Tag Archives: featured

Articles, RANKED!

Partyraiser: The Best 5 Tracks RANKED!

1 Comment

Partyraiser is definitely one of the oldest players in the hardcore scene. In 1995, Wesley van Swol, who would soon be known under the stage name Partyraiser, started DJ-ing in parties in his hometown, encouraged by his family and one of his best friends, who helped him learn the initial tricks of working the turntables. Even back then, Wesley van Swol impressed others by his skills. It’s in one of those numerous parties that Partyraiser met Bart Revier AKA Distroyer. They produced their first tracks together and went on playing in small events together.

Luckily enough, the pair ended up meeting Dutch Gabber Network Records’ Vincent Heijnen in one of their many parties, and he was very interested in their music. This impromptu meeting resulted in a vinyl called “A New World Order” that has been critically-acclaimed by none other than Lady Dana and DJ Paul.

Soon after, Wesley van Swol and Bart Revier split up, each starting his own solo career. And it’s not until 2001 that Partyraiser truly finds his voice, creating his own concept called “Doomsday”. This step is what really brought him out to the hardcore world. He started working outside of his province and gaining recognition outside of The Netherlands.

After his breakthrough, everything changed for Partyraiser. He became a phenomenon that every hardcore fan talked about. Partyraiser describes his style as “hardest hardcore”, the fruit of many influences ranging from house to terrorcore and even old rock, as one of his favorite artists is Elvis Presley.

So, in the light of all this, let’s discover together Partyraiser’s 5 best tracks.

  1. Sound Becomes One:

No needs to wait for the beat to go from slow to quick with this one. It starts off hard and softens in the middle, which brings a very welcome change. Truly listen to this song, and you will find yourself flying. Aaaaand, in the third minute, the track returns to that crazy quick vibe it had in the beginning, which might confuse some people who aren’t used to Partyraiser’s very eclectic style.

  1. Time To Raise The Party:

This is definitely the party track. Just imagine yourself in a rave, somewhere in Amsterdam, drink in hand and neon lights surrounding you, just feeling the music in your bones and being part of a crowd that moves like a monster with one thousand heads. So, listen to the man and raise that party!

  1. Our Power:

This is a truly powerful track, and not just because of its name. The sounds are hard, dark and more on the terrorcore side.

  1. From The Westcoast:

With some rap in the middle and a quick beat, this is the perfect west coast sound. Just forget yourself for a few minutes and feel the music, you’ll find yourself dancing without realizing it!

  1. Like An Animal:

Wow, this starts strong! This track doesn’t give you time to acclimate to the music, you just head bang like crazy from the beginning, because there’s no other alternative!

Partyraiser is an artist who knows how to use all of his imagination and inventiveness to create music that transcends space and time. His way of looking at the hardcore style is open minded and original, which explains the use of many musical styles in the same track. It’s pleasing to the ears, as his ever growing fan-base proves.

To know more about Partyraiser, check out his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/PartyraiserOfficial/

Or… go to his upcoming show Dec. 3, 2016 in Los Angeles, WINTERFRESH MUSIC FESTIVAL!

Articles, RANKED!

WARFACE: 5 Raging Tracks RANKED!

Born and raised in The Netherlands, Youri Claessens AKA Warface is a raw hardstyle DJ and producer. In just a few years, his popularity has grown and he became one of the biggest names the industry has seen.

He started his journey in 2010, hosting small parties with his friends in his hometown, simply for the love of music. It wasn’t until he met the hardcore artist Triax (Remco-Jan Prevoo) that he started to think more about making a career out of his passion for producing raw hardstyle. So when Triax asked him to collaborate on a new project named Warface, he said yes without giving it a second thought.

From a DJ on a small scale, Youri turned into a famous and well-respected rawstyle producer who garnered a big fan-base that went totally crazy over his music and his unique live-acts. Indeed, his presence on-scene is phenomenal. Always clad in a mask and suit, magnetic and charismatic, Youri knows how to turn a normal live show into a raging party. His style is aggressive, bold and pleases the crowd. His unique style is also an element we can’t ignore, and some of his latest tracks and collaborations quickly climbed the charts of hardstyle.com, which says a lot about Warface’s popularity, especially that he’s still considered a “rising” artist.

Warface’s production and DJ sets are different from what rawstyle fans usually hear, which contributed to his popularity and turned him into an “all weekends are booked” producer.

So, without further ado, here are Warface’s 5 most popular tracks. Enjoy them!

  1. The Danger Zone:

What to start with… if not a collaboration with the mighty Luna? The “operatic” sends you directly in the mood of what becomes a dark and intense track. It starts slow but quickly turns into that sick beat that’s Warzone’s signature. If you close your eyes while listening to this, you’ll feel the rave surrounding you.

  1. Throwback:

This collaboration between Warface and Crypsis is worth the detour. Hard and fast, you can recognize both producers’ signature in it. You can feel the rhythm in your bones, urging you to ignite the dance floor on fire.

  1. Warzone:

All of Warface’s tracks have a reference to the battlefield, which is understandable. But you don’t have as much fun in a battlefield than in a rave –unless you’re a sociopath –  and that’s where Warface truly shines!

  1. Wakin’ Up:

This track is another masterpiece collaboration that has an extremely hip-hop vibe to it in the beginning, but soon switches to the rawstyle that Warface is famous for. The beat is sick and will make you dance as if no one is watching.

  1. The Truth:

This track is truly on fire, and that’s normal, since it’s a flaming collab’ between Warface and Delete. As they say, “Get up!” and dance, because the present is all you’ve got.

Warface is now one of the most energetic, eclectic and appreciated name in the rawcore scene. His original live sets and fiery albums turned him into an important name in the industry and he’s now booking shows all over the world.

For more info about Warface, check out his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/WarfaceOfficial/

 

Articles, RANKED!

Crypsis: The Best 5 Tracks RANKED!

Working under the Minus is More label, Grzegorz Luzynski AKA Crypsis is a Dutch-Polish rawstyle DJ and producer. He was first discovered by the hardstyle legend Luna who took him under his wing and made him the raw hardstyle star he is today.

Fascinated by Crypsis’s unique take on hardstyle, Luna suggested a collaboration that ended up giving us the magnificent E.P. called “Choices”.

Crypsis is known for his progressive, raw and energetic musical style, and for his original live shows that set the roof on fire (metaphorically speaking, of course). And most importantly, he cares about his fans and what they like. He said once in an interview that he, as a DJ and producer, didn’t get to choose which music was “cool” or not, because in the end, it was all about his fans and whether they liked what he made or not. Him caring about his fans’ opinion that much is what helped him gain a huge fan-base, not only in Europe, but all over the world.

After his albums ‘Statement of Intent’ in 2009 and ‘Cryptology’ in 2012, Crypsis established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the rawstyle scene and as Minus is More’s front soldier and one of their most important producers.

Today, you will get to discover Crypsis’s 5 most popular tracks ever. Get ready, because you will be dancing A LOT!

  1. Program Hostile:

We’re starting with a pretty dark collaboration here, with Crypsis and MC Nolz. This is a track that starts strong and end the same way, leaving you banging your head even after you’re done listening to it. The dark side of it adds a shade of mystery to an already noir track.

  1. Bathe In Blood:

No, Crypsis is not trying to turn you into a psycho murderer who could bathe in their victims’ blood. This is metaphorical, y’all! This track is fast and you can truly feel the raw side in it. We imagine this being played in a party where everyone is wearing fantastically creepy Jason masks. It just gives off this kind of nicely disturbing vibes.

  1. Lost In The Mist:

This track starts on the conventional side, and just when you’re getting used to it, it hits you with a mix of opera and Asian sounds, which is a testimony of how inventive Crypsis can be with his art.

  1. Kill For The Thrill:

And once again, this is metaphorical y’all! Don’t go murdering people in the streets, even if you feel like this track is definitely killer!

  1. Say My Name:

This feels like a Beaking Bad reference, but sadly, it isn’t. What is it though is a sick track that will make you mooove!

This last September, Crypsis released his latest album at Supremacy 2016, and as always, it didn’t disappoint! He has now more die-hard fans than ever, and he impresses with his original style and progressive tracks.

Check out Crypsis’s Facebook page and find out more about him here:

https://www.facebook.com/crypsismusic/

Articles, RANKED!

THE MELODYST: 5 Rippin’ Tracks Ranked!

Before meeting each other, Matt Muscarella and Simone Paradiso were just two young men living in Milan, sharing the same passion for producing music, more specifically, the hardcore genre. Then they met, and instantly hit it off, musically speaking. So they decided to start a producing duo named The Melodyst, which later would become one of the most unique hardcore duos out there.

They made their first steps in 2008, mostly just making music for their own pleasure, until 2011, when they went professional and signed their first contract with Rotterdam Records. In 2014, they realized their dream of signing with what they call their “reference for hardcore music”, Traxtorm Records.

The Melodyst have many influences, but they stated the CEO of the second label they signed in, Next Cyclone, as their biggest one. They stated in an interview that their music will always have a bit of Cristian: Art of Fighter in it, because he has taught them most of what they know about creating and producing music.

Despite being newcomers in the musical world, they have been getting a lot of attention and praise from many other professionals in their field. This makes them one of the most promising groups on the hardcore scene.

So, without further ado, here are The Melodyst’s 5 sickest tracks ever. Enjoy them!

  1. Partycrasher:

Starting with a melody known to most people’s ears, this track quickly dives into the hardcore techno side. The beats will most definitely please the party animal hiding in each one of us!

  1. Hardcore Domination:

This track is a little bit on the softer side compared the first one. It is, nonetheless, extremely catchy and will make you dance without realizing it. It’s only when you’ll notice people looking weirdly at you in the subway that you’ll know that you have been head banging in silent like a lunatic (not that it wouldn’t be worth it).

  1. Personal Demon:

This one is a little bit different, with darker sounds to it in the middle. Still, it’s the perfect party song for people who don’t mind celebrating their personal demons.

  1. Raveolusion:

As we can see it, hardcore is alive and well! The voice singing the revolution in this track adds a little bit of rage, indignation and life to it.

  1. Flame of life:

Darker and more mysterious, this track would perfectly fit in some alternative heavy metal album.

The Melodyst’s first E.P. on Traxtorm is different from what they have done before. It is very melodic, with a particular ambiance to it. It’s not just plain hardcore, but a mix of different musical genres like pop, rock and funk. This decision didn’t come as a surprise to their fans, since it perfectly represents the duo’s young and innovative state of mind.

Wicked, eclectic and melodic, that is The Melodyst’s emblem, and they sure are faithful to it!

For more on The Melodyst, look up their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/TheMelodyst/

Articles, RANKED!

UNEXIST: 5 Killer Tracks RANKED!

1 Comment

If I said “Fransesco Lapicca”, would you recognize the man? Most of you wouldn’t, since you probably know him as Unexist or Jappo. This Italian artist, known as “The most terrifying Italian killer” (a metaphor, of course), is a DJ and producer of hardcore techno music and gabber. In 1995, he released his first track, and from then on, he has been performing in big clubs, private parties and festivals, not only in his home country, Italy, but all over the world. After moving to New York for a year, Unexist discovered that he had a talent for scratching and became one of the hardcore scene’s best.

Fransesco has often talked about the anger and rage inside him, and how producing hardcore techno music was the only way to release all of these feelings. In one of his interviews, he stated “Music has always been an output to me. So I can unleash my anger through my music.” As a Heavy Metal lover, hard music has always been his favorite genre.

Now, let’s discover together Unexist’s 5 most popular tracks. Get ready to be slayed by real hardcore music!

  1. Fuck The System:

As we said, Unexist’s music is anything but soft, and this track is the perfect proof. We can feel the artist’s rage in those beats, which are at the same time very techno and extremely heavy metal-y. We can definitely imagine metal heads listening to this and enjoying it!

  1. Questa È Hardcore :

This one is a little less hardcore than the first track, but it is just as good. More techno than heavy, it makes you long for your clubbing nights when you’re spending a calm one at home (if by calm you mean chilling in your pajamas with a pack of beer and Unexist’s music blasting from your laptop).

  1. Burn It All Down:

The title says it all, no need for more description. Just do it, and burn it all down! If you’re wearing glasses, be careful, you’ll have to take them off before listening to this track because you will head bang like crazy!

  1. Rockus:

Rage, anger and even more rage. This track is sick and you will find yourself dancing to it without realizing it.

  1. Anarchy in the UK:

Yes, this is The Sex Pistols song, but with the unique Unexist sauce added to it, which makes it one hundred times better (no offense to the fans of The Sex Pistols or punk music). A little bit of punk rock mixed with industrial hardcore never hurt anyone.

Unexist, as a big fan of Slipknot and metal music, is now collaborating with various metal artists on a new project called “Fail 2 Comply”. His newest album is also fully covering the spectrums of the hardcore genre, from fast and heavy tones to more soft and melodic ones. Fransesco says that this is “hardcore seen through Unexist’s eyes”.

Discover more about Unexist by visiting his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/DjUnexist/