Hardcore Adrenaline Vol.2 - Various Artists > Reviews > Hardcore Adrenaline 2 - A New Classic?

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Lacking inspiration
Lyrics	Mediocre
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Low price, many tracks
Disadvantages:	Inconsistant styles,

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Hardcore Adrenaline 2 was released in Autumn 07 and already has a new sequel out! Is this testiment to its popularity or proof of rushed production of the tracks?

Basic Details

Tracks: 55
Approx total runtime: 175 minutes
Featured DJs: Stu Allen, DJ Seduction
Label: GTV, Firm, Nukleuz.
Other Titles in the Series: Hardcore Adrenaline 1 & 3.
Sub-genre: Hardcore/Happy Hardcore
Best Price: £5 (£0.09 per track)
What does it sound most like? Hardcore Adrenaline 1.

What is Hardcore?

For those of you whom quite like dance music as a whole but don't quite know what makes hardcore different to other types of dance music, for instance the music featured in Clubland 14 & 'The annual', I will give a brief introduction.

Hardcore has a faster and heavier sounding beat. The beat usually stays very steady throughout the entire track except for breakoffs- points where the beat dissapears completely and the listener is put into a relaxed state with a mixture of slow strings and harmony. Hardcore uses lyrics more as an instrument than a dominating omnipresent part of music. In this album, lyrics are heavily relied upon in some tracks and completely ignored in others. Hardcore DJ show no restraint in adding sound effects and long drum snare fills to drive the music up into a powerful crescendo. Words are however, only words. And to feel the full effect, I suggest visiting HMV or Virgin Music's new brand Zawi and swiping this CD under a 'try before you buy' headset to experience it for yourself.

CD1 - Stu Allen

Normally compilation albums use their first disc for the more commerical tracks, but this is not the case with Hardcore Adrenaline 2. The styles of music on this disc are the most varied of all the discs, with some tracks being reminiscent of uplifting Happy Hardcore but the vast majority being distinctly on the dark side, especially near the end of the disc. This is not to say I didn't like the tracks on this disc; I did indeed find some gems here, but there were some tracks I certainly disliked.

CD2 - DJ Seduction

DJ Seduction imposes a style of hardcore on his CD that I'll admit I didn't take to very well. He uses very minimalistic and rapid synth melodies for his choruses. This has two effects; one if that I find a good crescendo looses its momentum when it hits the over simplified, hard and childlike melodies in the chorus. I felt disapointed for this reason, that in some tunes e.g. Track 5, Surrender, he had created some really moving melodies in the track but seemed to throw them out of the window in the chorus. Nethertheless, I did take to some of the tracks after a while. Of course many hardcore fans prefer this style of music.

CD3 - Bootlegs Mix

Bootlegs CD was certainly my favourite disc of the set. It has many remixes of familiar tracks (a cheap way to produce an entire CD in my opinion but it produces a good result regardless) and good consistancy throughout. You won't be needing to skip tracks like in the previous two discs. As another reviewer has mentioned, the Sandstorm remix brings a fresh an faster look at that classic track; uses a faster beat, new harmony and a slightly mono-tone synth to really bring Sandstorm to the hardcore audience. One of the most enthusing and adrenaline filling listening experiences I have had, definately the best track in the collection.

Key Tracks

All-time personal favourites
CD1- Stu Allen

1. Track 5 ONE HEART ONE MIND, (Audioscape remix)
2. Track 9, CANNONBALL (Weaver & Andy L)
3. Track 12, SENSATION (Stu Allen)

CD2- DJ Seduction

1. Track 5, SURRENDER (Alistair Storm)
2. Track 11, READY TO ROCK (Seduction & Al Storm)
3. Track 14, MOONLIGHT PARTY (DJ Kurt vs Fonzerelli)
4. Track 18, WE ARE HARDCORE (DJ Seduction)

CD3 - Bootlegs Mix

1. Track 3, CAN'T HOLD BACK (Jazakid)
2. Track 8, LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY (Impact Remix)
3. Track 13, CASTLES IN THE SKY (King Ace)
4. Track 17, DO IT YOURSELF (Uniting Nations)
5. Track 19, SANDSTORM, (Audioscape remix)

Price

£5 is the cheapest you can possibly get Hardcore Albums on the internet or the highstreet for. You could buy 3 of these for the same price as the latest bonkers albums when they come out. If you're considering this album then the price should certainly help you make a decision one way or another. If you're uncertain still.. then perhaps you'd best best with a more popular album such as the Bonkers Series.

Overall

This CD delivers '55 killer anthems' for £5. Thats pennies per track, although the price per brilliant track would be significantly higher due to the amount of inconsistancy in this album. With the discs having such different tones, you'll probably either like Disc 1 & 2 and not 3, or the other way round as I found.

Compared to other hardcore titles avaliable such as Clubland Xtreme Hardcore 2, and Bonkers 17: rebooted; this album is not quite as uplifting as the other series. It contains more repetition, distorted vocal samples and simplified rhythms than the 10 other albums I have owned. Definately for the more veteran hardcore fan.

I recommend this to experienced hardcore fans looking to cheaply expand their collection, but a classic, this is not.

Simon Oates

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