Thursday, September 8, 2011

Project Hardcore 2011 CD announced.

https://www.recess.nl/cd-dvd/info/project-hardcore-2011-/50444/

Both CD's look killer as fuck. Very stoked about CD 2 which is mixed by TOA.

CD1:

1. DJ Mad Dog ft. MC Jeff - Dedicated To Your Project (Project Hardcore 2011 Official Anthem)
2. Tha Playah - Clockwork
3. DJ Mad Dog & Tommyknocker - Who's The Best
4. DJ Mad Dog & Amnesys - Game Over
5. Distorted Revelation - The Horizon
6. Meccano Twins - Ignite
7. Prankster - Blood & Tears
8. Neophyte & Tha Playah - Snitcher!
9. The Viper & Tha Playah - Fearless
10. Omi - Anna
11. Traxtorm Gangstaz Allied - The Hardest
12. Hellsystem - The Doctor
13. The Stunned Guys & Amnesys - The Symphony Of Sins
14. Catscan & Tomcat - Impending Doom
15. Tha Playah - On The Edge
16. Neophyte & The Viper - Nothing To Lose
17. DJ Mad Dog & AniMe - Hardcore Machine
18. Counterfeit - Chasing Payments
19. Alien T - The Baddest Madness
20. Neophyte & Tieum - Les Saboteurs
21. Unexist - Body Bag
22. The Viper & Neophyte ft. Miss Twilight - Fightwar
23. Art Of Fighters - Oh My Sun
24. Neophyte & Tha Playah - Trasher!

CD2:

1. Tymon & Ophidian - The One
2. Angel - Can You See Me
3. Deathmachine - Imitations
4. Mindustries - The Arrival
5. The Outside Agency - Choice Mission
6. Angel - Like That
8. SPL & Ophidian - Subconscious
9. The Outside Agency & Ophidian - The Silence
10. Mindustries - Resurgence
11. Mindustries & SPL - Brotherhood Of Steel
12. The Outside Agency & Ruffneck - Waste Of Humanity
13. Mindustries - Resistance
14. Endymion - Anger (Ophidian Rmx)
15. The Outside Agency & Current V - They Are Human
16. Homeboy & Lowroller - No Longer Human
17. Lenny Dee - Fuckin Hostile (The Outside Agency Rmx)
18. Peter Kurten, Katharsys and Th - Favorite Sin
19. The Outside Agency - Primitive
20. The Outside Agency & Sei2ure - Pacifists
21. The Outside Agency & Tapage - Industrial Cooking Spray
22. Enzyme X - Superfly
23. Mindustries - Facerocker (The immobilizers VIP)
24. Producer & Deathmachine - 10 Years Of Influence
25. Deathmachine - Dark Energy
26. Lowroller - Bottomless Grave
27. The Outside Agency & Donny - Among Us
28. Tymon - Desolation
29. The Outside Agency - Destruction
30. The Speed Freak - Time To Die Harder (The Outside Agency Reboot)

My review on the WOMP HARD set.

   Tilduh and I performed a versus set at the break away event WOMP HARD. Womp is usually a dubstep weekly, but for their 1 year anniversary they invited the harder styles to come and play, with us leading the charge in Dutch Hardcore. I am not one to compliment myself seriously, but I have to definitely say that we killed it. With 300+ people raging during our set there is not a doubt in my mind that we were one of the most successful acts that night. I am more than happy to have played with my partner in crime and I hope we have the opportunity to perform together again for such an amazing audience.

Our set:
1- Control D Future - Amnesys - Traxtorm Records
2- Rule of Cool (Art of Fighters Remix) - Tha Playah - Neophyte Records
3- Crunk - Tommyknocker - Traxtorm Records
4- Bounce Back - Tha Playah - Neophyte Records
5- Spiteful - Negative A - Negative Audio
6- Real Rude - The Wishmaster & Promo - The Third Movement Records
7- Anger (Ophidian Remix) - Endymion - Enzyme Records
8- Lack of Existence - Nosferatu & DJ Mad Dog - Enzyme Records
9- Criminal - Tommyknocker - Traxtorm Records
10- Dead End Streets - Art of Fighters - Traxtorm Records
11- Blood - Hellsystem - Hardcore Blasters
12- Larum - Gancher & Ruin ft. Triamer - PRSPCT
13- Vows of Doubt - Synapse & Ruffneck - Enzyme K7
14- Hardcore Machine - Mad Dog ft. Anime - Traxtorm Records
15- Abandon - Ophidian - Enzyme X
16- The Doctor - Hellsystem - Hardcore Blasters
17- Enemigo Del Estado - Nosferatu - Enzyme Records
18- Arena of Destiny - T-Junction - Masters of Hardcore

Issue 04: Triskaidekaphobia - Ophidian/Tymon/Tapage/Petrochemical - Meta 4 M

  It goes without saying that I am a die hard Ophidian fan, the man's a genius and a revolutionary in Hardcore music unlike any other, so it goes without saying that I love his label Meta 4. Meta 4 is another one of those labels that doesn't compromise in it's goals and never ceases to put out quality tracks with that experimental flare that I love. This latest Industrial release is named after the fear of the number 13, showing off Ophidian's pinache for all things dark.

 Track Nr. 1 on this release is a collabe with Tymon, an Australian industrial producer that nows how to distrot a kick. "The One" is definitely a dark work of production finesse, with it's hard techno rhythms and it's deadly kick that came from hell. The breaks have the eeriest pad I have heard in ALONG time, the sample and build-up are pure annihilation. This song is definitely a smasher at 5/5.

  Track 2 is a collabe of the dynamic duo, Tapage & Ophidian. I absolutely love Tapage's work, he is an absolute genius with programing and sound engineering, his kicks can use a little work but with time I think he will become one of the leaders in hardcore music. Though as much as I love Tapage, "The Room" is an alright track. It's kick is hollow, and that is a big let down for an industrialist like myself. The melodies and the break are really interesting, definitely unique. This song is about a 3/5.

  Track 3 is a collabe with Petrochemical, they are a duo and I am interested by their work, but I do not have alot of experience with their work as I'd like to admit. From what I have heard from them in the past they are excellent and some of my colleges tell me that they are a phenomenal pair behind the decks, but this is about their song with Ophidian, "Inanimate." This track is by far the best on the release, it's heavy, it's noisy, it's rough, and it's very experimental in nature. I can't even begin to describe this song, you'll just have to listen to the preview. I feel like i need to adjust my rating system because 5/5 doesn't cut it, 9/5. It's irrational, deal with it.

  Track 4 is a collabe with a producer that has produced gold with Ophidian in the past, Deciever. The golden track of what I speak of that they worked on together in the past is Wolfman, which is probably the best Meta 4 song yet. "Book of the Dead" is a really interesting track. It starts off with a spacey pad and introduces alot of artifacts, definitely speaks out to the IDM lovers. This song's dream like atmosphere shatters with a pounding yet thin kick. The song is interesting but nothing absolutely new in the world of industrial. 3/5

Issue 04: Triskaidekaphobia Cover Art

Previews:
1. Tymon & Ophidian - The One
2. Tapage & Ophidian - The Room
3. Petrochemical & Ophidian - Inanimate
4. Deciver & Ophidian - Book of The Dead

On The Edge - Tha Playah - NEO056

 This new Neophyte release features non other than one of the finest mainstream hardcore artists, Tha Playah. This song features his latest masterpiece "On The Edge."

  The A side "On The Edge" is nothing short of pure sonic gold. This song starts out with a spiritual and inspiring sample and heavenly pads and breaks. This song progressively becomes more energized and dramatic as the synth pulls through and lets loose a torrent of hardcore energy. This song is going to be in every mainstream set for the next year, it's just that good. Tha Playah has really outdone himself this time, 5/5.

  The B side is a re-envisioning of the classic "Funeral March of Queen Mary II" which was made famous as the intro and theme for Anthony Burgess's eye opening novel turned cult-classic film "A Clockwork Orange." (Film directed by Stanley Kubrick) The song is nothing supremely special but it is a great floor-filler and holds a special place in my heart, being a die-hard fan of the source material. 3/5



Previews: On The Edge / Clockwork

Demoralized Spiral of Desire - Ruffneck & Synapse - Enzyme K7 -11

   This new Enzyme K7 holds to the spirit of Enzyme K7 10, with a heavy DnB and Dubstep influence in the first 2 tracks and a modern and a darkcore feel for the other 2. Alot of Hardcore heads where upset with this release due to it's dubstep influences, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that this is a solid release.

   The A side is composed of Reign of Chaos, with both it's original and "step" edits. The 2 tracks are almost identical except for a difference in order of the arrangements. The song in both edits has a strong DnB core to them with heavy snares and breakbeat fills. The song's screeching synths and dark lyrics make it a formidable track in the industrial scene. Both songs feature a "dubstep breakdown" which in all actuallity is pretty effectice. Why? It's rough, it's distorted, it doesn't drop the 175BPM rhythm, and it's in your face. This song despite the dissapointing anticipation turned out to be quit a good track. I give this song a 4/5

   The B side is made up of 2 different edits of Disruption of Balance which on boths sides is a distorted, abrasive, industrial menace on the dancefloor. The original edit is more in the style of Synapse with a 175BPM tempo and heavy racing sounds. This song rocks a 5/5. The "core edit" is in homage to the original Darkcore sound from Supreme Intelligence at a heavy 150BPM and carries a driving feeling with dark tones and high end screeches. This song is definitely for the industrialists only. This edit deserves a 5/5.



Previews:
-Reign of Chaos
-Reign of Chaos "step edit"
-Disruption of Balance
-Disruption of Balance "core edit"

Enzyme X 32 - Nathaniel/ Superfly - Enzyme X (Ophidian)

   The Enzyme X project returns to the Hardcore scene with the neck-breaking experimental release of Enzyme X 32. This limited pressing 7" is armed with 2 new experimental smashers that will open your eyes to new forms of Hardcore music.

   The A side, Nathaniel, is a DnB/Breakcore influenced Hardcore track speeding it's way through past 180BPM with a crazy psychidelic tone. The song features hypnotic samples of the name nathaniel as the song's breakbeat madness dances on your brain like an army of Africanized Killer Bees. The song's breakdown creeps through your psychy with quiet words and then bashes your brain in with an un-compromising kick. This song is tailored for the IDM/ Breakcore heads. This song deserves a 5/5

The B side is a little bit more in the origin of previous Enzyme X's like Silly Mid On & Deep Square Leg. This song has a pulsating industrial groove that dances about like Bootsie Collins's basslines. The song has a dirty kick that makes you wonder where this song makes it's beds at night. This song is nothing new but it is definitely more accessible then the last. Regardless I still love this track and I am giving it a 4/5

Pick up a copy of Enzyme X 32 if you are willing to give the odd ball side of Hardcore a try.



Previews: Nathaniel / Superfly

Returning after a long and sardful haiatus.

Time to get cracking on reviews and Bay Area Hardcore news.