The Black Mages have disbanded.

[Flarecobra]

Source (http://www.squareenixmusic.com/musicnews2.php?subaction=showfull&id=1281190773&archive&start_from&ucat=2&)

It's upsetting to hear that they have disbanded, but upon looking at the reasons behind it, it's pretty understandable. Just about anyone who teaches or goes to classes knows how hard it can be to keep up with fun stuff...

Any thoughts? Favorite memories about them, or songs that they enjoyed?

[A Zarkin' Frood]

I remember when I learned of them and instantly fell in love.
Especially with their arrangment of Dancing Mad.

Ah well, at least Uematsu said he'll continue making Rock versions of his stuff, which is good, I guess.

[Magus]

I didn't really like Darkness and Starlight, all told. The version of the opera on there didn't really do it for me. First two albums were pretty good, though I thought there was too much emphasis on synth at points, I preferred the straight-up piano to it.

[Flarecobra]

The only one that I felt really had a far departure from the origional was "Otherworld" if you ask me... made it sound like something more suited to the Top Gun soundtrack.

[RobinStarwing]

Skies Above is my favorite song of theirs.

Sorry to see them go. :(

[Magus]

Frankly the ridiculous original death metal version of Otherworld always gave me the giggles so really the new version (even if it made the Engrish really noticeable) was superior.

What I looked forward to with the Black Mages was some kind of rendition of the music using electric guitars so when most of the songs just seemed to be Uematsu using a keyboard it just sounded like the same thing except not made with some 16-bit sound chip.