Destructive Tendencies “bring us some HARDCORE” with their brand new album!
UK-based Hardcore trio Destructive Tendencies are unquestionably one of Hardcore’s most cherished acts of the moment. Renowned for their rule-breaking and diverse approach to the genre, these crazy dudes aren’t afraid to transport their fans into a state of awe with spine-shivering melodies or burn down venues with their floor-thudding take on Uptempo!
2016 has been a jam-packed year for Destructive Tendencies, who’ve seriously made a name for themselves amongst the European industry. Aside from performing around the globe, there’s no doubt that one of their most unforgettable memories from the summer was their mainstage performance at Dominator, in which they showcased their ‘impending’ album ‘Slaves To The Darkness.’
Released less than one week ago on the 21st of October, I spent some quality one-on-one time with DT as I blasted ‘Slaves To The Darkness’ loud enough for both of my parents to question my sanity. Spread out over two discs, the album consists of twenty-six (yes, twenty fucking six) insane tracks that cover Hardcore’s vast spectrum. Encompassing an eclectic collection of collabs, remixes and Earth-shattering solos that absolutely kick ass, I’m going to speak about my personal favourites from the album and its overall listening experience!
Now… BRING US SOME HARDCORE! Chapter 1
Seriously, Destructive Tendencies weren’t fucking around – this album is immense, colossal, monstrous and all other synonyms of HUGE.
‘Chapter One’ kicks off with titled track “Slaves To The Darkness” which is the perfect melodic opening that one could wish for. I’m not going to lie, I was honestly expecting an 100% ‘Uptempo’ album from these guys, however was pleasantly surprised to hear that they’ve heavily focused on creating accessible tunes suited for all kinds of listeners.
The initial track paves the way for the madness that’s yet to come and once things kick into overdrive with bad-ass hit “Fuck the Rules” I’m totally sold! The thing I love about this track is how much energy it provides; sure, driving 110km in a 60 zone wasn’t one of my wiser decisions, but it simply boosted me in unexplainable ways. If the police caught me for speeding then I’d probably just scream “FUCK THE RULES” right in their face. The power Hardcore has to make me feel like a total bad-ass never gets old.
Next up is “Bash the World,” a crunchy number that’s been given the royal MC Jeff treatment. Again, the guys have executed another massively energetic and top-notch track. Now, I’m going to put of focus on the following track “The Fire, The Power,” which served as Defqon.1 Australia’s Black stage soundtrack. Apologies to the anthem-makers of this year, but this Hardcore spin puts the anthem to shame. “The Fire, The Power” is melodic, majestic and when it drops, totally fucking ruthless! All I can imagine is this track being featured during an end-show and suddenly the visitors of the festival transform from regular civilians into full-blown animals! Big ups to DT for this masterpiece – it’s unquestionably one of my biggest highlights from their album.
Another catchy number is their 2016 Harmony of Hardcore anthem “Against All Odds.” The energy and drive is matchless; combine these components with that sweet little screech, the drum & bass influences and the emotional break and you have yourself a winner!
If I have to commend the guys on one thing, it’s the insane quality they’ve conveyed throughout the album… You can literally hear the blood, sweat and tears the guys have put into this project!
And of course, I must give special mention to DT’s infamous collaboration with Radical Redemption titled “Bring Us Some.” Man, this track has some serious magical powers, because every time I listen to it I feel an unstoppable urge to run around the house dancing (naked). I’m not going to lie though; when Radical dropped this number on his album last year I thought “WTF is this?!” However, after listening to it and getting to know the ‘Uptempo’ sound a little better I found “Bring Us Some” quite an intriguing production.
Rounding off the first disc is a track that’s designed for those who thrive on high BPM’s and pure intensity. Pitched at 215BPM, “Evil Is Evil” is a darker, underground slammer with insane sound design! For those who aren’t used to higher tempos, you probably won’t enjoy this track, however as a production I’m sure that anybody can appreciate the varying kicks, Uptempo kickrolls and clever use of percussion.
‘Chapter Two’
The second chapter of ‘Slaves To The Darkness’ kicks off with DT’s notorious collab with Hardstyle titan Warface. “Release The Kraken” is the perfect middle-ground between Hardcore and raw Hardstyle; with the track beginning at 165BPM, the guys had a lot of leeway to experiment with crazy kickrolls and an invigorating melody before amping it up to 180BPM. Instead of following the usual ‘formula,’ this track actually took me on an entertaining journey through several genres, making it a massive yes!
Next up is a collaboration with Mr Paul Elstak, meaning it’s time to capture some Early Hardcore vibes! “Like A Drum” is a really great addition to the album and with Joey Riot’s experience within UK Hardcore you can even hear some of those melodic influences folded into this number.
Another sweet, accessible track is their collaboration with Re-Style, titled “Where Ya At Muthafukka.” For me, this track is flexible to fit on various Hardcore stages as it’s hard and rough, yet retains a feel-good party vibe and energy. All in all, I’m quite impressed with the selection of artists chosen for collaborations on the album as there’s quite a few surprises!
Next up is “Play My Game,” which is a stellar collab with Neophyte Records figurehead Tha Playah! Featuring vocals from MC Jeff, this track proves that including an uplifting melody doesn’t necessarily mean that the track loses any power… If anything, I personally think that this is one of their most energetic productions on the album.
Following up is one of their proudest productions to date – “Sound Becomes One” alongside Partyraiser. Words can’t do justice to the many emotions that this track makes me feel; it’s evident that the guys really put their hearts and souls into developing a production with a deep message behind it. Accompanied by a videoclip, Partyraiser dedicated this beautiful masterpiece “Sound Becomes One” to his father, who he sadly lost. With the track beginning with a gloomy ambience, right as I felt myself holding tears back, the insanely energetic drop arrived and the connection I felt with Hardcore was simply incredible. This track is a fucking masterpiece and undoubtedly the winning track of the album!
The DT guys also teamed up with Nosferatu, who in my opinion is one of the hardest working producers in the scene. The result of this collaboration, “Who Are You To Judge Me” is an insanely reckless number that’s expected to annihilate every venue this indoor season. Within this track you can really hear both acts signature sounds co-operating to form the perfect amalgamation.
Coming towards the end of the album, the tempo and atmosphere shifts as Destructive Tendencies succeed in squeezing out the final burst of energy from their listeners. Their collaboration “Plot & Scheme” with Noize Bangerz is literally an Uptempo fan’s wet dream. So you think you can kickroll? Yeah, sure, try your luck drumming along to this track at 200BPM!
The second last track of the album is a rather interesting collaboration with Meccano Twins, who in my opinion are one of Hardcore’s most interesting acts. “Something Wicked” adds a unique and slightly experimental flavour to the album. Together, the guys came up with a kick-ass recipe comprising of the right herbs and spices to make a perfect Hardcore track! Again, another stand-out for the album, so big ups to Meccano Twins and DT for this remarkable masterpiece – you guys should definitely work together more often!
And last, but certainly not least is a collaboration with the ‘king’ of Terror… Drokz! Titled “Hardcore Won’t Die ‘Til I Die,” this powerful track is the perfect way to end the album with a bang. All the Terrorheads out there are probably on cloud nine after listening to this brutal, ass-kicking track. After sinking my liver in a couple of glasses of wine the other night, I figured that this track is the perfect twerk-out anthem if you dance to it at half-time… I’m just kidding… Or am I…?
The final verdict…
So, did Destructive Tendencies bring us some Hardcore…?
In short, yes, they fucking did! Their album “Slaves To The Darkness” seriously exceeded all of my expectations. At first I was anticipating nothing more than a bunch of Uptempo tracks, however this power-trio really pulled out the big guns as they delivered twenty-six exceptional productions on a silver platter. I was impressed by everything about this album, including the cover art and general concept surrounding it. However, for me, nothing spoke louder than the mind-blowing Hardcore that DT executed.
I can safely give “Slaves To The Darkness” two thumbs up and if I had three thumbs then I’d give it three thumbs up, but I suppose that’d be a little creepy… Nonetheless, I’d just like to personally congratulate Destructive Tendencies for the release of this incredible body of work – I can’t wait to see what you guys have planned for the coming year!
You can purchase your copy of ‘Slaves To The Darkness’ right HERE.