pixelseph's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Beyond The Stars]

Solid production!

FL Studio has come a long way, and it's just as useful for metal production as it is for hip-hop/dance tracks. The blend of distorted guitars and orchestral elements is on point, and you've got that kick/snare/bass/guitar dialed in on the money. The tone is in the zone! I am not a big fan of this song's style of vocal; however, the diction and vocal quality are impressive.

I would love to hear the cymbals pop out more, particularly the crashes and bell hits. In the intro section, they're a bit underneath the rhythm guitars and since they're adding that colorful tinkling tag, they could be more present. One way to get them to stand out is to create a bus for the cymbals and add distortion to that layer - a little goes a long way in the blending.

The rhythm section feels a bit loose in the intro (0:07 - 0:14), though the rest of the track is incredibly tight.

Overall, great track! Can't wait to hear more from you!

RaneMusic responds:

Oh wow, thank you so much for the in depth feedback!
I've gotten into heavier genres recently and especially in Deathcore (Shadow of Intent for example) I've noticed how quiet the cymbals were mixed. So that's probably why I tend to have them further back. However, I will definitely try out your suggestion to see how it sounds.

Yeah, the vocals are hit or miss... Some people love them, others can't stand them. In the album I've tried keeping a good ballance between singing and screaming so there's something for everyone. Track 4, 8, 9 and 11 for example have very little or no screaming at all. I hope you'll find yourself enjoying them as well :)

[Clowning]

Came for the clowning, stayed for the jam. Really dig the Neil Cicierega / Mike Patton / Oingo Boingo vibes the mix has going. Great stuff!!

viewersessions responds:

thank you so much, definitely a HUGE fan of Mike Patton so it’s cool to hear that it comes through

[Sephiroth! -reunion Mix-]

Well done! Love the little piano twinkles for fills and the strong backbeat during the opening phrases. Excellent use of horns, too. If I could offer any advice for improvement, it would be to study up on some counterpoint and apply it to the parts at ~4:16. This place needs an overwhelming lead, whether it's a guitar RIPPING YOUR FACE OFF or some clever string work--something that says "THIS PART IS NEW." As someone who knows the source all too well, I'm expecting the chanting "Veni veni venias" part--and the section that gets delivered does not stop me from thinking, "when's the chant going to happen?"

Please don't let this in any way deter you from feeling this piece is a success, though! I'm looking way forward to your next one. :D

- Joey

Shiverwar responds:

To be honest, the section at 4:16, I kind of borrowed that notion from the Advent Children Complete version of One Winged Angel. So.. yeah, that's kind of how it went down. But yeah, I have to say this is the best one I've done yet, compared to the other takes I've cracked at with this. If I do try again with this, I'm gonna have to try to up the ante next time, but as far as I'm concerned, this tops all the ones I've done. Certainly not the original S-E-P-H-I-R-O-T-H! line itself, though! I'm glad you checked this out, man! Thank you for your review, and I'll see if I can do another one that tops even this one.

Honestly, I didn't expect you to review this one. xD Then again, as of late, I hardly expect ANY reviews. No one seems to like leaving opinions, hah. Thank you, again, for your generous words and advice, and I'll see what I can do if I decide to make another one! Give a shout out to Josh for me, alright?

--Shawn--

[Super Mario RPG: Boss Rush 2!]

The instruments used are as follows:

Guitars: Epiphone Custom Shop Silverburst Les Paul through Line-6 POD 2, specifically:

Rhythm Distortion: Rectified Modern amp setting, no additional effects.
Rhythm Clean: Black Panel amp setting, Ibanez Weeping Demon wah pedal.
Lead Distortion: Modern Hi-Gain amp setting, no additional effects.
Distortion Effects: Rectified Modern amp setting, Ibanez Weeping Demon wah pedal.

Bass: Schecter C1 Elite Bass through Line-6 POD 2; Small Tweed amp setting.
Drums: SGM v2.01: Jazz Kit.
Horns: ES-24 Trumpet Legato Section.
Synth: Wurlitzer Chorus EP.

This was a HELLISHLY fun mix to do, mostly because I got to record the guitars myself. Also WAH NOISE FTW. :3

paradiddlesjosh responds:

^_^

[SSJ3 - Endless Confrontation]

Very interesting piece!

The layering of the instruments is well organized, and the levels are balanced. :D

If you ever consider looking at this a second time, and don't want to program the guitars, let me know. I'd be happy to record some stuff for you! :D

- Joey

Shiverwar responds:

Thanks for checking this out, man! I'll let ya know sometime! :3