahwysocki1233]

Part of that loneliness might come from the difference between phase one and two. In phase one, you're fighting multiple Abyss Watchers and it can get very chaotic if you're not careful; but in phase two, you fight a single empowered member after killing the rest. The one you fight in the second phase, lost and maddened as he is, is the last man standing.

[@iDunno12321]

Could you look at some of the music from death's door? I'd recommend The Gray Crow, Avarice or The Old Watchtowers

[@CarlNiemi]

You really should do Slave Knight Gael though, the final fight in all the Dark Souls games and arguably one of the best (if not the best) boss themes in Fromsoft's catalogue.

[@Dlazerz]

Please do Pontiff Sulyvahn! It is epic perfection

[@ashen9381]

We need to see him analyze the Twin Princes track.

[@Z-1991]

I would love to see you react to the OST of Blasphemous, specially with *Su Beso de Plata* (Crisanta theme) there's two versions of it if i'm not mistaken.

[@therighttrousers343]

Maybe the resolution of the woodwind is that at the end of all the fighting against the inevitable Dark, they too get to rest. They spent their entire lives in honour and pride and doing what they did for a hatred of the abyss, but also of love for the world and for the first of their mission, Artorias the Abysswalker, forgotten in name but living on in the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf. They did everything they could, to the last, and then they get to rest. Whether they die at your hands and you take their ashes to do something to the world, or you go hollow and absolutely nobody comes to take them back, the fight will eventually be over. The final Abyss Watcher is only when the soul becomes of present mind, uniting all the souls within it, to finally defy you once more to continue its mission against the abyss, its final self-defence mechanism, purifying the dark within itself, perhaps this is the innocence, through rebirth? It gets to have one final fight in unadulterated soul, where if it wins it gets to continue fighting the dark where it stands, or if it loses, it becomes ash to help stave off the dying of the world. In purity of soul, unity of purpose, and a fight where the stakes are two paths of things that it finds purpose in doing, no matter what the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf can continue to fight to preserve the world. That's my reading, at least. By bringing it to phase 2 you've united its soul again, not free from the Dark permanently, but easing the corruption a little, and it can do what it does easier, and is less capable of fighting itself at this point at least. Not incapable probably, it'll start burning and stabbing itself when the Dark takes over again, but it might also be less effective yet at fighting the Dark at such a point, easing its inevitable fall into the Dark.

[@StuffyMc]

Man, you NEED to break down Slave Knight Gael's theme. His fight is the culmination of the series and represents the themes of Dark Souls in a fantastic way. It has three separate phases and says a whole lot about Gael, the Ashen One, and the series in general. Also, it's just really, really good.

[@RikiazGaming]

Agree, Slave Knight Gael is absolutely phenomenal. I'm not sure if there is a good video with all three phases in it but it's easily one of my favorite tracks from any Miyazaki game. Edit: And right after I comment this, I find a good video with all three phases together: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKK0Yourop2ohKs

[@arkii8540]

he has to listen to it

[@yo_mama_gaming4517]

You say now it sounds even more lonely, and in the game the abyss watcher is now completly alone and all others are dead, so good job on that

[@michaelstudeny8848]

Hello Davi, I'm not sure how familiar are you with Warcraft and WoW, but I would love you to break down Arthas, My Son from the 2nd expansion, the Wrath of the Lich King. With the game being so massive (I've played it up to the 3rd expansion, now, there are like 9 of them and game got even larger, though WotLK was where the game was at its peak), there are so many awesome tracks, I don't even remember there being a single part of the OST I didn't like. Cheers!

[@cobraxist]

You should do a breakdown of slave knight Gael's theme

[@drakovijas3833]

so question. is there any sort of references to Artorias in this song? like parts that reference or connect back to the orgins of the abyss watchers.

[@thecrazedbroccoli]

Please do Darkeater Midir’s theme next, it sounds so much like the absolute encapsulation of everything a western dragon represents, it’s a good listen I recommend it highly.

[@ericallan920]

Could you cover slave knight Gael also from dark souls 3, unlike most soulsborne games/themes it has 3 separate phases

[@gabrielpimenta728]

te encontrei sem querer e vi q é BR, gostei demais do seu conteúdo e tudo mais :D

[@DanrleyMessias]

Now please, do the king of the storm/nameless king! I need to know if you gonna get the reference

[@jermwormz3626]

Hey Davi, I have a request! Can you do some reactions to the music of Xenoblade Chronicles? I recommend starting with 'Xenoblade Chronicles - Main Theme' and 'Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Counterattack'. Those two pieces are beautiful to me and I'd love to see your thoughts and breakdown of the pieces. I'd love to see you dive into quite a bit of the Xenoblade music, but those two pieces are a great start.