Score: 10

"Deserved 10/10"

submission: Stigmata of the Weak 2009

date: September 30, 2009

Hi popraz!

Unfortunately I'm damn busy nowdays and I barely got time to check my NG account not to mention the AP. But I remembered this music back there and I thought I can't miss your new approach.

For me the best part was the ending - @ around 3:40 with these synth like piano sounds and the big choir part with the flute. I also enjoyed the bells and the deep drums in the middle that were really well mixed and mastered.

I've mentioned earlier but I can't emphasise enough - you have a definitely unique and remarkable style that is recogniseable for me even now. So I could surely tell from the song that is your work.

Globally about the song - it flows well so I haven't felt that some parts needed to be more better composed or standing out from the whole composition. The mood fits perfectly the images you've aiming to show. The mastering and the sound is clear and well arranged and the used sounds give a great overall sound. And you have used quite a lot of instruments and sound here but the song still feels like one big unit not like a chaotic mass of instruments.

My only tiny complaint is with the ending - a slower fade out would have given a more dramatic ending and after my opinion a feeling of an inevitable tragedy.

But besides this the song is great and I could feel that you really took your time with this song and really developed your skills to a higher level! Congrats on that and keep up this great work! Never stop composing music!
10/10, 5/5 and faved!

Greetings:
MadBoss (aka Gregory Bakay)

Score: 8

"Not bad"

submission: No Surrender

date: April 7, 2009

Hi popraz! As I promised here's my review about the song.

First of all - it's really nicely mastered and arranged. I liked the instrumantation as well. Especially the sound of the electric gitar was really awesome.

I like the upbeat starting that breaks around 0:54 but still rises with choir and trombone (french horn?) to 1:47. Really uplifting and great sounding!

After 2:27 - awesome melody starts on the strings! I'd really loved to hear more from it maybe in a more developed way.

The tune that kicks in at 3:06 is really dinamic - loved it! Uplifting and really fits for the title and the whole concept that you wanted to showcase with the music. And it loops damn well btw.

I was thinking a lot about the track because there was something that bothered me and I couldn't figure out what is it but after the 4th listening I realised (this opininon is based on my personal taste): there is no really main tune or segment of the track.

You've put a lot of effort into it and created a lot of smaller segments and I think these are too much for a track in this lenght. And because of this non of these segments are well and fully developed or introduced and that's why it seems a bit rushed for me.

So next time maybe less but more developed segments and tunes would be better. But as I mentioned this is my personal opinion.

Otherwise good and characteristic track that has the unique marks of your own style (strings-style, percussion arangements).

So this time 8/10 and 4/5 from me - dl'd.

I hope my review will be helpfull.

Greetings:

MadBoss

Score: 10

"Moving along..."

submission: Silent Tears [Orch]

date: March 28, 2009

"Extreme ends of the spectrum are where your musical talent flows the most, when you're sad or when you're happy, that's when you can make a masterpiece as simply as you can walk or run." - this is what you've written in your comment and how true I think it is! I can really understand this thought and the situation you are in.

Great job about the track - it really carries a kind of 'moving on' feeling. with a lot of hope encapsulated inside.

Some minor suggestion: make some more segment in the song. I mean: lover the strings and put them more in the background, and let the piano to fill the place - but keep the pace. I think it'd sound great and give some more variety and depth/emotion to the song and wouldn't sound so 'full' and constant all the way.

But toherwise the song really caught me... 5/5, 10/10 dl'd

Congrats and good luck!

MadBoss

Score: 8

"Great sound!"

submission: .:Z:.Volition

date: March 26, 2009

Hey!

I really loved the arrangement and the overall sounding of the track! Especially the pusating rythm of the marcato strings and staccato brass gave me chills. Yeah it's a bit repetitive theme but who cares... I love it!

My bigest problem with the track was the ending - too abrupt, A suddent orchestral hit after a riseing section would be a great touch for this song after my opinion but this way the song ends now it's a bit dissapointing.

Otherwise great job - good sound and mastering and nicely sounding samples!

5/5, 8/10, dl'd

Greetings:

MadBoss

Score: 9

"Is Romania such a dark place?"

submission: Dark World Adagio (Contest)

date: March 20, 2009

Hey popraz!

I knew that Romania is not the best developed country but I've never thought that it could be such a dark place - considering this after your music.

The main tone is really dark - the flute-like sound with the deep synths were an awesome start. And the build up too. I liked the small synth-sound in the background. Give a unique feeling to the track.

After the song I imagine a dark and forsaken land where ruins and mechanical, and metal garbage lies everywhere and the people of the land are like pale zombies... is Romania so bad?

After 2:35 starts a great ending - I liked the bell. I think this ending has more potential you could have made it longer and with even bigger sound (using the french-horn samples, like in one of your earlier songs). And I suggest you to use staccato strings if you have proper samples because they can give some more dinamism to the track.

So good job here. I liked the track. I'm not giving it a 10 because you've made better compositions earlier but this is a great piece nonenthless.

9/10, 5/5

Greetings:

MadBoss

Score: 10

"Wow"

submission: Sy(X) - Midnight

date: February 22, 2009

Great build up in the beginning. The melody is a bit repetitive but you always give a new instrument on it and the main percussion takes the whole track on it's back. So it never becomes boring or something.

I love the rythm and the arrangement of the percussion set - really driving and dinamic. And the strings are a perfect guidance for them.

I can't really find any bad points for the track. Nice job - keep up this good work,
5/5
10/10
downloaded

MadBoss

Score: 9

"My mind of music!"

submission: D2D - Breaking Facades

date: February 22, 2009

Massively epic and uplifting piece that has a haunting intro build up - after I've heard it I knew I'll downoad this song and write the review.

The darker ending part was nice too - altough I think you could throw some woodwind (english horn, oboe) it to make it more variable/dramatic.

The ending piano theme was only a short showcase - you've ended it way too abruptly. Maybe after a short break you could insert a bit longer piano solo guided with some soft strings in the background - that would make more judgement to the song.

Otherwise great track. Loved the beginning and the sounds that you are using. Because of the ending I give it a 9/10 but you deserve a 5/5. (And a download.)

Cheers!

MadBoss

Score: 10

"Like the end of everythin..."

submission: Embracing Oblivion

date: February 17, 2009

Hy popraz!

There's a lot of emotion and images whirling inside my head inspired by your music...

To be objective: the start was really good - mistical a bit yet dark and scary. I really liked the overall sounding - and you've really put some work into the song to make it more variable in terms of instrumentation. The brass (trombone?) was a new sound for me - I haven't heard it earlier in your songs but it was a good choice for this song.

The whole song was like a huge, epic collapse of an empire or an epic sacrifice of a hero who dies to give life for others. This song has lot of epic proportion and a 'big' sound and this is new from you. Your songs are didn't used to be that epic but I think you could bare with this too:)

So congrats - great job!
5/5 10/10

Score: 10

"Beautifull Christmas song!"

submission: Eden's Lullaby

date: December 28, 2008

Hy there!

It was ages ago since I last wrote a review about your songs - to be honest I was damn busy and never got the time to check out the NG AP properly. But now I've seen this song and I thought I'll write one.

I knew your songs from earlier - I was expecting a piano piece, but the gitar(?) suprised me. But it was a good choice I loved the flow of the song. The introdution of the strings and the string marcato was another great choice - give some extra playfullness of the song,

The whole composition is relaxing yet uplifting and gives a warming Christmas/Holiday feeling - to be honest I think this song could fit to any uplifting moment in a lifetime can be not only Christmas.

So all word lead to this: wonderfull job, enjoied troughout the whole track.
10/10; 5/5; downloaded to my best of NG-classical folder.

I hope you had a happy Christmas and I wish you a happy and peacefull New Year!

Greetings:

MadBoss

Score: 10

"Great atmospheric song"

submission: Redemptive Suffering

date: December 2, 2008

Hy there!

It was quite a long time ago than I wrote my last review about one of your tracks but I always keep my eyes on your name on the NG list!

I must say you have great skills and talent on composing dramatic songs and these are really encapsulateing the drama, suffering - this one really brings back a suffering-like feeling. And I think the melody, the repetitive drums and the overlapped strings give these effects - so the songs arrangements are fiting perfectly for what you've created for.

To be honest I cant tell you any ways to improve it - I like it as it is right now. The beginning effect was great by the way and I liked the ending as well.

So great job, 10/10, 5/5 and faved!

Keep up your great work and congrats!

MadBoss