All posts by Brandon Caballero

Life is an adventure! Born and raised in Southern California, I have seen the US hard dance scene grow and i'm proud of the progress it has made. My musical preferences include early hardstyle, raw hardstyle, hardcore, uptempo hardcore, gabber, terror and frenchcore. I've enjoyed overseas events, as well as events here in the USA on both the East and West coasts. For me, raving with my friends and making new ones along the way makes it all worth it. In 2015 I started contributing to The Hard Data, and it's been a fun, wild ride, and I'm excited to bring you the you event reviews and original artist interviews!
Articles, Interviews

Artist Interview – Mekanikal

Mekanikal is one of the fastest rising talents in the North American Hard Dance scene. He began producing music when he was 14 and gravitated towards hardstyle after watching Coone’s video series of the making of his album “The Challenge.” After spending time developing his sound, Mekanikal got his first major break in 2013 with his remix of T.A.T.A.N.K.A Project’s track “DJ’s Life” was released on Zanzalabs. Because of that, in 2013 he had the opportunity to play at Defqon 1 NL, and the first edition of TomorrowWorld in Atlanta, GA. In 2014 he saw even more success as his original track “Questions” was released on Q-Dance Records. Due to that he was invited to play at The Qontinent: Wild Wild Weekend, Decibel Outdoor Festival, and the first edition of Mysteryland USA. We had the chance to catch up with him in preparation for his appearance at Basscon: Wasteland, April 28-29.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down and interview with us! How did you decide on you DJ alias Mekanikal?

Originally I was playing at shows like Defqon and TomorrowWorld under an old alias, which people had a lot of trouble pronouncing—especially in Europe. So I, Q-Dance, and Headliner Entertainment—(who I was signed with at the time) had a sit-down and came up with the name “Mekanikal,” which ultimately became my new alias.

Are you influenced by other artists or genres? If so, which ones? How did you eventually get interested in the harderstyle? When do you first remember being hooked by the sound?

I’m influenced by many genres other than hardstyle, especially trap and bass music. Some of the sound design elements in those tracks and the high energy inspire me, and I strive to inject that into my own productions. I got interested in hardstyle back in 2006-2007 after previewing a bunch of compilation albums on iTunes (the modern-day equivalent to crate-digging through records). I came across Headhunterz’ track “The Sacrifice” and I moved into jumpstyle and hard trance after hearing that track, Once I found D-Block and S-te-fan’s Qlimax anthem that’s when I knew I was hooked on hardstyle!

What are you trying to convey through your music? Are there any themes or ideas that are important to you? Is there anything in particular you find yourself wanting to communicate to the audience?

In my music, I try to convey all the elements that I like in hardstyle. From the melodies, to the basslines, to the atmosphere and energy, I want people to have a good time while listening to my music. In terms of ideas or themes, I like to incorporate a non-hardstyle element into each track I make. For example, one track you’ll hear at Wasteland has a two-step moombah section, and in another track I might throw in an acoustic guitar or create a trance-esque atmosphere for the breakdown. I want to show the audience that the binary of euphoric vs. raw that currently plagues the hardstyle scene is counterproductive, and looking to other styles of dance music is okay in hardstyle. It will grow on you if you just give it a chance.

How do you prepare for a big show? Do you have any pre-show rituals that you follow? Do you ever still get nervous before a performance or show?

To put it simply, I down two or three Red Bulls and get on stage haha.  In terms of pre-show “rituals” I usually like to go over my SD cards one last time to make sure I have all the songs I want to play, and I like to get to the stage early. I think if you don’t get a little nervous before you go onstage that is a sign of cockiness and it will screw up somehow. Having pre-show nerves keeps you focused and ensures that you will deliver to the best of your abilities. Personally, I don’t get as nervous as I used to before a show, but I am definitely not calm either… just ask anyone who’s tried to talk to me onstage!

You recently released your track Psycedelica, a Hardstyle and Psytrance crossover track, as well as Hardstyle Made me Do It with Reactor and MC Sik-Wit-It. Are there any other interesting tracks or potential collabs in the future we should look out for?

I just wrapped on three tracks that will be debuted at Wasteland: a remix to an Ummet Ozcan track as well as a Markus Schulz bootleg, and a new original that will be the first track of my set, so get there for that ☺. For future collabs, I have a couple that I’m nailing down final details for, so look for those in the second half of 2017.

Of all your music, what song did you enjoy creating the most and why?

I really enjoyed creating Psychedelic. It was my first attempt at making a psytrance-influenced track and I really had no idea how it would turn out. It was a lot of trial and error and mangling sounds in ways that I hadn’t thought of before.

You’ve played several other Basscon parties, and even at the Basscon: Wasteland stage at  EDC Las Vegas, are you excited to be back in the CA for Basscon: Wastelend? What is different about this time?

I’m always excited to play in California. The sheer energy and volume of people that turn out for these shows is staggering and rivals the size of European crowds in many cases. What will be different, though, is you can expect a lot more variety in this upcoming performance. Don’t expect there to be just one BPM or style played.

Do you have anything special planned for the party? Unreleased tracks? Oldschool throwbacks?

Catch DJ Mekanikal at Basscon: Wasteland on Saturday, April 29.

Expect to hear a lot of energetic tracks, and some unreleased material from both myself and other up and coming east-coast producers. Also, I might throw in some classic hardstyle if the crowd seems hype to that. I don’t plan my sets too much in advance so it’s hard to definitively say what will be in it.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of The Hard Data? 

Thank you all for helping grow the community to the size it is now, and let’s work to build it up even more! If you see me at Wasteland walking through the crowd, feel free to come up and say hi. I love talking with fans of the harder styles. Finally, California, I’ll be back later this year if you miss my performance at Wasteland. Stay tuned to my socials for that announcement ☺.

Catch DJ Mekanikal at Basscon: Wasteland on Saturday April 29.

Facebook: Facebook.com/mekanikalhardstyle
Soundcloud: Soundcloud.com/djmekanikalofficial
Website: touring.apa-agency.com/rosters/mekanikal

Articles, Interviews

Artist Interview – Mrotek


American artist Mrotek was born to bring a whole new level of madness to dark and extreme music. Throughout his earlier years, deathcore and progressive metal held his creative focus. In 2009, he redirected his sights to Hardstyle music, drawn by it’s powerful sound and high production value. Twenty years of experience in the creation of music came to fruition when he began producing his own tracks in late 2013. Working closely with widely known artist “MC Heretik”, he aimed to combine his knowledge of music theory with his passion for Raw Hardstyle into a new progressive sound.

He continued to refine his style into 2015 with the completion of a series of raw and sinister tracks, including Penance (with Arctus and MC Heretik), Voice of Fear (with Deimos and MC Heretik), a remix of Prime Suspects – Biblical (with Arctus, released on Spoontech records), and numerous others.

Mrotek, thanks for taking the time to interview with us! How did you first get into hard dance music?
From a very young age I played guitar; mainly metal and classical. So I’ve always been into making music, but late in High school I started going to raves. At that point my focus switched to electronic music. I was actually really into Happy Hardcore and first. But then at one particular rave, I remember walking into the main stage and Samara by Noisecontrollers was playing. At that moment, the synth in the break was the sickest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. From then on I was obsessed!

Tell us a little bit about the hardstyle scene in Arizona. How has it been as far as opportunity for you to grow as an artist?
The AZ scene has always had a really solid Hard Dance presence thanks to the Arizona Hardcore Junkies. Between them, SDK, and BPM Boost, there is a nice stream of hard dance parties here. All of the shows that helped me develop as a DJ were pretty much all either SDK shows or random desert parties; and yes, we have parties in the desert here 😛
But I have to say, BY FAR the biggest thing in Arizona that has helped me grow has been my krew: Paul (MC Heretik), Logan (Arctus/Sythys), and Jack (The Wicked). We all constantly push each other to get better, finish tracks, bounce ideas off each other, or just meet up and spin some tracks over some brews. Having a solid support system of people you trust completely does so incredibly much; it’s hard to describe all of the benefits from something like that.

How has the evolution of hardstyle influenced you as an artist, and particularly, how did you decide to produce rawstyle?
I’ve always been into extreme and aggressive music. Maybe that’s why Hardstyle didn’t totally grab me until I heard Samara, which has a classic ‘Dark Hardstyle’ melody. Back then there wasn’t really “raw” Hardstyle, just edgier stuff. Artists like Chris One, Zany & The Beholder, The R3belz, they were huge for me. Then E-force hit the scene and I was sold on exactly what I wanted to do. But then things evolve and new artists push the boundaries of what is possible. Rawstyle is one of the fastest changing genres in the world in my opinion, so there is always something new to push it a little further. That idea is what keeps me up at night as an artist. It’s a very exciting time!

Lots of US artists booked for this edition for Basscon Wasteland, what is it like getting booked and receiving that kind of recognition as an artist?
It’s really awesome to see so much U.S. talent on the biggest Hardstyle lineup he states have ever seen. I think this is a great sign for our country’s Hardstyle scene and the way we show up to the rest of the world as well. As far as recognition goes, I have never really cared much about getting recognized. I’m just stoked to rock the fuck out of that stage and blast some heavy shit! It’s going to be a fucking party!!!

Speaking of recognition, you were just signed to DirtyWorkz DWX Anarchy– that has to be a HUGE step  for your career as an artist!

Mrotek signed to DWX Anarchy

I am INSANELY honored to be with DWX; it’s super humbling to be representing U.S.Raw on the #1 label of 2016. I’ve been a huge fan of the artists on Anarchy for years now. Working with some of my Hardstyle heros has been unreal. The ‘family’ vibe of Dirty Workz really makes it feel like my home. I love everything about the label, it’s a dream come true really!

Some things that stand out in my mind are your collabs with Digital Mindz and Riiho, and winning the Sub Sonik remix contest with To Hell (Mrotek and Deimos). Anything else you’ve accomplished that you’re super proud of, or any big goals on the horizon?
The colab with Unresolved as also a fun one ☺ Things I’m proud of, hmm, I guess just the state of where things are at for me. Seeing my tracks being played at all of the big festivals never stops exciting me; all of the support from huge artists in unreal. Every track I finish is a new thing I’m proud of. I have this personal deal with myself that every track I finish has to be better than the last, and so far I feel like I’ve kept that deal with myself. I love how ‘Substance Abuse’ turned out, and the new track I’ve finished since then I am even happier with. Working this way makes writing new tracks REALLY exciting and fun.

What other big things can we look forward to from you in the future? More massive tracks and colabs; all dark and heavy AF of course! Definitely plan on pushing the fusion of metal and rawstyle as far as it can go. I have some exciting bookings lined up that will be announced soon as well. I’m working hard to bring you more tracks, new colabs, playing more shows, possibly doing a European tour later this year, and eventually moving to either The Netherland or Belgium would be the next huge goal. But that one is a few years away still 😛

Anything else you’d like to tell the readers of The Hard Data?
To the readers of Hard Data – you are the ones who make this genre go. Without you, there would be no parties, no artists, and no music. Your dedication is what makes this all possible. Keep spreading the music; our country has the potential to be a Hard Dance power house of the world, and the only way that will happen is if more crazy fucks like you storm the country and burn the place to the ground. Thanks for your dedication and I’ll see you at Wasteland!

Mrotek’s sound is already making waves in the international Hardstyle scene, having received support from the likes of MC Villain, Regain, Riiho, Caine, and many more. Expect a lot more from Mrotek in the near future, as this powerful musician shows no signs of relenting in 2017. Catch him at Basscon Wasteland onApril 29, 2017.

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mrotekdj
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrotekDJ/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrotekmedia

Articles, Events, Reviews

Event Review: Basscon Presents 15yrs of TNT

Saturday January 21 was Basscon’s return to the Belasco theater in Los Angeles. The show was a 15yr celebration of Italian heavyweight duo TNT aka Technoboy ‘N’ Tuneboy, with support from opening act Crime Family, rising America hardstyle artist Mekanikal, and the energetic Audiofreq. The night promised a flashback into some of the classic tracks that brought TNT to such notoriety, as well as a selection of the current top tracks on the dance floors. There was another prospect for the night, the hybridization of psytrance and hardstyle. The internet had been buzzing about this combination of the two styles lately, and Mekanikal, Audiofreq and TNT all promised to play their take on “psystyle” that night! Psystyle- you heard it here first!

My friends and I arrived at the show and grabbed a drink around the beginning of Mekanikal’s set. I looked around and noticed something different about the crowd- it was a very young, enthusiastic crowd who were already getting wild!

“This is her first show, we can’t wait for TNT!” I heard someone talking to their friends say. It reminded me of the enthusiasm I felt when it was raving was new to me too. The reverse bass from Mekanikal’s set echoed through the Belasco, and I expected the night would be full of it. He played his new track with Reactor and MC Sik-Wit-It, Hardstyle Made Me Do It, and we even heard his new psystyle track PSYchedelica.

Following Mekanikal’s set was the versatile Audiofreq. Audiofreq is well known for the energy he brings while performing, but he is also well know for pushing beyond the boundaries of what has been done before and creating new and exciting sounds. His set included bangers Screwdriver, Warcry, and Sandstorm Sub Sonik remix. He also gave a subtle  nod to his Australian roots with tracks like You Got the Love and Dragonblood (Defqon.1 Australia 2016 Anthem) and even showed us his take on psystyle with a TBA track.

Last up for the night was the main event- 15yrs of TNT with a 2hr set! They pulled out all the stops and filled their set with classics like Tritolo, First Match 2011, Bitches,  Next Dimensional World (Qlimax 2008 anthem),  Internet Friends (Organ Donors Psycho Bitch rewoek), and FTS (Organ Donors “live4pillz” REMIX). They also included modern classics in their set such as It’s My Style, Mellow, CTRL, Devotion, and of course their new psystyle track Psylent Hill.

15yrs of TNT was a memorable night filled with classic hardstyle tracks that brought the genre into the spotlight where it is today, and it may have given us a glimpse of what the future has in store. Up next, Basscon returns to the Belasco on February 24 for Atmosfears LA stop of his North America GVTE tour, featuring Atmosfears, Code Black and a Tuneboy Classics set. Get your tickets here.

Articles, Events, Reviews

Basscon presents Angerfist, Radical Redemption, Minus Militia and The Hard Data Ballroom Takeover Event Review

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December 23 was the return of Basscon to the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Unlike previous Basscon shows however, this promised to be very different. Insomniac managed to bring out a very special lineup featuring exclusively raw hardstyle and hardcore acts, a first for Basscon! In the main room, Basscon featured Angerfist, Radical Redemption solo set, and the US premiere of  Minus Militia. In the Ballroom was The Hard Data’s very own Ballroom Takeover, featuring The Hard Data DJ Team – DJ Deadly Buda, Mindcontroller and Lost Boy. The hype for the US debut of Minus Militia, along with the return of Angerfist, brought a larger than life crowd, even selling out the show in the last few days of ticket sales. It was raining hard when many of the partygoers arrived at Belasco and many were getting drenched while waiting for security, but as I watched people get checked in, the excitement on their faces was palpable. Everyone knew they were in for a good night!

Belasco’s two separate rooms allowed the crowd to wander around the venue between the two stages easily and get a little taste of all the artists playing that night. I was reminded of many fond memories from previous shows at this venue as I walked in hearing Darksiderz playing one my favorite hardstyle tracks, TNT & Audiofreq – Screwdriver, as I made my way to the Ballroom.

The Ballroom was packed full of loyal hardcore heads for The Hard Data DJ Team and I felt like I was immediately surrounded by friends from all over coming up to say hi. Mindcontroller was on the decks when we walked in, and we made our way over to see The Hard Santa. My friends and I told him to check his list, and he said despite us being very naughty this year, he still had a present for us – The Hard Data Ballroom Blitz CD – a special CD mixed with everything from raw hardstyle to happy hardcore to hardcore and uptempo. I always love receiving CD’s at shows and I knew we would be listening to this on the drive home!

The Hard Santa passing out The Hard Data DJ Team Ballroom Blitz CDs

We bid Santa farewell and did a time check; there was just enough time to grab a drink at the bar and make our way to the dancefloor before Radical Redemption. As we walked to our ususal spot we had the pleasure of running into Chain Reaction and Crypsis! I had a short conversation with them and Chain Reaction told me that he was very excited to play for the US crowd for the first time. Crypsis added that it was exciting for them all to finally bring Minus Militia to the US.

I looked around the room and it was packed as Darksiderz finished his set. The anticipation for Radical Redemption to begin had built an immense amount of excitement from the crowd. When Radical took to the stage his powerful baselines and melodies echoed throughout The Belasco! Radical’s set was a whirlwind of raw hardstyle and his set included a great mix of some of his popular tracks, including Smack Bitches, HardBass Tribute, Suicide Baseline, and a collection of his iconic Brutal tracks including: Brutal 3.0, as well as crowd favorites Brutal 5.0 and his brand new Brutal 6.0.

As Radical Redemption finished his set it was time for a short intermission while Joey (Radical) ran to get his wardrobe changed for the Minus Militia set. In the meantime while the crowd waited, a live vocal female singer alongside Darksiderz kept the corwd entertained. As we waited, I looked over to the bar and I noticed Angerfist standing nearby. I went to go talk with him and he also mentioned to me that he was excited to play. He said that it was amazing to see so many people come out for the night and he couldn’t wait to play some hardcore for us! It was at this time I saw Crypsis, Chain Reaction and Radical Redemption take their place crouched behind the decks in their flack jackets and preparing for their US assault. Finally, it was time for the US debut of Minus Militia!
What happened next is hard to put into words. The lasers created a web of light over the crowd and powerful kick rolls and screeches brought so much energy to the crowd, I thought the barricade fence at the front of the stage was going to fall over from the force of the crowd that raged behind it! Their set included Obey and Arise (Official Militant Mayhem 2016 Anthem), Cracking Your Ribs, The Genesis (Supremacy 2014 Anthem). To complete the Minus Militia experience, Chain Reaction stood at the edge of the stage waving the large red minus Militia flag over the crowd before finally throwing it out to one very lucky fan.

Last but certainly not least, it was time for Angerfist to unleash hardcore upon the crowd. The mosh pit that had formed for Minus Militia grew as people dug deep to finish the night with hardcore. Angerfist pounded the crowd with his track selection, including classic tracks like Incoming, The Depths of Despair, Streetfighter, The Voice of Mayham, Strange Man In Mask and Just Like Me. I was also very excited to hear (and from the cheers of the crowd so were they) when Angerfist crossed over into dropping several frenchcore tracks, including The Sickest Squad ft. Lenny Dee -Minimal is Criminal, Radium – Rocking Fire, and his collabs with Dr. Peacock – Caveman and Inframan.

Overall I thought that the night was a blast and I hope that this show opens the door for Basscon to throw more exclusively raw hardstyle and hardcore events! Relive the night and check out some of our photos here. Up next for Basscon – Check out 15 Years of TNT featuring TNT aka Technoboy and Tuneboy, Audiofreq and Mekanikal on January 21, and Atmosfears’ North American GATE Tour featuring Atmosfears, Code Black and Tuneboy with a ‘Classics’ set on February 24th.

In closing, I would just like to take an opportunity to say a very special thank you to my friend Elise Valiquette aka DJ unicorns for her help with this article and for the continued adventures we have together, Joel Bevacqua and The Hard Data for continuing to allow me to contribute, and thank you to all my friends (too many of you all to name) who continue to come out to shows and create such great memories with me! 2016 was epic, have a safe and happy New Year and I hope to see you all in 2017!

– CabZ

Articles, Events, Reviews

Winterfresh Music Festival 2016 Event Review

Saturday, December 3 was the return of Fresh Entertainment’s winter-themed festival to Los Angeles – Winterfresh Music Festival. The night promised to host a variety of styles in separate rooms throughout the venue, from hard dance, house, trance, dubstep and drum and bass -all of which I fully intended to check out at the beginning of the night- but, like a Siren luring unexpecting sailors to their doom, the Hardstyle Arena stage sucked me in at the be-ginning of the night and I remained until the end of the show.

The day had been marked on my calendar since the announcement of Partyraiser’s return to LA and DJ Thera’s US debut at the end of Hardstyle Arena: Raw and Disorder, and my Facebook timeline seemed to be teasing me and building my anticipation for this show. The complete lineup for the Hardstyle Arena stage featured
artists Non Toxic, Eni, Alex Kidd (who unfortunately was unable to perform due to visa issues), DJ Thera, Partyraiser, Lady Dammage, and was to be hosted by the legendary MC Ruffian. I was excited for potential of the night ahead – 2 US premier arists and especially uptempo hardcore!

I walked into the venue and I caught up with some friends from AZ I hadn’t seen in awhile, grabbed a drink at the bar, and then proceeded to the Hardstyle Arena stage where I caught the end of Non Toxic’s set. I looked around and noticed the room had been converted into a winter wonderland to enhance the winter theme of the night. There were snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, large snow covered trees on the stage, Christmas lights, and Fresh had even thought to add a custom Winterfresh Snapchat filter! When Non Toxic finished with their final track my friend DJ Eni took to the decks. I had just interviewed Eni before the show, so I was excited for his performance and was really entertained by his track selection of reverse bass and oldschool to get the crowd warmed up! Approximately halfway through his set, Eni brought up a special guest, DJ Hauyon, and together they premiered their DJ team, the Druglordz, and even premiered their first collab – Dominator (Druglordz Reverse Bass remix).

Following Eni/Druglordz’s performance, MC Ruffian stepped up to the crowd and introduced DJ Thera for his US debut. Chances are if you’ve been a fan of hardstyle or hardcore for awhile you have heard Ruffian’s voice; he was the legendary voice of Qlimax until 2015 and can be heard in countless aftermovies and livesets from shows overseas. Ruffian’s familiar tone of voice paired with the cadence of his speech were instantly recognizable and I was exciting to hear him right in my hometown. Before Thera could perform his first track however, there was a special pause in the action- a marriage proposal! One of the dancers was called to the front of the stage, and the crowd created an opening. Her boyfriend stepped up to her and a banner unfolded behind him asking if she would marry him, she said yes! It was a very special moment in their lives and it was touching to be apart of it.

It was then time for DJ Thera to take the spotlight. Anyone familiar with DJ Thera’s music, or his Theracords label knew that his set would feature a variety of classics as well as raw hardstyle. It was exciting to see him perform and I thought he represented himself and his style well for his US premiere. A few of the tracks that he performed included MYST – Man Bear Pig, The Sexual Thrill, and of course the Winterfresh Anthem ft. MC Ruffian.

By the end of Thera’s set people getting wild, the laser production was on point, drinks were flowing, and looking around I could tell people were having a great time. I also had a feeling that everyone there had prepared themselves to go harder for DJ Partyraiser, and I knew moshpits were inevitable. Partyraiser’s high energy DJ style took the crowd to the next level, and his set include one of his most acclaimed tracks – Sound Becomes One with Destructive Tendencies, as well as his new track with F. Noise under their alias Scaphase – Enter the Snakepit (Snakepit 2016 anthem), but one of the most unique reactions from the crowd that I got to witness during his set was when he dropped F*ck It by Lunakorpz and American uptempo/terror DJ Tim Shopp. I was so proud of not only the recognition of the crowd to Tim’s track, but at the conscious effort of Partyraiser to play it and give a subtle nod to American hardcore during is set.

Finally to end the night, it was the US Premier of Lady Dammage, and I will say I don’t think anyone was prepared for what she had in store for us! Hardcore, uptempo and terror were all the menu and Lady Dammage serve it up relentlessly! I never thought I would get to see Lady Dammage perform, much less in the US! I don’t know if some partygoers even knew what hit them, and for anyone who may have missed it, check out her track with Broken Minds Thunder God (240bpm edit!!), and Fear Me Bitches that she played that night.

In closing, I would just like to say that this night was incredible! Fresh’s attention to detail and the quality of their events should put Fresh events on anyone’s “must attend” wishlist. Ruffian added an element to the party by interacting with the crowd’s energy, and along with the lasers, sound quality, and the banging lineup, I know Thera, Partyraiser and Lady Dammage will confirm that California knows how to party! I really enjoyed myself very much and I look forward to their next event, which will be sooner than you think- Fresh has just announced of the resurrection of another one their retired themes, Fresh Days… stay tuned for more info to come!