I like the frantic string riff at the beginning and the atmospheric details. There’s a good sense of build into :30, but the texture sounds a bit indistinct. I think you could use a high-pass to add some clarity at the low end of the frequency spectrum here. The string melodies at :58 sound nice, but they get a bit buried underneath the harmonies. I like the foreboding mood of the piece, but the balance is a bit off here. The frantic strings and percussion overshadow the rest of the mix. That said, I really like the transition at 1:42, even if it’s a bit sudden. You tie it together well enough with the use of the frantic riffs of either side that it maintains a sense of flow. The piece also comes together well towards the end with the busy texture at 1:56. I still would’ve liked to hear some more variety in the harmonic framework and foregrounding of the melodic elements of the piece, though. The composition comes across as pretty experimental here, although that’s more due to the way the texture is layered than the structure or sound design. I also really like the woodwind mini-solo at 2:26. It was a good mysterious way of wrapping up the boss battle, as if the enemy is going to retreat, but is not quite defeated. Overall, you took some dubious risks with the composition here, but I like the sound design, mood, and flavor of the piece. At the end of the day, it’s mostly the bizarre balance of frequencies that bothers me here. Otherwise, solid work, Mrcoolisimo! :)
Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10