These are really good!

Encore un Espoir - This is very evocative of an epic journey, probably on horseback, through amazing sites and countryside. There's an underlying pulse that feels like hoofbeats and a grand, sweeping melody led by traditional instruments. Everything builds, feeling like there's more wonder around every turn. The ending, however, is calm, peaceful, and a bit reassuring... like finding home at last.

Manteau de Corbeau - Hardship, struggle, possibly even battle if not all out war, is coming and this track begins by rallying for it. Percussion and vocals that are often poorly used and seem to hit you are the head are actually beautifully combined here to give the listener just the right hint of scale. A little over a minute in, the focus changes and we seem to move forward, making progress against all odds. Strings and muted brass are joined by vocals and pipes to evoke determination and purpose. A short, quiet movement follows, perhaps to survey the battlefield or count the dead. Then pipes triumphantly lead percussion and some vocals in a driving beat to the amazing climax.

These tracks are very well done and gorgeously produced. Well worth a listen over, and over again.

This is really bad. Sorry, but it's true. There is about 1 minute of atmospheric "music" reminiscent of a theme park (not Disney's) haunted attraction. That music is looped over and over, well 15 times, and hits the same distracting high note every 60 seconds or so. Over this is laid some truly god-awful ultra processed, synthesized vocals of someone talking. The words are completely incomprehensible, except for the 7 or 8 times it says, "Oh, yes". Really, it sounds like someone whispering into a toy store voice-changer... except worse.

Vary the music; use the voice sparingly; make it intelligible, eerie, menacing; add more ambient sounds like wind, footsteps, distant screams, SOMEthing.

Looking forward to the next attempt.