madboss's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Redemptive Suffering]

Great atmospheric song

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

popraz responds:

Wow ! Thank you !

[Confessions of an Axe Murderer]

some ideas...

Hy there!

With this track the title was so strange that only itself had forced me to check this song out.

I think I got the main aim you wanted to get: to show a character who seems normal but underneath this mask there are demons/paranoia/mental illnes and it's like a vulcano with a stone obstacle on the top: the rage gathers, gathers and after a while when the stress is too much it blows...

The first half of the song is great - especially the woodwind section. I liked how you created a dark and sad atmosphere where the dark tension is hidden in the background. I liked the pizzicato strings after my opinion they are quite good in this way. Only the bass-pizzicato needs some more boost.

For me the second half was a bit out of energy for me. I liked the synth-sounds: they are like the start-signs of the madness but the orchestral hit (with some synth sound) are a bit too sudden - I think you should have build up more tension with the synth and string combination before the hit and than it would have a lot bigger impact.

Otherwise it's a good track - nice structure and good melodies and it serves the purpouse you've created it for.

9/10
5/5

popraz responds:

Thank you for the review and the advice. I'm still working on the bass pizzicato.

[Light Up The Darkness]

Great concept and use of strings!

Hy popraz!

I understand your aim how you wanted to use the strings in the beginning building up the tension and the dark, creepy atmosphere. I think you've succseded with it: it really creates an uneasy feeling and imagineing some scenes that would fit it really brings a dark tone.

The ending was nice too. For my taste the electric-synth like effect in the background was not really fitting to the overal string heavy concept but thats my personal tast. The beat was interesting - a good choice definitely.

If I could share an idea with you: next time if you are up to create songs like this, try to play with the pitch of the strings. You really can achieve an insane, mad, fearfull effect with it. I've tried it and it was really uneasy to listen to since it sounded crazy as hell but that was the point.

So good track 9/10
5/5
this time not faved but still good song!
Keep up your great and experimenting work!

popraz responds:

Thank you very much for the review and the advice. I never expected anyone to fave this, I was especially interested to see if I captured the right mood. I'll keep experimenting until I get to the complete madness of it. Again, thank you for the advice.

[Walking in Shadows]

Dark but wonderfull song!

Hy there!

It was really long ago since I reviewed any of your track - but this track gives teh perfect opportunity for it!

I must say that it's easy to feel that you've workd a lot on it! The variety of the instrumentation, the quality of the instrumentation and the whole sondscape is wonderfull.

The best thing for me was the plucked instruments (or pizzicato strings?) at the beginning - it reminded me the mood of the latest Batman movie. Don't misunderstand me not the score that it reminded me: the mood of the movie came back with this song. So great work, you've really succseded creating a dark atmosphere where an abandoned and lonely soul is fighting for against the evil inside him.

You have some amazing talent to create melodies and soundscapes that are not too movind and dinamic, not much goes on, not a full orchestra is pounding but yet still grabs your attention and drives the imagination.

The flute based part was really great and the ideas with the percussive elements are also shows that you have some creative ideas. And the synth elements and pads were also really fitting.

My only complaints with the track: some parts were too long for me and I've lost the focus from the track - so the song could be a fantastic background music - and the ending was a bit too abrupt and ruined the great composition a bit.

Otherwise I loved the track and whit all these small negative things I think it's a great song.

5/5
10/10 and faved!

Great song popraz just keep up this fantastic work!

popraz responds:

Thank you very much for the review. I'm happy you liked it. I agree about the ending being too abrupt. At one point I considered extending it a bit, but I felt it was too long.

[Soldier of Fortune]

Really unique and charecteristic sound

Hy there!

I must say to you: I could tell you from 100 of songs which one is yours - your style and compositions are so unique like rarely others.

The stings are like almost falling apart (like they are not playing the same note constantly just one-one note) but still the whole tings takes shape in one big piece. And the melodies are also great

I think you are a greate character-musician I mean you have great talent to compose music for characters.

I loved this one too - especially the beginning with that electronic gitar (?). Great job as always!

5/5, 10/10 faved

popraz responds:

Thank you very much for the review. I'm honored that you consider me a great character-musician. Thank you.

[Faustian Deal]

Thrilling experinece...

... I mean: I imagined the images - soldiers give up all of their humanity in order to survive and to be alive...

With this music it was a thrilling experience and I had a shiver. Even though you havent used the flute you used to in the other tracks. I think the flute would fit here wonderfully.

But without it this song was great. The percussion sets were greatz again - you are really good seting up your percs.

So I loved this song too:
10/10
5/5
faved

popraz responds:

Thank you !

[Hermes: Thief at the Gates]

Great composition

Hy!

I must say this song is really impressive. Altough I couldn't hear out the story-elements you pictured in the comment, the song was build up wonderfully. The instruments were sounding outstanding - almost like a real orchestra. Especially the woodwinds were brilliant.

I was missing the "chase" scene - there were not much dinamic parts in there (or at least they weren't recogniseable for me) but the "dancelike" part was great.

With some more dinamic melodies, some percussion or even with staccato woodwinds it could have been even better but in this for is great to (= faved and fived:))

Great job mate, keep up the great work!
9/10
5/5
faved

CFox responds:

Thank you! In a sense it was a real orchestra, just a small one, there were 17 or 18 performers.

[Jungle Night]

Brief review

Hy!

I liked this track very much - it had it's developement, and a constant structure. You could feel that this is one big song. And I loved the slower parts.

This is a calming and relaxing piece - it's almost like a painting for me only with sounds. Wonderfull... like a classical piece.

Congrats!
10/10
5/5
faved

CFox responds:

Thanks, glad it sounded unified/cohesive!

[Vengeful Remembrance]

I knew I had to write a review...

... since I've heard the first tunes!

Hy Skragga!

So I had to grab my keyboard and write a review about this song. It's great! I loved the instruments you used here and how you varied the same melody all over the song. Great job.

I loved it all around. I don't know how vengefull it is but nevertheless it's a great song. I loved it - especially that the song is a big one piece: has it's beginning and it's end, no sudden cut, sudden fade out.

About you mentioned in the comments: I'm absolutely the same case: epic/sad/noble/ moods are easier to compose for me as a happy track. And even if I try to make such it becomes epic, and always has a sad edge.

So Congratulations!
5/5, 10/10 favd!

mechanoid-9 responds:

I almost always make my songs sound complete, making a full intro and outro, except for songs that are ment to loop (e.g. Bloodstained Sunrise).

I already noticed the melody thing about your work for sure :)

Thanks for all the compliments about teh song, glad you liked it!

[_-={Barley Fields}=-_]

This song is a calm island in this running world

Hy maestro!

As I can see you're not wasting your time! And the instruments in your songs become more and more realistic.

This song - as I mentioned in the summary - is a wonderfull and calming piece. I could sit here and listen to it eternally. The flute reminded in some parts to Lord of the Rings hobbyt theme but only with some notes I think. And the flute instrument has some wonderfull quality. I thought at some parts that this is maybe a real instrument plaied by someone...

The other great sounding instrument is the cello (violin?) - a bit sad but rather uplifting and calming. Simple and wonderfull as I could tell about this song too. Nothing too variated but effective.

Great job again maestro! 5/5, 10/10 and faved as so many times before. Keep up your great work!