Modern Hardcore at its finest – This is Furyan’s “Trial By Fury” [REVIEW]

Enthusiasts and artists alike can, without a doubt, vouch that Hardcore has taken some interesting twists and turns over the past five years… From nascent, melodically-structured tracks reigning the mainstages, to the thundering sea change that saw the extreme Uptempo sounds taking leadership, it’s evident that many trends have ascended, perished and re-birthed at the drop of a hat.

For artists, piloting their way through an ever-changing movement is challenging – the key to conquering the game is providing diversity. And for booming Hardcore sensation Furyan, he nails this concept through and through in his newly-released debut album ‘Trial By Fury.’

2016 was an immense year for Charley Schrijn, aka Furyan, who burst into Hardcore’s stratosphere after taking on the honourable task of creating the Dominator anthem “Methods Of Mutilation.” This adamantly marked his biggest career milestone to date, thus confirming his firm position within the Hardcore scene as a headlining name. From then on, Charley continued on his creative streak, thus forming a recipe that consisted of locking himself in the studio, drinking copious amounts of coffee and watching greatness manifest on his PC screen.

Months later, the finish line was finally crossed and in conjunction with an Earth-shattering showcase on the Masters of Hardcore mainstage, Furyan proudly unveiled his debut album ‘Trial By Fury.’

Alright, shall we dive in and crack open this musical masterpiece…? F*ck yes!

“Waiting anxiously to pull the kill switch…”

In terms of the overall sound showcased on ‘Trial By Fury,’ the best way I can describe it is “modern Hardcore in at its finest.” Out of all the ‘younger’ headliners, Furyan is (in my opinion) one of the most skilled producers. He knows the ins and outs of pumping out bad-ass bangers, but can also create colossal atmospheres that leave a whole stadium of Hardcore-heads in shivers. Possessing all the right herbs and spices to create game-changing tunes, this process would inevitably serve as a time for Furyan to not only create pumping dance-floor oriented hits, but move outside of the box and try-out some new techniques.

Trial by success? Or tribulation?

As an entity, the listening experience of ‘Trial By Fury’ was quite a pleasant one. As opposed to a Hardstyle album, which can explore everything from fluffy euphoric, right up to industrial raw, Hardcore albums tend to offer a lot more consistency, but in turn, less miscellany from outside genres. For Hardstyle fans picking up ‘Trial By Fury,’ this notion is extremely important to keep in mind.

Anyway, although a certain level of uniformity is expected, Furyan manages to deliver an album that displays an assortment tasteful, zesty beats. For example, the easy-going, melodic vibes exhibited in “Harmony” with Korsakoff are a far cry from the notoriously energetic Nosferatu collab “Killswitch.”

Despite enjoying the entire album to the max, there were a few tracks that I instantly became addicted to. Firstly, super-group Guerrillas’ debut “Can’t Stop Us Now” was an instant YES for me. From the very first play, the driving energy in this track captured my soul, however that comes as no surprise as this tune was hand-crafted by Neophyte Records’ strongest alliance of producers.

Another enjoyable listening experience for me was the Nitrogenetics remix of “Moments.” Circulating around wacky sound-design and a progressive, intensifying structure, this remix isn’t one for the masses, which is why I love it so much!

After officially remixing Digital Punk’s album-headliner “Adapt Or Die” and of course, being based in the same studio building, it seemed logical for these dudes to finally pool their resources and go all-in on creating some ravaging Hardcore beats! For those who aren’t acquainted with Digital Punk’s music, you may hear “Get Retarded” as another sweet Hardcore banger, however, if you listen closely you can really actually hear the Punk’s signature raw sounds meshed perfectly with the high tempo.

Of course I have to include “Killswitch,” because this track is an absolute TUNE. Nosferatu and Furyan took their damn time to finish it, but boy, the wait was well worth it! The majestic melody merged together with savage kicks, dynamic energy and robust zest makes this track a timeless piece of Hardcore greatness!

In collaboration with Evil Activities, who’s also perched in the same studio building, “Speak My Mind” was born. Again, this one is another totally addictive piece of music that’ll get your blood pumping and your feet moving!

Closing down the album with sheer perfection, Furyan followed absolutely no recipe to whip up the flavoursome “Polly Want A Cracker.” Ruthlessly tossing in an array of seasonings, this track displays a striking fusion of Hardcore, Uptempo and even a few cheeky Frenchcore influences! The verdict is in, and yes, it’s a winning dish!

Huge congratulations to Furyan for his debut album “Trial By Fury.” We’ve trialled, tested and can confirm that this musical showcase is off-tap!

The album is OUT NOW and available on all musical portals, as part of the Masters of Hardcore official compilation CD. “HOAX” with Angerfist and the Beatkrusher remix of “Murder” have been released, however you can expect the rest of the tracks to be dropped on Neophyte Records’ catalogue throughout the next months.