FightingSeraph's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Emerge]

I can see this being used in multiple submissions.

You did a great job on this, but that would be too trite for a review. I'm surprised that you haven't collaborated with various others in the cartoon, movie, and game sections of this site. (You should consider that since I recommended you to Cherry-Cupid and SpikeVallentine.) With that out of the way...

Instrumentation: Those sounds are very pleasing to my ears. You did a great job on the pads, synth, and effects on this song, which would be a great audio cue in a movie or a game submission.
Composition: It's always great to have an ambient song with actual melodies, which is a stark contrast to a lot of the dark psytrance stuff that I've been listening to on YouTube. You sure have a way with finding the right notes/chords. Something that is not easy unless you know what you're doing.
Other: It may be a big file for a song like this, but it's original and well-executed. (and it's the latter that counts.)

The Good:
-Original
-Actual melodies
-Nice sound
-Good atmosphere
-Versatile

The Bad:
-The fact that electronica haters will still bash this regardless of quality, but they can suck it.

Overall: Mich, I think that a ten from me was needed. (5/5)

Mich responds:

Hey, thanks for the review!

I don't actively make much music any more, full-time jobs tend to get in the way of that, so I'm not sure I'd have the time to actively collaborate with movie/game makers. Thanks though, that's a big compliment!

Instrumentation: You might be surprised to know I only used 3 instruments in this one, one for the main lead, one for pads, and one for that lick of piano near the end. The "big" noisy stuff was done by routing the high end of the frequency spectrum of the melody synth to another channel and adding a lot of delay with feedback and distortion to it.

Composition: I can't say I agree with me "knowing what I'm doing", I tend to just fiddle around a bit to try and find something that sounds nice, trying to find the right atmosphere. I think I could say I cheated a little, using basically just the black keys + F; I find that that makes it easy to create nice atmospheres.

Other: The big file is because I exported it at 320kbps, I like to keep in as much quality as possible :)

The bad: I don't care much if people hate it; they don't have to listen. I try to make music that I like, and it's always nice if other people that manage to stumble onto it like it as well!

Thanks a lot for the nice review, it's much appreciated.

[Cruisin']

Another review from me.

It's always nice to hear a song in the techno section that actually sounds like techno. Would it not kill the staff to allocate sections for Hardcore and Hardstyle? With that out of the way...

Instrumentation: I definitely like the synth sounds that were used in this song. It may have a bit of Dance-type electronica in there, but still has that feel. In addition, you did a great job on the mastering as well.
Composition: For something that was quite spontaneous, the scoring to this was pretty good though it could have used a bit more variation in terms of the melodies. Then again, that would have made a (mostly) negative impact on this song's versatility.
Other: Nothing that I can really complain/comment about.

[+]
-Original
-Versatile
-Reasonable file size
-Nice sound
-Great mastering

[-]
-Could have been a bit more melodic

Overall: A nine would be appropriate for this. (4.5/5)

MrRedstone responds:

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your reviews. It's always great to read reviews that go into depth and offer good critique. Thanks again.

[Sota! Hard]

Not bad!

I found this to be catchy, but wanted a bit more out of this. Allow me to explain...

Instrumentation: I really like how you mixed a bit of industrial in this, along with that drum kit. They were complementary to the hard aspects of this. Hell, anyone could mistake this for hardcore gabber music with that synth used.
Composition: It may not be up to par with many of the better trance songs in my favorites list, but you sure have some composition skills behind this. However, there were times where it felt repetitive, but not too monotonus.
Other: The only other problem with this is the tempo, which seems to be quite fast. On the other hand, there have been trance songs that are faster than 145 Beats-per-minute.

What was good:
-Original
-Nice use of industrial beats and a drum set.
-Good, ominous tone

What needs improving:
-The composition, while far from bad, could have used a bit more variation.
-Due to the sounds used and tempo; people could mistake this for hardcore/gabber.

Overall: Here's an eight from me, Psyce.

Psyce responds:

Thanks for the review
Nice to hear such kind words from fellow artist

Actually I don't have this project anymore, so it is what it is

And sorry for the long answering time

[Air [Box-Killa]]

Another review from me.

Yep, I've been wanting to review another one of your songs. This has to be one of the more interesting D-n-B songs that I have ever listened to. It may not be as intense as what Xenith800 has done (Sentient, Against God Mars, Sun God, and They Rise Again), but you did a great job on the atmospheric aspects of it. Allow me to elaborate...

Instrumentation: You did a great job on the drums, the synth, and the effects that were used in this. They really contributed to that atmosphere that you were aiming for. However, the bass was kind of loud, but not enough to drown it out.
Composition: In spite of this genre being percussion-based, you did a swell job on this part. I mean, there were actual melodies going on with this. In other words, this aspect was well done.
Other: While the filesize may be huge for a song this long, that won't affect the score. It's the improperly mastered bass that's the only thing preventing this from being top-notch.

The Good:
-Original
-Great instrumentation
-Nice tone
-Excellent composition

The Bad:
-The bass was kind of loud

Overall: Here's a nine from me, and I think it's time for you to update your icon & profile pic.

Box-Killa responds:

:D Yeah the bass is a personal preference of mine

Thanks for the review!

[Theeketel - White Rabbit]

The bassline is too loud!

While I did enjoy your melodies, this feels more like dark dream trance rather than psytrance. Now, here's my two cents...

Instrumentation: I did like your variety of instruments, along with the use of Matrix soundbytes. However, this would have been a perfect ten if it weren't for that loud bass. I mean it drowned out your melodies, and can hurt people's ears. If you still have the source file, I would recommend that you turn down the bassline volume. There are a few things that can still ruin a great song, and lack of mastering/equalizing is one of them.
Composition: From what I can hear, you had some nice melodies going on in this piece. Plus, I liked your clever use of drum rhythms.
Other: Aside from the huge filesize, this doesn't have that psychedelic feel that makes psytrance what it is.

[+]
-Original
-Clever drum usage
-Decent melodies

[-]
-Not really psychedelic
-Needlessly loud bassline

Overall: Here's an honest eight out of ten from me. (4/5)

AliceMako responds:

To be perfectly honest with you i haven't listened to this in forever ( and hurray redesign for giving me no clues whatsoever anymore when i've gotten a new review :3 so i apologise for responding so late )

Hearing it now over the monitors the bass does sound ludicrous, it's far too prominent though i can still hear the rest of what's going on it's not exactly balanced this way. I made this with reason 5 at the time and it's mastering options were limited to say the least, that and my only frame of reference was my headphones and a fairly shitty set of laptop speakers with a weak sub, so odds are i had the bass boosted for lack of my equipment enabling me to hear it properly.

The fact of the matter is i just post things like this in techno these days because it is common to get a very negative reception in the trance section ( unless somebody puts the genre in all caps in the title) and for reasons that elude me people appreciate it better if labeled as such. But it remains very problematic getting a track where it belongs since the genre classifications on this site are painfully mainstream american i.e outdated by over a decade, limited and more then a bit of an insult to anyone with more then a passing knowledge of edm.

I'm digressing tremendously though and none of this has anything to do with your review. I'll see if i can dig up the file and either do a remaster, a remake or perhaps both since you do give me the impression i may have been on to something potentially good. ( It'll require a new upload though since i can't remove audio anymore either -_- )

Mad props to you for noting dream trance similiarities since this is psytek, albeit not the currently popular variety that leans a bit more to hard trance, so yeah it's not meant to be overly psychedelic like psytrance though it does have similar basslines and effects. On top of that, the kick in this is pathetic, it's supposed to be thumping and close to a hardstyle kick without the long bass tail end, if you want a better example of what i was aiming for check out a more recent track called Blind Azathoth i did albeit if it's actual psytrance you're after i'd suggest listening to Psyclops.

Anyhoo, i thank you graciously for your thoughtfull and in depth review, it really makes my day.

[Spooky]

Not bad, but this doesn't feel like techno though.

It's a decent practice piece, but it feels more like a slow non-vocal hip hop song. I would recommend that you listen to some actual techno songs, along with classical music.

Instrumentation: Not bad for a practice piece, but only a few of them had that techno sound. However, they weren't annoying and I'm thankful for that.
Composition: Due to this being a practice piece, there wasn't much of a melody to it and the title you chose felt out of place. Suggestion: I suggest that you learn a thing or two about music theory.
Other: Not much I can comment on this really.

{+}
-Original
-Decent sample selection for a practice piece

{-}
-Doesn't really qualify as techno
-Could have used an actual melody & rhythm

Overall: With a bit of studying and more practice; you'll have something worthy of greatness. Here's a seven, Zekermei. (3.5/5)

Zekermei responds:

First of all, thanks for an actual REVIEW, instead of a comment XD
Secondly, this was just something I put together. It wasn't really meant to be good. Want something good? Go listen to Synth Jungle
Third of all, this song is made of several sound clips pasted together, and one of them was named "Spooky". When I finished the song, I felt it had a sort of spooky(or halloween-ish) sound to it, so I named it Spooky.

[DJ T3chnic - Unity]

That was badass!

I am not very familiar with hardstyle music and would like some information on the genre. (Aside from it being influenced by Dub.) In addition, I recommended you to MindChamber, Doomhammr, and Deathink to check out your songs. Now, on with the review...

Vocals: I really like the voices used in this song. Not annoying, deadpan, near-inaudible, or bland; the way I like it. However, the instruments used in this overpowered at times. (2:35 for example)
Instrumentation: Great work with the drums and the synth aside from that issue.
Composition: I definitely was enjoying myself to this. The rhythm was perfect, the melodies were there, and a sense of harmony can also be felt. Of course, this kind of felt a bit repetitive, but not too monotonous.
Other: It may have a big file, but that doesn't warrant a lower score. Plus, I think this site needs a hardstyle section.

What I like:
-Original
-Nice vocals
-Good instrumentation
-Actual melodies
-Fitting rhythm

What I didn't like:
-The synth drowned out the voices at times
-A tiny bit repetitive

Overall: DJ T3chnic, here's a nine from me. (4.5/5)

DJT3chnic responds:

I really appreciate this review, thank you. And go check out Headhunterz, Noisecontrollers, Brennan Heart, and so so many more. They're all very good artists and I would like nothing more then to get someone else into the scene of hardstyle. I hope you enjoy it!

[Tracking a Killer]

This really shows that you have the ears of a composer!

I think Rick Marin had his head on straight when he contacted you to do music for Primal War. Plus, you are the king of Newgrounds' Classical Music section, although you now have competition from Solus Lunes, Stephan Wells, and Papkee. You should consider teaming up with other NG users. (I suggested you to Xionico and Maelstormm.)

Instrumentation: It's obvious that you must either A) be classically trained or B) listened & studied the right material because your usage of strings, percussion, and brass were excellent. With that being said, I suggest you expand your instrument roster to include reeds, woodwinds, and world-related instruments to help keep things fresh.
Composition: The melody that you had going set a powerful yet down-to-earth atmosphere. Plus, the rhythm adds to that brand of exhilaration. I can definitely hear this in several flash submissions already. Of course, if you do decide to add on to this, I would recommend creating a backup in case something goes wrong.
Other: There's not much else that I can comment on here really considering that it's an original.

The Good:
-Original
-Great melody
-Excellent tone
-Nice composition
-Fitting instrumentation

The Bad:
-Nothing really

Overall: Bosa, here's a ten from me. (5/5)

Bosa responds:

Thank you. It's good to read such in depth reviews as this. Although I think I am one of the worst the audio portal has to offer as far as classical is concerned, it is still very encouraging to read your review and see such depth in defining your evaluation of my song. Thank you for the encouragement, and I hope to hear from you on my other tracks as well.

[Sausage n Beans [gabber]]

Why isn't there a Hardcore/Gabber section on this site?

I'm going to be honest with you, I don't listen to a lot of Hardcore/Gabber music, but do appreciate good songs from those genres. In addition, this deserves a higher rating.

Instrumentation: I really loved the synth and your usage of an actual instrument in this. However, I think the kick was a bit too overpowered. Then again, that kick is a Gabber staple.
Composition: I also approve of this having a melody in this, which is really nice. Plus, the rhythm was also cool. It takes a very delicate hand to weave a melody into an abrasive genre of music; anyone else would have fucked it up.
Other: It's not often that you hear this type of music on here, and it's kind of odd that Hardcore/Gabber gets submitted under techno. Therefore, I think a section for this kind of music would be appreciated.

What I like:
-An actual melody
-Nice instrumentation
-Original
-Overlooked genre
-Cool rhythm

What I didn't like:
-The kick is a bit too overpowered
-The fact that there's no Hardcore/Gabber section in the Audio Portal.

Overall: Hardcore SCM, here's a nine from me. (4.5/5)

hardcorescm responds:

thanks for your comments - glad you like the song

the kick was abit of a battle to balance with the other instruments in this one - but could be my lack of mastering skill thats to blame there

agree the electronic music genres are abit under represented here - oh well

[Intro wip?]

Catchy!

I may not be familiar with all of your work aside from Egg and The Large Intestine (which is in my favorites, I might add), but this was very nice.

Instrumentation: The percussion used in this was very enjoyable, and while your synths feel more like hip-hop than dance; they weren't abrasive to the ears. Plus, the vocals were nice although they sound like they were done by Eminem.
Composition: While the rhythm may be slow for a dance song, the composition was very nice and it had some semblance of a melody. However, I would suggest that you study classical music for a bit as a means to broaden your horizons.
Other: Aside from this not being the dance electronica that most people are familiar with, the only other flaw is that this isn't finished. However, I am very appreciative of you being original.

[+]
-Original
-Nice melody
-Good instrumentation
-Actual rhythm

[-]
-Feels more like Hip Hop than Dance
-Unfinished
-The vocals, while audible, could rub people the wrong way.

Overall: Here's an eight for you, Cutting Christ/Undead Fishtank.

Cutting-Christ responds:

Oh. Thanks. Haha. I actually only put this up for a friend to see what I had been working on, but someone rated it I guess so that's cool! Thanks for the in-depth review. This is supposed to be an intro for my new album. Just a short little tune to get the momentum going. The genre I picked was "dance" just because I combine a lot of different genres in my songs and never know quite which to put it under. I realize this isn't strictly "dance" music, but there isn't a section merely labeled "electronic" which would suit me better. The vocals were sampled from an Eminem song which my friend gave me the a capella to. I was trying to figure out a quote I could use on this song, and she gave me that, which fits really well! Also, this might be the finished version as I said that it is only an intro and not a full track. I'm not sure what you mean by the vocals "rubbing people the wrong way," but if you mean that I used a "copywrited" portion of audio, it adheres to copywrite in being a short enough sample and being used in a completely different way than it was originally. Plus, I don't sell my music so it shouldn't be a problem. All of that said, thank you again for the review! And if you want to check out some of my actual songs and not semi-works in progress intro things, I suggest you look at some of my other recent work and/or my Soundcloud at http://soundcloud.com/shanelynch-1. I really appreciate the review and wish more people could review my works like you have! Looking forward to hearing from you again. Also, the drums were hip-hop influenced, I suppose, but there are also heavy metal influences as well. :)