WELCOME TO PLAYLIST, A FEATURE STRIVING TO DETERMINE WHAT MUSIC
POPULAR CHARACTERS FROM THE GEEKOSPHERE WOULD LISTEN TO.
In the pantheon of gaming’s most enigmatic figures, few command the kind of reverence, fear, and fascination as Sephiroth. With his impossibly long katana, silver hair cascading like moonlight over midnight steel, and a brooding philosophy shaped by existential despair and divine delusion, the One-Winged Angel is nothing short of iconic. However, he is more than a mere antagonist, he is mythology incarnate. A fallen hero sculpted by science, shattered by revelation, and reborn as a god in his own image.
As the central antagonist of Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth has earned quite the reputation. He is far more than just a villain, however, he is a tragic and operatic figure; a fallen hero turned planetary scourge. Where others rage and burn, he broods and waits. His silence carries weight. His steps are deliberate. His gaze, eternal. Sephiroth’s character is not simply written, it is orchestrated.
It stands to reason, then, his playlist would reflect the same devastating beauty and layered complexity defining his character and story. Not songs of joy or rage, but movements of quiet devastation; melodies wrapped in melancholy and purpose; compositions echoing across the Lifestream itself.
This is not merely a Final Fantasy Sephiroth Playlist: it is a requiem. A sonic tapestry woven with orchestral lament, ambient reflection, and cinematic power. It is the soundtrack of divinity unshackled, composed not for the ears of mortals… but for the One-Winged Angel.
FINAL FANTASY SEPHIROTH PLAYLIST
1. “Lux Aeterna” – Kronos Quartet
More than a piece of music, ‘Lux Aeterna’ is a slow-burning lamentation. The cello groans like an ancient force stirring beneath the surface, while the strings rise like prayers lost to the void. Sephiroth, having discovered the truth of his origin, might listen to this during moments of reflection. Not for comfort, as one might, but rather to steep himself further in the gravity of his self-appointed fate. It is not sadness he feels; it is inevitability.
2. “Breathe Me” – Sia
There is a vulnerability to ‘Breathe Me’, lying in its whispered pleas and crescendoing ache. For a character whose identity was shattered upon learning the truth of his creation, this track would serve as a sonic mirror to the moment his mask of heroism crumbled. Sephiroth does not cry, but if ever there was a song to accompany the death of his innocence, this would be it. A broken lullaby for a man who abandoned all notions of being loved.
3. “Requiem for a Tower” – Escala
An evolution of ‘Lux Aeterna’, this piece abandons all restraint. It is cataclysmic and unapologetic, matching Sephiroth’s eventual shift from philosophical fatalism to divine wrath. The pounding orchestration could easily underscore his march through Midgar or the climactic moments before Meteor falls. It is not merely music… it is a sonic embodiment of wrath made divine. Sephiroth would not listen to this in quiet; he would revel in it amidst chaos!
4. “Angel” – Massive Attack
Sinister and sensuous, ‘Angel’ creeps in like a serpent under skin. Sephiroth’s presence is never abrupt. It slowly builds, until his presence is all anyone can feel. This track mimics the cold, eerie, creeping inevitability of all he stands for. The bassline is a heartbeat slowed to a crawl, the vocals a ghost whispering through steel and static. It is a song for stalking corridors, for standing still in the aftermath of ruin, and for feeling the chill of one’s own power humming in silence. Perfection!
5. “Eyes on Fire (Zeds Dead Remix)” – Blue Foundation
A fusion of electronic melancholy and brooding defiance. Sephiroth would find the lyrics painfully poetic: “I’m walking through fire because I can’t find peace”. It is the sound of someone who knows they were manipulated, who sees the truth, and chooses power over peace. The remix’s glitchy aggression mirrors his transformation from cold warrior to vengeful deity. There is no redemption here… only resolve.
6. “Prelude to Paradise Lost” – Trailerhead
Cinematic, colossal, and apocalyptic! This is the quintessential score for planetary execution. Sephiroth, high above the Northern Crater, surrounded by starlight and ice, would let this play as he enacts his final plan. The choral swells feel divine, the rising drums almost ceremonial. It is not just destruction. It is a ritual. A purification. Paradise is not lost; it is to be reborn, under his rule.
7. “Colorblind” – Counting Crows
A bit of outlier on this list, and intentionally so. ‘Colorblind’ is painfully human, stripped bare of artifice. For a brief moment, this track offers a sliver of the man Sephiroth used to be: a child forged in falsehoods, a hero shaped by lies. The lyrics “I am colourblind… coffee black and egg white” captures emotional numbness, a state where perception dulls and morality fades. He would never admit to listening, but he would remember it.
8. “Adagio for Strings” – Samuel Barber
‘Adagio for Strings’ is arguably one of, if not the saddest piece of classical music ever written. It moves with the weight of the world, dragging every note through layers of insurmountable grief. For Sephiroth, this would be a eulogy for humanity. Not of mourning, but of acknowledgement. It encapsulates the sheer beauty in loss and the divinity in tragedy. It is the requiem of a planet, scored for a man who believes his judgment is nothing if not utterly righteous.
9. “Aphelion” – JesterKyd
‘Aphelion’ is a haunting and contemplative track drenched in melancholy and spatial solitude. Most likely best enjoyed in the presence of something ancient drifting far from warmth. Named after the point in an orbit most distant from the sun, it resonates beautifully with Sephiroth’s alienation from humanity and his perceived divine separation from the world. The slow strings and ambient layers create a vast emotional void, perfect for a man watching the planet spin beneath him like a forgotten jewel.
10. “One-Winged Angel (Advent Children Version)” – Nobuo Uematsu
The pièce de résistance. Bombastic, menacing, and operatic in scope, this theme is Sephiroth incarnate. The Advent Children version sharpens the chaos with metal riffs and full orchestration, transforming the original battle anthem into something truly transcendent. This is not ego, it is unadulterated identity. The moment the choir chants “SEPHIROTH”, the world stops breathing. Of course he listens to it. Would you not, if the gods themselves sang your name?!
Sephiroth’s taste in music would be as multifaceted as his descent from hero to harbinger. His playlist is not simply a collection of sounds, rather it serves as a reflection of his inner storm. In this way, the music he listens to is for pure resonance. Each track a reflection, a moment, a facet of a man who was shattered and reforged into something other. Together, they tell his story: from discovery to betrayal, through to descent and ascension. It is a symphony of disillusionment, power, melancholy, and madness; and serves as a melodic echo of his journey from beloved SOLDIER to cosmic executioner.
Whether he is standing at the edge of the Northern Crater or striding silently through a ring of fire, one thing is certain: Sephiroth does not simply listen to music… he becomes it.
Owner, founder and editor-in-chief at Vamers, Hans has a vested interest in geek culture and the interactive entertainment industry. With a Masters degree in Communications and Ludology, he is well read and versed in matters relating to video games and communication media, among many other topics of interest.
