YMMV / Poets of the Fall

• Awesome Music:
  • "Can You Hear Me" from Alchemy Vol. 1.
  • "Late Goodbye," based on a poem by Sam Lake, which plays over the closing credits of Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne as the country-inspired Solemn Ending Theme; it went on to become a chart-topping Breakaway Pop Hit in their native Finland, instantly making their careers.
  • Their Fake Band Old Gods Of Asgard's "Children of the Elder God" from Alan Wake. Not only is it an awesome piece of music, but it is heard at what may be the game's Moment of Awesome, a setpiece fighting a legion of Taken while standing on a rock stage with exploding pyrotechnics.
  • Old Gods' "The Poet and the Muse" is an equally amazing song that plays at the end of Episode 4 where everything starts to come together, and the song's lyrics explain the backstory and what Alan must do next.
  • "War" the Power Ballad blaring from a radio during a NPC-less battle setpiece in Alan Wake. Not as impressive as the earlier staged based fight, but the more emotional song adds a greater deal of weight to the ensuing battle.
  • And, as the spin-off shows, they haven't lost their touch. Old Gods' "Balance Slays The Demon" from Alan Wake's American Nightmare is amazing.
  • Also from Alan Wake's American Nightmare is "The Happy Song", Mr. Scratch's Bragging Theme Tune. It's literary saying the same thing over and over, just adding in some changes and background vocals here and there, but this is somehow the most badass song ever.
  • Our Sweet Escape is gorgeous and melodious, and one of the warmest sonds they've ever done.
  • Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen's soundtrack for Shattered Horizon
  • "Take Control" from ''Control": In addition to being an awesome metal song, it also marks the return of The Old Gods of Asgard after ten years and, as with "Children of the Elder God" above, plays during a particularly awesome setpiece.
  • Requiem For My Harlequin is the first revealed song from the album Ghostlight and an absolute banger of a number with some of Marko Saaresto's best singing and a fantastic music video.
• Complete Monster: Hamartia is the lord of the Tragic Mistake, who delights in leading people to ruin. A devilish Monster Clown, Hamartia, in the "Daze" music video, presides over a Masquerade Ball of decadence and revelry, mocking the desire for freedom and friendship from one of the guests. When she attempts to leave, Hamartia decides to "let the whole world burn" and incinerates the entire ball with everyone inside, the flames eventually engulfing the woman's car, all while Hamartia celebrates amidst the fire.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The band have a very devoted following in their native Finland, but have also had surprising levels of success elsewhere. They produced a special Best Of Album in India, have toured a lot in Russia and of course have a North American and European fanbase that know of them from their work on Max Payne 2 and the Alan Wake games.
• Ho Yay: Alan Wake's Power Ballad "War," about fighting against an enemy together, is ostensibly directed from protagonist Alan to his wife Alice, but considering that she spends most of the game abducted by said enemy and in need of rescue, there's a subtext both in-game and in the music video that the sentiments are directed from Alan's predecessor Thomas Zane to his chosen successor Alan, or the other way 'round.
• Tear Jerker
  • If "Late Goodbye" doesn't get you, the video will. Bonus points for featuring heavily in Max Payne 2, which is incredibly depressing all by itself.
  • "The Beautiful Ones".
    ''Why do we sacrifice our beautiful souls?
    How do you break a heart of gold?''
  • "The Poet and the Muse" by Old Gods Of Asgard in Alan Wake. Just pay attention to the lyrics...
  • "Space Debris," an old MOD song by POTF's Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen, which he remixed for the Rochard soundtrack.
  • Dancing on Broken Glass's video showcases a young couple clearly in love, when one is dying of cancer... and while the two continue to love one another dearly and continue their relationship even throughout the most desperate time, it ends with the young man looking over the water with the photos of them together after his lover has very obviously passed away with a sad look. The lyrics make it even harder.

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