Back from the dead, it seems! Anthony Alonso, drum and bass connoisseur from Las Vegas, Nevada, has been out of commission for the last three years taking care of business (literally) only to come back to his beloved scene with the same amount of force and ruthlessness he had when he first departed! HellNegative is back on the decks and is ALREADY playing all over the west coast (read up on his comeback show in San Bernardino, CA HERE!) and is making his first appearance this year at America’s hardest: GABBERFEST, June 18th-19th (EDC Weekend)!
Founder of Dead Kaos, and co-founder of Bassline Syndicate Records, representing Nevada, this is HellNegative!
How did you decide on your stage name?
My religion is the empty space between sounds. The way those spaces are placed creates music. When I produce, I imagine what my heaven would be like through sound. Thus leading to the development of the name HellNegative. It makes sense when you take the phrase literally.
How did you start producing/DJ’ing?
My older brother was listening to electronic music at a young age, so this introduced me to it at an even younger age! I fell in love with his hard house and DNB mixtapes. I decided at the ripe old age of 13 to get my hands on an Electribe ER1 and an EA1. It was all downhill from there.
How did you get interested in the harder styles?
I had always enjoyed rocking out to Delta 9 and DJ Tron, but it wasn’t until my first visit to Dr. Freecloud’s in Los Angeles that the addiction began. Living in Ohio at the time, there was no access to a decent record shop. Of course I dug out some Underground Construction and Nervous Rekkids, but it was the speedcore that I loved the most. I picked up pretty much every Industrial Strength and Drop Bass record they had in the store.
You said that when you returned from your hiatus that you returned to a “scene that was in shambles”. Can you elaborate on this?
Well when I left, things were small, but the only real drama was between sounds of the underground and area170 (which sadly closed its doors). Multi genre parties were still a thing. Although every crew had their differences, we all worked together as a family. When I came back, the DNB scene had grown greatly. I was excited for that, but it seemed to drown out everything else. There’s this separation between the DNB scene and the 4×4 scene. I never see any of the 4×4 promoters at the DNB events and vice versa.
So, what changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started? How do you feel upon your return?
Hard dance and hardcore have not gotten enough love in Vegas. The unfortunate reality of permit issues and the club scene have made it hard for the smaller promoters to put together successful events. Things have been slowly changing this year, though. 2016 is going to see a huge underground revival. Even as I write this sitting in the dirt at Further Future two strangers have commented positively on the breakcore blasting from my phone.
What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?
With Drum N Bass becoming so mainstream as of late, the harder sounds are starting to become the real sound of the underground.
What are you trying to convey through your music? Are there any themes or ideas that are important to you?
I think setting boundaries and rules limits yourself. My production has one main focus. That is to create something I can rock out to in my living room, bedroom, car, and venue. There is way more meaning to enjoying music with others because it’s something you truly enjoy.
Do you have anything special planned for the event?
I’ve been spending a lot of time producing a set for Gabberfest. Every tune will either be produced or remixed by myself. All styles of core will be represented, but the focus will be on speedcore, breakcore, and industrial hardcore.
What can we expect from HellNegative in the future?
Between DNB and Hardcore, I’ve been super busy in the studio and less focused on bookings. To the Vegas family, keep your eyes out. We will be working to grow the hard dance and hardcore scenes. Remember to always enjoy the music you listen to not because it’s popular, trending, fashion, or you’re afraid to say you like something else. Listen to it because you love it. Never be afraid to express your love!
You can catch HellNegative at The Bradley in Vegas on May 28th for Propaganda! Be sure to follow him everywhere else you go and look out for the DNB heat at GABBERFEST!
