Score: 8

"Very solid, loops well"

submission: ~{HN}~The Twisted Symphony

date: April 2, 2008

Hey TT!

Wanted a review, so here I r!

First this song loops flawlessly, so hats off for that. I'm excited to hear you have such an excellent opportunity to try your hand at some game development work! The experience will leave you all the wiser I assure you!

It would be easier to give you tips/suggestions if I knew what exactly this song was designed for. I know it's a practice piece but from now on every practice piece you make, you should have a goal for it. It's no longer enough to just practice, as a potential game composer you must take all sorts of visuals and weave them into your music to compliment the imagery.

From this piece I get a sense of village. A home of sorts. The flute and strings give me a more rural vibe then an urban one, so I assume we are in some kind of village. I also don't know if DS has the ability to play high quality samples. We're probably thinking some kind of advanced midi? If that is the case you've got your work cut out for you TT, making midi samples are difficult in the sense you can't rely on textures and timbres of instruments, more so just their sounds alone.

In terms of suggestions... hmmm. You've got good melody here, I wish I could offer you more criticism, but this little snippet is very straight forward, with no real flaw to it. I'd love to take a listen to other works you're developing and help you out there, just be sure to provide as much info as possible so I can make the suggestions as relevant as possible!

Keep up the good fight TT! Keep em coming!

Score: 8

"Neat vibes, good percussion, good melodies :D!"

submission: Everything ButThe Kitchen Sink

date: February 14, 2008

An interesting beat for sure :D! If I am not mistaken you are using Slayer for the guitar work here?

The beginning was something familiar as you already pointed out, so I wasn't too impressed by it, however after that you got quite creative with the piece!

Everything but the kitchen sink? I'm pretty sure there was some kitchen sink around 1:20, for I fear my kitchen sink and that part was somewhat scary D:

The song transitions somewhat awkwardly. You seem to have a rather good concept of making a segment, the weakness lies in tying them together. It is not easy, often really hard especially when you have as many moods and vibes as you do in this piece, jumping from one end to another.

Good percussion work though.

I didn't quite like the panning going on for the most part. It seemed a tad distracting, however I know some people who would love this kind of effect so I guess it's more of a personal preference then a technical one.

All in all, good stuff TWM! Keep up the good fight, and keep em coming!

Score: 9

"Hello Jazza!"

submission: Mad World Cover

date: January 30, 2008

I've been listening to this song ever since you pointed it out to me, i've had little time to review but today is the day I keep my silence.

You've got an incredible voice for sure, and I think this songs strength shines out really at 1:40. Your voice really expresses itself well here, and the cello added some much appreciated bass layers to the song, and even though I felt it was powerful, I also felt myself wishing that there was just a bit more you know? I'm thinking swelling Double Bass strings, or perhaps even further louder cellos. Why? I felt this song's timbre was slightly too treble based. I'm using bass oriented headphones right now and still I feel there was a slight lack of bass.

Remember these are all personal opinions, let me tell you know technical wise, structure wise of course, there is no fault in this song.

Swelling cellos at 1:38, ace man, +30 respect points!

And then of course my own orchestra voices begin to speak and I wonder what this song would sound like with some further instrumental additions. In the original I felt the lonely few instruments were what made it strong, the additions in this song take away from the lonely feeling, yet do not fully give me a satisfying full experience.

I'm talking some fuller string sections, violins thrown into the mix, perhaps even a small solo with the main theme pure orchestra, some low brass, some ever gentle flutes, some sorrowed oboes...

it is definitely an inspiring cover, as well as an inspiring song...

Always rooting for you Jazza, keep up the good fight! You will be missed severely by at least one person when you leave for your service.

Score: 9

"Fills u with lulz, epic talent, no MSPaint for u"

submission: Newgrounds: Still Alive (BETA)

date: January 2, 2008

I know the original song and the comparison between the two were brilliant! I keep imagining these lyrics with the robotic voice who sung in the original and it fills me with lulz.

The lyrics are really well written, funny and fits perfectly. I've tried to do this kind of thing before, and it takes a great deal of patience and talent. I tip my hat to you sir.

I look forward to the final product!

Score: 9

"Brilliant vibe, deep thumping epic, great drums!"

submission: To the Light

date: January 2, 2008

I like the intro, as I have come to expect from your majestic form it has a very deep, very overwhelming wave of energy from it. I see that you strengthen your ability to make these epic openings more and more with each beat.

Melodically, structurally there is nothing wrong with this piece. However what is lacking is now presentation. There are moments where the choir is muffled out, and the drums are too thick. The drums are absolutely essential in their work I know, without their thick deep thumps the piece would lose some of it's epic energies, however mastering them to take up less of the higher frequencies so that it would not interfere so much with the other instruments would in my opinion give it more weight overall.

Sustained harmonies like this are awesome. The constantly rising strings until the climax at the end are very well done though it makes me think this would make for an awesome introduction piece for the Remember my Name segment. Was this planned before or after that?

Also thanks a huge deal for recommending me those choirs, I found some other really excellent packages from the company who made them. Again thanks for sharing this piece with us!

Keep up the good fight and keep em coming! Let me know on future submissions!

Score: 9

"Powerful, epic monstrosity, very tense!"

submission: Remember my Name(not finished)

date: December 19, 2007

Hey Madboss! Sorry for the late review my good sir, i've listened to this song at least 7 times now, but I keep finding myself without energy.

But not anymore!

The choirs you have at the beginning are very touching, powerful. I've always wondered how you made those choirs. I'd love to know my good sir what you use :D!

Such incredibly ferocity it builds up to, tense energies are abundant in nature.

At around 2:12 the percussion sounds cut off. Perhaps a delay, or reverb would have made for a smoother exit.

I enjoy what you did with the brass here, very epic, very powerful. It gets very dissonant, very tense, which resolves into a very powerful movement at 3:24. I really enjoyed what you did there. The pounding drums coupled with the choirs, simply amazing.

Did I tell you I love those choirs? No, I love them so :')

All in all, it's an astounding piece, and this is why I love your work so much. There is enough energy in them to kill a small animal.

Thank you for sharing, keep up the good fight and keep em coming! Let me know at any new releases!

Score: 10

"Epic monstrosity! Extreme Impact!"

submission: Mega Man X2 - Flame Stag Stage

date: December 19, 2007

ah my good fiend, I listen to this song nearly every day. But high time I actually write out a review eh?!

I'm mad impressed by how you play the guitars, and the percussions you programmed out. Seriously your playing reminds me of Dragon Force, with as much power, with as much impact as they!

Those bastards were unfortunate to have this song in the game, but of course we must tip our hats on the original artist for which without we would not have this epic monstrosity we call the Flame Stag!

The sound effects you threw in the middle are awesome! I can see the battle in my head, and it really brings back some memories. MegaMan, how I miss thee now :'(!!!!

And as for me "helping" you, thats nonsense my good sir. All I did was provide you with a simple sound, you turned it into the monster it is now.

Ending was spectacular, sudden, and with swiftness. Normally i'd say that's a negative, but in this instance, I felt it was the only way to do it.

Crisp production, well mastered, nothing more to say really, I'm afraid i've started ranting. The seventh 10 i've ever given anybody, well deserved!

Score: 8

"Dynamic, well structured, one faulty transition."

submission: [TMM43]Come Sail Away

date: December 10, 2007

I'm afraid I don't know the original source, so I won't be comparing this with anything else, but rather i'd like to give you my opinion and suggestions treating as an entirely original source.

At 0:35 you switch over to that vox rather abruptly. I would have liked to hear perhaps one last note to trail off at the beginning of that vox, kind of bleed it away rather then rip it away.

The re-introduction of the piano was well handled, nothing surprising, and without flaw.

The percussion is well programmed. Nothing super fancy, but effective, and constant. A tad repetitive but not to a bad point.

I really like what you did at 2:02, the song felt like it was just building up... and then it ended :'(

:'(

Lets talk about additions now.

I felt that an element that was lacking in this piece was some bass. Cello's, double bass, perhaps the deep end on the piano.

But teh why?! Oh wells.

The song has a fantastic loop quality to it, the slow ending with the fast piano at the piano, the melodies match up well, so a kudo's is in order in this regard. Especially that opening melody, just ace stuff.

I remember, a long long time ago, when you first started making tunes TMM43, you've come a ridiculous long way, and your style is beginning to develop strength *i'm talking about your other recent works as well of course*.

Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 8

"Great vibe, good melody."

submission: All The Kings Men

date: November 6, 2007

such a fantastic melodic piece. The steady, progressive melody works wonders for the piece. The electric guitar like pad you had at the background, is arguably a good idea, though I would have liked to hear something softer, maybe some minor chords to really bring out the sorrow i'm getting from this song.

I love celtic music, and it reminds me of Scarbarough fair at times as well... which I also love.

All in all, a fantastic piece, welcome to the portal, fived! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 9

"Great melody, awesome structure, good perc!"

submission: Waltz of Blades

date: November 5, 2007

Are you serious, nobody reviewed this!? Murderous bastards >:(

I love the atmosphere it sets, the deep raw brass with that deep thumping, is phenomenal. It without any assistance from anything else, sets up the deep and dark mood required of it!

That dancing melody thrown on top of it is brilliant! So epic, so powerful. I can see great and powerful men striking at each other, their brilliant shining armors, flapping capes. Roars of defiance and annihilation.

I've always found your songs inspirational, why don't you just give up what you're doing and do this full time ;). It would make me a whole lot happier :D!!!

320kbs seems a bit high. 128 being the standard and all.

That crescendo you have at 1:14-1:20, very well laid out. The only addition I can hear to this song is perhaps a deeply reverbed panflute. I could imagine one so well, personally I think it would add a whole new layer to the piece.

Overall, great stuff madboss, please continue letting me know when you have something new up!