Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
LexRodent, Requiem for an Astronaut: 10,4,8,10 (32/40)
(Disclaimer: I didn't feel that the two versions you posted were vastly different from each other and my issues with the mix persist for both renditions. To save time for myself, I'm giving both tracks the same review/score.)
Feeling some Guns and Roses from the illustration, the music echoes a classic rock sound that vibes well. The voice modulations are creative. While I tend to nit pick the EDM artists a little harsher than I do with other genres I'll have the bravery to say that the mix here could have been much better. The melodies and arrangement are top class but everything sounds like it's being recorded through a tin can. That's not a terrible conceptual disservice to the limitations of communicating sound in outer space but better fidelity will always benefit a tune more than a comparatively squashed conceptual mix down. I'm taking off a big chunk of points off for that mix quality. As I just pointed out in my previous review to Jinz, a thin mix can effect the potency of the delivery. A perfect mix down can really help you deliver powerful emotions. A few metal artists I like listening to that have wonderful mix downs are David Maxim Micic, Chimp Spanner, Chon, or Animals As Leaders. I don't spend all my time listening to progressive metal but these are a few artists that I admire for their technicality AND the fidelity of their mixes. I've written a lot about fidelity issues in this competition. Something that I think might help you get more powerful sounds is more panning data.
Panned sounds give off the illusion that they are louder than they actually are so you can pan an instrument and follow it up by turning it down a little. This helps make room in the mix but also creates the illusion of space. When everything comes from one direction all the time, a mix can get very boring. The bass frequencies (and a lot of mids) are best suited towards the middle but all those thin highs can get pushed to the side creatively. With percussion you want to keep bass drums and snares towards the middle but all the aux percussion like hi-hats, tambs, shakers, cymbals, or chimes can be experimentally shifted to the sides until they all balance each other. Pads and chord progressions can bias a little to the sides as well. You can always lightly sidechain things like leads and pads using the bass drum and snare drum signals. Sidechaining is one of those techniques many artists put off learning because it seems really extra, but once you start sidechaining things you'll find all sorts of creative uses for it.
Panning professionally can be a nutty exercise in splitting hairs. Don't be afraid to listen to the pros to try and better understand fidelity. I've often compared my work to that of the pros to try and get that extra bit of fidelity quality. A perfect mix down can deliver your material in powerful high-definition. With such strong melodic elements, I wish the mix down matched the energy. That's all I got to say, aside from the fidelity issues the track is wonderful Lex. Salud, and have a wonderful day!