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Saturday, March 30, 2024

Mental Hardcore Health Newsletter #7 - Performance Anxiety

Mental Hardcore Health Newsletter #7 - Performance Anxiety

Lately, more DJs and producers have begun to open up about their mental health struggles or issues - such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and so on, and to talk about them.
The response has been varied, but most of the time positive, and much better than I expected.
This is a huge step towards making mental health problems less of a taboo; in the hardcore scene, in the techno, and in society as a whole.

Yet there is still another, related taboo; a topic that is still kept secret, hidden, invisible, most of the time.
Because when mental health issues of artists and musicians become known, this is often seen as a split, 'two part' type of thing. As if there were, on the one side, the artist, his music, his performances - his idolized, desired life - and on the other side the 'problem', the trouble, that is somewhat detached from the 'artist' life of the musician.

Like a famous movie director who opens about a cancer diagnosis; there is the beloved life of the director and his movies; and the illness is somewhat in the way of him pursuing his creativity, of creating further movies; and people wish him well, so that he gets cured and can pick up making great films again.

but what is there is not "art", "music", "performance", "activity" on the one side, and the "mental health issue" on the other side?
What is if the activity is deeply entwined in the problem, connected, interlinked? not something you could split off and get away with so easily?

What I'm talking about is DJs, artists, producers having severe mental issues when trying to follow their creativity and / or performing their art.
such as anxiety and panic attacks in relation to DJing in front of a crowd at a club; or panic and fright that even prevents them from entering a club and location at all.
depression and social disorders that prevent them from meeting other artists or other people involved in this music scene.
"social anxiety" does not stop once you enter the internet; there might be artists who have problems dealing with people online as well, and simply being "too scared" to upload and share there music on the internet, on video sites, etc.

to be more exact, there are people who literally go through hell when being booked at a party; with traveling to their destination, checking in at their hotel / place to sleep, arriving at the club, and finally, performing, each being its own unbearable infernal torment for them.

this can be a huge problem; not only on a "personal", mental level, when having to live through such amounts of pain, fear, or sadness; but it can also fuck up your trajectory as an artist for good; because whether you are a producer or DJ, performing in the real world, at clubs, is a huge part of being active in the music scene, and if you can't do that because you feel too frightened, well, yeah, that's a real shit situation then.
or if you are too scared to share your music online because of your social fears... well, this really sucks then, too!

I've mostly mentioned anxiety related "disorders" here; but this of course goes for such things as depression and other problems as well; if you can't produce new music because you are heavily depressed, or even delete your music collection because you are so severely haunted by dark thoughts, then this is a big problem, too.


I said that this matter is still a taboo; I rarely heard of active musicians opening up about the panic or despair they feel when performing yet - and all the related things to that. And this is quite understandably so.
In a former newsletter, I mentioned that one of the problems of being "hardcore and mentally ill" is that there is still this trope of being macho, strong, tenacious, 'hardcore' in this scene; and you don't feel very hardcore when you want to run away crying and screaming while spinning tracks at a club.

One of the reason people don't talk about problems such as this is that they feel that they might be considered wimps, cowards, and weaklings in the scene then; this is generally true for opening about issues, but as mentioned in the beginning of the text, if you just speak about having anxiety or depression in a general, more abstract way, you might think you could get off as still being considered 'truly hardcore' - with having 'these issues' somewhere hidden in your private life, which is not really part of your online and music persona.
but if your 'weakness' exactly is inside 'performing hardcore' - that's a whole different matter. your mental core is really exposed to your fans - truly, deeply exposed.


but i think these are all prejudices. "mental illness" should be just as free of stigma, speculations, stereotypes as physical illness.
no one would mind, or think badly of you, if you perform at a club with one leg in a plaster because you have a broken bone; or any other physical problem.
therefore no one should mind if you perform at hardcore club while 'panicking out of your mind', or having any other mental problem.

Let's grow up and get real, folks. you can be a true, bold hardcore head and still being very fearful or 'clinically sad' at times. because life is complex, the world is complex. and *you are complex*.
it is like it is.

So, for the future I wish that more artists, producers, DJs, technicians, geniuses, and other people that are active in the hardcore scene, would open up and speak about their problems. to get rid of these 'prejudices' inside people's head, and to show others that they are not alone and not the only one in these regards!

For previous editions of the Mental Hardcore Health Newsletter, look here:

Thursday, March 28, 2024

We asked ChatGPT to conceive ideas for more movies in the vein of "Hardcore Never Dies" - and we loved the results!

The dutch movie "Hardcore Never Dies" rocked the Hardcore Techno world (and probably part of the movie world, too), because it did something no movie did before: it featured Gabbers as part of a *narrative* movie - a movie with story-line, plot, actors. With action, drama, drugs, sex, fights...

Until now, all features about Gabbers and their history were in the realm of documentaries and biographies instead... with people getting interviewed, then we see shots of their homes, their record collection, the place inside the cupboard where they hid their drug stash from both their overly zealous parents and overly eager siblings... maybe a cut to an empty former rave location, or live footage from the golden days. You get it. Documentaries, not narratives.

Of course, many people ended up hating the very "Hardcore Never Dies" movie because of this. They didn't want to see a psycho drama about socially troubled gabbers, they wanted... "man just give us the music.... the muuusic... and the parties... and the memories... and the drugs! That's what we want."

But not us. No-no!
We like this idea of Gabber narratives.
We see the potential.
We need more plot-driven Gabber movies!
But who can write a good script for these movies?
We aren't exactly screenwriters...

But we know someone who's got talent for that!
And of course it's ChatGPT.
We asked the friendly AI about ideas for more Gabber movies.
And to write a short draft script for each.
And it did!
And we enjoyed the results.
And we hope you do, too.
So here they are.

And we dearly hope that a fat cat Hollywood producer, or a small indie producer, will turn one, or more, of these scripts into a fully-fleshed movie release one day.

So... let's ride!

Beginning of transcript:

User
Hello chatgpt how are you today? let's work on a new project!

ChatGPT
Hey there! I'm doing great, thanks for asking! Working on a new project sounds exciting. What do you have in mind? Let's dive into it!

User
as you know, i help with running an e-zine called the hardcore overdogs. we published a little feature on a new dutch hardcore techno movie called "hardcore never dies". i want to follow up on it, ChatGPT.

the follow up i envision is: let us explore the ideas about "fictional gabber movies" further, and you write a little draft for them, would that be okay?

ChatGPT
Absolutely, that sounds like a blast! I'm totally down for fleshing out those fictional Gabber movie ideas. Here's a little draft to get us started:


Title: Hardcore Warfare


Synopsis:
In the concrete jungle of Rotterdam, where the streets are ruled by violence and chaos, two rival gangs clash in a battle for supremacy. On one side, you have the ruthless Syndicate, a criminal empire that deals in drugs, extortion, and murder. And on the other side, there's the Bass Brigade, a tight-knit crew of hardcore ravers who refuse to back down in the face of adversity.

As tensions escalate between the two factions, the city becomes a war zone where blood is spilled and lives are lost on a daily basis. Caught in the crossfire is Alex, a young Gabber recruit who finds himself thrust into the heart of the conflict when his best friend is killed in a drive-by shooting.

Determined to seek revenge and protect his community, Alex joins forces with the Bass Brigade as they prepare for the ultimate showdown against the Syndicate. With adrenaline-pumping beats fueling their every move, they must navigate treacherous alliances, deadly betrayals, and the ever-present threat of annihilation.

But as the battle reaches its climax, Alex begins to question whether violence is truly the answer or if there's another way to bring peace to the streets. With the fate of Rotterdam hanging in the balance, he must make a choice that will define not only his own destiny but the future of the Bass Brigade as well.


With pulse-pounding action, heart-stopping suspense, and a killer soundtrack that'll leave you wanting more, Hardcore Warfare is a gang war movie like no other that proves sometimes the loudest voices are the ones that refuse to be silenced.

User
Love it! and now please go to the next story idea:

ChatGPT
I'm thrilled to tackle this one! Here's a draft for a romantic comedy:


Title: Gabber Love


Synopsis:
In the bustling streets of Amsterdam, where the beat of hardcore techno pulses through the air, two worlds collide in the most unexpected way. Meet Emily, a sophisticated socialite with a penchant for designer labels and champagne brunches. And then there's Mike, a rough-around-the-edges Gabber with a heart of gold and a passion for the underground rave scene.

When Emily's world and Mike's collide at a Gabber party in an abandoned warehouse, sparks fly in the most unlikely of places. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, Emily and Mike find themselves drawn to each other in ways they never thought possible.

As they navigate the highs and lows of their budding romance, Emily must confront the judgmental stares of her upper-class friends and family, while Mike struggles to break free from the constraints of his working-class upbringing. But through it all, they discover that love knows no boundaries and that sometimes, the most unexpected connections are the ones that end up meaning the most.


With plenty of laughs, heartwarming moments, and of course, hardcore techno beats, Gabber Love is a romantic comedy for the ages that proves that true love can conquer all, even in the underground world of Gabber.


Let me know what you think or if you're ready for the next story idea!

User
great! next one.

ChatGPT


Title: Gabber Uprising


Synopsis:
In a future where authoritarian rule has plunged society into darkness, a rebellion is brewing in the underground. Enter the world of Gabber Uprising, where the pounding beats of hardcore techno serve as the soundtrack to revolution.

Amidst the dystopian landscape of a city consumed by corruption and inequality, a group of rebels known as the Gabber Underground rise up to challenge the oppressive regime. Led by a fearless DJ known only as "The Messiah," they use their underground parties as a platform to spread a message of unity, defiance, and resistance.

As the Gabber Underground gains momentum, they attract the attention of the government's ruthless enforcers, led by the sinister General Hammer. With his iron fist and his army of techno-phobic soldiers, General Hammer will stop at nothing to crush the rebellion and maintain his grip on power.

But the Gabber Underground refuses to back down, rallying supporters from all walks of life to join their cause. From DJs and producers to dancers and activists, they come together to fight for a future where freedom and creativity reign supreme.


As the battle between the Gabber Underground and the forces of oppression reaches its climax, the fate of the city hangs in the balance. With adrenaline-pumping beats and pulse-pounding action, Gabber Uprising is a thrilling tale of resistance, redemption, and the power of music to ignite change in even the darkest of times.


Let me know if you'd like any adjustments or if there's anything else I can add!

User
now a 4th draft, please.

ChatGPT


Title: Hardcore Harmonies: The Gabber Musical


Synopsis:
Welcome to the neon-lit streets of Rotterdam, where the beats are pounding, the bass is booming, and the spirit of Gabber reigns supreme. In Hardcore Harmonies: The Gabber Musical, we follow the journey of Mia, a young Gabber enthusiast with big dreams and an even bigger heart.

As Mia navigates the highs and lows of life in the underground rave scene, she discovers a world of passion, creativity, and unbridled energy. From the legendary parties of the 1990s to the cutting-edge clubs of today, Mia finds inspiration in the music, the culture, and the community that surrounds her.

But Mia's journey is not without its challenges. As she strives to make her mark as a Gabber DJ, she must confront prejudice, skepticism, and self-doubt. With the unwavering support of her friends and fellow ravers, Mia learns that true strength comes from within and that the power of music has the ability to transcend boundaries and unite hearts.

As Mia's story unfolds, we are treated to a spectacle of electrifying dance numbers, heartwarming ballads, and larger-than-life characters who capture the essence of Gabber culture. From the iconic anthems of Rotterdam Termination Source to the infectious energy of Neophyte, Hardcore Harmonies is a celebration of the music, the movement, and the magic of Gabber.


With dazzling choreography, stunning visuals, and a soundtrack that'll leave you dancing in your seat, Hardcore Harmonies: The Gabber Musical is an unforgettable journey into the heart and soul of one of the most vibrant subcultures in electronic music.


Let me know if you'd like any adjustments or if there's anything else I can add!


User
awesome! that's enough for now. i will keep you updated about the process of this follow up to the hardcore overdogs feature :-)

ChatGPT
Sounds great! I'm excited to hear about the progress of the follow-up to The Hardcore Overdogs feature. Keep me posted, and if you need any more assistance or ideas along the way, feel free to reach out. Rock on! 🀘🎢

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Liminal Tracks - At the intersection of Techno and Hardcore in the early 90s

The evolution (and de-evolution) of genres within the "Techno" umbrella (and outside of it) was never as clear-cut and "organized" as it appears today; after the advent of Techno in the late 80s, for the first years, most "ravers" referred to their music using different terms and names, that were sometimes even interchangeable. "Techno", "Rave", "House". Often, these stood for the whole of the rhythmic electronic experience: a "rave" in early 90s UK could incorporate Techno, Acid, Breakbeat, maybe even some EBM and such; while the first Gabber and Hardcore Techno parties in the Netherlands were still called "House parties" where DJs played "house" music.

Not unusual, when a new form of music evolved; when we look at other sonic realms, we see the same. For example, everything was called "rock n roll" or "rock music" at first, and only much later specific genres and terms like metal, progressive rock, or grindcore and technical death came around.
But to get back to the point; not only the use of words and symbols was kind of blurry; the styles, the forms of music were still joined and connected to each other too.

So, in 1991 or 1992, people did not go around and say "this is a hardcore track, and that over there is a techno track" etc. it was still very much one scene, one sound, one world of music. no clear splits yet.
and, if we look back at that era, there was a transitional period in which quite a lot of tracks sat right in between what we would call "techno" and "(oldschool) hardcore". liminal hardcore, if you will - in between two worlds, and belonging to both at the same time.

when looking back at these sounds, one should remember that in the early 90s, techno (and hardcore!) records were produced to be played at parties; not necessarily to be listened at home.
so the bassdrums in these tracks might sound quite weak compared to today's "overly distorted" HC drumming when listening to them on your headphones while the sun is shining outside.
but in a huge PA in a tight squat, these sub bass frequencies and clever reverberation would tear the whole place apart.
also, the all night dancing in pitch black basements with flickering strobes and an overdose of fog put the ravers in an enhanced state of mind, bordering on the hypnagogic and the hallucinogenic (i dearly hope none of these ravers used drugs to reach those states, because drugs are bad for you, kids! ;-)
that means that certain sounds hit much harder and had a different quality than when listening to them while being in a dry, sober, and bored state.
this is essentially true for the staccatos of weird and twisted synths, choir-hits, bleeps, and the often very psychedelic vocals.
so try to listen to them with the ears (and mindset) of a 1991s squat raver.

But, without further ado, here are a few of tracks (in no particular order) that fit to the above-mentioned tropes; tracks that occupy a territory between early techno and hardcore.


1. J.Y. Factory - James Brown Is Dead Or Alive ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpfWLq8bKbY )

L.A. Style's Techno breakout hit "James Brown is Dead" led to many clones and in-official "follow ups"; another well known one is "James Brown is still alive" by Holy Noise (of Rotterdam Records fame) . This Japanese artist was apparently inspired by both, which led to the Heisenberg-esque title "... is dead or alive".
And it's one of the heaviest rave-techno tunes ever!


2. Alpha Team - Speed (Hardcore Mix) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teLUakK3pGY )

A true UK classic! Taking liberal sampling from 70s/80s US-euro kids' favorite anime series "speed racer" (which was banned in Germany for being 'overly brutal and violent' for a 'children's show'), this track unfolds an all out assault of synths and sounds at a, well, *high speed*.


3. Disintegrator - In The Machine (GTO Remix)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U9myiBsuo4 )

As if "In the machine" by machines (a collaboration project between john selway and later "dj skinhead / the horrorist" oliver chesler) was not hard enough, this remix by gto actually 1-ups it.
Claustrophobic, dirty, distorted sounds, reminiscent of a sub-marine on duty, trap you in these infernal machines.
GTO later became famous as Technohead!


4. Phenomania - Caramelle ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWK5R3MPUw

Phenomania is probably better known for "who is elvis?" - but this track already foreshadows elements of later Hardcore / Gabber productions, such as heavy metal guitars, while still being very much rooted in Techno.



5. 80 AUM - MindControllerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RatpnF_bGCs )

"80 AUM" member patrick von kerckhoven later rose to fame in the Gabber world as DJ Ruffneck, his label Ruffneck Records, and all that followed.
This is an early track that gives a glimpse of his gabber mayhem to come.


6. Titanium Steel Screws - Untitled A1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0ahE6rWVYA )

Mono tone is another label to go for if you are looking for some Techno/Hardcore tracks; and this is one of the wildest of 'em all.


7. Space Trax - Deduction (Original 12" String Mix) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE9tz-Uh1bw )

space trax got harder and harder with each release, and this track has a bass that just tears everything apart.


8. Sub System III - Robocop (To Serve & To Protect)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YukD0MlT6ew )

I could not find much info online about this project; but damn, is this track rough.


9. Smart Systems - Tingler (Meltram Mix) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2toNAQnXEg

Hey, hey, it's The Future Sound of London! In an early incarnation or aka.
And this shows them at full strength, delivering an onslaught of heavy sounds; can you imagine these are the same guys who did the classic "Papua New Guinea"?


10. Scaremonger: Soon We All Will Have Special Names ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhMqvS7juHk )

Praxis, of course, later become a full-on Hardcore and Breakcore label; and a quite a distorted and noizy one at that!
But this debut release still shows ties to the Techno scene; mixing squat beats with very psychedelic sounds and a liberal dose of distortion.

Hope you enjoyed this feature! Do you know more tracks that fit into these (early) techno-hardcore schematics?
Let us know in the comments!

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Noteworthy releases of February

Again, a selection of releases in the Hardcore and related genres that we consider to be note-worthy, this time for the month of February 2024.


Pastis & Ninu Brt – Tauro E​.​P.
Ravecore / Hardtrance

https://braintrance.bandcamp.com/album/pastis-ninu-brt-tauro-e-p



Heather Vomitig God - Trash Jungle
Oldschool Breakcore / Jungle

https://dogmetapes.bandcamp.com/album/trash-jungle



Death Row - Kick The Butt
Early Hardcore / Gabber

https://darksharkindustriesigl.bandcamp.com/track/kick-the-butt


DJ Ad - Alive
Early Hardcore / Gabber

https://mokumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mok301-dj-ad-alive


Origin Of Styx - Smog
Slowcore / Doomcore

https://originofstyx.bandcamp.com/track/smog



Der Cherep - Act XIV: π”Š​𝔲​𝔦​𝔩​𝔑 𝔒𝔣 𝔄​𝔰​π”₯
Occult Doomcore.

https://doomcoreinitiative.bandcamp.com/album/act-xiv


Omnicore Records - Best of 2023
Various styles, from Early Hardcore to Breakcore, Speedcore, and even Dark Ambient.

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/best-of-2023


Les Ombres TorturΓ©es Records - Compilation 01
Various styles, from Dark Ambient to Slowcore, Doomcore, and Experimental.

https://lesombrestorturesrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lotr-compilation-01


Chronic 909 - ruff stuff
Early Hardcore / Gabber

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Scream it out: Hardcore Techno with vocalists

In an interview, a veteran Hardcore producer once remarked something along the lines of: "I listened to a lot of Techno and Hardcore in the 90s, but I always thought: 'This would sound so much better if it had vocals, too'".

Hardcore tracks that employ vocalization are very rare indeed. The "official version" of the history of House, Techno, Acid, states that it evolved out of late 70s DJs spinning instrumental passages of extended Disco 12s, then quickly cutting or fading to the instrumental passage of the next Disco track before the vocals could come back in.
So, Techno was essentially born without vocals, without a voice.
And Hardcore (a Techno subgenre, after all), followed that route.

Sure, vocal *samples* are almost obligatory in the hardcore genre. aggressive screams of metal or punk singers, haunting cries of horror movie "scream queens", Schwarzenegger, Robert de Niro, or Sergeant Joker going berserk... and, of course, Pinhead promising you infernal delights.
But real, actual vocalization... that's a wholly different deal. Some tracks straddle this line a bit, by using short, self-recorded screams or vocals as a sample.

Releases like "Alles naar de klote", or "NYC speedcore".
We approve of this stuff.
But for this feature, we look at hardcore tracks with actual vocalization.

Atari Teenage Riot

Atari Teenage Riot is probably one of the names that comes first into most people heads when "Hardcore with vocals" is the theme.
And indeed, this band fused a lot of elements originating from the Hardcore Techno genre - distorted 909s, synthesized noise, sampling... with those of Hardcore Punk and Metal - screaming, shouting and Hardcore Rap - frantic, energetic MCing (and sampled rap beats too, occasionally).
This mixture leads to a (Molotov) cocktail that is amongst the most aggressive, brutal, and adrenaline-inducing music ever.
A sound to behold!


The Horrorist

Okay, I admit it. The introductory quote was actually said by Oliver Chesler aka The Horrorist. We hope we did not quote him wrong.
Anyways, given this sentiment, it's no wonder, that after being very succesul in the hardcore and techno genre with projects like Disintegrator, Temper Tantrum, or DJ Skinhead, Oliver decided to include vocals in his tracks too. And he did supply them by himself!
This led to classics like "Mission Ecstasy", "Can you hear the sound", or the #1 dance chart hit "One night in NYC".
It is also noteworthy that Chesler has a wide "range of vocals", not in octaves (well, that probably, too), but in the sense that his vocals go from all-out screaming to singing, spoken word, and even mere whispering. 


Ec8or

in the 90s, Ec8or was one of the main bands in the "digital hardcore" genre, together with peers like Atari Teenage Riot, and... well, who else was there? It was mainly Ec8or and Atari Teenage Riot, basically.
Ec8or was created by electronic music mastermind Patric Catani, who already was a big player in the Hardcore genre with his E-de Cologne, Eradicator and Test Tube Kid projects.
For Ec8or, he was joined by Gina d'Orio, who seemingly played in a chart scoring, heavy rotation indie rock band before that!
Anyway, in this project she provided the vocals - loud, shrill, top of the lung screams that make black metal vocalists sound like softies.
Occasionally, she is joined by Patric in the screaming.


Hecate

Hecate was / is the project of Rachel Kozak. Starting with productions in genres like Breakcore, Industrial, and Dark Ambient, she later began to use her own vocals more often in her tracks.
She is one of the vocalists with a very wide range too, going from haunting screams to demonic whispers - and back again.
Overall, this is a project that gives a more experimental, artful spin to the hardcore and breakcore genre.



Marc Acardipane

The "man of a 1000 aliases" has produced in almost any variant of electronic music and style; so it comes as no suprise that amongst his oeuvre there are quite a few tracks that are accompanied by vocalisation.
He usually collaborated with various MCs for this. But I think this goes beyond the usual "MCing" in dance music; in tracks like FBI - Factory of Feebase or Leathernecks - Black Dog , the vocals are connected to the theme of the track, and are an integral part. It's not some "party people get up and dance" MC shouting like in some oither hard dance tracks (although Marc has tracks like that too ;-)
In my opinion, it's similar to a crossover band, where a rapper fills in the parts that are not done by the "rock" vocalists, in order to complete a song. And not as in dance productions, where MC vocals are just laid over an otherwise finished track after production.



Hypnotizer / Miro

Miro Pajic was the other main producer of the PCP label in the 90s.
Eventually, he started the "Hypnotizer" project, where his Doomcore and Techno sound get amended by vocalization - provided by himself.
As time went on, influences of EBM, Industrial and Goth music became more apparent, and became the main core of the Hypnotizer tracks - not that we are complaining.
Tracks like "The light is leaving", "Into nowhere" or "From where the pale dwell" are haunting, frigthening doom masterpieces with production values that are rarely parelled in this genre.

Apart from the Hypnotizer, Miro also employed vocals in some of his other projects, like the later Jack Lucifer or E-man productions.



The Berzerker

The Berzerker aka Luke Kenny started as an almost "traditional" gabber and terror outfit. Releases on Industrial Strength or Speedcore Records started incorporating more and more elements from genres like Death Metal, Black Metal, and Grindcore.
So it seems only logical that Luke turned his project into a "full scale" Speedcore Death Metal fusion band.
This led to his release on the infamous earache label, and this CD remains one of the most abrasive, viscous, blood-chilling (or blood-boiling) albums ever.
Waves and waves of drums, screams, guitar riffs at top speed orchestrate an all-assault on the listeners nerves and eardrums.
And The following releases did not lower the aggression at all.
Some might say this is no longer "Hardcore", and actually closer to "real" Death Metal, but I think elements if both genres can be found in the songs of the berzerker.



Hanin Elias

90s Hardcore was known to defy and transcend gender limitations, so it's not astonishing that at least half (or more?) of the active vocalists were female - at a time when in most other music styles, aggressive female vocals were still a quite rare thing.

Hanin is probably one of the most known voices of the (digital) hardcore scene and beyond. Her style is quite brutal and ferocious, too. You would not certainly stand still when she goes berserk at a concert. 
In later productions, more soft, somber, almost silent words became apparent, too.
And like many of her contemporaries, she eventually trespassed beyond the "Hardcore circus", too, and her powerful voice can be heard in indie rock or melancholic ambient productions as well.


Alec Empire

Apart from his band Atari Teenage Riot, Alec often made use of his voice in his solo productions, too.
And these were often of the more experimental kind - blending musique concrète, lofi punk, or generally bizarre sounds with noise and heavy percussion.
Later actually doing a "real" rock album (Futurist), or even a Numan-esque post punk release (The golden foretaste of heaven).
And then there is his all-out metal-punk-hardcore-electronic album, "Intelligence and sacrifice", which is probably his best known solo release.
And I appreciate all of these expeditions!



Other noteworthy projects:

Shitspitter
The Shizit
cobra killer
killout trash
acrosome
napalm
shizuo / give up
nordcore gmbh
brides make acid
xol dog 400

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Looking back at the 90s: Anticore Records

"Looking back at the 90s" is a new series of features that we're doing.
Revisiting important, outstanding and possibly underrated Hardcore Techno related labels, artists and projects from the 90s era.
We're using information from the Hardcore Primer ( https://hardcoretechnoprimer.blogspot.com/ ) and our other publications, and we will provide listening examples for you as well.

These features will be more like short introductions / overviews, less like "in-depth reports". To give you a quick taste of the specific project and let you dive right in.
If you want to learn more and "dig deeper" - then the resources are out there!

Anticore Records

Anticore Records is a legendary label from France that helped shaping the (Experimental) Hardcore sound, not only regarding French Hardcore. Is it notable for having early releases by Mouse and No Name (Under the moniker "Erase Head") - and arguably some of their best ones - that became sought after collector items, and deservingly so. Two other masterminds of Hardcore can be found here, too: Taciturne in one his disguises, and Armaguet Nad himself. The roster of artists is completed by Maniak, who is also, as far as I know, the one who ran the label, Joel Giraldou, and Metronome (of Fischkopf fame).

This is really groundbreaking stuff here, very deep, very complex compositions, that are much more sophisticated than your usual "Gabber/Speedcore" sound, really right at the beginning of the whole Experimental Hardcore thing.

Listening examples:

Mouse - Hemostase

Erase Head - Dome

Metronome - Into Darkness

Demoiselle Douce Innocence - Moonbreaker

Maniak - Ultimate Scream Part 2

Armaguet Nad - Motaba Fils D'ebola

Additional visuals:

Erase Head

Mouse

Demoiselle Douce Innocence

Maniak

Armaguet Nad



You can also find the label on discogs: https://www.discogs.com/label/11768-Anticore-Records

Friday, March 1, 2024

Bandcamp Friday Coverage 1.3.2024 - Our favorite picks

Bandcamp friday is a blast today (1.3.2024).
The releases just keep coming out, by big names small names, traditional stuff, experimental stuff, old vibes, new vibes...

Imho the amount of great releases is much larger than on most other bandcamp fridays!

In this live coverage of the bandcamp friday feed, we will list our fav stuff here as the day goes on, so you can catch 'em all while the prices are low... but of course you can come back to this list on any other day, and check out this awesome music!

Wednesday 28.02.2024 10:31 PM CET

"Bandcamp Friday is right around the corner!

A friendly reminder that the next Bandcamp Friday is this Friday, March 1st."

(message from Bandcamp)

Thursday 29.02.2024

Some labels decide to release their stuff one day early, to get a tactical advantage on bandcamp friday (fans can buy & download the releases for the whole 24 hours then :-)

And so it begins...

1:25 AM

Predator - Turbulence EP - Guillotine Recordings

“Predator returns with the re-release of the classic 1996 track: Turbulence
Included remixes by: Chosen Few, Hellsystem and ShadowTech.
Check it out and enjoy!”


6:14 PM

Peckerhead - Red Alert - Mokum Records

Early inspired Hardcore.


8:22 PM

VA - The Colombian Connection 2 - Rotjecore

Release with a variety of styles - also check our feature here: https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/2024/02/rotjecore-records-showcases-hardcore.html


12:00 AM

Midnight hour passes... and we enter the actual european Friday.

12:05 AM

Delta 9 & Lenny Dee - Core To The Rotten - Industrial Strength

A more modern style of Hardcore


Friday 1.3.2024 9:00 AM CET 

Bandcamp Friday actually kicks off!

9:11 AM

Bioxeed - Self Doubt - Noisj

Atmospheric Hardcore / Acidcore.


9:17 AM

Dark Matter Project - Killa Pt I - Ende Records

Slow Tempo Doomstep


9:28 AM

Lydrophobia - Ride To Hell - Rotjecore Horror Trax


Scary and Dark Hardcore & Terror.

11:31 AM

Cement Tea - Eateateatgobblegobblgbblgbl - Self-Released

"A rather unhinged album, it was based around a idea of simply going insane on making music, as in, making completely different sections and rhythmic changes out of nowhere, chaos."


12:31 PM

Amboss - Basic Training - Praxis

Previously unreleased Breakcore, originally written between 2000 and 2003.


2:33 PM

Aneurysm Area @ Trash Massacre 09.02.2024 - Aneurysm Recordings

This is our personal pick of all the bandcamp friday release - it's a release made up of 6 live recordings from the Trash Masscare party, each running 60 minutes - or more.
So this is basically a "six in one" release!
Includes perfomances by Disciples of Belial, Hotrebor, Taciturne, The Untitled, Bart Hard, Atharax.


7:53 PM

Jauzas The Shining - The End Of The Tunnel - New Flesh Records

Futuristic Electro.


8:40 PM

Wardyyr & Low Entropy - The Youth Of America On LSD - Pure&Obscure Records

Oldschool Acid / Hardcore / Terror.


Saturday 2.3.2024 9:00 AM CET

Bandcamp Friday officially ends.