madboss's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Love of Marion]

My opinion

Hey Bosa!

I'm gladly grab my keyboard and write a review about this song. About the first impressions:

- loved the slow strings in the beginning and the glockenspiel (?) sounds on it but after my personal taste (and I must underline that it's only my PERSONAL taste) the staccato strings brings some unnecessary dinamism to the song that doesn't fit for a lovesong - altough I don't know the background of the song and the purpouse why it made and for what scene.

- the gitar was a great add and the pan-flute (?) too. I think I don't have to highlight Hania's voice. It's wonderfull, magical and gives an etheral beauty to the song. May I ask what kind of language is the vocals written? I simply can't figure it out and it sounds really like out of this world from a fantasy-land or something... but I carried away, back to the song:

To be honest i like the song and I can't really find anything to criticise. Or maybe: during the last vocal part are there a choir under it in the background? If yes it's almost unrecogniseable since it's so quiet. If not then there's another instrument there or something I could hear out of the song.

But there's nothing other I could mention. Beautifull song. Congrats on your efforts!

Greetings:

Gregory Bakay
(madboss)

Bosa responds:

Well, this song was indeed meant to be a love song. However, I'm not the one to ask about the language or the vocals, as I didn't write them. Hania is the one to talk to about that. However, I can say that it is a fantasy-style voice and most likely the language is fantasy as well. There is a boy choir at the first vocal part and the last. Perhaps I should have increased their volume, as I just noticed how low they are. Thanks for the review, Gregory! I hope to hear more from you in the near future!

[Stand United [popraz - Rac3]]

Who is Vangelis?

Hey Popraz!

I'm was checking your stuff - and I thought I'll write a review about one of your track as a Christmas gift. And I picked this one.

Well I ask myself who is Vangelis - after the first ca. 2 mins. of the track. It was so damn close to the sound of Vangelis, but in the same time still different and fresh. I loved the horn sound. Really new sound from you and fits great in the whole structure.

Oh and I loved the break-beat under the tunes. Really made it sound more unique.

The mixing is superb. Have no complaints about it - every sound is easy to hear and crystal clear. And about the overall sounding - this is trully a new kind of style of soundscape from you. Like you've refreshed yourself and your style but kept the worthy elemets too.

I must say you are on a right way with this new shape of sound. Congratulations for the 3rd place. I don't know about the other contestants (and the results often depends on the jury) but it's well deserved.

So wonderfull work - full respect for you and I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Greetings:

Gregory Bakay
(aka Madboss)

popraz responds:

Thank you very much ! Sorry for the late reply. I wish you also a great new year full of happiness and success.

[Stigmata of the Weak 2009]

Deserved 10/10

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)

popraz responds:

Thank you ! As usual, a very detailed and usefull review. I am really happy you liked it !

[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:.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 !