MetalRenard's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[~SW~ Thurm ins_wa_]

__--=***NGADM Review***=--__

I found the track pretty interesting, the intro was unusual (I haven't heard that kind of sound for a while, reminded me of BlueManGroup) and the percussion lead in well (for some reason reminded me of Worms… O.o). The blend of acoustic-y instruments with the deep bass and synths worked brilliantly and you mixed it beautifully. Smooth, deep, impactful where needed. The eb and flow of the lead synth really leant itself to the piece as a whole too. Excellent production choices.

Honestly I really loved this piece and don't have much to say against it. I think the melodies were a bit awkward at times (for example around 1:20) which detracted from my enjoyment of the piece. Minor details though - stellar work.

9.5/10

SkyeWint responds:

Heyo, MetalRenard! I'm glad you liked it! I can understand the awkwardness of the melody sometimes, yeah. It's hard to make good melodies in 7/8 lol

[Facing the Foe]

__--=***NGADM Review***=--__

I really liked the individual melodies in this, I think if taken a part and put back together in a slightly different way, this track would absolutely shine. There's also a ton of cool rhythmic work, the snare certainly gives it an energetic feel with the staccato/marccato strings and brass.
However, the track as a whole is a little messy I feel - there's always SO MUCH going on, I got exhausted listening to this quite quickly.
The ending too, it didn't make sense for me at all, the change in key etc was abrupt and messy. I wish you'd chosen something else to finish it off because I actually really like this piece.

I was torn when giving this a score so I settled for 7/10.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hey! Thanks for your review :p
Great to hear that you enjoyed the melodies in this. I personally like the arrangement, but I think the production is somewhat weak instead. I do however agree that there is a lot going on, and that that might not be for everyone. I tend to try a lot of different genres, and this is the first battle track I've made, at least as an orchestrated version. I made it as a solo piano composition at first, which I'll upload at some later point. I wanted to use a lot of variation and a lot of intruments, switching it up constantly, especially as it's a piece composed for a competition.

The ending, I agree with. However, you do realize that it loops, right? You probably do, but it just sounded like you were referring to an actual ending, while this piece has none. It really sucks if you listen on your phone, as it will just cut off. However, even as a loop, I think the ending should be different. I would actually like both a calmer intro and ending, as the loop would be much more seamless and less "in your face" that way. But I didn't have time to make it that way, and the intro is also the first thing I made for the piece, so I kinda just wanted to keep it in there anyway :)

Thanks for listening and judging!

[What Lies Beyond]

__--=***NGADM Review***=--__

Lovely flow to the piece, the instruments seem to work well together although I feel parts are maybe a little crowded (too many notes), a little goes a long way in composition. The mix leaves something to be desired in terms of clarity although it has plenty of warmth to it, giving it a lot of depth/ a nice rich feeling, like an intimate setting, sitting together in a warm cave telling stories about your adventures.

I think the composition maybe lacks direction, I didn't feel like there was a continuous story to be told, more like it went from one idea to another without really transitioning.

Charming as always though, I've always enjoyed your style.
7.5/10

ChronoNomad responds:

Thanks for the NGADM review, MetalRenard!

I so often have people say that they want to hear more going on in my music, more instruments and rich layers of music going on at once, so when you say parts feel too crowded I'm not sure if I'm relieved, frustrated, or simply more confused. LOL! Different people always seem to want different things, so when I try to cater to one side of the equation, something else just ends up getting lost in the shuffle. I guess it's best to make the music that I want to make, for myself; no apologies and no compromises.

I'm glad to hear that the mix has a real warmth to it, and your analogy of telling adventure stories makes me smile. Not sure what to do with the comment on clarity, though. In what way is the mix lacking in clarity? To you that probably makes complete sense, but to me it seems vague and nebulous. I've always thought of you as a pretty harsh critic when it came to mixing in general, but without suggestions and ideas for improvement the feedback feels incomplete. For instance, what could be done to improve said clarity? I know well enough that you're an accomplished mix master, so it seems like you would probably have plenty of wisdom to impart on the subject.

The music feels relatively cohesive to me, but there's that good old subjectivity in motion again. Ah, well. There really isn't some huge central motif much of the time, and that really seems to bother folks, so I guess I can't fault you for saying that it lacks direction. But there is an overall theme that - at least to me - is crystal clear. Of course lacking that main focus through so much of the piece probably ends up relegating it to background music. *sigh* C'est la vie.

I am very happy to know that you find the music charming and my style enjoyable, and I appreciate the critique. I really like the song for what it is, but it certainly isn't the best thing I've ever produced, and I find your comments and scoring to be fair. Keep on rocking.

[No Hope in the Horizon]

__--=***NGADM Review***=--__

Lovely piano intro and mood over all. I like the moodiness of the piece, it fits my mood at the time of giving you a score, after having rewatched a pretty deep/sad anime. I could see this fitting in with the OST quite nicely. It definitely tells a story although I'm not sure the main body and outro tell the SAME story... Because you cut it short like that, the outro feels rushed and unfinished, the story is left untold. Please let me know if you ever develop this further, I think it has great potential.

Also I love the reverb you used on the piano. Just so you know. :)

8/10

[Unsung Hero]

*\_-=/NGADM Review\=-_/*

What rocks:
Omgomgomomg I'm in love. The composition, how the melodies and rhythms play off each other, how the whole comes together... Just blew me away. So much greatness in one song. My favourite NGADM 2015 track so far. So many things in this, make it a fantastic experience.

What needs clean socks:
I think the track needs a little more love when it comes to the final polish - mastering - to give it more clarity or more of a bite. It's REALLY hard to mix such complex music - I know, I've made a hobby of it too - and I think you're still at the phase where you can't quite decide what is important or maybe can't discern when one thing is treading on another's toes. How long do you spend mixing this kind of song typically? Do you revist a few days later?
Also I agree with Step - a couple of the transitions are a little awkward and there is a subtle amount of dissonance at times which doesn't do the epicness of the song justice.

When I heard this, I just go so excited. Thanks for rocking my world for 3 minutes and 28 seconds. ^_^
9.5

bassfiddlejones responds:

Thank you for the kind words and honest critique. Mixing for huge orchestra is definitely not easy. Josh has been doing most of the work on that end, and for this competition we really don't have time to sit down and go over the mix together like we do with the compositional part of things. As we go on though we're learning some tricks which help. Continuing to work on those transitions!

[Dark n' Damp]

*\_-=/NGADM Review\=-_/*

What you did well:
Well that's definitely the right amount of warmth for the feel of the song, mellow and full. The composition kept me interested throughout and I genuinely enjoyed the journey it took me on. I think it's a step-up from the previous track and I'm interested in what you come up with next after hearing this (and your previous NGADM track).

Where this could improve:
I would have liked more clarity at times (maybe less reverb?). I think the snare could have had more high end throughout.
The electric guitar still needs more grit in the way its mixed. If you're going for "high production" guitars, they have to be great or just don't do it at all. The alternative if you can't do high gain, super production is to do the opposite - make it purposefully lo-fi. Cut out a huge % of the gain and pan the guitar to one side (while balancing it against something else on the other side). This would allow it to keep in tone with the rest of the song's feel, too.

8.25 - With better production it would easily be 9+

[Zen]

*\_-=/NGADM Review\=-_/*

The Great:
Such a huge sound and excellent spacing, everything has its own place in EQ and in depth (reverb etc). Lead guitar melody was exquisite composed with multiple layers and harmonies, phenominal phrasing (as always) and melodic even when technical.
Areas for Improvement:
Snare was a bit weak, would have liked more punch or maybe for it to cut more (high frequency excitation/distortion) from it.
I wanted the lead guitar to be wider! This would have helped sell the melodies of the lead guitar even more.

Welp. Nailed it again, you monster. Seriously, stahhhhp, no fair for the others. :P
9.5/10