MercyfulDeath's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Witching Hour]

For a moment I thought this was a Venom cover (if you haven't heard it, you should, it's arguably the song that started thrash metal chugga riffage). Nevertheless, very fucking cool song, has a bit of a Castlevania feel and I could definitely see it in a SOtN style game in a catacombs sector or such. I've never been a fan of djenty modern sounding riffs and pinch harmonics, but I can let them slide here, they're quite tastefully placed and the one section that does have them makes them fit. Excellent work dude!

[Ice 7 (SEGA Genesis) [Full]]

This is perfect for an ice stage ill tell you hwat. The instrumentation really helps too, Genesis was always good at high pitched, cold sounds.

[Cyber Trace]

Hey this is pretty tite, feels like it builds up forever though after the 14 sec mark, but then it's a loop so it's not written to be a full fleged piece I guess? I like it though, and I'm very interested in seeing what plugins you used, I've got a few and I'd really like to make some cool synthwave if I can ever get the hang of it.

Write a song though, forget about sound design and just concentrate on writing a song, I have a feeling you'll add your own bits and pieces of cool design without you even realizing it.

zybor responds:

Thank you for your constructive critique. :)

[Looking Back]

I dig it, those FM8 sounds vibe real nice, specially them Timecop 1984 smooth sounding bell like leads

[To Be Well]

Aha, a fellow 10%er (apparently for all the submissions only 10% were rock or of the sort) from the competition, now that the dust has settled and I'm out I can sit down and listen to some of the other things. For starters, this mix is e x q u i s i t e, everything comes through very loud and very clearly, hell I can tell what kind of instruments are used. I dig the organ parts, very Deep Purple, and the whole vibe really, really captures that mid 90's grunge feel. I'm actually surprised by that cause it sounds very genuine. Tasteful lead around 2:58 too, and the drums changing to snare on the beat to lead into the chorus is also real nice. One thing I felt however, is how I felt like the chorus at 1:07 could've entered in louder, kind of a dynamics nitpick, but I was expecting a wall of sound to come and punch my eardrums you feel me? I think that's a hallmark of 90's grunge and I'm kinda sad I find it missing.

Either way, congratulations on being the top scorer, and good luck on the next round man.

[Fiery Determination]

Let me begin by getting this out of the way, I fucking HATE stratocasters, I hate the wiry wussy tone they got when trying to get em filthy, I hate how they look, I hate how they're the most common fucking guitar style around. Fortunately, the tone on this shit is thick enough to please me, so that's fuckin great. On the playing, it's 100% certified not gay, I do however wish the synths were more 80's synthy, like Maiden in Somwhere in Time, that'd be radical. I really have nothing bad to say 'bout this, I wish I could play that cleanly and well, but eh, I guess I'm satisfied with what I got 'till now.

Good fuckin shit cap'n

DanJohansen responds:

I got a stratocaster with some proper metal pickups ;) A lot of the other fender's come with very weak but nice sound for accoustic stuff... I got the Yngwie Malmsteen Metal pickups for it, that's why it's not wussy :D

[Wicked Women of The Sea]

The intro kinda sounds like Cloven Hoof's 1001 Nights with the off time shit but mixed with the nasal tones of Mark Shelton and Cirith Ungol's Jerry Fogle on King of the Dead. This whole thing has some radical fuckin off time riffs, and it seamlessly merges with 4/4 headbangery. The final gallop and melody is so fucking triumphant and sick I went fuck it and gave it my 5. I dig the fuck out of this my man, make more.

ThermalLaser responds:

Really appreciate the review man!
Not going to lie, I'm really proud of that ending gallop part. LUL
Stay tuned, I'll definitely be making more. \m/

[Lo-Fi Black-Gaze]

Fuck I thought I was listening to my Transylvanian Hunger CD for the first 10 seconds there. Sounds relatively decent, you gonna continue this?

TheLitch responds:

Oooh I don't know. I do music projects with a friend of mine so eventually we'll do another black metal project. If you want more black metal type stuff go check out my band camp. We have two free albums, Epoch being written by my friend, is very black metal heavy forward.
https://skytemple.bandcamp.com/

[City Ruins [AShattered Past] WIP]

I like it!

So, although I am unfamiliar with the inner workings of music meant for cinematic setpieces and such, I'll try to do a think and give criticism (which should be taken with a grain of salt). If the main goal of this piece is to progress and give weight to a certain sequence then I have to say it wholeheartedly succeeds in that regard. You can really imagine this used while presenting wide shots of a decaying, desolate cityscape/wasteland. The dissonance which begins at 1:10 also gives the piece a sinister character, and could be used to introduce certain elements which subtly imply a cause or reason behind the evil that made what was visually presented.

The percussion that enters around 1:29 or so is wonderful for a smidge of tension a scene could use to progress and it adds a whole lot of weight. However I can't give you all my 5 since as you've said, this is a WIP, so I assume there is room for improvement. Maybe a cello squeezin out some sad notes round the parts before the sinister dissonance and chords? IDK really, jus' throwing out ideas that might stick, in the end it's your piece so you do the thing.

Teckmo-X responds:

Thanks for the review. Good to get some positive feedback with a good amount of detailing. You've captured my intentions almost perfectly. The soundtrack is supposed to have a similar sinister concept but as you mentioned wasteland themed. The song was originally supposed to be put into a video game I am working on with some friends and colleagues and it is still being worked on at a slower pace. Usually I'm not the type to make music like this but it was somewhat something completely new to me and it worked out well. My inspiration came from Neir Automatas OST Album with that sort of composition my goal was similar to that. I understand the percussion at 1:29 and so forth but my intention wasn't to make a drop or to reach a climax, it was just supposed to be simple and easy to listen to. I think I might have over done it a little with percussions but as I have mentioned the song along with the game is still in the works and won't be complete for at least another 4 years. It is being optimized for PC on a monthly bases so hopefully we get the game out for everyone to try out or at least a demo. The review is great and I appreciate it. I hope to release a full version of this or maybe something else since we don't want to spoil too much of this