DragonAvenger

Not much to add here that hasn't already been said. There's some good playing, and going for a metal style here really works for the source. Drums really fit well into the track, and they do a lot to accentuate the melody throughout. Nice solo at 1:19 as well. The piano is definitely a bit of a detractor, being as blocky as it is. The overall production is definitely also suffering a bit, lots of mud, especially when things get busy. Definitely something to work on in the future. I also wasn't feeling the squealy stuff going on near the end. It's hard panned, and to me just was a distraction overall. Maybe bringing it back in the mix and centering it a touch more might have helped. Overall this is a close one to me, and I could see it going either way. I think the genre adaption and playing does squeak it over the bar, though. YES (borderline)

Yeah, absolutely agreed with Brad that when it's close in terms of source that gut feeling works well. Listening to this I could recognize the source, and the vocals, while overused, do keep the connection going. I think it's completely fine in regards to source. The mix is catchy, while a bit minimal at times, which really helps emphasize the melodies. I personally wasn't feeling the transition at 1:52, but it's pretty minor overall. The sax solo is fun, would be pretty killer if it was live. The mix is definitely very wet, but it works well for the style you're going, and everything remains clear overall. I'm good with this. YES

This one is close for me. Arrangement is solid, and the guitar playing really solidifies the track. The vocals are pretty good as well, minus what prophetic has mentioned about the end intonation. I'm not as bothered by the bass as the others, and I think the drums do squeak by as well. The "wrong note right note" debate to me comes down to the fact that first impression is that it is not fitting into the track well. Looking at all of the aspects, I can honestly see this going either way. My impression is that this just gets by, but I would not be disappointed to get some fixes in here if it came down to a resub. YES (borderline)

Yeah, I'm with Rexy here. The performance is lovely, but this is pulling too much from already existing arrangements. Gonna have to be a NO for me, but I'd love to hear some of your own arrangements! NO

By luck managed to get two of your pieces in one judge night. Hooray! The bass does some solid work here, really enjoying the presence it has. As Jive said, the mix overall has a fairly minimal feel to it, but that really works to it's advantage, being able to focus on specific elements when needed (drums, bass, leads and solos) without cluttering up the soundscape. Everything is well balanced and shines when it needs to. This is definitely the soundtrack to Amarant riding down a highway on his cycle at midnight. YES

What an excellent expansion on a relatively short theme! Really love the overall bubbly vibe, and there's a ton of change-ups to keep the soundscape fresh. Solid downtempo at 2:30ish that transitions nicely back into the pre-chorus. The rising arpgeggio really keeps things tied together well, solid use there without overstaying. Love it, YES

I'm fresh to this one, but I did a quick read over the issues from before. Absolutely agreed that this is an ambitious arrangement that has a lot of great styles and ideas going on. I do think the instrumentation doesn't match up to the strength of the arrangement, but I think it does squeak by here. I'm going to nitpick here, but do know that I think this is a pass. Just want to let you know things to work on for the future. The backing strings sound solid, but the solo violin should be a little stronger in the field, and add some vibrato in to humanize it more. The brass ensemble sounds muddy overall, specifically the articulations don't seem to quite match up so each attack feels fluffy. Similarly, the sax sample doesn't have a clear attack on a lot of the notes, so it feels like everything is slurred. That might be a shortcoming of the sample, but might also be fixable through velocities of the attacks. Doubling the guitar with the sax was a nice touch. Lead guitar after that sounds muffled, definitely can be brought up in the mix. The wall of sound section overall sounds pretty good. Lead could probably still come out a touch, but everything felt well placed overall. 4:06 guitar run is a little out of time for the first section, definitely sounds like a tough lick there, but would be nice to make sure those parts are clean. I think the arrangement really carries this home, and I hope to hear more from you! Good luck on the rest of the vote! YES (borderline)

Yeah, don't see a real reason to hold this back. Listened through and even the noises I was able to pick out were very slight at best. Really nice arrangement, really nice tone and combination of instruments to set the mood here. YES

The balance issue is definitely the biggest factor here, but I'm going to note that the samples aren't doing the mix many favors as well. The brass and low strings feel like the run just behind the beat on some transitions, and makes some of the parts feel sloppy, and many of the other instruments feel very blocky/mechanical. Some of that is a bit by design, but I think adding some more humanization overall would add a lot to liven the performance. Arrangement does stay pretty close to the source as has been mentioned. I think for the number of repetitions through the source that some more adventurous interpretation would be pretty welcome. Not a deal breaker as-is, but the mix loses my interest as it goes on over time. Not quite there yet, definitely fix the balance between the speakers, and look at the samples for sure. NO (resubmit)

I think the arrangement is fine, and the transition to metal works really well in context. The drumwork in particular was really great to me, all the fills and rhythms felt like they slotted in just right. The mixing, though, I'm just not feeling. The brass is being super overpowered by the rhythm section, and even then sounds super muddy and like it is in the back of a parking garage. It's just being too drowned out, even for a stylistic choice for me. NO (resubmit)

Yeah, this is gorgeous. Lovely tone on the flutes, and the supporting parts really add a lot of life. I'm not always a fan of sound effects in a mix, but the water flowing really worked out well here, and stayed just enough in the background that you almost forget about it until the end. Great work. YES

I'm in the same boat as Larry here, arrangement has some small personalization that makes it nice, but the overall samples/realism really hits it hard. I think this one needs another pass before it's ready. No (resubmit)

Tough one here. Nothing to add that hasn't been mentioned, but I think in the end the abrupt transitions, the weird harmonies at 1:49ish and the production issues are adding up to just not quite making it for me. It's close, though, and I'd super love to hear this one back at us! NO (resubmit, please)

I do think this is pretty coverish, but I don't think it's as bad as the others are making it out to be. There's definitely the addition to the drums, the change up between octaves and the harmony in the third repetition, plus the addition of the second theme (which actually had more arrangement to it than the Fight Theme overall I felt). That being said, I would have loved more change-ups overall. Add to that that the flange on the guitar really makes it feel muffled which really cuts the power of the lead. Similarly, the harmony that comes in 1:10 feel awkward because it doesn't match articulations with the lead, and at 1:21 the two parts are fighting in the same space on the counter melody (maybe some subtle panning of each instrument to opposite sides would help there). I think the combo of the low amount of arrangement and the production issues are what are doing it for me, but I'd like to see this one again. NO (resubmit)

Yeah, I gotta go with Rexy here. After 0:35, I'm really not clicking in on the source here at all. Pretty track, but not enough connection here. NO

This track has similar issues to the one I just judged (I believe this one came first, so I guess it would be the other way around?). The arrangement overall works for me, though I would have liked to have some more done to the first half to vary things up. Lots of good suggestions already like changing the lead instrument, but I'd also maybe suggest altering the harmonies or chords lightly to keep things fresh as you go through before you expand more as well. The others brought up the production, and I agree that the track is overall quiet, but I think it still gets through overall. YES (borderline)

I'm definitely on the fence regarding the first half of the arrangement, but I think the second half seals it on that side of thing. Samples, however, aren't really doing it as others have mentioned. The others have already covered where things needs to be addressed, so I hope to hear you bring this back to us! NO (resubmit)

I'm on the fence here too, and I think I slide just barely into YES territory with that kickin' solo. Next submission change things up a little more in the melody/structure earlier on and you'll be golden. YES (borderline)

This one is definitely close for me. Overall this is a unique take on the two tracks, and the style works really well for both, and it's a fun listen. The changes you made to the melodies also work really well without straying too far from the original. I do agree that the track overall has a lot of loudness and mainly sits in the high end, which can be fatiguing on the ears, especially with multiple listens. Along with that, when the bass is more up front, I don't think it really cuts through the way it should. All that being said, I think the arrangement really makes up for it and more, and I'm good to go for this one. YES

The other judges already caught just about everything I would have brought up. I do agree that the bass is maybe a tough loud overall, but not ever to a point of being a deal breaker. The one nitpick I might add is while there is a ton of detail going on around the melody to create a fantastic atmosphere, the main theme really plays verbatim throughout. Would have loved some variations or breaking up of the sections. Something to keep in mind for next time! YES

I'm just barely on the YES side of this as well. The melody is there, and I can hear it, but I do really wish it was out more in the forefront. Definitely a lot going on though, and it's a fun listen. YES (Borderline)

Had to listen to this one a few times through to figure out what I think about the vocals. I think Larry has some good points on the overall feel within the track as well as some intonation issues, but I think that overall it doesn't come to a point where it drags the rest of the track below the bar, since there is a lot of good going on with it. Definitely somethings to take note of for the future, and it does end up being close in the end, but I think it gets by as-is. YES (borderline)

I think Rexy has this right. There's definitely personalization here, though at times it is pretty subtle. I think the expansion of the chords and flourishes do add a lot of life, and the swell in the middle gives the track some good life. The production does overall feel stiff and a bit unrealistic, but I think overall I'm good with the level it is at currently. YES

Volume is definitely better, I'm good to go. YES

The others have already covered what I was going to say here: the first half really is just too close, and when it does diverge the arrangement doesn't really build. The string samples also feel a bit mechanical and stiff, which doesn't convey the emotion of what you're going for well. I'd like to hear the first half to branch out more, and maybe try to build more into that crescendo at 2:53 or so. Also please bring the volume up! NO (resubmit)