Aalasteir's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Let's Go! (Instrumental)]

Great intro and excellent use of the glitch effect! The drums and bass are well-mixed, and your song has a very professional sound. Keep making amazing music! The bass is well-crafted, and the way the riser leads into the chorus is impressive. The chorus has a pirate-like attitude to it.

@G2961, what advice has helped you in making your song?

G2961 responds:

Thank you so much, Aalasteir! The only thing that helped me was that I decided to go into FL Studio after 5 days and sit in front of it for 5+ hours on a whim, so I accidentally made a new track. Also I just wanted to test out the homemade headphones, lol.

[!NGAP MEGACOLLAB!]

Amazing collab! It’s incredible to hear so many different styles!

[Graeme interviews Jsoull about Madness (2021)]

Great episode! It was awesome to hear about the Madness series, though it’s unfortunate to hear that the Discord communities have many problems. I really enjoyed hearing @Jsoull's thoughts on Madness. I completely agree—the music in Madness is absolutely amazing! It’s always exciting to see new high-quality Madness creations being created!

@Graeme, what do you think about having an album cover for your podcast audio on Newgrounds? Personally, I think that would be awesome!

@Graeme, thanks for sharing the backstory of your conversation with Jsoull. What advice would you give for handling burnout?

@Jsoull, in what ways do you feel the combat in Madness has changed in the three years since September 2021?

Graeme responds:

It's not so much a formal podcast as it was a one-off interview. I'll potentially do more in the future, and will share those here as well. Depending how that takes shape, maybe I'll add some form of album art? But at the very least I should probably give this specific upload some Madness-y art/

As for handling burnout. It's a nightmare! And something I still struggle with. The biggest thing I've learned, is to take more time than you think you need! The wind-down that comes from stepping back doesn't really count as proper rest. You need time to disengage THEN rest. If you don't give it an appropriate amount of time, you won't actually recover.

[VALERIE SCHWARZ | CREATIVE BLOCK #183]

Funny episode! I really enjoyed the discussion about leadership and how important it is to have communication skills, especially in a creative collaborative environment like animation projects, where teamwork is the foundation.

[Rollout]

Your compositions are well-constructed, with landscapes of sound that I enjoy. You have an incredible ability to create juxtaposition in music, where the quiet and loud parts complement each other seamlessly. Your sound design is awesome!

@JamesHeart, how do you build your songs so well?

[The Dead Run]

Great heavy bass, and the atmosphere is super cool. I really like the mix—it’s strong, and the song structure is unique.

01:35 - This is my favorite part! What I really enjoy is the background atmosphere, and it works so well because the buildup!

@RyuuAkito what is your system for organizing your workflow for music projects?

@RyuuAkito how did you discover Madness?

RyuuAkito responds:

Duuude, thank you!

As for workflow, when it comes to personal work I can very much be described as a monkey slamming a keyboard until something sticks. I definitely just boot up FL Studio and work until something works while building off of the knowledge I've gained over the years. When I'm managing a project, I try to have a structured approach while also being laid back; the people I'm working with are talented and they deserve the room to breathe and shine. Big things matter like deadlines, goals, and the product we're delivering, but otherwise I know that a team can shine when they aren't so restricted.

I discovered Madness in 2008 when I was like 4 years old haha. I grew up as the youngest in my family, and my older brother showed me the flash game "Madness Interactive" and I've fallen in love with the series ever since. It's a deep childhood memory for me that I will always cherish.

[Pursuit (Madness: Ricochet OST)]

You two make an amazing team! Wishing you a Happy Madness Day as well. I was blown away by how awesome the song is—the guitar is heavy, the drums are fast and full of energy, and the song's structure, the guitar solos, is excellently done!

@TeraVex what advice has helped you in making Madness music?

@TeffyD how did you develop your guitar style?

I wish I could make music this good! I mostly create industrial like Madness music and often use Trash 2 by iZotope—it's my favorite distortion VST. I also really like Omnisphere 2.

TeffyD responds:

I got my guitar style from Steve Vai and Joe Satriani where its more strat sounding (even if I dont own one lol), and playing when I was 14 or so like 8 hours a day for years on Rocksmith 2014, Its all self taught which means its not the best but I enjoy it

[Crypt Voice - SIERRA NEVADA [MSN OST]]

Your song is incredible! The bass and melody create such a spooky atmosphere—it's truly excellent. It’s like a mix of Halloween and synthwave, and they complement each other perfectly—immaculate vibes!

@CryptVoice what elements do you value most in music, and why?

CryptVoice responds:

Experimentation and dark vibes

[SARAH SCHMIDT | CREATIVE BLOCK #182]

Great episode! I remember seeing Vegeversary on Newgrounds, and I think the animation is excellent.

[The theme I play while you are not here]

Majestic composition!