DragonAvenger Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Remixer name: Brent Wollman UserID: 41181 Games arranged: Descent I and Descent II Name of arrangement: Eternal Descent Songs arranged: Descent II: Credits and Descent I: Credits This mix took forever. I'm not sure why, but I had a really hard time getting everything to sound right. At this point I think I finally have something good It is a remix of a couple tracks I've loved for a long time. I used to watch the credits sequence to Descent I and II over and over just to hear this music, so I really wanted to do the source tunes justice. Here is a source breakdown: 0:00-0:41 Pretty overt use of the intro to the Descent II track 0:41-0:48 This synth riff sounds a lot like the bassline to the Descent II track, not sure if it's close enough to count. 0:48-2:16 This whole section is pretty overt. First, that melody from Descent II reenters, then the main verse melody comes in on the lead guitar. There is a little break playing that other melody for a few seconds, then the vocals come in with the verse melody again. 2:16-2:44 The vocals are singing the chorus from the Descent II track. 2:44-3:25 Here you can hear the main melody to the Descent I track on the plucked synth, as well as a bit of the Descent II track's chorus on the vox. 3:25-5:29 This is where there may be a problem. The chord progression on the clean guitar sounds kind of like the one at the end of the Descent I track, but the connection is pretty loose. I'm pretty sure that the synth solo uses the chord progression from the beginning of the Descent I track, but since the solo is original it's kinda hard to hear any connection. 5:29-end Back to overt usage of the Descent II track's chorus. And the lyrics: I have a long way to go Till I'm anywhere but here And my days fade like smoke And my mind drifts away Reprieve is but a dream And it will not obtain Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSmp2Q_gPk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 There is a pretty good variety of sounds on here, some solid guitar playing, and a vocaloid hook that works pretty well. It really gives a space-travel feel, and contains some mysterious and sinister elements as well, in the intro and throughout. The mood here is definitely cool. The rhythm guitars get a little uppity in some spots, but everything is still audible, and the transients are good. I just think some of the high end could have been EQ'ed down. The solo was good, and the flow was solid. I think a little bit could have been trimmed lengthwise, but overall this was cool. Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Orichalcon Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I disagree with OA on the highend, I'm feeling like it's ballooning and bit too much in the midlevels, mainly due to that main rhythm synth, which I feel should've been an octave lower. The bass also feels a little too 'high' so to speak. Nitpicky issues though. When I saw lyrics, I was kind of waiting for something cringe-worthy, but they fit in really well, more to support the music than to be the focus of it. My only problem is the slight mastering issues I have, but it's not enough to reject this. A really clever mixture of the two credit themes. It's a shame you couldn't find a way to include the Credits track as well. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 Really nothing to add to what the fine gentlemen have extrapolated on ahead of me. There's plenty of good going on here, like the successful incorporation of what could be considered somewhat 'cheesey' lyrics, and overall working those two themes together quite well. There are production nitpicks, but I'm happy to call them things you can work on for next time. There will be a next time, right? YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emunator Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Wow, color me impressed! This might be one of my favorite arrangements that I've heard since I started judging. It starts off with some ambiance that really sets up a dark, brooding mood. Over the course of the piece it goes through some very powerful crescendos - the buildups and breakdowns keep me engaged. I also like how well you've balanced your levels: the drums are punchy and thick but not overpowering and work well with the stutters/glitches that you've employed, the bass texture is rich and clean, and your rhythm guitars command attention but don't hog, either. The clean guitar section and the solo that followed blew my mind <3 The vocals were admittedly still a weak point for me, but once I treated them as just another textural instrument instead of a traditional vocal melody, it was a lot more palatable. Props for doing something unique there And now I've got 'em stuck in my head. I could gush for a while, but you get the idea. I really like all of the unique sounds, textures, and arrangement ideas that set this apart from the million other metal songs out there. The production critiques mentioned by the other judges are valid, so keep working on refining the little details. If I could throw in a nitpick, I'd say that the piano sample you're using feels really thin, like it's being played an octave too high, and the delay mucks things up somewhat. Obviously nothing that's a dealbreaker, but it's always good to watch for that stuff in your future mixes. Good work dude! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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