Final Fantasy VII holds a special place in my heart. When it came out in 1997, I had yet to play a role-playing game, let alone one as expansive, immersive, and charismatic as Final Fantasy VII. Being an only child, I led a rich inner life, and FFVII was the start of my lifelong video game and, in particular, RPG addiction, an entry point into this crazy, lore-filled genre. One of the best parts of any Final Fantasy game is the music, as many fans will gladly tell you. Nobuo Uematsu has achieved something of a demigod status amongst Square Enix diehards, and for good reason: his music is terrific. Remixing and covering Final Fantasy VII‘s soundtrack isn’t a new pastime by any means, but it’s rare that a band does it as well as Knights of the Round has, and rarer still that it’s some of the scuzziest, most brutal metal you’ve heard all day.

The Knights of the Round album, Gaia’s Bane, has been available for over a year now, but much like the Planet, the Internet’s a big place, so you’ll have to forgive my tardiness while I ride my golden chocobo across the digital wastelands in search of gems like this. But I digress – the album is available for streaming and purchasing on their Bandcamp page: $6 for a digital download and $10 for a physical copy. Equip your best audiophile materia, kick back, and prepare to have your face melted by Knights of the Round Table’s scorching guitars and blast beats.

What’s your favorite Final Fantasy cover band/album? Post it in the comments below and let’s kick out the jams, or tell me on Twitter.

HT: Metal Sucks