I'm more than chuffed to get Deadnoise back on the show, the U.S.-based DJ and producer who made his first appearance on HCBXCast Vol. 42. Known for his hard as fuck hardcore and speedcore sets, top mixing skills and track releases on the likes of Apocalypse Recordings - Deadnoise has long been a pillar of the American hardcore underground. His latest mix for Vol. 69 is a brutal masterclass in hardcore excess. You don't want to miss this one. The man himself took time to answer a few questions.
HCBX: Alright Deadnoise, welcome back on HCBXCast. What have you been up to?
DN: Glad to be back on. It's hard to believe that almost a year since my first HCBXCast. Since then, I have been recording mixes and TRYING to finish new music.
HCBX: You’ve been involved in the hardcore and speedcore scene since the 90s — how did it all start for you? What first pulled you toward this type of music? Was there a particular track?
DN: I spent the early to mid 1990's writing graffiti and painting freight trains in Arizona. It was though the graffiti scene that I was first exposed electronic music and Hardcore when a friend lent me a mixtape that had "TRANCE" written on it. I have no clue who made the mix or if it was good but I do remember hearing tracks from Bodylotion, Krimson, Gizmo, Short Circuit, and Neophyte. Shortly after hearing that tape I began to buy whatever Hardcore vinyl I could get my hands on. Unfortunately the only two stores that carried Hardcore were located in Phoenix so I had to drive 2 hours each way and HOPE they had something worth buying.
Here are a few of tracks that really got me into Hardcore:
- Parrot Torture - Angel of Amphetemin
- Speed Nova - Impulse
- Odysee II - Domino
- Son Of A Bitch - Sucker
- Sorcerer - Winter
- Neophyte - In Your Head
HCBX: How did you get into mixing? Was there a party that made you say: "I'm going to do that"? And what gear did you start on?
DN: I have always been interested in DJing. Even as a child I remember seeing Run DMC and was fascinated by what Jam Master Jay was doing. In middle school I used to order pro audio catalogs so I could look at turntables and the rack-mounted mixers made by MTX, Numark, and Biamp.
I had a few friends that owned 1200's but I could only practice on their schedules. When I finally did get my first set of 1200s, I would spend 10+ hours mixing every day. Once I was confident in my abilities, I began recording mixes and sending them to promoters and record labels asking for promos or information on where to get their releases.
I remember receiving records, flyers, stickers, letters, and information about distributors from DJ Freak and Michael Zosel at Shockwave. Through them and others I met Stefan at Sound Base, Simon at Underground Music, and Rubick at Mad Dog Distro. Meeting Rubick changed everything for me. When I started to produce professional mixtapes I sent him 100+ copies and in return he would send me a box of vinyl. He continued to send boxes for several years and kept me supplied with amazing vinyl I couldn't find anywhere else. I owed a lot to him.
HCBX: You've played gigs all over the shop, what's been your most memorable moment over the years?
I've had amazing and terrible bookings over the years. Some of the most memorable Arizona parties were Hiatus, Synthetics, Lotus, Blue Balls, and Tranceformtion 2000.
I started getting booked in Los Angeles in 1999 and played a lot of amazing and horrible events out there. I was fortunate to have caught the tail end of 1990's Los Angeles Hardcore scene so I had pretty consistent bookings there for several years.
Europe was always amazing. I could play the hardest/fastest records I had and never had an empty room. Paris was probably one of the most memorable. Tense and I went to a party the night before and got absolutely smashed. The next day we were so hung over we could feel the earth spinning. Nevermind had flown into Paris the next day to join the tour we were on and we ended up playing a killer party called Alternation 2119.
HCBX: How has your gear set up evolved over time? Both for mixing and producing?
DN: For mixing it was 1200's and various mixers. I made "Sinistrum" and "Shit Hemorrhage" on a super cheap 2 channel "American DJ" mixer that outlasted my Vestax mixers.
Currently I am using the Pioneer XDJ-XZ and I love this thing. Vinyl DJing will always be my first choice but mixing with WAV/FLAC opens up so many possibilities that aren't there with vinyl.
For production I use a PC and a tracker. I started Fast Tracker II then eventually moved on to Mad Tracker. We all used Mad Tracker for about 6-7 years until Fiend introduced us to Renoise. I think our music improved when we made the change to Renoise. We could finally use VST/VSTi without it slowing our computers down.
HCBX: You've had a load of cracking tracks out over the years, on Apocalypse, TNI, SWAN and Shit N Gutz (my personal favourites have been Suspiria and King Of The Witches). Which of your releases stand out for you/are you most proud of and why?
DN: I am proud of Arrogant, Suspiria, King Of The Witches, and XRCSM. I don't consider myself a great producer but I have been very lucky to have music released on some cool labels. I still have a lot to learn and hopefully a long life to learn it.
HCBX: Your connection with Apocalypse Recordings has been a constant. How did that relationship come about, and what has working with Larry Nevermind and the label meant for you as an artist?
DN: In 1998 I started working with Jon Berry at Industrial Strength, he became my manager and took care of everything relating to bookings and promotion. Through Jon Berry I was able to get a several page feature in Mixer magazine and was part of an article about American Hardcore artists in URB magazine.
In early 1999, Jon introduced me to Siege from Siege & Menace at a party outside of Los Angeles that Lenny Dee, Simon Underground, and Siege were playing. Siege had recently started a new management agency called Coalition Management, which already had Tron, Tense, and Nevermind on board.
Later that same year, I met Fiend at a party I was playing in Los Angeles. Siege managed to get all of us connected and not long after, Fiend and I joined Apocalypse Recordings.
Working with Apocalypse has been amazing. I trust Larry and I know he loves the music as much as I do and is in it for the right reason. He doesn't use the label to promote himself at the expense of everything else. The label doesn't change with what's popular and releases music that fits with the label.
HCBX: There’s a distinct Deadnoise sound in what you produce. What’s your process when you sit down to make a track or build a mix even?
DN: There is? It's mostly luck. I don't have a specific process when writing music. It's all trial and error until something comes together. I wish I did have a process because I end up getting in my own way most of the time.
HCBX: Who's inspiring you now in hardcore, either producer or DJ?
DN: Producers: Bumphead, Lord Terror, Rottencore, Darkside9878, Nevermind, Fiend, Virtue, The Ctrl, Hellcreator, RedOgre, Desolation, and Sucre Rose.
When it comes to mixes I am very selective. There are only a few DJs I listen to — Dan Efex, Tron, Fiend, Nevermind, DJ Raf, and Hellcreator. The last HCBXCast Tony Katana was killer mix.
HCBX: Stateside, there’s a long history in hardcore. How is the scene in Arizona, and how has this lasted the test of time?
DN: Arizona has always been weird for Hardcore. I have played Les Diaboliques, Dj Freak, Skullblower, Napalm and had full rooms that went crazy. The following week I couldn't play anything above 190 BPM.
Arizona has had a handful of Hardcore DJs/producers since the mid 1990s with The AZHCJ, but I am the only one that played Industrial and Speedcore. Forsaken Is Dead was releasing a lot of music for awhile but he has disappeared.
It's been a while since I have played in Arizona but harder music is starting to make a comeback here. There are a few local DJs that play hard Techno and Gabber so hopefully the scene will continue to grow.
HCBX: You've got the TNI label night coming up in Switzerland soon. Congratulations, there's a quality line up at that too! What are your plans for that and what type of set are you going for?
DN: I pulled the usual 1990s and early 2000s Speedcore. I approach parties differently than recorded mixes and play whatever seems to work for the room. I practice so much and know my music so well that I rarely run into problems and my live sets are just as clean 98% of the time.
HCBX: Let’s talk about your HCBXCast Vol. 69 set — it’s an absolute onslaught - fuckin brutal stuff. What was the thinking behind the set? Was it planned or did you just press record?
DN: When I make a mix there is always some amount of planning. I have played classical piano for most of my life, so I approach my mixes with the same attention to detail and preparation.
I start by pulling tracks I like and listen to them until I memorize all the changes and length of phrases. Once that is done I typically record 3-4 different mixes with the same tracks and use the best one. I feel that mixes show what you are capable of and should be as clean as possible. I refuse to put my name on a sub par mix.
HCBX: What’s next for Deadnoise — any new releases, collaborations, or gigs on the horizon?
DN: I am currently working on some solo tracks and a few collaborations Nevermind. I have a good booking in Phoenix on February 21st, 2026 with a killer line-up. Hopefully it's one those parties I can play Speedcore at, but if it isn't I will have a bunch of 1993 Gabber. I am open to playing more parties in the future.
HCBX: Anything else you want to get off your chest?
DN: In the words of the great Bob Barker: "Help control the pet population — have your pets spayed or neutered."
Thanks to Deadnoise for taking the time — catch his full HCBXCast Vol. 69 on Saturday 25th October here: HCBXCast Vol 69 - Deadnoise
Follow Deadnoise on SoundCloud: Deadnoise SC
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