madboss's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[No Surrender]

Not bad

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

popraz responds:

Very helpful. Thank you ! And you are absolutely right about the lack of a sense of solid structure. It hasn't been rushed, on the contrary, I've probably spent too much time on it. I did this song in about three weeks, working only small bits now and then, and that probably fractured the main idea. I never realised that, until now because I was too preocupied about the small things and I missed the bigger picture, but that's what reviews are for. Thank you for taking the time to write.

[Silent Tears [Orch]]

Moving along...

"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

Dj-Flux responds:

Yes, I agree entirely. Like I said, "Revision 1", I have lots of work to do! :]

I'll definitely fix the fullness in time, I hope, as my skill increases. This orchestra is tough stuff to work with, dynamics dynamics dynamics. That's my flaw currently, yeah?

Thanks a lot for the review, I'm glad you liked the song. :]

[.:Z:.Impetus]

Almost a rock song

Hey - really great tune and dinamic song. I loved the whole atmosphere you've set in the song. And the sudden blow at the beginning @ 00:30 and the sudden ending sounded also great - altough it didn't really work but it did here.

The brass staccato sound was particularly great. The percussion set and the rythm almost cries for a distorted gitar or some heavy gitar riffs.

The main tune was really kick ass - maybe you should have added some more variations when you've repeated them - but the song is not repetitive at all.

5/5, 10/10, dl'd.
Great job!

MadBoss

[.:Z:.Volition]

Great sound!

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

Zajed responds:

much appreciation
i actually thought that the people gonna complain about the calm part lol

tanks alot for takin the time to leave a review

[Dark World Adagio (Contes]

Is Romania such a dark place?

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

popraz responds:

Thank you for the review. Well Romania isn't really that bad (though sometimes I'd swear it is), it's just that I have a really dark outlook on life, which helps me do a lot of dark music. This song actually carries some intentional sci-fi undertones, tipical dark future stuff. I wanted it to be a classical song with a hard synth edge. It actually was longer, but the contest rules limited the length to about 4 minutes, and the final movements went past that. Maybe I'll submit it later on. I will keep exploring the song though, thank you for the suggestions.

[Sy(X) - Midnight]

Wow

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

Sycross responds:

Thank you! Always glad to read a good review.

[D2D - Breaking Facades]

My mind of music!

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

EvilHatX responds:

Thanks, glad to hear that :-)

And also thanks for the detailed feedback - I agree completely about the ending, which was a big struggle in this song - I actually cut over a minute's material and 6-8 hours of work in the process of trying to make a fitting end.

Unfortunately I don't have woodwinds yet (only got strings, percussion and a horn ensemble of 8 players), but I'll try lengthen the piano piece whenever I find time.

So thanks, I appreciate you took your time ;)

[Embracing Oblivion]

Like the end of everythin...

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

popraz responds:

Glad you think it's different from my usual work, epic even. The brass is actually a french horn, and I started using it more often recently, it's addictive. Thank you very much for the review !

[_-={Mein Fraeulein}=-_]

Gentle and a wonderfull present!

Hey Maestro!

It has been a dam long time since I've last reviewed one of your songs - but this song made me grab my keyboard and write one.

Yes it's easy to hear that this kind of soundscape is different from your typical sounds - but I must say it's really good and it's good to hear something different, more romantic, more gentle than just epic blowing (those are great too - I just say you should do some other kinds of songs like this too).

The last segment when the french horn comes in makes me imagine a big, epic romance that lasts for ages... so the song has a lot of power. I love the violin sound troughout the song, great touch.

Only the choir disturbed me a bit, because you didn't used it at the end and faded out quite fast. And even when you was using it it was too much in the background so I think the choir is not so important for the song.

This is my only complaint otherwise great song, great to hear such tunes from you. 5/5, 10/10 - congrats!

Keep up your great work - and I'm sure Mandi will be happy to hear this;)

MadBoss

[Eden's Lullaby]

Beautifull Christmas song!

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

Turning-Japanese responds:

Hi again, Madboss. I hope you enjoyed your holiday season.
It's funny to think that being familiar with my music you'd associate me with the piano - I play a bit of piano (a few classical, a few Beatles tunes) but mainly I am a classical guitarist, although you wouldn't know it to listen to this piece and its
wandering tempo, it's several mistakes.

I'm glad you like the way this one came out - I'm still kind of on the fence about it.
Thanks as always for your listen!