ForgottenDawn's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Bellowers of Grief]

'Atmospheric' is what comes to mind upon hearing this piece. Definitely not an easy achievement with a purely digital orchestra and such subtle dynamics. I can tell that some smart choices were made here to avert muddying everything in reverb and still ensure that each layer carries enough presence and emotional punch in the mix, the lack of which is a rather common mistake. I had to relisten to this a number of times just to catch some tiny detail I may have missed in my previous runs. That's the mark of an intentional, controlled piece that is a joy to listen on both monitors and headphones. Jeremy Soule vibes all the way through, except that compared to the Skyrim soundtrack, I can actually hear every instrument crystal clear.

Everratic responds:

Thank you, this means a lot coming from you!

I actually like how some Skyrim songs have so many layers that it creates this large multi-timbral ensemble sound. I have no idea how to create that effect in a pleasing way.

[Deep Sinker]

It's been a while. Haven't heard your piano solos in years. I certainly missed the romanticism in your impromptu mood pieces—less of a technical show-off, and more like swashes of color, a painting in aural form. A dreamy piano, able to capture on its own the magic of an entire orchestra. And just like that, I snap back into reality as soon as the reverie ends.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Hey, it's great to hear from you! I feel like you described my approach eerily well, although I might not describe it as nicely myself :'D
I've uploaded less as I've been (and will be) working on a mystery project for some time. I hope to try to do more on NG, as well. I'll make sure to check out some of your later work as well, as it has indeed been a while, and I miss your sound too :3

[Necroswamp Abomination]

What stuns me the most about this piece is the sheer amount of layering you perform on most, if not all instrument lines, from what I can tell. You're one of the few artists on Newgrounds I can comfortably call a "maximalist" in every sense of the term—I've understood that as your comfort stylistic pocket from hearing your audio works thus far. Big stats, more is more, bigger is better.

I have nothing to say about the actual content of this track. I would consider it flawless. The emotional literacy is there, it's frantic, it's anxious, it's exactly as you've set it up to be, which is film quality.

[AIM - Moments In Life]

Serene and pastoral. It makes me think of better times, complementing the inspirational art piece well. I'm happy you decided to finish this piece, as I heard a preview of your work and looked forward to hearing it fleshed out.

AceMantra responds:

Thanks, friend! I'm happy you enjoyed it. I had more ideas for this piece, but I left them out due to time, and deciding to make this last minute. I'm happy with it though.

Thanks for listening! :)

[Rhythrade (NGAIC Layer 5)]

Interesting! I preface this by admitting that I have little idea of what "Sci-Fi Dungeon Synth" even sounds like and what the "Sci-Fi" bit in the genre would entail, at the time of this review. With that said, though, I'm sitting here and I hear a cinematic track. I can easily picture this in a scene, maybe a zany kids cartoon with sci-fi elements and a cliffhanger at the end. That's what it sounds like to me, which isn't a bad thing. It just means that your scoring chops are using a different language than what I would expect to hear in a dungeon synth track. I like the intensity and your interpretation of the sci-fi bit through the percussion—some of it even reminds me of the first Metal Gear Solid. It's a pretty solid composition overall.

[Débonnaire Inc.]

Jazz'n'Bass, I'm digging it. It seems like we've come full circle in developing the genre: we started by sampling a drum break from a 60's R&B/Soul instrumental, branched out to include more chopped up drum breaks, textures and even jazz elements in the mid-90's, and now we're straight up slapping drum breaks to a jazz track. And the drummer isn't even in the wrong gig! 😂 Yeah, this is a fun track to listen to. I like the overall playfulness and even vaguely casino/big band vibe of the brass section. If the Cuphead and Ape Escape soundtracks had a baby, there's a chance it might have sounded like this. Just brilliant.

Daru925 responds:

Glad you liked it, i had similar "full circle" thoughts, when trying to create that classic dnb shuffle from scratch, and checking if the double bass can/should evoke a reese bass ahah^^
I had some childhoold warner bros cartoons in mind when composing, so the cuphead analogy isn't far off.
Yeah stacking 7th chords in the background gave that stereotype tuxedo big band foundation instantly^^ I know it's infinitely more complex than that, but for next time :D

[Pallid]

I said it on Discord, I'll repeat it here. I love how serene it sounds, an almost nostalgic weather channel-like (or even muzak-like) melody, at least to my ears. The slight bitcrushing and lo-fi does add an interesting layer of damage to an otherwise fairly predictable melody, and I find myself enjoying the inclusion of a speed automation that slows down the track as it progresses. I would say that it's a fine attempt at the genre, and one that doesn't overstay its welcome.

[Vanitae]

I think it's an interesting interpretation of Gregorian chants, befitting more a cinematic score with Gregorian elements. This is, in fact, more complex and layered than what I would expect a Gregorian chant to sound like, which is usually monodic. The melody itself is quite beautiful and solemn—I don't find the chords cheesy at all, as some stylistic choices do add some interesting colors to otherwise dare I say predictable progressions. Case in point here at 0:43 (is that a Dmaj6/9?), and 01:07 followed by a gorgeous resolution. My verdict is that there's more than meets the eye, and I think this is a good example of a track that does just enough to make the storytelling feel more endearing than you would expect.

nyxl responds:

Thanks for your comment! I agree with what you wrote, Gregorian Chant is usually monodic, but I really like pretty chords. 0:43 is Dmaj7/9 indeed and 1:07 is Gmaj7/9 into Aadd9.

[Giš Eren Giš Tir - (In The Dark Cedar Forest, Humbaba Sleeps)]

I love the chill, subdued tone of this soundscape you've created. It really does have that forest underbelly type of atmosphere to me—a kind of hidden place with its own endearing mystique and ecosystem. I quite enjoyed leaving this in the background while drawing. It made me want to explore fantasy spaces, venture into the unknown and somehow still feel safe in my own ability to change and adapt. I don't have much to share in the technical department—I don't think that it's a track lacking anywhere in particular. If anything, I do find its contemplative and laid-back nature appealing.

[Ancient And Forlorn, A Spiritless God Screams Into The Thirteenth Dimensional Void NGAIC Layer 5]

Hell yeah, now we're talking. I think that all your metal entries in this iceberg challenge so far have been pretty accurate. This reminds me of the more progressive side of death metal, like late Death and Opeth, or even Atheist, rather than the atonal mess of, say, Gorguts. But yeah, Demilich? Oh, man. That's some premium influencing right there. 👌 I would really love to hear some good vocals in this. Thank you for including a kickass solo and the obligatory solo bass ear candy near the end.