Darker trance tracks

dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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Trance is generally known for its happy, carefree, uplifting vibes, but what if it didn't have any of those things and actively did the opposite?

Share your darker trance tracks here!

Ace da Brain - Depths of Doom [2005]
A surprisingly dark production from an otherwise uplifting producer. Depths of Doom is an apt title; if hell had a nightclub, this track would play there for sure.

Adam Sheridan - Lektrik (Inside-out mix) [2003]
Essentially a distorted, dark, tech-trance rework of Transa - Supernova. This production put Adam Sheridan on the map, and the Inside-out mix was especially supported by Tiesto and Ferry.

Cass & Slide - Opera (C&S Phantom Mix) [2000]
Dark, melancholic progressive trance from the golden era of progressive. Thank you @Uplifted

Epsilon 9 - Lifeformation (The Infernal Machine remix) [2002]
One of the best tracks featured in James Holden's Balance 005. The tribal beats and dark ambiance are very James Holden-esque.

Indecent Noise - Cerberus [2014]
A lot of modern 2010s tech-trance tried to sound dark and acid-like, but very few tracks genuinely felt dark. Cerberus is the only one that made me think "damn, this is dark as hell."

Joint Operations Centre - Pathological Effect [2017]
Like if you were exploring a spooky dungeon from a Nintendo 64 video game. Thank you @Uplifted

Joop - The Future [2007]
One of the best-known trance tracks with a darker style, as it was the Trance Energy 2007 anthem. The Future is menacing square-synth tech-trance, a style developed in the second half of the 2000s.

Keane - This is the Last Time (Martin Roth Vocal Mix) [~2005]
Martin Roth's style around this time was in general fairly dark, but his remix of Keane's This is the Last Time is the most noteworthy. He takes a sad song about being unable to accept what is available because there could be something else better for you, and distorts it to create a dark, twisted production full of special effects.

Marc La Cruz - Darkness [2001]
Hard trance with the classic early-2000s style perfect for raving. Thank you @IZE

Marcel Woods - Time's Running Out (Original) [2003]
Bangin' tech-trance that would fit in Sensation Black

Marcel Woods vs. Jesselyn - Fauna [2005]
The perfect combination between Marcel Woods' tech-trance style and Jesselyn's dark synths and storming basslines.

Mark Norman - Phantom Manor [2004]
A creepy tech-trancer apt for Halloween. It's also pretty unique; no one ever replicated this dark aesthetic, not even Mark Norman themselves.

Mauro Picotto - Pulsar (Picotto Verdi Mix) [2002]
Mauro Picotto's rework of his classic hit Pulsar in the style of his tech-trance production Verdi. The intro and breakdown are euphoric much like the original Pulsar, but everything else is hard-hitting, darker trance perfect for Sensation Black.

Narthex - Bully (Parc remix) [2006]
Wouldn't have imagined that Airbase made a dark, psytrance-like track! @Uplifted

Oliver Prime - Radiance [2004]
The track which kicked off Oliver Prime's music career. Without Radiance there is no Netherworld (Oliver Prime remix), and in fact this track is the foundation of pretty much all of Oliver Prime's productions - including his Netherworld remix.

Push - Strange World [2000]
If you're on this forum you've probably heard of Strange World, but in case you haven't: enjoy! Strange World is a bit of an oddity among darker tracks, as it is also highly uplifting. The beautifully-executed uplifting riff with a general dark vibe is probably one of the reasons this is among the top trance tracks of all time.

Schwarzende - Abuse (Schwarzende mix) [2001]
Hidden hard trance gem. Crazy to think these guys used to make Eurodance. Thanks @IZE

Subtara - Terminal Destruction [2012]
While everyone else at JOOF was doing progressive psytrance, Subtara released a dark, progressive trancer with somewhat of a retro style. This would have been at home in JOOF's 2010 essential mix.

The Green Martian - Industry [2000]
Trancefix's favorite, and one of Airwave's darkest productions. The synth in this evokes danger and doom.

Ummet Ozcan - Timewave Zero [2009]
Square-synth tech-trance. This style was pretty good for large trance festivals, but Ummet Ozcan really cranked up the "darkness" knob for Timewave Zero.

Vatos Locos Bros - Vatos Locos [2002]
If USA Latino gangs heard hard trance, this would be their anthem. Thank you @IZE

V.I.P. 3000 - The Combat [2000]
"Kinda reminds me of what revolutionary industrious men with lazer cutters and hydraulic hammers would look like in year 2100" @IZE
Reminds me a bit of RBA - No Alternative.

Will Atkinson - Harvester [2014]
Will Atkinson had a small phase where he went from super pumping uplifting trance to purely tech-trance, and in this in-between he made a few dark tracks. Harvester is probably one of the darkest tracks he released in his career.
 
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IZE

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Jul 19, 2020
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If you love Andreas Schmidt 's (Ace Da Brain) work, you'll love some of these too
- alot of marc la cruz tracks are made together with Schmidt
- italian duo who was once known for eurodance (Cappella) blew me away with this dark melancholic masterpiece. A must for all hardtrance lovers
- mentally disturbing, enter a blade-esque shooting gallery underground club where the hook of this track turns any candy raver into a seasoned gangsta!
- Kinda reminds me of what revolutionary industrious men with lazer cutters and hydraulic hammers would look like in year 2100
 
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Aug 3, 2020
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Alphazone - Stay (Club Mix) [2002]

Bryan Kearney pres. KARNEY - Ridiculous (Mark Young & Damo Kay Remix) [2011]

Cosmic Gate - Tomorrow (12 Inch Version) [2004]

Gaia - Tuvan (Andy Blueman Remix) [2009]

M6 - Fade 2 Black (W&W Remix) [2008]

Mark Norman - Brasilia [2005] - From the same album as Phantom Manor, those two would make a perfect EP IMO

Mark Sherry vs. James Allan - Biosphere (PD's Dirty Tech Trance Remix) [2006] - The darkest one of the bunch I'd say

Mark Sherry & Dr Willis - Here Come The Drums (Sean Tyas Remix) [2014]

Markus Schulz - The New World (Markus Schulz Return To Coldharbour Remix) [2008]

Richard Durand - Ledged Up (Raw & Hard Mix) [2008]
 
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dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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Vatos Locos - Vatos Locos
- mentally disturbing, enter a blade-esque shooting gallery underground club where the hook of this track turns any candy raver into a seasoned gangsta!

V.I.P. 3000 - The Combat
- Kinda reminds me of what revolutionary industrious men with lazer cutters and hydraulic hammers would look like in year 2100
Wow, I had never heard of the Vatos Locos track.
The Combat reminds me of Zombie Nation's Kernkraft 400.
 

Toadcop

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Jul 22, 2020
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Mark Sherry vs. James Allan - Biosphere (PD's Dirty Tech Trance Remix) is awesome <3 downloading the whole label thx UuU

and btw M6 - Fade 2 Black (W&W Remix)










MR God =O


Usual Bordel (Martin Roth Remix)

Solarstone - Eastern Sea (martin roth rocking or shocking remix)

The Thrillseekers feat. Gina Dootson - By Your Side (Martin Roth Remix) vinyl

DJ Eco - Song Of Innocence (Martin Roth & Paris Nova Remix)

3 Phase Feat. Dr Motte - Der Klang Der Familie (Ian Wilkie Remix)


SvD God <3

Sander van Doorn pres. Purple Haze - Eden (Original Mix)

Sander van Doorn pres. Purple Haze - Adrenaline (Original Mix)

Filterfunk - S.O.S. (Message In A Bottle) (Sander van Doorn Remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49wP-uHsg1o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxi3TEQu9Sk



and the danish gods ofc UuU /*Q*\
when i am listening to some of their tracks i have the feeling that technology limits them and if they could they would go much more above 0 db just to express what they really "see" (feel) really love/respect them for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d28iSNfc0mM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c8n5HPisGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzgyNbzsi8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFQT-j-8UjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEN-rKlDofU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzbWkrCYWdQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmuOX_1zXVg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHoY917hOF4


MidiMiliz <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MioIupkee1Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zofN-R9mJ-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1B5MESgZRM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdYMhrP7ZQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF1ycCuCF3s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LuZUz3lRS8




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suPZ4f-KZa0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om_g24xtjoY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFhaJsxZI40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy8TP94w-9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9P5rd_MW4k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jMUOfBeMCg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub7A8OIz7LU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK7FtZ4PwF8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFK0Cp6vLyw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-3LFJtCrEI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_sUroXyZxE


RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmsFv-uvUP8
 
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dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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Some extra ones I just added to the OP:

Marcel Woods - Time's Running Out (Original) [2003]


Indecent Noise - Cerberus [2014]

This isn't meant to be a hard trance thread btw, but a lot of hard trance technically fits. Anything that relies too strongly on complex melodies or feels too uplifting likely wouldn't fit, though, unless it's obvious that the track is DARK (like Depths of Doom). The tracks have to feel dark in one way or another, and not cheesy at all, so no Alphazone :p.
 

dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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Does this count? If strange world counts...

It's melancholic, but it doesn't really fit with the thread imo. Strange World fits because it's pretty obvious that M.I.K.E. went for a dark aesthetic/feeling even though it's uplifting.
 

erickUO

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Jul 13, 2020
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This gem from the old forum
Nikola Gala - Subterra

One of my first intro to dark trance
LSG - Risin'

Dracula vibes on this
AMbassador - One Of These Days (Today's Mix)

I see SVD has been mentioned above, but to me his darkest track is this one
Sander van Doorn - A.K.A. (Sam Mix)
 

dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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On the more melodic side:

Pulse State - Ascend [1999]
One of James Holden's better productions



Brainbug - Nightmare (Sinister Strings mix) [1996]


Yeah, earlier I had said melodic tracks likely wouldn't be a good fit for this thread. It depends on the melody (duh), and with Ascend and Nightmare you can tell the producers went for a dark vibe instead of a regular uplifting feel.
 
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sashamlenik

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On the more melodic side:

Pulse State - Ascend [1999]
One of James Holden's better productions



Brainbug - Nightmare (Sinister Strings mix) [1996]


Yeah, earlier I had said melodic tracks likely wouldn't be a good fit for this thread. It depends on the melody (duh), and with Ascend and Nightmare you can tell the producers went for a dark vibe instead of a regular uplifting feel.
Already posted Brainbug few days ago when reborn the thread :) Classic one. Darker trance tracks
 
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