Neophyte-Ronin's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Scissors!]

Foundation for an Excellent Song

This is a grim tune about psychiatric disorder and suicide, right? The lyrics don't need the touch-up. The music has enough class and groove to warrant a female vocalist (bear with me on this idea!) to get the pitch and octave up a notch. Next thing I would touch up is the emotion. It really has to sound like the vocalist is about to break down and cry over this senseless death.

Other than that, this has the workings of a prog-rock classic. It's terribly spooky, I'll give you that. It's also smooth and unsettling, a difficult combination accomplished only through jazz genres. In that sense, it is safe to say that you're giving yourself an excellent range that nobody can deny. Now all you have to do is get a willing lady vocalist and collab endlessly. If you don't like your vocals, either take voice classes or recruit someone who not only does, but others like also.

Voted Five (the song is above and beyond most submissions here, anyway).

Kor-Rune responds:

Thanks! You pretty much hit the nail on the head with the meaning. I wrote it about suicidal thoughts in today's youth, and also how they feel like they're so cut off from the world, and in something deeper.

I certainly would love a female vocalist actually. A lot of my tones and music seems that it would fit for a female-lead going on. I'll be on the lookout for one, maybe take a couple of my songs and give them to female vocalists around the internet, and see if they'd like to sing them. Thanks for the suggestion, I haven't really seen it before!

[Falling to pieces/What's Done]

R E S P E C T

At least I have an explanation behind your alleged absence. Being on #4 kind of sucks unless you skip around and worry about the track order later.

The brief voice-over is a little cheesy and perhaps not the best acted, but that's just a frill you can play around with to all eternity until it fits the mood.

You don't need the fastest fingers for the frightening feelings you get from this song... only, don't let it fade out so quickly, if it fades to silence; an abrupt crunch of an end might be better.

This sounds like a track that exists in the upper half of any album, even without correcting anything except the mastering. I look forward to the finished product, but if you're worried about finishing, why not solicit aid from the NG community? Don't forget that there are plenty of talented mo's here, so you don't have to trudge through alone. If, however, you prefer to pull this off as a singular effort, even then... we got your back covered.

Rock on!

Bad-Man-Incorporated responds:

Thanks dude. Yeah, it was kinda cheesy..because I just tossed it in there..making shit up as I go along. I've filled it for the album version with something better. :D

As for soliciting NG's, I definitely have taken up that end as well. :D Newgrounds has some serious talent. Just listen to the homo's stuff below this response!! haha. Anyways, yeah. That is the reason for the absence. :D

Thanks as always for your thoughts and support, dude. Kickass.

[(gaia) va4C 2nd muffin]

Excellent Effort--Hope you Win!

Okay, now this is more towards your range: the grim clerk combats the whims of a bubbly bohemian. Then she surfs channels and bleeds her woes into the chalice of a malformed popular culture, perhaps to rip out the memory of a potentially homoerotic (think of her as "butch" and her customer as "femme") encounter. Imaginative pun with "Sharky", by the way; it isn't "Mah Tail" but "Mah Snout". This one is even better than pirate telephone customer service. Last comment (question, actually): did that hippie order an "Orgasm" with her muffin?

Consider taking professional courses and attending community theater to temper your skill; you have a more sarcastic bent and wider range than Kira Buckland, if that means anything to you.

rednikaiaG responds:

*kneels down to you and the magnitude of your LAST comment* Neo------>
You just made my YEAR with that. I envy Rina-Chan's drive and effort put towards making her career SO colorful. I've never spoken/typed to her but she is one motivated Lady who's put a LOT of time into seeking out roles, to build her portfolio. I hope to one day, have MY voice, be JUST as utilized, as hers in ALL media formats. Thanks again, Neo.
The hippie chick ordered an ORGANIC soy, triple shot, non-fat, sugar-free, cinnamon dolche latte, with lots of whip. :)
I can't thank you enough for an honest vote, as well. You've never let me down, in the honesty department.
That's priceless, *resists the urge to type "period" after that last statement*.
Maybe I WILL look into joining a community theatre or something. *signs off, with one of the biggest grins, I've had, in awhile* Until next time. . .

...............Take care, be good and send me an update on things.period
:(Gaia:)

[(gaia) va pirate contest]

Not the Best Range, but Excellent Atmosphere!

It's hard when I say you tried to get too gravelly with the pirate voice (not all pirates speak like that) and got borderline Gnomish (think World of Warcraft) with the lady. Still, you got a wonderful sense of humor; I had this looping for a bit until it got infectious for me to chuckle and laugh a bit. Excellent atmospheric production, by the way; telephone customer service with the indecipherable slang of an eighteenth century privateer... and with pornography! Kevin Smith would be pleased (ever see that "ordering videos" scene from "Clerks"?).

Post-Script: I feel like a total dick for not realizing you spelled your Grounds Gold username backwards; I've been calling you "Red" when you're better known as "Gaia Kinder". I mean, what the fuck, Thibeault?

rednikaiaG responds:

Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Neo------>
I'm just happy that you actually vote honestly AND leave reviews. That's an infinitely important gift, to give someone, who's looking to gauge, what others think of her work. See? You're doing exactly what you should be doing.
That's why they call it CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
As for the porno ordering scene on "Clerks" . . . yes Sir, I HAVE seen it. I thought of it while I was thinking of my own porno names, too! Heh heh heh Hell, If ONLY Kevin Smith even listened to this skit, I'd be uber excited. SO much so, that I just might wet myself. That'd be excellent, unbelieveably so, though.
Don't feel like a dick, Man. What's up with you tonight? Why are you being so mean to my friend, Neo? Chill. It's all good in the NG Hood. Ah-ite? Fo Rull, Main. I never told anyone my name was reversed. You weren't the only one who called me that. I don't care or mind at all. If I did, I would have told you differently. Ok? Oh and I hate to sound like an idiot, but what the Hell is Thibeault? Is that YOUR last name? Take it easy, you know I get confused easily! Ha!
Thanx again, Neo. You're the best! Until next time. . .

..............Take care, be good and be nice to yourself. I mean it!exclamation point
:(Gaia:)

[Orion(Cover)-Metaljonus]

Beryls have Chromium (I THINK)

Ignore the last review. For you see, Orion is my favorite all-time Metallica song as well. In truth, I recall listening to this in my middle school english class; the teacher occasionally played it on Fridays for our creative writing session. Years later, I got to know the work of Cliff Burton and became a fan of Howard Phillip Lovecraft in turn (since Cliff was inspired and wrote "Call of Ktulu" and "The Thing That Should Not Be"--my two other favorites--through the Cth'ul'hu Mythos of Lovecraft). Essentially, Orion is one of the rare songs that shaped my creative inclinations over the years. To hear someone cover it at long last on Newgrounds is quite a spell, and this is why you remain one of my favorite
musicians here. Let me know if you feel like composing a movie soundtrack, I'd love to include you.

Anyway, since it's one of my favorites, living up to a legend already puts you at odds with my sharp ear for details. It's not a soulless replica, which is good, although if you had problems with the bass segments from lack of proper equipment, I might have to hold that against the overall verdict. The gong that ordinarily accompanies the sonata's transition to its "B" segment is sadly missing. I guess mixing one in would take too much agony, although it was a nice touch we may as well miss.

Those are the only two issues of note: your guitar mastery means you would definitely be an asset to any band you join (or form), online or locally. Congratulations on another excellent project, and ignore the zero voters. They're only pining for the old-style Metallica like "Puppets" (I figured "Death Magnetic" would reclaim some of that eroded glory, anyway!), and this is just a painful reminder of what once was the progenitor of all speed/thrash metal. A painfully GOOD reminder, I should say.

Metaljonus responds:

Dude, you write the best reviews lol. Give me some time to edit and respond to this.

[(gaia) va bad-man-inc preach]

Not QUITE Middle-Aged

But certainly crazy, which is the point.

Well Red, you have some measure of range, and some sardonic touch to your voice. However, this doesn't mock the religion so much as mocks some of its followers. Actually, this probably has nothing to do with mockery, but rather to further the grim horror in Bad-Man's next entry to his music catalog.

Your voice, however, is too high to be middle-aged woman; women tend to become deeper and huskier only after forty, provided they aren't like that ahead of time (like in the case of Cher or a few other well-known ladies). It's only natural, and the hardest part of this vocation: getting a wide range of possible voices. If you're a regular at the VAC (Voice Acting Club), perhaps a few kindly souls could provide advice about how to stretch your voice to untold limits.

Acting, the biggest component of the occupation, is handled fairly well. Most online voice characterizers tend to fear the next-door neighbors and what they think (e.g. parents, old people) about the stuff that flies out of your mouth. I am typically mindful about what goes on around me while I'm crooning into a microphone myself, but it strains the voice and prevents me from going to the extremes that I'm capable of, both in terms of straining voice and also in the intensity of my emotion. Frankly, I think you could have put a little more bombastic "oomph" into your delivery, but I can sympathize if you're crooning within ear-shot of parents who wonder just what the hell is going on in that room.

Still, this is a solid contribution to a project whose final product I'm looking forward to hearing. Send my regards to the big guy, and keep up the good work.

P.S. Elongated text cocks ("8=======D", for example) are totally unnecessary.

The real ones are.

rednikaiaG responds:

Holy Toledo, he lives! Yay, Neo------! ! ! ! ! !
You came! You ACTUALLY came here! I thought you had dropped off the face of the Earth. At least the RL one, anyway. Not only do you drop by (per request, I admit, thanx again!), leave an amazing review full of useful feedback and compliments with a bit of reprimand too but you voted honestly as well!
So many people just stop by and drop a 10 and say "cool!'. (Not that I'm complaining, mind you!) Your opinion is important to me and I'm blessed you gave it to me. Ok, Ok, Ok, to reply:

==I'm glad you don't think I'm mocking the religion, only one of the more extreme messengers. I was afraid droves of Christians would bombard me with zer0's and hate mail as well. Anyone mature enough, WOULD see, that that's just not the case here though.
==I will most definitely check out the VAC, Neo. I could use some tips and hints from estblished artists! Especially about what types of mics and programs they use. I will work on my range too, Neo. *nods head accordingly*
==I appreciate the compliment about my acting, and will take heed to applying more bombastic, "oomph" to my projection, next time! There WERE sleeping people nearby, Hmm, how could you tell? *wink, wink*
==Yeah and I can't wait to hear the finalization, either, Man. I think Bad-Man said he AND Metaljonus were working on it! Woot!
==*hangs my head down shamefully for my immature text cock joke prank*
I offer you my deepest apology for the text genitalia, Neo. You don't deserve to have that burned in your retinas. You forgive me?
I sure hope to hear from you via PM sometime, Man. I've missed your rants. Honestly. Until next time, Neo. . .

............Take care, be good and don't be a stranger, Man.period

[Far Away From You]

Nu Metal

Killswitch Engage sounds a lot like Linkin Park sans rapping. Hence I can conjecture the genre as Nu Metal. It sounds a lot like relationship troubles, which automatically gets itself a stamp of approval for hard rock radio play, even with the death growls, but makes me breathe a heavy sigh when it's done, as in "it's finally over". Call it "melodrama overload"; I assume pop princesses excel at that, but I can be wrong on occasion.

The guitar is a bit muddy, but that's a production issue. Actually, the whole song can use a revamp in terms of mixing, including Bad-Man's vokilling, although the guitar and voice play out quite well otherwise. Dimoria and Bad-Man have a reputation for greatness that this song manages to project.

It's a contemporary form of nu metal--not my cup of tea, by any stretch--but objectively good and radio-worthy. Let's hope future collaborations improve upon this project's outcome.

Either way, I'll still download and put his on a CD and have people guess which popular band (Linkin Park or Killswitch Engage) did the song. If they cite a popular band, that's a kudos to you guys.

Bad-Man-Incorporated responds:

Haha, thanks man. Not really a 'conscious' collab. He posted some music and I sang on it. I would love to do something from scratch with him.

Anyways, thanks very much for the advice, review, listen AND download. Kick ass.

\m/

[Legend of Pliskin 3 Menu song]

The Perfect Loop for the Perfect Game?

I should have known. The prior track sounded similar to the track you made years ago for the second installment. I suppose this means nobody can use these tracks unless they get Holy-Howard's permission as well (considering they've become a series' theme music). While it is a letdown and possible setback, you should be proud. People seek you out even years later for the same quality, because they know they'll get it.

P.S. This loops perfectly.

Bad-Man-Incorporated responds:

Thanks man. Anyone can use it, once it's posted on Newgrounds. :D
I'm hoping to do more custom music for people's flashes, but...no one asks. haha.

Thanks again, man.

[Sinister Beginnings]

Sinister Coolness

Oh my God, they better use this track for the project--or an improved version if that's even feasible--because it would fit, guaranteed. You have a consistent quality when making short tracks. Consider looking into revamps and revisions of prior material like Gunja, Super Freak, and I Hate Tuesday (the 2008 version), to name a few. The earlier track (Dark House, I believe it was) doesn't come close to this one. Still, that would be the intro cinema while this one is the menu screen.

Bad-Man-Incorporated responds:

Thanks man!. Definitely a good idea. Going back. haha. I should.

Thanks for another kick ass review~!\m/

[FF7Battle(Final)-Metaljonus]

Much Improved

Much Appreciated.

Suppose I design a game and tribute to Final Fantasy (which will feature Brian Clevinger's Black Mage). Do you think you'll want me to include this track? Be honest.

Metaljonus responds:

I don't mind.