This is an official NGADM '18 Round 1 Review:

This review is going to be quite different compared to my other reviews. Mostly because if I were to do it in that fashion, I wouldn't have found anything to critique on to correctly (take that as a compliment). I don't know if I could have said much other than the production is on point, the composition and structure fits not only your intent, but the lore of this as well, and you have an interesting sound design to use for this (more on that as later), and I could listen to this over and over without getting tired of your voice. So I'm going to need to revert to other methods.

So know I see that this song is formulated with Lord of the Rings lore. Fortunately I am a LOTR enthusiast, meaning while I'm not an expert in this subject by any means, I have had my fair share of homework to look into as I read through the trilogy and the Silmarillion for a LOTR class I took in college. Unfortunately I didn't pay that much attention to Thranduil as much as you did so I had to do a small bit of research…. Which I think you've outdone me on that too…

So now after watching a few LOTR scenes and songs, I've come back to listen to yours and the thing that sticks out the most is your choice of music. I bring this up because I know Tolkien was very keen on what music was like in his world. Similarly with the languages he used to portray different regions (for example middle earthen language was more harsh and violent while elven was more romantically Latin sounding). With all that being said I find it very interesting that you used what sounded like middle eastern elements used to portray Mirkwood sourced music.

After some other research I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Depf1gKhBno
Now this song is not from Mirkwood, but it's still elvish and I would argue that the styles should be similar enough to know that while they would be different regions, they should still have the same elvish feel (btw, especially to bystanders reading this review, that's a really cool song).

Now depending on what part of you're song I listen to I feel like it could go both ways. You start off with a droning cello which I think is excellent. The root note also gives it a good Celtic drone as well which fits within the Tolkien universe. The vocal inflections and trills are perfect, but the key you use is what I question along with some of the instrument choices. The key your using I'm sounds like I'm guessing is a harmonic minor (again, based on some Youtube research, you're really stretching me with this one). In itself a great key for describing the mood you're trying to convey, but it misses getting the right feel of it being a Mirkwood elven song in my opinion (refer to previously linked video). I think this probably would have had a better effect if you picked more of a natural minor which I'm assuming that linked song is in.

As a smaller second point, the heavily reverb background instruments you have as a type of response to the lyric's call sounds middle eastern in a sense. Not the Irish strings or flutes I would expect for this type of song, but this is more of a continuation I feel of the previous paragraph.

So all of that to say I only really found one issue I could have with your song and it's that it doesn't have the right LOTR feel in certain spots, but I had to show you how much effort it took me to get to that conclusion and why I thought that. Aside from that, beautiful song and well made. I definitely appreciate hearing LOTR artwork since there's such a big rabbit hole to travel you could dive into, and I appreciate it so much.

Ending comments: It really sounds like the verse starting at 1:11 was really hard to sing. I thoroughly enjoy LOTR lore based music and this is a good example I think.

Score:

Total - 9.25
Production - 2
Sound Design - 1.5
Composition - 1.75
Structure - 2
Replay - 2

It's cool that a song with eerie vibes can be so relaxing. I love your vocals as usual, and the instrumentation is perfect. I tend to prefer songs with more variation, but the execution is so good here that I don't mind the static nature of it.

Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky...

Thranduil may not have ever possessed any of the Elven rings, but this prayer for the safe return of Legolas and the downfall of Sauron is most impressive. With its slow cadence and somber drone, it speaks well to the plight of the elves and how long they have suffered under the Dark Lord's keen gaze.

The prayer itself is decidedly succinct, but the slow tempo stretches it out considerably, adding a depth of emotion that can only come from such a slow, chant-like rhythm. While the instruments are minimal, the sound is deep and rich, truly showcasing your vocal talents within the mix. Unlike Sequenced, I actually quite like what you've done at the 2:22 mark, melding your voice with the ambient drone.

I do feel as though a little more variety on the instrumental side could have added to the track's overall appeal. Something in a slightly higher range, like flutes or bells, perhaps. But still, your voice provides quite a bit of subtler nuance. I shall indeed be looking forward to your "choir of elves" in the future! Best of luck in the Audio Deathmatch.

The road goes ever on...

This is enchanting. Why hast thou bewitched me?!

I love the bassy intro and ambiance. The Middle Eastern flavor is really cool, and the dissonant layering at 1:16 really considerably to the texture. I love the lyrics, too. Your description of "haunting" fits this piece in many respects. The drone-like quality of the piece limits the ebb and flow of the composition, but you did a good job of incorporating melodic content between the vocal phrases that filled in the texture. Nice job with the production, too. What exactly is the language you're using, btw? Google Translate tells me it's Kurdish, but I don't trust Google Translate. XD Anyway, keep up the great work and good luck in the ADM!