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Sunday Soundwaves
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It's so weird that two train-type vehicles came out of this week's songs but have a listen and you'll understand:
https://www.mtgcardsmith.com/view/rimetrail-snowpiercer
If you don't turn in, no problem! You can still get a new song each week, resetting queue each Sunday.
Glory from Above by @KorandAngels
Song:
The song given was the symphonic version of Take A Bow by Muse. I've always thought this song had an epic buildup. The song builds up in three parts (escalating in complexity at each part). So for this, the card must be a Saga...check! That said... the starting punch on this card is Destroy all creatures... eek... the song starts off so much more gently than that... Then the song escalates to these scales of a flutes or something, which gave me vibes of angels or heaven... so nicely done with the second part of your saga... Lastly, the song basically turns into its grand finale by combining the repeating and extending the scales into higher ranges all while elevating the chorus that can be heard throughout the first part of the song... So in this way, the third part should be a combination of both the first and second parts. "Destroy" was mentioned in the first part... so check! However, there's nothing really tying everything together here to make it feel like a grand escalation of events. I do, however, enjoy this card... All creatures die, an angel arises... and then all lands go bye-bye. I just felt it could have spoken more to the song. 3.5 out of 5 stars for the card!
Sinister March by @ThePhantomJoker
Song:
Originally, I had 1 card in mind, Sinister March by @ThePhantomJoker. The card name and description provided matched so well with the song given... but the card itself was just not quite enough to seal the deal. Up until today, I thought Sinister March would be the winner. When I listened to all the songs, Sinister March kept giving me awesome vibes in relation to its song... It came so close, but the song has one break in the middle-end that really gives the feeling of "revelation" or "reprise." Which would speak to the white you mentioned that "brings everything together." This was probably my favorite song given (orchestral version of The SerpentineOffering by Dimmu Borgir), which is why I was cheering for your card. Nonetheless, the white on the card needs to stand out more in terms of ability. I got mad Terracotta vibes when listening to the song and looking at your artwork/card. Overall, this got my vote, but another card came along and took your throne from you. 4 stars out of 5.
Ghost Train by @Yonkers11
Song:
The song has always given me outer space vibes... kind of like flying through ort clouds or nebula or something gaseous in outer space with lots of stars... So I was thinking something mystical or perhaps even flying would result from your creation.. Instead, this was quite interesting... a ghostly train. Hmmm... where did my mind differ from your thinking?! The card could use a little formatting adjustments... I believe crew goes at the bottom of the card always, and your Exile needs to be capitalized and then a semicolon (:) should follow as it is part of the activation cost. Cool card nonetheless. It is definitely a memorable entry.
Yokoko, Wasteland Queen by @Usaername
Song:
(Bastiage by Annihilator)
In terms of the whole entire package...
One card seemed to stand out, alone by itself and in relation to its song. The song given was probably the most bland song given last week. In other words, my least favorite song of all the songs I gave last week. Crazy though, I passed this card by the first time through... well, I read it thoroughly and the description and listened to the song while reading both... and I was like "eh it's good.".... but then came the judging phase. I took another look while comparing to the song given.... and man... this is perfectly done. The song never really inspired an image in my mind until I saw your card... and boy let me tell you... there is no other card on the planet that fits this song better than the queen of bikers in the wasteland. Awesome card... formatting is decent enough. Winner winner, chicken dinner. You get 4 favorites of your choice!
Uninvited Guests by @TheRacingTurtle
Song:
Probably the best piano piece I gave out this past week. As with all piano songs, there are subtle shifts of pieces of the song that would be hard to capture on a single magic card. Judging overall, this is probably the sickest card entered last week. Absolutely a cool horror scene depicted on one card.. The song gives me a subtle horror house vibe, but there are pieces of what feel like "Kingdom" vibes... maybe like a castle or ruler/leader in my mind... probably an ongoing romance scene amidst a war... you know... typical Netflix material. The mechanic works... you achieved what you wanted... again great card... just not enough to seal the deal with the competitors.
Unsustainable Legacy by @Red_Tower
Song:
After seeing your card, it really became clear to me that everyone has a unique way of building cards. You based a lot of your card on the image and title of the youtube video. Which is cool, but 10 times out of 10, I'm going to pick a winning card based on how the song made me and you feel. So let's look at the card you gave us! WOWOWOWOWOWO! A 4-tiered SAGA.... okay, now Saga wasn't what I had in mind when I heard the song... Also, part of me was expecting a touch of blue.. but black/white came about... Let's dissect the card in terms of song... The first part of the song is thought initiating... it's a tickle of strings in unison followed by "something's about to go wrong." Right off the bat we have "Drop an army, destroy all a creatures." Something feels off about your order in relation to the song... but then we dive into the castle part (straight from the video cover image)... and then something here clicks with the song, part 3 - Tokens are basically clues... NICE! Part 4 = each player loses life... directly a benefit for controller because of part 3... nicely done. Overall part 3 and 4 of this card make the most sense for the song and probably could stand alone in a way... and represent this card nicely. Overall I give this card 4 out of 5 stars.
As for the other cards sent to me in message.. let me know if you'd like feedback in message, but I wasn't sure if you cared for public feedback or not, as part of this thread offers the ability to partake without indulging in others views.
Good job everyone... Week 2 starts now! You may request any of the songs previously given out to other cardsmiths or you can request a new song!
Putting it in a spoiler so my long dissection/authors notes don't take up a ton of space.
But as for the feel of the song, the first few seconds you get a light tone before boom rapid fire strings, bang of the drum, organ(?). Then the song lulls a bit, carrying the strings. Then it starts to mix things up, feeling a bit chaotic and dissonant. Then it tries to rise higher, like a somber calm before the storm. And then it tries to reclaim the power from the beginning, but it's lower and more sinister, with more drumming and horns, before finally it comes to a sharp close.
What I envisioned was someone who tried to cement their legacy, to leave an unforgettable name in the world. But try as they might, all things eventually fade into obscurity. The inevitable death of all things. All people handle it differently, and I saw someone who handles it with anger and denial, but unable to change the course of time.
That image shaped the card, a king with an iron fist who ruled by force, conquered the land with numbers, and built a castle that could stand as a monument to his name. But he was never satisfied, never believing it was enough that he might be remembered. He searched and scoured, spending all his resources, all his warriors, on gaining more for himself. And in the end, all that effort left him with nothing. Withering away in his abandoned palace, the lands depleted and the coffers empty, the walls crumbling away, still denying he had failed.
The card was meant to reflect that story. A force of soldiers overwhelming the battlefield, building his "legacy" castle, searching for answers using up everything he has (soldiers, treasures, even the castle), only to be punished in the end for his hubris. An unsustainable legacy.
Rimetrail Snowpiercer by @Jadefire
Song: Symphonic version of New Born by Muse
Your description is pretty cool. Based on the song, it does indeed sound like "snowflakes falling in the winter night." The card just doesn't work for me... I don't get the train vibe from the song at all with the exception of those low synth-ish strings... the chimes could be like a fairytale train crossing bell.. but overall... I'm thinking wonderland vibes with some magic in the air. Either way let's look at the important thing here: the card. Some formatting issues with spacing, but overall let's look at the mechanic... P/T are noticeably decent with the crew and mana cost... but... when a snow creature crews the train... RS gets +1 and haste... This would look great on a cheaper card with more of an aggro feel to it... snowplow trains are just bomb machines that absolutely devastate the snow they encounter on the railways.. I was hoping for a more incredible buff..
Nonetheless I give this card a 3 out of 5 - which is still stout and appreciated. Good work and absolutely a unique take on the song. I definitely like the direction you went, but the winner took it to the next level. Look forward to your next card!
Purge of One-Thousand Souls by @AboveAndAbout
Song: (Insight of Catharsis by Dimmu Borgir (piano version))
I've got to level with you... you did a really good job. I get ghosts flying in the air vibes... which makes sense with your spirits... then there's a quiet part in the song (which is where this card happened to go south for me)... but you picked it up with my favorite part from any entry... because the conclusion of this song is almost like a dance or waltz of the "ghosts flying around part"... it's kind of like a laughy giggly haha I have more ghosts now vibe... ... ... which is perfect because you create more spirits. Perfect just brilliant... but we gotta tackle the destroy all creatures thing... I just don't feel that from the song... Maybe exile or sacrifice or destroy 1 creature... but not all. To make the card work... I think the quiet part needs to be just the sacrifice cost... wait i'm skipping what comes before the quiet part... an intriguing part of octaves and scales... hmm.. you've put clue generation in there... interesting. Yea I guess it works... so that means the only place this card went wrong was the destroy all creatures part. Also ... fate reforged icon? are these dragon spirits? That would be cool. Last but not least... this card just needs something to tie everything together... I think the artwork is misleading here. The song gives off spirit vibes... but .. I think more so on the Casper side of things than floating fish.. It's almost like this kid in the picture is hallucinating... which differs from the feeling the song gives, which is more like a you're stuck in a haunted mansion feeling. I think I'm rambling a bit, but what I'm getting towards is my judging needs a complete package.. and this card is missing something. I may not be able to put my finger on it, but no worries... overall this is a 4 out of 5 card.. and a 4.5 out of 5 entry.
My first listen I was a bit stumped, but the second round it clicked that it felt so much like the background theme of a classic adventure game, steadily rising as you grew in strength with moments of intensity reminiscent of boss fights. My only dilemma after that was deciding which order to put saving your princess and fighting the big baddy (III and IV). Decided to break the mould as our little 2 drop hero might need the help in his fight.
Used some of the new shorthands we've seen in Strixhaven with mana value and shuffle to make it fit.
White: Don't know
Blue: I don't make blue cards, but if I did, it would be one of those songs about being evil.
Black: Something in a minor key Old Town Road
Red: The Google Translated version of Hellfire from the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Green: Fish Eye Lens from Homestarrunner.com (Look it up on youtube)