THE BLACK MAGES

The Black Mages’ history initially began with Elton John, whose piano-focused works inspired Uematsu to learn the piano on his own. After majoring in music in college, Uematsu earned his keep with commercial jingles before being invited to compose video game music for Square Enix (then Squaresoft) and their misleadingly titled "Final Fantasy" games.

Three console generations later, fellow Square composers Fukui and Sekito found success with their rock-oriented soundtrack for All-Star Pro Wrestling. In a stroke of ennui genius, the two then took to reworking Uematsu’s music in a similar fashion, much to the Final Fantasian’s approval. When encouraged by the two to form a band together, a busy Uematsu relented to a single live show, after which the newly invigorated composer agreed to the formation outright.

Taking their name from Final Fantasy’s Armageddon-fetishist job class, The Black Mages released their first (eponymous) album, consisting of ten re-arranged battle themes, on February 19, 2003. In celebration of the release, and to further cement their standing as a band proper, the group held their first live in Shibuya, recruiting fellow composers Okamiya, Kawamori and Hanyuda to fill the necessary performance gaps. Activities thereon, including their next concert at Uematsu’s alma mater in September 2003, have included all six musicians.

The Black Mages appeared on the tribute album Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange before releasing their second album, The Black Mages II: The Skies Above, in late 2004. The second album expanded from battle themes, introducing dramatic pieces, guest vocals, and the band’s first original piece, created for MMA fighter Takehiro Murahama. This second album would also merit a pair of concerts, in Kawasaki and Osaka.

From here, the band took mostly to single concerts, among them 2005’s More Friends: Music From Final Fantasy in California, 2006’s Voices - Music From Final Fantasy in Yokohama, and 2007’s Extra: Hyper Game Music Event in Tokyo. Around this time, interest in the Final Fantasy VII mythology had peaked with the animated film "Advent Children." The Black Mages were featured in the film’s climax with a reincarnation of Uematsu’s One-Winged Angel, with new lyrics to suit the game’s equally reincarnated antagonist.

Their third and most recent album, The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight, was released in March of 2008. It kept true to the metallization process seen in the previous releases, including again an original piece, Life ~In Memory of KEITEN~, composed for a boy Uematsu had met who died of leukemia. A single concert in Yokohama was held for the album in August of 2008.

Until their next release, fans of The Black Mages can keep themselves busy by searching for fanclub-only live DVD releases or, perhaps more fittingly, playing an RPG or two.