An army of orcs coming my way!
Probably best to reciprocate for your great reviews to this account eh?
I should come right out and tell you that I dislike this kind of music. I think this is a disagreement between the two of us on the term 'epic'.
Put very bluntly, I feel this is taking the easy way out. Reverb and heavy percussion almost instantly take care of the ominous feeling, throw in a bunch of strings playing long, sustaining notes for the contrast and there's the tension.
What I highly prefer is to have the epic elements - tension, progression, dynamics
I've been listening to a lot of solo piano music by Ravel lately and I can assure you: all these elements are found in the configuration of just notes. No matter how bombastical the arrangement, I feel that, stripped to the bare, the composition shouldn't have lost any of its impact. In the case of this piece, you would have to add a lot of extra notes to the score in order to retain its impact.
It's like when you watch a movie with a shit plot but great special effects. I always feel tricked into feeling what I felt watching it, and that annoys me - I know what they're doing, but I fall for it anyway.
That's because special effects are made possible by technology, which is a factor the artist (director) doesn't determine. They are tricks to instantly instill a sensation in the viewer, but by reflex, not by train of thought. They are a scientifically enhanced attack on the synapses. They aren't HUMAN.
The kid Donnie Darko, clumsily exploring the basics of physical love with his first girlfriend, HE's human. Him I identify with, him I feel for. He is a creation of a writer, a director and an actor, using their IMAGINATION (I wish I could bold it out, I hate how obnoxious caps look). This triggers me to on my turn use my imagination to identify with Donnie and start feeling what I would feel in his situation.
The reflex of a special effect disables that trigger. No use for imagination, because you already know what the outcome will be.
This is a crude analogy. Your music IS more than a bunch of special effects, but I just don't like the balance between them and your own imagination.
I am certainly not condemning your music. You are great at what you do and a lot of people, including yourself, like it, love it even. It doesn't make you any less artistical, you are obviously using your talent to achieve primarily what YOU want and not what you think other people want. So you can completely disregard everything I just said, and I won't lose any respect or sympathy for you. I am quite certain that while reading this, you seriously considered it and weighed it against your own views. I am here to give my opinion. If you'd like to talk more about it, I'd gladly engage in a PMing spree with you.
That all being said, good job. (hehe.)
I've had it on repeat the whole time it took writing up to here, and it's very constant, aforementioned ominous...ness... and tension are maintained throughout and never collapse.
I do think that you should have made the lead more stand out once the percussion got in full gear, it became hard to keep track of. Otherwise the mix is spot on for what you're going after, sharp hooks in the percussion and a very nicely dosed voice sample.
Good, full bass in the arrangement, but more treble might have pulled it towards stronger climaxes. It serves the purpose of menu music very well, creates an atmosphere instantly. Competes with the menu music of Baldur's Gate. :)
This is probably the longest review I've ever writtten, I don't know what the fuck got over me. I really hope you appreciate this for what it is - a largely illustrated opinion, a spark for a healthy debate possibly, in a light tone with no intention to be aggressive or belittling.
I be digging yous.
things snoball (complete)