#TBT – Unforgettable albums that took the Hard Dance world by storm (2008-2011)

An album is a body of work that showcases not only an artists signature style, but also breaks boundaries, thus outlining their abilities when it comes to production. Earlier days in Hard Dance music brought such a unique and impeccable collection of music, sometimes coming in the form of single releases, EP’s and yes, albums. In these times, producers had the time and freedom to sit back for six months and produce an album; resulting in some of the greatest works that the scene has experienced.

Today and as a good ole’ throwback Thursday, we’ve gone through the incredible catalogue of albums in hard dance and have written about our very favourites. Today we will go through albums ranging from 2008-2011 and next week we will modernise our list with releases from 2012 right up to the present day. Swirling up memories of the good times, we hope that some of you rediscover the greatness of these featured albums!

Zany: The Fusion Of Sound (2008)
Wow, what an incredible album to kick-off this article! Created back in the ‘golden era,’ Zany released this eclectic album which was a piece of art that not only defined hardstyle but also cemented that classic ‘Fusion’ sound within the scene. I absolutely love listening to this album because of the different atmosphere that each track brings; although it was quite a ‘dark’ album, it still contains some beautiful, supernatural sounds.

Angerfist – Pissin’ Razorbladez (2008)
Containing two disks and a fuckload of next-level tunes, “Pissin’ Razorbladez’ is one of the most influential and classic albums in hardcore history. When locked behind studio doors, Angerfist is an absolute machine – the lightning speed that he produces music of such immense quality is incredible and this album does not disappoint. It also contains some of Angerfists’ most influential tracks such as “Dortmund ’05,” “Dance With The Wolves,” “Spit On You” and of course, the legendary “Raise Your Fist.”

Project One: Headhunterz & Wildstylez Present: Project One – The Album (2008)
I safely say that the vast majority of hardstyle fanatics can vouch that this next album is a clear winner when it comes to classics. Every time I listen to it I’m left speechless and unable to comprehend how creating something this timeless was possible. Containing evergreen tracks such as: oh wait, every single song on this fucking album is perennial!
Oh what I’d do to have these good old days back!

Evil Activities: Evilution (2008)
“Evilution” is not only one of my favourite hardcore albums that I still enjoy today, but it’s a masterpiece that contains some of his finest works to date such as “Nobody Said It Was Easy,” “Cold As Me” with Tha Playah, “Never Fall Asleep” with Panic & MC Alee and many more. Yes, it’s hardcore, however sound-wise it’s accessible and enjoyable for everybody, even for listeners who don’t know a thing about Hardcore.

DBSTF: Music Made Addictz (2009)
As their debut album, I must admit that D-Block & S-te-Fan did a fantastic job with “Music Made Addictz,” as it’s still a piece of art that’s highly appreciated today and most likely for the remainder of hard dance history. Containing stand-outs such as the titled track “Music Made Addict,” “The Human Soul” with Wildstylez, “Sound Of The Thunder” feat MC Villain and of course “Shiverz” with High Voltage, DBSTF explored the vast spectrum of hardstyle, yet retained the high level of quality that they’re renowned for.

Crypsis: Statement Of Intent (2009)
Renowned for exploring what the underground has to offer, Crypsis’ originality and bold approach to music really paid off when he released his 2009 slammer “Statement Of Intent.” Hands down, this is one of my all-time favourite albums; the creativity within each track is outstanding, the atmospheres are larger than life and the album itself is a precise sum-up of what Raw Hardstyle was defined as at that time. Coming with a third album in 2016, we’re curious to see what Crypsis will bring and whether it will come close to topping this stunning success!

Headhunterz: Studio Sessions (2010)
Featuring whopping tracks like “Psychedelic,” the dubstyle mix of “MF Point Of Perfection” and his remix of “Her Voice” by Builder, Headhunterz grabbed the hearts of fans worldwide when he released Studio Sessions. Headhunterz is eternally a legend for his immaculate productions, unique approach to the genre and for everything that he’s done for hardstyle as a genre.

The Pitcher – Smack (2010)
This has got to be one of the most legendary albums in hardstyle history! Representing that beloved Fusion vibe, yet retaining their own signature sound, the album spreads across the vast and diverse genre of hardstyle, combining both dark atmospheres with melodies. This album did some incredible things for The Pitcher and his career and stand-out tracks include the titled track “Smack” with MC Renegade, “This Is Who We Are” and “Sky Rocket” are still appreciated today.

Brennan Heart: Midifilez (2010)
Personally, I feel as though Midifilez has been one of Brennan Heart’s biggest musical successes; the creativity within this album is endless and the fact that the music on it is still celebrated five years down the track says something! Containing some epic hits such as “In The End” by Blademasterz, “One-Master-Blade,” and “Van Halen Is A Rockstar,” this incredible work of art is one for the history books!

Coone: The Challenge (2011)
Embarking on a challenge to produce an entire album in just 30 days, pioneering Belgian producer Coone not only met his deadline, but managed to create a bunch of timeless hits! Famous for tracks such as “Travelling” with Scope DJ, “Universal Language,” “The Words” with Psyko Punkz and of course, “D.W.X” with Da Tweekaz, The Challenge was a stand-out album that really cemented Coone’s playful, yet powerful sound into the hardstyle scene.

Frontliner: Producers Mind (2011)
Containing some of Frontliner’s biggest most-celebrated tracks to date, ‘Producers Mind’ is a precise sum-up of his incredible capabilities in the studio. With a cutting-edge approach to sound design, Frontliner managed to creatively compose an entire album that consists of supernatural sounds, powerful, yet melodic structures and hard kicks!

Endymion: Three (2011)
Prior to their successful run in the hardstyle sphere, Endymion released four (yes, four) hugely successful hardcore albums. By just looking at the track-list on this beast, many of you will recognise that the album contains some of the biggest anthems in hardcore such as “Broken,” with Evil Activities and E-Life, “Abduction,” “A New Today” with Art Of Fighters and their remix of “One” by Bioweapon and Kutski. Although this trio has moved on, this album is one that will go down in history!

Toneshifterz: Till Daybreak Meets… (2011)
Packed with reverse bass, groovin’ vibes and endless amounts of creativity, this has got to be one of the most underrated albums in hardstyle history! Aussie hero Toneshifterz is renowned for his diverse approach to sound design and this album is just more proof of his talents in the studio! For our readers, I highly suggest that you guys give this one a good listen; it will seriously open your mind.

TNT: The Album (2011)
Did someone say reverse bass?! Italian pioneers TNT, aka Technoboy and Tuneboy blew minds with their first and only album “The Album” in 2011. Going down in history as a favourite of many hardstyle fans, this work of art further cemented the fact that Italians weren’t only renowned for pasta and pizza; they could also create some incredibly timeless hardstyle! Oh, oh, oh, how amazing it would be to see another album from these two!

Angerfist: Retaliate (2011)
Soon to have released six outstanding albums throughout his prosperous career in hardcore, the man in the mask has certainly made waves with his 2011 release ‘Retaliate.’ Boasting hits such as “Retaliate,” “Incoming,” “Delusion” with Outblast and “And Jesus Wept,” this album pushes boundaries and goes quite hard, yet is still enjoyable and accessible for casual hardcore listeners.

Did we forget any of your favourites? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned to our site next week for our collection of albums from 2012-2015!