Countdown to 2027 - The Gabber Elders pay respect to Planet Core Production

Countdown to 2027 - The Gabber Elders pay respect to Planet Core Production
Planet Core Productions Tribute by The Gabber Elders

We are The Gabber Elders and we want to pay respect and tribute to a group of even bigger elders, that came before us.
We are talking about PCP aka Planet Core Productions of course.
The label that invented Hardcore Techno, Doomcore... helped to set the foundation for Gabber, Breakcore, Speedcore...
Intrigued people like Aphex Twin or Moby. Plus it gave rise to the biggest international Techno hit ever - "Maria (I like it loud)" by Scooter and the PCP crew (yes, the track is "cheesy" - but cool!)
So yeah, respect is duly deserved here.

And to pay respect, we are gonna do a series of mix sets. PCP only.
And these will not only focus on the "well known" tracks!
So be ready for some surprises. We might do some other surprise features, too.

All this will be our hardcore and techno... Countdown to 2027!
Thus, not everything will be released at once, but we will be dropping mixes and stuff occasionally, to 2027 and beyond!

Maybe you are also interested in this book:
https://pcplegendsintheirlife.blogspot.com/ (all releases on all PCP sub-labels listed, rated, and short-reviewed)
https://archive.org/details/pcp-legends-in-their-life-the-unofficial-planet-core-productions-book/
(The Unofficial PCP Book)

The Gabber Elders are:

GabberGirl https://thegabberelders.com/
Low Entropy https://lowentropyproducer.blogspot.com/
DJ Asylum https://www.youtube.com/@hcbx666
Nikaj https://nikajs.bandcamp.com/

And here is the first mix in this series.

Scotland's DJ Asylum pays tribute to one of the hardest, best, and also one of the best known sublabels of PCP: Kotzaak Unltd.
(Read more about the label here https://pcplegendsintheirlife.blogspot.com/2024/07/kotzaak-unltd.html)

DJ Asylum - Kotzaak Mix

1. Stickhead & Don Demon - Conquer The World
2. Stickhead - Don't Play With Fire
3. Stickhead - Check This Mutha Down
4. Stickhead - Frankfurt Hools No.1
5. Stickhead & Don Demon - Demonhead
6. Bold Bob - Dive Into Steel
7. Stickhead - Meat Grind
8. Leathernecks - At War (Remix)
9. The Kotzaak Klan - Bang Your Fuckin Head
10. Stickhead - Getting Crazy
11. Stickhead - Piss On Your Grave
12. Dogge Team - Pitbull Power (Song For My Dog)
13. Jack Lucifer - Endless Horrors
14. The Kotzaak Klan - Powerstation Kotzaak
15. Dogge Team - We Came To Hool
16. Stickhead - Get In Gear (Remix)
17. Jack Lucifer - 96 Knights (To The Death Mix)

Review: Vdd Energise - Ride Operator (Aneurysm Recordings 07)

Did I mention it before...? Aneurysm Recordings is one of the best new labels for "old" style 90s hardcore in the moment... or, more exactly, it's timeless
And these tracks on here have a timeless quality, too. The promo text tells us about "archives", and at least one of the tracks seems to have been released already... but the sound is still fresh af, and they could just have been produced in our very modern times.

Vdd Energise is an interesting figure to himself; he appears more on the fringe of the 90s techno and hardcore scene. His releases are quite classic, though (including an ep on the drop bass sub label 666).
And, most noteworthy, he has a truly unique style, that noone else really does.
Very hard, analogue, industrial techno and hardcore... maybe slightly comparable to some of the harder unit moebius or the hague stuff, or even the few hardcore detroit techno tracks...

But, in the tracks, classical strings, "opera" samples, and other avantgarde sound manipulation peaks through, too!

https://aneurysmrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/vdd-energise-ride-operator-e-p

And here is an unboxing video to it!

My personal Bandcamp Friday coverage (for October)

Hi everyone!
This month, like every month... no wait, not like any month! Because there is a Bandcamp Friday, and we cover it again!
So here are some good releases to check out.

Crepuscular - Vertebrated Involution

Crepuscular is an industrial / noise artist from Argentina. What's cool with his music is that it does not just "drone on" (like a lot of industrial type artists), there is a feeling of real structure, vision, progression... in the tracks.
the info text says:

"Original tracks from 2016 - 2020
[...]
The architecture of deception built upon constant regression."

and that fits the glove, i'd say. as there is a constant feel of oppression and gloom in these soundscapes.
darkness... but nice!

https://crepuscular.bandcamp.com/album/vertebrated-involution

Night in Athens - Requiem Mécanique

As a teen, I wasn't really into goth, but I grew on me, and today, some of the most interesting (and some of the darkest) music projects are connected to goth.

Or is this even goth? Sorry, but I can see Detroit ca. 1985 or even Kraftwerk mutate into these sounds... pristine electric beats, and almost "vintage" synth sounds linger on.

Oh yeah, N.I.A. is one of my fav new artists.

https://nightinathens.bandcamp.com/track/requiem-me-canique

Xerxes the Dark - Of a Dead World

Xerxes the Dark is a Dark Ambient and Industrial Noise artist in the city of Tehran in Iran - how cool is that?

And most definitely one of my prefered Dark Ambient producers.

The descriptions reads:

"the album reflects the artist’s profound anxieties and existential dread regarding the uncertain, bleak future of both Iran and the wider world."

And I guess that's the truth.

https://xerxesthedark.bandcamp.com/album/of-a-dead-world

Timecop1983 - Night Drive (Instrumental Edition)

From what I know, TC83 is one of the more widely known (and earliest) synthwave producers.

And that's what you get here! Music that makes you feel like a Crockett or Tubbs, driving down ocean drive, while some shady deal goes wrong and the shadows are on your tail already... and the camera eye pans on the atlantic ocean at night while the credits roll, and so do the tracks on this album roll!

https://timeslaves.bandcamp.com/album/night-drive-instrumental-edition

Nox Arcana - Darkfall, Vol. 5

Nox Arcana apparently means "secrets of the night" or "nightly secrets" (or "mysteries" ? )
I never quite understood what they are (another mystery!), but it seems they do soundtracks for all kinds of movies, books, comics. Just that these do not exist!

There is an album for a pirate themed story, for example, or an edgar allen poe-alike. Or about witches and sorcerers. But literally just the tracks, there is no real pirate movie or horror novel attached to it.
It's an interesting concept for sure, to make these "fictional soundtrack" albums! And their sound feels *very* cinematic, indeed.

So, you see, there is a dark theme to their releases, and this goes for this new "darkfall" volume, too.

https://noxarcana.bandcamp.com/album/darkfall-vol-5

Dead Astronauts - Shallow Grave

I am a huge synthwave fan since day one (well, actually, since the 80s, when the original new wave sound was around).
But, at least in my opinion, over the years, synthwave became more mediocre and a lot of releases were put out that were mediocre, and all sounded the same.

The Dead Astronauts always stood out for me, and their past single "b-side" is one of my favorite songs of all time (not just in synthwave!).
so i was more than happy when this new album was announced.
and, my verdict is: it's rocking!

https://deadastronauts.bandcamp.com/album/shallow-grave

S*x Dream - Dry Ice

Despite the band name, S*x Dream is not too NSFW. They're a lofi punk band, and I do not know much about them.
But, by the look of their videos, and the sound of their... well, sounds, they seem to be a group of three friends who just formed a band to have fun, and not having a care in the world. And being a bit silly and snotty at it, at the same time.
That there is both a "punky" and "dreamy" mix of the same song on the eponymous release might prove that point.

https://sexxdream.bandcamp.com/album/dry-ice

GabberGirl's Rave Report - Even Furthur Festival 2026

After a six-year hiatus, the legendary Even Furthur festival returned to Somewhere, Wisconsin the first weekend in September. Four days of fantastic electronic music, interesting activities, endless art, & freak flags flying.

Even Furthur 2026 featured a main stage, the Lumiadome (a geodesic dome light and sound show), three independent DIY music stages, a live ambient silent disco Yoga class, the Disco Chicken food truck, a Saturday night “rave cave”, and of course, Hardcore Breakfast. Crews traveled from all points in the Midwest to build their camps together, hanging psychedelic tapestries, blow-up aliens, and blacklight art on their tents and pop-ups, lining paths with glo sticks and phasing string lights. While Burning Man was going hard in the desert, the Midwesterners were having their own art and music fest, sans dust and nudity.



The early Furthurs marked the start of spring, and tended to be a mud fest. At some point, Furthur switched its timing to the end of summer with drier, hotter results. America’s Labor Day weekend usually presents Midwest weather at its finest, but it is the Midwest, so you never know. This Furthur tested the hardcore-ness of Midwesterners with extreme heat and humidity, and a bunch of aggravated stinging insects; apparently wasps and yellow jackets don’t jam with the bassy vibrations and frequencies of Furthur.

Since the start of Furthur, way back in 1994, and the first Even Furthur in 1995, Drop Bass Network record label head and festival promoter, Kurt Eckes, has been curating a well-rounded roster of electronic musicians and DJs, embracing fresh-faced young artists as well as the originators. One of the first promoters to regularly book female and LGBTQ+ performers, Kurt has maintained Even Furthur as an all-inclusive event; whatever your cuppa is, as long as it is respectful, you are welcome.

The first time my own DJ name GabberGirl appeared in print was on the 1996 Even Furthur flier. After an entire year of lugging around my crate of records to every party, begging every promoter to let me open or close or fill in the missing DJ’s slot, DJing mostly at 4 am for the sweepers, sleepers, and tweakers, someone finally took a chance on me. (Thanks Kurt!) All these years later, he still takes chances on new producers, new DJs; the next generation of electronic musicians are honored and elevated at this event.

Kurt also works closely with other rave crews throughout the Midwest, allowing side stages, and all sorts of shenanigans such as a fire dancers at the Techno Pagan effigy burn, an art-making station, and a traveling rave flier museum display. Collectives from Madison, Milwaukee, and LaCrosse hosted stages this year—when I had asked Kurt if I could host a small hardcore stage, he said that this year’s DIY stages were not about genres, but relationships. Strengthening ties throughout the Midwest; each scene might be small, but when celebrating together, the Midwest is *massive*.

Beyond the amazing performers booked by Drop Bass, the DIY stages book their own local talent, bringing a strong mix of different genres and styles, so there is music for everyone. Not just techno, not just house, not just drum n bass, but all of it, some trance, footwork/juke, dub, booty house, jungle, acid, and of course, HARDCORE. Even Furthur wouldn’t be Even Furthur without hardcore, and that tradition is still honored.

It was 2017 when Hardcore Breakfast was a regular feature added to the EF fest. Two hours of hardcore and gabber on a Saturday morning, served up with hot pancakes and cold shitty keg beer. The last two Hardcore Breakfasts were still being talked about years later—in 2018, Delta 9 (Chicago) found his way back to the stage, with local support from The Demix (Milwaukee) and in 2019, “the most famous unknown” Marc Acardipane (aka The Mover; Frankfurt, DE) was the star of the show, followed by Canadian vinyl precision mixmaster Fishead (Winnepeg). The first Hardcore Breakfast in ’17 featured Uptempo artist Tim Shopp. Other hardcore DJs featured in 2017, 2018 & 2019 on a variety of side stages and the main stage included Otto von Schirach, Bombardier, Mr. Bill, Piledriver, Elekid, Idiom, Flinx, WigWam, Julian Rivera, Gabber Jihad, Stunt Rock, Brentkore, and myself, GabberGirl. Also, the limited edition Even Furthur 2019 double-7” record set released by DBN featured a hardcore track by Baseck.

I spent some time doing detective work, trying to track down the origins of Hardcore Breakfast, and it is quite convoluted, starting in 1997 with pancakes being served at Even Furthur by the Solus Fuse crew and/or the MadLove crew, breakfast beer bongs by a different crew in ‘99, and the actual two words of Hardcore and Breakfast coming together for the first time in 1999 on a flier for a completely different Midwest electronic music fest, Rave’em & Bail-E 3.

The most recent Hardcore Breakfast was served at A Kult/Space 7 stage on Saturday morning, and started with scrambled eggs while Kilbourne scrambled feet on the dance floor. Someone had brought waffle mix instead of pancake mix! So, after some scrambling around, hotcakes dominated the last half of Kilbourne’s hardcore and gabber DJ set, along with fist shaking, boot stomping, and a very athletic Dan Doormouse dancing right in front of the stage for the two-hour set. Kilbourne wore a soccer jersey, her hair in a cute skater cut, and a secret smile the entirety of her set; it was obvious she was enjoying herself as much as we enjoyed her sweet mixing skills and the hardest set I have heard her play. One thing I can say about Drop Bass Network events is that all DJs bring not only their A-game to the decks, but also their hardest sets.

Besides Hardcore Breakfast’s Kilbourne, other hardcore DJ’s and producers featured at this past Even Furthur included Joey Berrios (spinning an old school vinyl set!), Bad Acid Cult, John F Ketamine (JFK), Dr. Kumm, and Softcore Mikey.

Review: Miro - Final Signal (Planet Phuture - PP.036)

A new life sign by Miro, or rather, a signal, a final signal (hopefully not!).
It's been 2 years since his last signal, as far as i can see, so this new sign of life was overdue.
The aka Miro is slammed big and fat on this release, but, oh surprise, it's not just the Miro style like Purple Moon or Blue Sun. I feel he put inspiration from his akas Steve Shit or Billy the Kid into these tracks, too.
So they are quite (quite!) dancefloor heavy. "10000 Freaks" could even be a new "bass machine", at least for me!

https://planetphuture.bandcamp.com/

Psychedelic audio and frequency research radio broadcast happening in Hackney, London at the date of the fall equinox

There is a broadcast on a London based radio station tomorrow, that will also deal with psychedelic audio research. And it is related to electronic music! As part of the Nkisi show.

Here is the official info text of the broadcast:

Low Entropy is a producer that spent decades on psychedelic audio and frequency research.
Similar to the scientific study of psychedelic substances, which began in the 1950s amongst the american neuroscientist community and quickly fizzled out after the "nixon-shock" in the early 70s, the primary goal of these studies is to research the psychedelic properties of sound, frequencies, music, harmonies, genres, and their abilities to put the human mind into a state of trance or "ecstasy", including deep meditative states.
Connected to this is the question of how these sonically induced states of trance could be used for healing mental issues or traumatic experiences, or generally improve a person's mental health.
Another field is the question of whether the psychedelic aspect of religious or shamanistic experiences, which is a constant in all human cultures and history, can be "accessed" through the use of special sounds and frequencies as well.

This continuous "mix set" is the result of a field study where Low Entropy put himself into states of deep trance during music production, then recorded these sounds while having an experience that could best be described as "being outside one's mind".

Space and time:

Nkisi

https://www.nts.live/
23.09.2026 22:00 Hackney Time
That's 23:00 German Time
5 PM New York Time (on the day before)
4 AM Tokyo Time

Tracklisting:

1. Slowcore Voodoo Priests - VooDoom
2. The Ancients of Pluto - Second Transmission (Titan Reflections)
3. The Hardcore Overdogs - Ritual of Rave (One-2-Three)
4. Low Entropy - Frequency Whales
5. Low Entropy - Tierra del Fuego (Heavy)
6. The Haunted League - Drone from Ganymede
7. Godfather Death - Drum Test (Model 8)
8. The Hardcore Overdogs - Anthem Part VII (Arena of Doom)
9. Fight for your Right - La Revolución del Sexo
10. Topp Dogg feat. Wolfvoice - Hakken with Wolves
11. Pluto Transit - Scorpio Nox
12. Low Entropy - Acidcore Pleasure Release
13. Meta-Morph - Musical Stairs

Update: Here is a recording of the broadcast:

https://www.nts.live/shows/nkisi/episodes/nkisi-23rd-september-2026

NTS Latest · NKISI invites Low Entropy 230

Anthem Part III - now with a video

The Hardcore Techno Overdogs Anthem Part III Music Video #gabber #oldschool #darkcore #rave #wild

Good morning dogs and itches!

We got something very very exciting for you. And it is the new music video to The Hardcore Techno Overdogs Anthem part III.
The Hardcore Overdogs is a an electronic online magazine, an "E-Zine for great and / or underrated Hardcore Techno past and present!".
And this is its third anthem, to promote the mag.
Style is a bit like oldschool gabber, fast doomcore... dark hardcore and gabber beats!

So check... The Hardcore Overdogs!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4ywX9cIw1sI

Toxic Sickness, Darklords 2, Bdacid, and the Dark Arts of September

TOXIC SICKNESS RADIO OFFICIAL · BDACID / THE DARK ARTS #47 ON TOXIC SICKNESS / SEPTEMBER / 2026 / DARKLORDS 2 COMPILATION SPECIAL

What sounds like a horror movie title, actually means that Toxic Sickness aired a mix in September that is purely made up of tracks from the new Darklords 2 compilation.

Read more about the compilation here:

The mix is 100% Doomcore Techno for start to finish. So, if you are planning to jog through a dark forest, and maybe are interested to take a haunted train ride, and need something to feed your mind through the ear buds, get this mix, turn it on, and off we go!

Tracklist:

1. Shadowfiend DN - Die Seance
2. Mental Fear Productions - Black Hole
3. Der Cherep - The Hundred-Hander Stairs
4. BadCarma - Das Fitzen Glockenspiel
5. Industrial Demon - Soul Reaver 2
6. Doom HK - Viking Ritual
7. Silent Humanity - Make Believe
8. Tonal Verges - Elagabal
9. The Slaughter - Into Our Doom 2
10. Joshua & Cyrilen - Yoggs Revenge (voix celeste doom remix)
11. Primitik - Fear
12. Succubus Helna - Prometheus
13. Fifth Era - EYDL
14. The Darkcreator - Synthetic World
15. Bdacid - Devil Of Darkness
16. Desolation & Frakass - Broken Memory
17. Low Entropy - Doomed For All Eternity
18. AnTraxid - Damien
19. James F - Teared The Flesh
20. The Antagonist - Lost Minds
21. Librarium - Dying Star

https://soundcloud.com/toxic-sickness/bdacid-september-2026

Our Bandcamp Friday coverage for September

Sometimes, for bandcamp fridays, we do a kind of "live coverage", and review some of the ongoing releases, that pour out that day. Here is our coverage for the september bandcamp friday in 2026. it's not just hardcore and techno, but also other genres, even those that go beyond "electronics".

Note: No AI in any form has been used for writing these reviews!

Update: 5 more reviews:

Hellcreator - Beyond The Gates (Mokum 348)
https://mokumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mok348-hellcreator-beyond-the-gates

When it comes to the early hardcore / 90s gabber revival, I always considered Hellcreator to be one of the better artists in that field.
He is a little bit less cheesy, the stuff is closer to old underground gabber (think nordcore, lenny dee), or even speedcore
Mokum is one of the few survivors of the original gabber house scene of the 90s. And it's cool and nice, that they now host a few of the (brand new) artists that were inspired by them and the original era, too.

Void Sorcerer - Autumn EP (self-released)
https://voidsorcerer909.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-ep

It's autumn (or close to autumn), and here is an EP for that season, too.
According to void sorcerer himself, he aims to combine dungeon synth with... gabber, speedcore, hardcore techno!
And that's a really unique combination, and I have not seen anything like that yet...
Nice to see there is still some creativity around. And the tracks themselves are quite cool, too!

Ductape - Faded Flowers (self-released)
https://ductape.bandcamp.com/album/faded-flowers

This is a card-carrying goth rock / pop album. There is nothing wrong with that!
Think cure, siouxsie, bauhaus... more modern of course, and more dance centered. and maybe less "rock-y".
the descending melodies and the vocals, that sound quite "haunted", do it for me, on here.
If you want to lament a lost love, or one you never met, i guess this is the right album.

Lord Nap - Alien Dreams (self-released)
https://naprecords.bandcamp.com/album/alien-dreams

i must admit that i am a fan of some lord nap tunes, but barely know anything about them.
maybe it's because the releases are very varied, there are even some hip hop ones, others are closer to synthwave.. even chiptune?
i sense there is also a vapor wave influence somewhere, and the tunes sometimes spell the online world of 2010 (think myspace, post-myspace, ICQ, frutiger aero... that aesthetic), which is not entirely my thing.
this release is top, though. it's a bit like lofi hip hop, but also very interesting, and there are many things that actually made me think of the glam rock / power pop era of the mid 70s!

liars' conspiracy - switches (self-released)
https://liarsconspiracy.bandcamp.com/album/switches

this was actually a reader's submission, a band by one of the readers that read the coverage.
and it's brilliant! it really is!
the music is related to drone and drone rock, i suppose. but the sound itself feels very logical, mathematic, but also very reduced, quite minimal, with lots of tiny modulations. and it's really mesmerizing.
dunno, is this a trend, a genre in music, that evaded my gaze over the years, or maybe is something new that they came up with?
either way, there are two tracks on the release, 8 minute and 14 minute long, and i just kept them running, like i was hypnotized by the sound.

Update: 2 more reviews:

Hellboii - Humanicide (Bunker Records)
https://bunker-panzerkreuz.bandcamp.com/album/humanicide-bunker-4028

The Bunker label from The Hague in the Netherlands seems to appear everytime in my bandcamp friday lists... weird!

"Hellboii" is really old school, I remember first seeing their music, when I browsed soundcloud, like 10 years ago (if i remember correctly).

This was a time when there was a new wave of techno and dance music everywhere (well at least on the internet). It was not as minimal or "detroit-ish" as the years before, but colder and harder again, also with hints of acid and acidcore in many tracks. But not as distorted yet as todays "industrial techno"!
Hellboii somehow did fit in there, and also did not. Because they also sound like 80s ebm, pre-techno detroit releases (hah!)... and, yes, Bunker is known exactly for these type of releases, where you can't really describe what's going on.
Either way, it's quite nice!

Fischer-Z - X-Ray Serenade (Self-Released)
https://fischer-z.bandcamp.com/album/x-ray-serenade

tt seems that some high profile artists want to join Bandcamp Friday! First John Carpenter, now Fischer-Z.
(If you don't know them. They were a charting UK new wave band from the 80s that had top 10 hits around Europe).

Their newer songs are less wave-y or synth pop. More like a guitar centered indie band now... even a bit of folk on here, imho. Especially in the song "suburban cowboy".
There is a bonus, and that's (re-imagined?) re-recordings of their old hits, like "so long" or "marliese".

Future Nobodies - Kiss Me Like You Used To (Self-Released)
https://futurenobodies.bandcamp.com/album/kiss-me-like-you-used-to

If I remember correctly, I became aware of the band "Future Nobodies" because Youtube suggested it to me, which might not be the most professional or classy way to do music research. But, truth is, I learned about some very interesting projects and good music in this way, and multiple times.
As far as I can see, there is a whole bunch of artists (and bands) now that are not exactly within one genre... they're not 100% synthwave, or 100% goth, but they somehow mix up everything that is dark, and also danceable.

Future Nobodies is one of the best bands in that "area", in my opinion.
This album uses a snippet from the original French version of the movie "Alphaville" by Jean Luc Godard, from 1965, and this instantly made it a winner for me.
Something that is also notable for me is that the synths, melody, and even rhythm seems to slightly slide out of tune or sync, but only very slightly, not completely detuned, which feels kinda... cool!

Btw their band info read "we make sad happy music to dance to." which kinda fits to the idea I described above.

John Carpenter - Lost Themes II 10th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Sacred Bones)
https://johncarpentermusic.bandcamp.com/album/lost-themes-ii-10th-anniversary-expanded-edition

Hey, I already had John Carpenter in my list for the last time it was Bandcamp Friday! Now he puts out a new release again. Dunno, is this some kind of... magic thing?

Either way, to make it clear: this is *the* John Carpenter. The director of Halloween, of The Thing, of Escape from New York. And he does not suddenly do music on the side, he has always been a music producer too, next to his Hollywood career, and for fans of electronic music, John Carpenter has been revered as much as Vangelis or Moroder.

According to the text this is a new extended version of a previous release, of "John Carpenter's acclaimed second album of non-soundtrack compositions".

And I will stop right here, because this is really perfect, it describes the music on here so well. A "non-soundtrack composition"... yes, it sounds like you were hearing the score to a typical John Carpenter movie, just that this time, the movie does not exist!
(Okay I know that is a weird way to say it... but listen to it, it makes more sense then... I hope!).

Betty X - Skoochies (Self-Released)
https://bettyx.bandcamp.com/track/skoochies

New single by Betty X. If we trust the info (and lyrics), she did this one for an all-ages dance club that existed in the past. She met her first love at that club, and dedicates this song to them.
The style of the single reminds me of the "rockier" side of synthwave, or maybe the more synth heavy and retro side of indie rock. So maybe it's up to you to decide!

But it's really good, and, yeah, I could imagine dancing at a club while this song plays.

I-f - Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass (Viewlexx V-002)
https://viewlexx.bandcamp.com/album/viewlexx-v-002-space-invaders-are-smoking-grass

According to their own accord, the "bunker" crew were some kind of nerd-squatters in the netherlands, that did those hardcore / acid parties in... well, bunkers and warehouses, with a bunch of weirdos freaks... from all walks of life.
and wouldn't you guess it, one of the DJs and producers associated with that scene, was electro-rocking it on the MTV(*) only a few years later. Because "Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass" was on heavy rotation on the various dance programs of TV and other channels, and I guess a lot of people who came home or came down from hardcore raving and other nastiness on a friday or saturday night, sank down on their couch and turned on the TV... will remember chilling to this track when the very video of it came up.

so, yes, it's a literal underground "hit", and i love it, too. very good electro, cool futuristic lyrics... cool concept... completely the correct thing for cool cats!

CVSY - Writhe (Self-Released)
https://glaring.bandcamp.com/album/writhe

Glaring / Anna Nin is one of the most interesting Dark Ambient producers right now. Or is it really "just" Dark Ambient?
Apart from Industrial and Harsh Noise elements, there has been more and more rhythmic sequences in her music lately... I dare to say "dance" elements!
And it might be a coincidence, but I feel a throwback to the earliest days of Techno, Hardcore, Hard Acid, Doomcore Techno... when I listen to these tracks.

It's released using the aka CVSY. According to the info these were "Recorded live in summer 2026". Quite a feat, because it is still Summer, and it's a 17 track strong album after all, that she apparently finished in a very short amount of time!

I love these tunes very much, there is hardly any filler inbetween, the tracks, the concept are top... even if you are only remotely interested in the mentioned genres, please take a listen!

Review: Writhe by CVSY (Dark Ambient Album, Self-Released)

Glaring / Anna Nin is one of the most interesting Dark Ambient producers right now. Or is it really "just" Dark Ambient?
Apart from Industrial and Harsh Noise elements, there has been more and more rhythmic sequences in here music lately... I dare to say "dance" elements!
And it might be a coincidence, but I feel a throwback to the earliest days of Techno, Hardcore, Hard Acid, Doomcore Techno... when I listen to these tracks.

It's released using the aka CVSY. According to the info these were "Recorded live in summer 2026". Quite a feat, because it is still Summer, and it's a 17 track strong album after all, that she apparently finished in a very short amount of time!

I love these tunes very much, there is hardly any filler inbetween, the tracks, the concept are top... even if you are only remotely interested in the mentioned genres, please take a listen!

https://glaring.bandcamp.com/album/writhe

Demonic Wavs releases new Darklords 2 Doomcore Techno compilation

Are you a Doomcore Techno head? Would you agree that the scene became quite meagre in recent years (or recent decades)?
Are you tired of all that crap that labels itself "Doomcore" this day - even mainstream hardcore or sometimes hardstyle gets the "doom!" label slammed on top of the release?

Then, rejoice, my friend!
Here is the new Darklords 2 compilation, released on Demonic Wavs.
And it's really Doomcore, through and through.
It's like a who is who of the best producers in this genre.
So there should be something for everyone with a darkened heart on this one...

https://demonicwavs.bandcamp.com/album/darklords-2

Cosmic anarchists create conceptual 5-hour long "Ambient Hardcore" Techno track

Yup, it is exactly what is said in the title. One, whole track, and it runs seamlessly for 5 hours from start to finish.
How did someone or something arrive at such a - please allow the pun - "titan of work" ?

Let's hear it by the artists themselves.

"One of the topical inspirations for this release is that we were surprised to learn that, within Greek mythology and religion, not all Titans were killed or imprisoned after the 'heavenly' uprising by Zeus & his boys. Some Titans became aligned with the new Gods of Mount Olympus, and were risen to heaven, so to say.

This makes us ponder on these "Titan deities". And a picture appeared within our minds. What if, when we gaze into the night sky, the heavens, at the celestial clockworks, there is not a black void between the stars, nor evil aliens, but what if the cosmos actually had a Titan patchwork woven within?

So, in this track, there are the "sound of the spheres", cosmic space sounds, but they sound metallic, "titanic". While on the other side, there is a sound close to giant hammers in a stellar steel forge. Maybe shaping the primordial structure of the universe. Heavy duty cosmic construction work.
And one always fades into the other, and vice versa.

As for the more direct musical inspirations, there is the Mascletà, a well-known Valencian "rhythmic firework". which is extremely loud, sounds quite hardcore on its own. if you listen to a recording of it, you will see similarities to this very release.

then there obviously is movie scores as an influence, especially horror or scifi, by the likes of angelo badalamenti.

and, obviously, as cosmic anarchists, a main influence is krautrock. the whole electronic "prog rock" experience from berlin and germany during the 1970s. they liked to do long-winding, over-sized albums too, after all.

in fact, we set ourselves the task to produce a track that could pass as krautrock, techno, and hardcore at the same time.

as for the name? we like to honor threefold goddesses of various kinds. especially those with a "dark" or titanic side, too.
and the "rave on titan" refers to... well, we imagined this track to be the sounds that could possibly be played at a long, long rave party on another planet or one of its moons. raving in a giant amphitheatre, on the surreal landscape of another planet, while you look up at a crystal clear but changed night sky...

there is a special twist with the release. it's broken down into 3 and a half chapters, and we arranged them so that you could listen to the chapters in every possible order that you like, and it will still make a whole track!

but, yes, when it comes to it. it is one giant track that really runs for a complete length of 5 hours."

well said, cosmic anarchists, and i dont think there is anything i'd like to, or would need to add.

oh, maybe there is still one thing we should add: the audience should bring patience to this record. because there are literally beatless ambient passages that might last for an hour. before the action begins again.

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-threefold-goddess

New Release: Hardcore & Techno against Misogyny & Queerphobia

Everyone should be free, welcome, and allowed to love who they want to love, and to be who they always have been.
Yet hatred against humans that are "queer', lesbian, bi, trans, gay, non-binary, asexual, etc. is on the rise again...
Just like the hatred against women is on the rise again... sadly.

This is a release in support of everyone who feels, is, or wants to "queer", or just wants to be who they want to be.

The tracks on this release are in different electronic styles of music.
Usually the darker and more hardcore kind. Gabber, Acid, EBM, Hard Trance, Rave, Industrial... Speedcore.

The LGBTQIA+ community needs all the support they can get right now, so they shall receive it!
credits

Tracklisting:

Hardcore & Techno against Misogyny & Queerphobia
by Diverse Artists

1. Fight for your Right - La Revolución del S*xo 02:43
2. FeminGabberist - Not Necessary 02:57
3. Trans Hardcore Project - Trans Acid (New Derivate) 03:36
4. DJ Gender - Acidcore Pleasure Release (Special Edit) 04:47
5. Ace of Hardcore - Space S*x (Revisit) 05:28
6. DJ Gender - Androgyny (3rd Phase) 02:55
7. Trans Hardcore Project - As*xual Bis*xual C-s*xual 03:08
8. FeminGabberist - You Wish You Had A C!it (Extra Extended Version) 05:22
9. Ace of Hardcore - (F**k) the (P*rn) Industry (Extended Instrumental) 10:37

Omnicore Records 82
Doomcore Records 236
Slowcore Records 70

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/hardcore-techno-against-misogyny-queerphobia

GabberGirl interviews The Tyrant about Skumkore Muzik

We are proud to present a new feature by GabberGirl for The Hardcore Overdogs.
This time, she interviews The Tyrant about Skumkore Muzik and other topics related to his music.

GG: When did Skumkore Muzik begin, and what was the concept for it?

Skumkore was supposed to be initially a publishing company but sort of forgotten about. When Bobby Tense, Axys-Deza & I first started FUHD I had gone to an audio engineering school in NYC and had a music business class but when we signed a master purchase agreement deal with Industrial Strength it was sorta unnecessary. Once we signed with Crapshoot Hardcore I brought it back. That contract was just a license agreement for the 1st maybe 3 or 5 years. I can't recall exactly. I feel like I'm on trial.

GG: It is hard to find info on Skumkore’s history, as a truly underground label this makes sense to me. I can see a vinyl release by Hellz Army on Discogs listed under Skumkore and is so rare that it costs collectors between $150 and $200 for a used copy. But it also seems this same album is being offered on Apocalypse Records. What other releases was Skumkore known for? Is Skumkore related to Apocalypse Records? Did Skumkore release the Team Bring It CD compilation from 2005?

Thank you for the question. (Have you noticed all politicians say that now? ) Hellz Army is of course related to Skumkore, we're all skum. In a good way though. Hellz Army is The Tyrant, Nevermind & Tense. I can't believe people are asking for a crazy price. I may be posting for sale vinyl mint condition not opened for sale at the skumkore bandcamp site. ( http://skumkore.bandcamp.com ) Not sure how many left but it'll be cheaper than $200. Nevermind has the digital files on the apocalypse site so that's pretty cool. I'm glad he's still keeping the label alive. I appreciate him very much. The Team Bring It Comp was just a collaboration while I was living on the west coast. It's a collaboration from East to West artists from the US. People can pick up the compilation at https://tbi25.bandcamp.com/

GG: Has this always been your label or have you had partners in the past?

Skumkore was sorta my idea. Of course you can't do it on your own but the support and artist contribution from Nevermind and Tense was the beginning. Any artist I have worked with is always a contributor you can really include Madame Chao, Fiend, Deadnoise.



GG: What is your connection to Madame Chao and can you give any background on the newest Skumkore release?

My connection with Chao started in around 2000. We met at a basement spot we all used to hang out at. He was playing some of his VHS tapes of his visual art. I was blown away. We always crossed paths between the west and east coast. When I moved back from the west we formed a real good friendship. Even did a small tour in canada with duran duran duran. you can listen to my set here https://teambringit.bandcamp.com/album/the-tyrant .... The 1st release was actually inspired by my wife. She asked me if there's one thing I can do that made me a little bit more happy and the 1st thing I thought was to start a new label of my own. Apocalypse started with Tyrant and Tense. But like Larry Nevermind said in his interview with DJ Asylum, managerial positions have changed and I couldn't be more happy then to have Larry still doing it. Skumkore is meant to be sort of free for all Music genres. Apocalypse has that signature speedkore. I just want to give a different avenue to expose more.

GG: The artwork on the vinyl release is fabulous and memorable. Who designed the album art?

The artwork was all Madame Chao. Let's not forget though Jared Knight gave the concept of course Adam knows his visual art but Knight was the inspiration and especially on the Side A track "Compulsion of the device". I met Knight through Chao. He used to go by the name the headless rapist. It's unfortunate he passed away, but Chao always gives props when props are due. You can even see it on his website of whatever he samples. madamechao.com



GG: Is the Madame Chao digital and vinyl release a reboot for Skumkore Muzik, or a one-off reminder of Skumkore’s existence?

Well it's not really a reminder. It just came up with an idea of how to start something new not really associated with anything from the past. It was sitting there for years for me to rediscover. Skumkore 25-2 Is coming with most likely a 7" with Duran Duran Duran and Fury 8. Steve Fiend mastered the 1st 7" and the 2nd one once it's ready to go. Also in the works is a digital online world peace compilation my wife is working on. artists to include Madame Chao, Nevermind, Midnight Sonny, Fiend, myself (the tyrant), Fury 8. A 2 part digi release to focus on how the conflicts of political powers that don't really reflect the will of the people. Especially in Gaza and Israel. Not everyone agrees with their government of law.

Thank You for all your questions and movement for the scene.

Review: Various Artists - Astral Wave Vol 2 (Braintrance)

Braintrance is my favorite (and only?) label for new Ravecore and Hardtrance productions, and I think I said that 10 times already.
But it's true, I know no other label that does the old sound, and does not mix it with more boring "new" styles like mainstream hardstyle or hardstyle or whatever.
It's just pure, card-carrying, trance / rave hardcore.

This little release is a bit harder (and faster) than the usual output on the label. And that's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh), I like it!

Various Artists - Astral Wave Vol 2

1. Wasi Distorsion - Super Saw 05:32
2. Astral Wave - Symphony Of The Crown 05:16
3. Dj El Gris - High Spirits In The Shadows 04:51
4. Ninu Brt - Bright 05:51
5. Mr. Ace - Panic Transmission 07:01

https://braintrance.bandcamp.com/album/astral-wave-vol-2

Bandcamp Friday coverage - August 2026

Here at the Overdogs, we often do a kind of "live coverage" on Bandcamp Fridays.
Trying to find+review the goods.

This is not just about Hardcore and Techno, but all kinds of styles... so watch out!

Note: No AI was used when writing these texts / reviews.

(Edit 2: One more update)

P.S.W. 2022 - Brutalism (Order Doesn't Matter) (Bunker Records)

Is this the summer of brutalism, or what? Kim Petras just had a single out called "Brutalist" (very good, btw!), the Hypertechno band "Brutalism 2000" was just featured on European TV channel "Arte", and now, our dirty electro rockers from The Hague come out with this.

This pesky little style of cold war architecture is high in demand, right now, isn't?

But let's get down to business, or rather, music.

Dutch label Bunker is legendary for its minimal / early Techno (Unit Moebius, Rude 66, I-F). Then they did a U-turn at the turn of the Millennium and did all those retro 80s electro-funk releases (Legowelt, Rude 66 and I-F again). Which even put them on heavy rotation with the MTV (I kid you not!).

And this new EP is something I was hoping for, but I did not expect it. It seems like an unlikely, "schizophrenic" fusion of 80s electronic b-boy funk, and early 90s minimal / harsh acid.

Bon Appetit!

https://bunker-panzerkreuz.bandcamp.com/album/brutalism-order-doesnt-matter-panzerkreuz-space-war-2022

(Edit: Three More Reviews)

John Carpenter - Cathedral (Self-Released)

Yes, *the* John Carpenter. Director of Halloween, Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing, In The Mouth of Madness...
Is he some eccentric rich guy that now wants to do music, too?
Very far from it! Carpenter has always been a musician; more specifically, he did the score and soundtracks for a lot of his own movies. He is one of the true electronic music pioneers, in a group with people like Giorgio Moroder, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Jean Michel Jarre...
One of his compositions even was adopted by Bomb The Bass (a UK techno group), and became an early rave hit in the 90s.

This album seems heavily synth-wave inspired. But, well, it's actually the other way round. Synthwave is a genre that was co-created by our director here. Not intentionally, but synth-wave as a genre is to a very large part inspired by Carpenter's early movie soundtracks (well, and also the aesthetics of the movies itself... like "Escape from New York").

So it must feel a bit like a god coming home to his own creation... right?
But, yeah, this album is grand! Or, as the info text reads:

"An abandoned cathedral. A gruesome murder. A powerful supernatural entity living in the catacombs. It all comes to a head in downtown Los Angeles."

https://johncarpentermusic.bandcamp.com/album/cathedral



Wavelan Vs. Disintegrator - B2B / Your Power (Industrial Strength Records)

A release by Oliver Chesler, who is a legend in Techno / Hardcore music (author of tracks like "Flesh is the Fever" or "One night in NYC", also John Selway, another Techno Legend, and Carl Carinci, a Gabber legend (author of tracks like "Brookly Mob" or "NYC Speedcore").

With this line up, you might expect something super hardcore, but it's more like acid techno. With a touch of early Goa. Or rather, that typical "american" psytrance / goa vibe, that often is in their 90s techno production, for some reason.
it's still quite hardcore, and mental.
spiffy + cool!

https://industrialstrengthrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wavelan-vs-disintegrator

Cave Castle - Ancient Ones (Clan Destine Records)

I know Clan Destine Records from Glasgow (great pun in their name, btw!) as a label for the toughest of the tough. Speedcore, Noize, Industrial, EBM... Breakcore.
So I was a bit astonished to hear this release. Definitely won't give you nosebleed while listening, this time!
It's more like gloomy, chilling breaks, electro stuff.... also in the vein of lo-fi hiphop... but more "fierce", if you catch my drift. Good beats to relax / study, too!

The label itself de-classifies it as "New album ov Dungeon Rap". Which is a good term, too!

https://clandestinerecords.bandcamp.com/album/anicent-ones

Alien Skin - Black Flowers Remember (self-released)

Alien Skin was a surprising discovery for me this year. The "band" / project quickly turned into one of my favorite things. TBH, I first feared it was AI or an otherwise "artificial" project. It all seemed too perfect!
But no, it's a project by George Pappas, who played in the band Real Life (the band that wrote "Send me an angel" in the 80s).
It's not about angels, it's about aliens. And if you know Real Life... you might expect what kind of sound to hear here. 80s Synth Pop, Wave, New Romantics... all over again.
In my opinion, it shows that a veteran is at work here because... it doesn't feel too overloaded, or changed. Does not really mix Synth Pop with "newer" styles.
What it does though, is to add a layer of emotion, longing...

I mean, yeah, Synth Pop always had this dark romantic thing, and I think Alien Skin extended it even a few notches farther.

https://alienskin.bandcamp.com/album/black-flowers-remember

Various Artists - Overlook. Music inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (Unexplained Sounds Group)

Is there anything more awesome than the Unexplained Sounds Group on Bandcamp?
They do these great anthology releases, for example about Dark Ambient artists out of Iran (!) or Experimental Electronic music out of China (!)...

According to the info text, this one here, "Overlook is a music compilation inspired by The Shining, the 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick".

I also want to share the "genre" description from the info text:
"The artists involved explore a wide spectrum that spans ambient music, experimental electronic composition, Berlin school, hauntology and works situated between drone music and contemporary classical practices,"

Everything clear?

It says it is inspired, but I think it could also work as a kind of "second OST" to some of the scenes in the movie.
This is very experimental stuff, at a high level, *but*, and that's the big plus for me, it also has a really powerful mood and atmosphere in the tracks.

https://unexplainedsoundsgroup.bandcamp.com/album/overlook-music-inspired-by-stanley-kubrick-s-the-shining

Prince Istari - Escape From The Tomb Of The Synth Lich

I wanted to skip this one, but then I noticed it is called a "Dungeon Dub" release, and I got curious.
I guess the idea is to combine "Dungeon Synth" with Dubstep / Dub-breaks...
According to the blurb, it is the soundtrack to a table top / dungeon crawl, that can be ordered along-side the record.
Not sure which part of the project is real, fake, or a parody...
The tracks themselves sound like a re-run of Stranger Things (the intro!) and electronic dub reggae beats layered on top... also sound quite whimsical.
But yeah. It's good stuff!

https://spb-hamburg.bandcamp.com/album/escape-from-the-tomb-of-the-synth-lich

New Release: Acid Special #3 - Area 303 (Mokum 346)

Mokum has that thing where they do compilations, with new tracks by (new) artists plus tracks from their older releases.
This is quite the style-clash sometimes, when millenium or contemporary "mainstream" hardcore gets hit by the much rougher gabber & terror sound from the 90s.
This release follows the same concept, but, oh wonder, here everything blends together in a much nicer way.
I guess the acidcore of the past and the acidcore of today is not that far from each other!
And yeah, that's what it's all about. Acidcore, Hard, Acid-Gabber, Hardcore with acid sounds... dive in, but don't burn yourself.

Rating: 303 stars out of 5

https://mokumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mok346-acid-special-3-area-303

Witchcraft Techno Circle releases Hardcore and Techno EP bundled with liminal spellbook!

The "Witchcraft Techno Circle" just has a new album out, and it comes with a kind of ebook.
But let's hear it in the words by the Circle themselves:

"A while ago, or maybe aeons ego, we received and perceived the call of Hecate. We are too humble as servants to our Goddess of the Crossroads to claim that we can validate and specify what her exact messages and wishes are.

But our magical intuition made us feel and whisper the following:

As we are musicians and songwrights, Our Deity of the Liminal suggests us to enchant our art and music with magic of the benevolent kind.

In order to help, heal and benefit troubled, lost, and hurting souls.
And this help might indeed involve a release and freeing of painful, infernal energies, or a short visit to darkened realms.

And this is mirrored in our compositions, which, too, involved light, darkness, pain, pleasure.

Unlike other spiritual music, that only involves light and kind emotions.

We hope that listening, dancing, and meditating to this music has a helping and healing effect.

Yet we want to add more chapters to our spiritual efforts, that go beyond music.
Thus, included with this release are 14 short texts. These texts deal with magic and spiritual topics.

Maybe most importantly, there are texts that explain how to create magical art and magic music oneself.
There are also texts about spells, about personal experiences. And about Hecate of course.

We hope that all of this may be useful, and helpful!"

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/flames-of-hecate

News Flash: The return of the Shock Wave

Shock Wave Recordings was one of the biggest Hardcore Techno labels of the 90s in Germany, and one of the biggest in general. One of the few labels that managed to break through the dominance of the "bouncy hardcore" sound that was coming out of labels like ID&T at that time.

The label had its own sound more or less. Other Gabber labels at that date were quite close to Dance music, Happy Hardcore, and all Jazz.
Shockwave was into horror / trash movie samples, lots of hip hop and rapping vocals, acid, noize, death metal guitars, and really, really fast BPMs.

But always served with the tongue in cheek.
So if you happened to be into Morbid Angel and Sepultura, the Evil Dead and Re-Animator movies, or were into Manga, Akira, Ghost in the shell *and* happened to be into Techno at the same time - this was the perfect label.

So it's quite nice to see a return of the legends.
The first release is already out (see tracklist below).
More info, and more releases to come!



Various Artists - The Saga Continues (SH-3434)

1. The Speed Freak - Hit You Like A Shockwave 03:58
2. Chryzis - One Step Further 05:00
3. Stormtrooper - Psycho-Pets 05:08

https://refusion.bandcamp.com/album/the-saga-continues-sh-3434

https://www.discogs.com/label/1383-Shockwave-Recordings

The Hardcore Techno Overdogs Anthem VI - Ritual of Rave

The Hardcore Overdogs return, with a brand new anthem for their magazine.

And the last one was quite furious and fast, am i right?
the next one is almost the total opposite, a real slowcore banger, with very low bass frequencies.
99 bpm, to be exact.
can you still dig it?

it's almost goth / ambient / industrial sounding.... but the rave vitamins are plainly audible, too!
a true, dark, heavy ritual for all raving aspirants...

just like you would expect from the overdogs.
and 1 faster remix and 2 different tracks are included as well.

Info and Tracklisting:

The Hardcore Overdogs - Anthem VI - Ritual of Rave

1. Ritual of Rave (One 2 Three) 03:51
2. Low Entropy - Festival Riot 02:35
3. Ritual of Rave (Good Dog - Part 1) 08:45
4. Ritual of Rave (Good Dog - Part 2) 07:51
5. Meta-Morph - Musical Stairs (Ambient) 03:45
6. Ritual of Rave (Bad Dog - Part 1) 04:07
7. Ritual of Rave (Bad Dog - Part 2) 03:51
8. Ritual of Rave (Bad Dog - Part 3) 07:15

Omnicore Records 79
Doomcore Records 234
Slowcore Records 68

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/anthem-vi-ritual-of-rave