Area 6 (theme)

Area 6 is a theme from Metroid: Samus Returns. It was composed by Daisuke Matsuoka.

Description
Area 6, as its name implies, can be heard in Area 6. It plays in the lower tunnels, replacing SR388 Underground after Samus Aran unlocks the first Chozo Seal and causes the purple liquid to rise. When Samus returns with the Omega Metroid DNA and unlocks the second Chozo Seal, Area 6 will no longer play.

Area 6 is a very dark and ambient track. What little melody can be discerned is harsh and dissonant, intended to generate tension in the listener. Occasionally, a flute-like instrument will play a four-note pattern, the clearest melody in the whole track. Area 6 can be heard here:

Area 6 may be based upon the dark and sinister track originally played in Phase 8 and Phase 9 in Metroid II: Return of Samus. This theme, originally composed by Ryoji Yoshitomi, was replaced by Chozo Laboratory and Area 8 in its original context in Samus Returns; however, it shares a similar context with Area 6, since they both play in an area where Samus encounters Omega Metroids. In particular, Area 6's flute melody bears striking similarity to part of the original track's melody. This may have been a deliberate reference by Daisuke Matsuoka, although this is not confirmed. The Omega Metroid territory theme can be heard here:

Trivia

 * In the internal files, this track is called Area 7 & 8. However, this theme does not play at all in Area 7 or Area 8. In Return of Samus, these areas are where the Omega Metroid territory theme plays, which may be further evidence that Area 6 is a remix of that theme.