Perikles - 553,960 - 2-C - Yes - ShmupMAME 4.2 (Gallop)
Video
Very clean first loop without deaths (only fly in the ointment is the second boss who refrained to die in its first cycle which cost me a few points), second loop was a massacre as expected. I'm not even sure how you're supposed to defeat the 2-4/2-D boss, that would-be Riot (2-3 boss) is also extremely dangerous. I don't get the impression this game was designed around the second loop, I'd love to see a 2-ALL video, though.
While it took me a while to warm up to Gallop, I now think it ain't that bad. I'm still piqued that safespots have a nasty tendency to not work for some inexplicable reason (which is a detriment in a game this strict), but it has a lot of positive qualities, too.