TheWisestMagi's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[_-={An Ambitious War}=-_]

*Thinks*

Although I realize you have a very limited amount of space for the description of the song, it is not quite the image that I had invisioned while listening to it.

I see a worrior, torn up from previous battling, and the tide of the battle has turned in a negative way for him and his allies. A second ago they were filled with morale and security, but this moment arrives and it seems as though all of his allies, and even friends have fallen.

Standing a short distance away from the battle he looks to his feet at the warrior that he has just slain, he realizes it was an ally. Now seeing that everyone is fighting completely blindly he looks at the towards the battle, everyone is poking and choping haphazardly at everything that moves.

But even with seeing this, he charges in, enraged at everyone for fighting with such blind fury. But as he does this, he takes suit with the rest, for the fog that is rage had fallen over the valley as they fought.

Everything was pointless, the fighting ruthless, but no one thought to stop, or even to hesitate. No remorse was created that day, nor was there a winning side to the battle, for the purpose of it was long forgotten.

This is the image I had gotten out of it. Nice song all around.

P.S. I do believe that I (or someone else) could link all of these songs of yours into a story, all of these characters/stories are quite epic, they need a novel to go with them ; ).

MaestroRage responds:

I was thinking of getting an account at someplace like www.fictionpress.com and post up all of my own stories for these works, as well as a lengthier description of the song. Of course I'd have to do this in the first review, probably by another alt account that i'd create. It opens more doors, so we'll see.

As for a great novel, it is possible, but unfortunately I don't think I portray enough emotions to really write a well sound novel. I have a lot of angry/sad epic, with the occasional serene piece like Rite of Passage and Brotherhood. THere is no happy pieces, or fully happy anyways. I'll have to work on that won't I :D!!

Thank you for the review Magi, i'm glad you liked it. Thanks again for your ongoing support!

[Chozo Lore]

Nice effect

This does sound alot like something from metroid prime, good call, and it does sound like a part in metroid that isn't a boss battle or anything, but definately one of those parts when you are stuck on a puzzle (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about) or even a menu of some sort.

That nice fast tribal drums type part gives a nice break from the rest of the piece, and makes the song more exciting, so it doesn't sound like the same thing over and over again (even though it may not me).

This piece also loops quite nicely, I have completely lost track of how many times it has played = P.

Overall it has a nice ambient-but somehow slow industrial sound...which somehow gives it a nice video game metroid prime-style feel to it.

P.S. Sorry for the late review, I was out of town.

Aresdev responds:

Thanks for the review man! Do you have any ideas how I can get more views or attract more people to my music?

[Immortal Crossings]

NICE ONE!

This is a excellently put together piece by your part. The guitar part was especially creepy, the piano parts where wonderful, and creepy, AND beautiful all at the same time. This has also has alot more clarity than a few of your others i have reviewed = D YAY! It is altogether a quite wonderful piece, all that I am at liberty to say in the way of criticism is the fact that it (in my opinion of course) could use more instrumentation (substance if you will).

~Veeery well done, keep it up~

Aresdev responds:

Yeah, the clarity issue is totally not my fault, I swear! I appreciate your opinion on the instrumentation. I was going for something particular, so I left out certain sections. Thanks for the awesome things you've said about my music!!

[Aramaic Rain]

Add strings to your work

This sounds fairly good, but there are a few things that feel like it would make it alot better to me.
Most of what I am talking about refers to the slower part of the song.

~Where it has the almost egyptian tune in the backround, I would bring that out over the drum loop, also, DEFINATELY add some stringed cords in behind the tune, it adds alot of effect if you know what I mean. Also, more instrumentation all together. There is a slight lack of just plain substance.
I really like when it mixes the previous Egyptian tune with the faster paced drum pattern, but like I said, it needs a few more instruments thrown into it. Strings definately for the first part, as for the rest of the song, just little backup melodies to help the song along.
I am a big fan for the Egyptian type beats ^^.~

~Don't quit, and keep working at it (I am trying to figure out how to work music compisition really well too)~

Aresdev responds:

Boy oh boy, you like to harp on the fact I like to stick to certain instrument sets, don't you? Hahaha, it's cool. I did this a couple of years back, so don't bust my chops too much, besides, I'm proud of this one.

[_-={Dark Skies}=-_]

Yay! New music

I agree with deflektors thoughts on the beat, being that maybe it needed to be slightly lower pitched, although I do not think it is toooo loud, maybe just a sliver less. I think it is good that it is kind of loud just because it sounds like the beat would make it very sutible for the game you are putting it in.
Also, I do think that maybe a little more violin wouldn't hurt, maybe to help counter the lower strings.
I still love all of the mixing, it sounds like a very in depth and epic piece. Well done.

P.S. OK! So when's the next piece XD.

MaestroRage responds:

The piece was requested to be a deep, dark, ruthless piece, and though normally I would fully agree with you, if I threw in any more high ended melodies it would begin to lose it's somewhat unstable chaotic core (by unstable I don't mean the song itself, but the image it's trying to portray), though I do realize that having so much bass may have ended up being played badly on some earphones and speakers, i'm still hopeless with equalizing.

I also wanted more violin, I love the violin... *drool*... not as much as the cello though... *drool x 2*

The next piece is coming, i'm feeling a tad uninspired at the moment, that will change soon I hope!

[Helix - Overkill]

Subliminal Messaging?

I can't help but to notice the repeating of the phrase "Kill Yourself"
Although it sounds great in the songs, I can't help but to worry just a smidgen = ).
Most of the music I listen to on NG is classical, but you are an exception, for this industrial is great. It's quite ironic actually, one minute I'm listening to a slow, peaceful, classical song, the next, a song the repeats "kill yourself" and makes a demonic screaming throughout the song.
Love it all the more!
Keep it up.

Oh yeah.

~Merry Christmas~

Helix6 responds:

Yeah - I wish I could send you the full sample... Man where the hell did I find that one. :) It's even better when it's not chopped up. It might have been off of C-SPAN or something.

[Helix - No. 6]

Full songs

Where would one, if one were searching for them, find full versions of these songs, completely hypothetical of course = ).
Hey, I really love your songs, sorry to hear you are so busy lately, but I can't get enough of these songs! Also, I want to put them on my Ipod, but if I do, I want the full versions of them, you know, don't want to love a song so much that I get....2/3's of it.
If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would like the full versions of like......all of your songs that aren't full on NG, don't hassle yourself over it, but i would especially appreciate it on this song.

Oh! And Merry Christmas ;D.

Helix6 responds:

Let me see if I can get you an mp3... I might have to do some digging. I'll PM you.

[_-={Brotherhood}=-_]

Merry Christmas

I'm finally going to review this song, and as a Christmas present none the less = ). Also, I'm going to try to make it the first song I put on my BRAND NEW I-pod!
I really have always loved this song, i listened to it the day it came out, and was in complete awe. It is just so beautiful, and gives you that same peace at mind that I described the characters to have in "Gazing at the Sunset"
The entire thing is just so simple and beautiful, much the opposite of "These games we Play"
I also love the fire crackling and cricket effect that you have molded into the song...or moreso, molded the song into..
This song is just SO beautiful man, I have no idea where you got the insperation for the song, nor if it matters, because the song portrays the emotion flawlessly.
I can just see this group of friends, much like the group in "Gazing at the Sunset" except here, it is not the sunset that they are gazing at, and not even the fire, but they are gazing into the very emotion that is thick in the night sky itself, with the smoke of the fire, not skewing the emotion, but enhancing the very feeling which they have flowing through them.
I also see it, as a silent improvision, nothing planned, but something done. They are opening their complete selves to eachother without fear, and giving one another flawless understanding for eachother, since they are doing the same.

If I could somehow make a little spot on this review like a tear drop on a heart felt letter, one of joy, and unbreakable peace, I would, for it is the most perfected PEACE of beauty I have ever heard.

I feel that this means alot to you, and therefore means alot to me, for in it lies the brotherhood!

MaestroRage responds:

Thank you Magi. I'm glad you found the piece moving, in truth you are right, this piece was something that I really enjoyed making and care deeply for. To date I don't think i've ever attempted something of this nature.

The image for this piece is much more then what the measely description box has allowed me to write, allow me to briefely detail you the full image, which was actually formed to me on the Test client of an online game i'm part of the staff of called Escalation Online.

In any case I was running around in the map, the map consists of these hills, some small, some large, with great arcs and spans of water, small rivers, puddles, large lakes riddled the base. I then imagined it being nighttime, and starting a fire.

The feeling was one of a lonely nature. It was in fact too lonely for me, so I created a fire near the top of one of these hills, a fire, shrubs and trees surrounding the fire pit, and brought in some more characters into this strange world.

I formed these characters with the mindset they are true and loyal friends. Having lived through so much turmoil in this desolate and abandoned world, their bonds were incredibly tight.

So with this in mind, how would that emotion be portrayed? I gave them the one strings instrument I felt could deliver this sense of loss and unity at once, and that happened to be the cello.

After that the rest is history, and is left completely up to interpretation, I have my image, and others have generously donated their own version, as have you, which I would like to thank by the way.

Once again I am glad you liked the piece, I am also glad it was the first song on your new shiny iPod, enjoy it well ^^. Thanks for the review!

Btw I forgot to mention some programs that you had asked for in an earlier review. You said you wanted to do classical and techno/industrial. For the techno/industrial I would say go with Fruity Studio's,that is what I am using, and the program was built with techno and other electronic productions in mind. The classical instruments you'll have to acquire through VST's (i'll tell you about them if you are unsure of what they are). The library files for them can be quite large (East West Symphonic Gold Orchestra, what I use currently, it 14 gigs in size), so yeah. There are some small useful gems and many great soundfonts i'll share with you in time as well.

[Man of Sorrow (FIXED Collab)]

Two of my favorite authors

I could hardly wait to review this one, you two are difenately on my favorite author list, if not the top two.
I love the strings in this song, and how they are incorporated with the piano, it is so beautiful. I also like towards the end, were the entire piece almost replays itself in a sort of different key. Nice use of drumset, especially how you use it's absense as such a sentimental part in the piece.
I really like when the strings make their intro in the beginning as well, that is wonderfully done, as well as the progressing piano part.
I also love when the piano hits it's high notes during the song, makes the heart jump to catch them way up there.
Well collaboratred.

~Best of Wishes~

[Ode To Angels (Renewed)]

Beautiful

This song has always been one of my favorites on newgrounds. It's just so beautiful. I really like the string progression, as well as the soothing piano at the end.
The intro is so nice, just kinda sets the mood you know? Then once your in the emotion it starts up with more and different parts, and then it plays it all in a different key or something and this just gets your heart leaping.

All in all, this song is just amazing, I hope you keep coming back and making songs on occasion.

~Best of Luck~