Mainstream Hardcore
The polished, slower Dutch hardcore sound that grew from gabber in the early 2000s.
History
Mainstream hardcore grew from early hardcore, which was called gabber at the time s1s3. In the late 1990s hardstyle became more popular and gabber lost some of its audience s1. The music survived underground and became popular again in the Netherlands in 2002 s1. Producers made a slower, darker, more industrial sound with a deeper bass drum s1. This newer style was called 'New Style' or 'mainstream' s1. DJ Promo and his label The Third Movement were important in this change s2. Groups such as Endymion, Kasparov, Art of Fighters, The Stunned Guys and DJ Mad Dog became well known s2. Angerfist became one of the biggest names in the 2010s and entered the DJ Mag Top 100 in 2011 s1. The tempo is usually 165 to 180 beats per minute s1. Vocals and samples are often shouted or distorted s1. The style is the main sound at large Dutch hardcore festivals today s1.
Sound
- A deep, distorted bass drum
- Tempos around 170 to 180 beats per minute
- Shouted or pitch-shifted vocals
- Dark melodies
- Samples from films and other music
Key figures
- Angerfist — Dutch producer and one of the best-known mainstream hardcore acts
- DJ Promo — Producer and founder of The Third Movement
- Neophyte — Long-running Dutch hardcore group
- Endymion — Dutch hardcore group
Labels
- The Third Movement — Amsterdam , 1998
- Neophyte Records — Rotterdam , 1998
- Traxtorm Records — Rome , 1993
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Gabber , Industrial Techno
Led to: Uptempo Hardcore
Sources
- Mainstream hardcore — Wikipedia
- Hardcore (electronic dance music genre) — Wikipedia
- Diving through Hardcore Techno: Subgenres, History, and Artists — 6AM (2023)