The Hard Data recently asked me to share my current top 10 tracks with hardcore fans in the USA. These are the tracks I can’t wait to play and have been getting the best response on the dance floors. Most of these are available now or will be soon, so “track” them down as soon as you can! 🙂
10 – Tears of Fury feat. Tawar – Mechanical
Dogfight Hardcore Volume 1
A mix of catchy melody, epic vocal and deep sentiment straight out of this new Italian artist. A typical mainstream sound, which is really missing nowadays. This track is available on the album Dogfight Hardcore Volume 1. It’s available on iTunes.
9 – Broken Minds feat. Diesel – We control your minds
This is the sound of 2 new talented producers from Spain with the voice of Diesel! A ’black’ piano riff followed by a fitting manner of cool Broken Minds’ kickdrum! A must have. Get it on Amazon or iTunes.
8 – Dogfight Clan – Dogfight Hardcore
The first collaboration between me, Mad Dog, Noize Suppressor and Unexist! Huge kick drum, obscure melody, you can hear all our different music personalities in this track. Dogfight Clan is ready to attack! It’s available on iTunes.
7 – AniMe – Fear the Dogfight
Melodic and aggressive at the same time, the track I play to boost my dj sets, everyone loves it! Check it out on Amazon, or on iTunes.
6 – Unexist – Kings never dies
A solid tune! Love the contrast between the strong kick drums and the mystic female vocal. Don’t miss the release, this week on Dogfight Records.
5 – AniMe – Liar
Out soon on Dogfight Records. Bringing back the rude sound of A-Bomb and Hardcore Machine. Already played by many big artists, this track works very well on the dance floor.
4 – Ignite – Sulfure
Ignite is the great duo revelation of 2016! Their style is dark and potent! Can’t wait to hear more from these 2 guys. Here’s the iTunes link, and this is the Amazon.
3 – Noize Suppressor – Bouncing in the ghetto
Something unexpected from Noize Suppressor. Fresh sounds and a beautiful vocal, this track fits perfectly in every dj set! Get it on iTunes or at Amazon.
2 – DJ Mad Dog – Dogfight
Huge track, emotional and powerful at the same time. Definitely a big hit! Get it on iTunes, or Amazon.
1 – AniMe feat. Nolz – Superior Hardcore (Exodus 2017 Official Anthem)
It represents the result of months of preparation. With the massive voice of Nolz, it is an energetic sequence of aggressive kick drum, kick rolls and mind-blowing melody, all dressed with badass lyrics.
Dario Renzi, known under the stage name Amnesys, is an Italian hardcore and gabber DJ and producer working under the famous label Traxtorm Records. His career starts when, in 2001, he records a demo and personally gives it to Cristian Itali, aka Impulse Factory.
In 2004, under Impulse Records, Amnesys releases his first official EP, named The Ultimate Motherfucker, which is still played at raves today. These tracks earned him the recognition of two big names in the industry, Maxx and Giangy, also known as The Stunned Guys. The two artists scouted him and helped him release two other EP’s under Impulse Records. After that, Dario was deemed ready to jump to the real deal: producing and releasing tracks under the giant Traxtorm Records.
In 2007, Amnesys officialy becomes a Traxtorm Records artist and releases his first EP under this label. Those four tracks will truly mark the beginning of his career and propel him to the rank of a big player on the hardcore scene. He gets booked for several big parties, and his latest release, “Worldwide Crisis”, gets voted best record of the year by the MOH Radio live-show audience.
Now, let’s discover listen together to Amnesys’s best 5 tracks and enjoy them to the last!
Worldwide Crisis:
Which track to start with if not the one that propelled Amnesys to fame? Listening to this, everyone can understand why it was voted best record of the year in 2008. Even the stiffest people will dance to it, so it’s not a surprise that hardcore techno fans and party animals alike went crazy for it.
Underground Revolution:
This is one of the most played tracks by DJs all over the world, and we can clearly get why! Only someone deaf wouldn’t go wild when listening to it, and we here suspect even people with hard hearing would feel the beat in their bones and dance to it!
Catastrophes:
Get ready for a wild ride! The powerful beats will make you head bang, so be sure of taking some pain killers if you don’t want your neck to feel stiff. Yes, that’s how addictive this track is. And the neck pain is real after listening to that one, believe us, we’ve been through it and it was totally worth it!
The Ultimate Motherfucker:
This is one of the artist’s first releases. Even back then, he had that crazy kick that makes his music so unique. Listen to it and feel the genius!
Elevation:
Last but not least, one of Amnesys’s most famous releases. The powerful sounds go really well with the overall futuristic vibe of this track.
Since his early beginnings, Dario has been tacking the hardcore industry by storm and he’s not about to stop his rise to the title of Master of hardcore. Indeed, in those last years, he has been booked by several big promoters and famous clubs. So, make sure to watch him closely, he’ll definitely leave his mark on the hardcore scene.
For more info about Amnesys, check out his Facebook page:
Under the masks, Art of Fighters, or AoF, is a musical trio of Italian hardcore and gabber DJs and producers Cristian Nardelli, Luca Lorini and Matteo Pitossi. The three artists’ musical journey started in 1997, back when they were teenagers and still rookies in the hardcore world. They produced their first E.P.”The Beat Can’t Change” in 2000, at the age of 18. They then went out to make their biggest hit yet, “Artwork”. This track is definitely what turned them into big players in the international hardcore scene.
Art of Fighters make a reputation for themselves by performing in different clubs in all of the European continent, mostly in Italy, The Netherlands, Germany and Spain. They are also famous for their unique live-sets: They always perform wearing scary hockey masks, like the one seen in the movie “Friday 13th”.
From 1997 to now, Art of Fighters have been playing in several parties and festivals and their rise to fame have been basically unstoppable since then. They are now a reference in the hardcore international scene, not only in Europe, but in other countries where the hardcore genre is still considered very underground such as Japan, Australia, the US or even some South American countries.
Their sounds are known to be raw, powerful and hard, as you can see it (well, hear it actually) in the 5 tracks bellow. Enjoy it!
Artwork:
This track defines perfectly the nature of Art of Fighters’ style. Quick, rough and energetic, you will probably start dancing to it without realizing it.
Nirvana of Noise:
The sounds are dark, mysterious and powerful. I can already imagine this track in an action movie scene or some dark British TV show (the British really know how to make dark TV shows, let’s give them that).
Goodbye (See you next time):
The sounds in this track are a little bit more soft and rhythmic. You’ll listen to it, dance to it, and appreciate it in all its genius.
A New Today:
A collaboration that is definitely worth the detour! This mix of deeply hard sounds, energetic rhythm and Lily Julian’s voice will leave you panting.
Words of War:
This is where you discover that, more than just producers, Art of Fighters are storytellers. You will enjoy the scenario of this track as much as the sounds.
Art of Fighters are now a force to reckon with in the hardcore industry. Their unique, special sounds turned them into one of the biggest names on the scene and they’re not slowing down.
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!
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!
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).
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.
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.
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:
Straight out of Italy, Art of Fighters have been bringing their particular flavor of hardcore music for nearly 2 decades. The Art of Fighters history began in the year 1997 and their career took off as one of the fastest in the scene. It was the year 2000 and they were just 18 years old when they jumped onto the biggest European stages playing their first hit tracks ‘Artwork‘ and ‘Earthquake‘ while wearing their trademark: the terrifying hockey mask, similar to the one seen in the movie ‘Friday the 13th’.
Since then, they have been unstoppable: spreading throughout the entirety of Europe, USA, Japan, South America and Australia. They have continued to produce track after track, becoming one of the leading acts of todays Hardcore scene. Creators of anthems for the biggest events as Dominator, Thunderdome and Q-Base, their sound is constantly evolving. A sound which can be described as a unique mix of harmony and technicality, with the rawness and power that you expect to be found in a proper hardcore track.
Art of Fighters
It’s a pleasure to be interviewing you! Could you tell us a little but about yourselves? How do you know each other? Did you always know you wanted to be DJs?
Ciao America, we are Luca and Cristian and we are Art of Fighters! We are producers from Italy, land of good food, good people and good music (in my personal opinion). (Cristian) I have know Luca since I was a kid, we grew up together as neighbours and we spent all the childhood together. I know him since 30years, it’s my fourth brother, even if he is from another mother.
Can you tell me a little bit about the story behind you’re DJ name? How did you come up with the name ‘Art of Fighters’?
At the time we sent our first demo to The Stunned Guys our name was “Armageddon”. It was a cool one, around 15 demos, ranging from 200/400BPM, except a couple of them which were around 150bpm. Long story short, Maxx suggested us to put into the trashcan all the tracks except the slower ones, and to find a new name cause it was a bit overused. We already had our first logo, so we had to pick up something starting with an “A”. Our second choice was “Art of Warriors”, also taken so we went from ‘Warriors’ to ‘Fighters’ and voilà! Years later I realized how important that decision was. We became that name, and now more than ever we are fighting for our Art, which is the music and the message we are trying to spread around the world.
How did Art of Fighters get started? Did you ever expect to grow to the notoriety and recognition you have today?
We started in the basement of my parents house, using nothing else than a Pentium computer and Fast Tracker 2. Why?! I still have no idea, probably bored or just curious about how music was made. And no, never expected to make it a full time job, also because back then (first demos are dated around 1996/97) the dj wasn’t at all a recognized figure, it was more like an outcast. You had to do it just because you liked to. We are lucky that people like what we do and support us. We’ll try to not disappoint them and stay true to our Core.
Tell me a little bit about why you wear masks and their designs? Do they mean anything special?
The idea of the masks comes from the man that taught us how to mix, DJ Tetta. We had to play a b2b set in Switzerland in early 2001 and he came with the idea of jumping on stage with those white masks and white jumpsuits. We loved the idea and kept using them. After few months we decided to personalize the mask a little bit (here’s why the different design for each one of us) and somewhere around the 2006 we hired someone to make the ones we’re using right now, which (as what the creator said) are made using the mold from the original Jason 13th movie.
(Niko e Tetta, Art of Fighters circa 2001)
Here you can see the pictures of the first time we used those masks. The design is a bit different from what we use now:
Would you have ever seen yourselves coming to perform the USA? How do you think playing for a US crowd will be different from playing in Europe, what do you expect? Are there any new tracks you plan to drop, or any tracks you are particularly excited to play for the US crowd?
This year was full of unexpected gigs. We also did Colombia and Japan, and about to set foot in Canada aswell. And every one of those gigs is a blessing. We love to travel, see different cultures, people and situations. I belive we are all the same but still very different, the idea of party in Italy is different that the one in France or Japan, and I bet my ass that US is a different scenario aswell. As they taught us, you have to adapt in real time to the dancefloor, I’ll try to showcase all our music, which goes from 150bpm to over 200bpm!(I use the singular since it will be a solo dj performance in the US… Luca will be unable to join me due to technical reasons).
Do you think Traxtorm Ganstaz Allied could make a US performance in the future? (DJ team consisting of members Unexist, The Stunned Guys, Mad Dog and Art of Fighters)
I really hope so, and not just in the US!
Art of Fighters
Are there any upcoming releases or future collabs you can share with us? Anything you’re particularly excited about that we should be watching for?
We’re finishing as we speak two tracks, in collaboration with a really talented and underestimated friend and producer which is Dj Predator. A mix of Early rave, Drum and Bass, Mainstyle Uptempo with a touch of Neurofunk. We Love It. There’s also an Hardcore Italia compilation mixed by us and about to be released in Japan. Lot of fresh and cool music and idea over there from a lot of new producers and talents. Keep an eye on it. And also working on something different for 2017. If it will work I’ll talk about it in another edition of Hard Data.
Fantastic! Is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers on the Hard Data?
Yes. A scene without a crowd is not a scene, and a dj without a public is just an expensive cdplayer. So please, support the US scene and attend every party you can!
For me personally, listening to en episode of the Hardcore Italia podcast mixed by an Art of Fighters is what sparked my interest in hardcore music and I am very excited to see them perform here in Los Angeles! Catch them on the USA stops of the Industrial Strength Records 25yr Anniversary world tour, performing in Los Angeles, CA on November 18th, and in Brooklyn, NY on November 19th.
Dedicated to the harder sound of electronic dance music.
