Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Fight For Humanity]

VGMC II Review:

Composition:
I like the chaotic riffs and melodies and the occasional dissonance. And I like how agile the bass line is at times. You did a good job adding variety with each section so the entire doesn't feel repetitive on loop. I think some of the transitions between sections are weak; adding a reverse cymbal or reversed note and a cymbal on the first beat of a new section can help make some transitions more pronounced.

Production:
I like how you used reverb on the pads to emulate a large space, like a huge underground tomb. The kick sounds a bit weak but otherwise the drums are well balanced, albeit they could be slightly louder. Some of the synths are overpowering and dominate the mix, so that should be cleaned up.

At 2:22 the new percussion that comes in sounds too up close in this context. I suggest adding early reflections reverb to it. I also think it should be a bit lower in volume.

Theme:
I think you did a good job with this aggressive-electronic approach. I think it's clear even without context that this track depicts some sort of intense battle and a lot of anger.

Sound Design:
I really like the bass and aggressive lead synths. I like the idea behind using bells and organ; however, I feel that the organ sound blends with the pads too much and the bells sound too synthy.

I'd like to hear more velocity variation with the high hats so it feels less repetitive.

Nice job overall!

[Soul Of The Skinless Saviour]

Now I understand your excitement about your new toys. This is definitely an upgrade in sound design.

Everything is excellent. I like what you did with the choir :D

[Morning Tavern]

This is one of my favorites from the round <3 It's so relaxing and beautiful. The ending could be a bit more interesting.

Kassich responds:

Thank you for the review, and for listening to all of the submissions!

[Transient]

I didn't expect to hear this genre from you, but it's very enjoyable :)

KevinMueller responds:

Thank you!
Yeah, I really like this genre. It's a nice change from the cinematic stuff. :)

[Escape From the Grave]

The orchestration is excellent. I noticed many types of articulations, and they all seem to fit perfectly. My favorite part of the song is the percussion, the cymbals especially; they greatly enhance the intensity of the eerie vibe. The rising piano run leading to the ending is spectacular.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you! I had a hard time picking out the articulations for this one, so I'm glad if it paid of. I used a lot of "short" sounds, as that made the most sense, given the fast tempo, and how difficult it would be to mix if all the layers stayed in place for a long time.

I'm very happy with the cymbals myself! Instead of using an orchestral cymbal, I used a good drum kit, with many different cymbal articulations, and I placed all the hits myself.
I'm still impressed by your ear, as I think you notice individual details behind all the layers (in particular, the piano coming back in the end, a little bit a time).

[Exoskeleton Deathmatch (v2021)]

I predict this will get the highest score.

LD-W responds:

We'll see what the judges think haha

[RPG Town Theme]

The melodies are lovely! Cinewinds sounds better than I expected based on what I heard about it.

AceMantra responds:

Thanks! I've been quite happy with Cinewinds Core so far. My only complaint is that I wish it had more instruments. There is Cinewinds Pro as well but that's a big chunk of change.

[Inti Huasi]

The last section is one of the beautiful things I ever heard.

I love the banjo and claps during section two, and the intimate romantic strings in section three. The saxophone sounds so real.

The mix is clean most of the time, and the reverb and delay effects contribute to a rich romantic atmosphere.

I really like the choice of chords thorough the composition.

The strings stand out as not being humanized, and the violins mask some countermelodies in section two - perhaps piccolo or flute+piccolo in octaves could be better for those counter melodies.

To humanize the violins in section two, and in general, try to "ease in" each melodic phrase with dynamic and expression automation, and add an "ease out" by decreasing the dynamics and expression at the end. It's like creating an arc but with a long flat top. You can also change the note timings slightly so that they're not perfectly on the beat.

[Via Lacrimosa]

I love the expression of the lead and the unexpected chords. It's pretty relaxing.

[Far Fetched OST - 02 - Into the Woods!]

woah, this is one of the best songs I've heard from you in years :D I love the sound and expression of the oboe in the beginning.