Aaron “NecroFlesh” Wallace the man behind Darksiderz, has been representing the United States (of darkness as he refers to it) in the harder styles of dance music since 2010. Darksiderz delivers his own unique twist on Hardstyle, combining it with Death Metal and Industrial influences to create a sound which can only be described as “the power of the darkside.” Sporting many tattoos and piercings along with long pitch black hair only to be rivaled by possibly Steve Aoki (#besthairinhardstyle), Aaron has one mission in the studio and behind the decks: To control your mind and body with his hard beats.
Darksiderz’s mission is to create a “new hard dance empire built upon the ashes of their enemies.” The last year he’s been busy in the studio releasing hits “Fallen Angel,” “Fallen Demon,” and “My Revenge” staying true to all that is dark. Darksiderz latest release is a remix of “From My Cold Dead Hands” by Combichrist, displaying his ability to infuse metal and hardstyle perfectly into an amazing track (listen below!).
With the recent explosion of Hardstyle all across the United States, Darksiderz can be found right at the forefront performing at Electric Daisy Carnival Chicago and bringing in the New Years with Lady Faith at Fresh NYE in Los Angeles. This past weekend he played at Insomniac Events sold out Basscon event alongside hard dance heavy hitters D-Block & S-te-fan, Isaac, Saymyname, and Alex Kidd & Adrenalize. We recently sat down with Darksiderz and you can check out our interview below!
Darksiderz Interview
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us Aaron! First, for those that aren’t familiar, can you tell us about yourself and a bit about how and when you got started?
My name is Aaron aka Darksiderz and I am an American hardstyle artist. I’m Native American and damn proud of it! I pretty much started raving because of the early hardstyle and hard dance sounds when I was about 14 years old in 2004. I used to play in metal and punk bands around that time, but then a family member introduced me to a random CD with hardstyle on it. My fate was sealed from that moment on. I loved it so much because it gave me the same energy I got out of playing and attending these metal and punk shows. It was raw, heavy, and energetic. I couldn’t get enough of it. So after going to more and more events I decided I really want to play this music. So a friend at the time let me practice on his set up and use his records. I picked it up pretty fast since I was a drummer first and foremost for the majority of the bands I was in. So beat matching, timing, and structure came pretty natural to me. Then after only DJing for a while under different names, I wanted to take it a step further and get more involved, putting my own ideas into the music. So then I started hanging out with producer friends watching and learning as much as I could. It’s pretty much all history from there. I am following my passion for music that started when my parents got me my first guitar when I was 10. Music is number one in my life, and it always will be.
For those that aren’t familiar with hardstyle or hard dance, how would you describe it?
Pure energy!
We know you mix death metal and hard dance and even some industrial together — where did you get inspired to create this new type of genre?
I pretty much got the influences from everything I like music-wise. I just wanted to have stuff that I’d like to listen to honestly.
How do you think hard dance fans are different from other genres?
They are by far some of the most dedicated fans I’ve ever seen. They actually live for the music and the cause.
What do you think drives hard dance fans to events, what do you enjoy most about events in general?
I think it’s just the opportunity to let whatever pent up energies they have out. This music is very intense in many ways. I know for a fact that I let out all of my problems or emotions when I play it. The fans can come to party hard, forget about the real world, and just live in the moment. Embrace the raw energy of this music and its many elements. As far as what I enjoy is being able to be that person who gives them that release.
What have you been up to musically, are you working on any new projects?
I have a few cool colabs in the works at the moment that I’m really excited about. As well as some really interesting remixes! I’m also working on a few side projects too. I wish I could say exactly what, but you will have to wait and see.
Could you tell us what it was like to play at EDC?
Playing EDC has seriously been one of the most insane and serial experiences of my life. The energy from seeing that many people connect with what I was doing was unbelievable. I don’t think I could ever top the feeling I got from it ever again. It’s honestly difficult to really put it into words.
What are you thoughts about hard dance crossing over to the US and it’s recent surge in popularity?
I’m really excited about it. I mean it has already been around for a while. hardstyle is the reason why I ever got into the “Rave” scene in 2004 or 2005. It’s just finally starting to get more noticed like you said. Now that the US is becoming more open to EDM in general, people are starting to look more into the inner workings of it all. I’m glad that it is finally crossing over though. For me, being an American hardstyle artist in this “surge of popularity is thrilling. I want to see how far I can take it to put my stamp on hardstyle with an American sound. I also think this crossover is good for the diversity of the “hardstyle sound” as a whole. Now you see these Euro artists working with a lot of large artists from other genres to push new ideas. I see a really interesting and exciting future for hardstyle because of this.
What artists are you listening to right now?
I listen to so much music on a daily basis; it’s hard to say. I listen to hardstyle, DNB, black metal, industrial, punk, folk, trip hop, and many more all in one day.
As far as Hardstyle I’ve been listening to a lot of this newer generation of producers. Artists like Rebourne, Noisecult, Phuture Noize, Authentic, etc. As well as some of the new HDN artists like Erizo, E-lusive, Imminent Danger, and some newcomers that you will see on my label very soon!
What’s one thing you would have done differently in your life, knowing what you know now?
I sometimes ask myself this same question, and I always come to the same conclusion. I wouldn’t change a thing! I’ve been through a huge learning curve, but I’ve learned a lot just doing it. It’s all a part of the process to lead me to where and who I am now. I’m pretty happy with it all; the good and the bad. It’s made me what I am.
If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would you choose, why?
My father, he is literally the main reason I’m even who I am. He has supported me and taught me so much in life. Growing up on an Indian reservation there isn’t much hope for some people to go out into the world to do big things. My father always told and showed me that I can create my own future if I really waned to. He has supported me though every stage of my life to do what I love. I look up to him more then anyone in the world.
Do you have any advice for future producers/DJs?
I do actually! This is going to be a very hard and stressful road if you want to be successful. It’s going to cost you blood, sweat, and tears. You will spend a lot of your own money, you will be kicked down, but this is all a part of what you have to go through to really get where you want and deserve it. Don’t give up and work hard and through it all. Remember that it’s not all going to happen over night. Don’t loose sight of your goals and stay passionate. If you want it bad enough, you will do ANYTHING to get where you want to be. Learn to be in the right places at the right time. Don’t be closed-minded and stay professional. You don’t want something stupid to come back from the past and bite you in the ass. Stay true and don’t pretend to be something you are not. This takes time and if you stick with it you WILL reach your goals.
Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
I’d like to say THANK YOU guys for everything. Without you, I have nothing. It’s really all about the fans. You are the reason I’m able to do what I love. So THANK YOU guys from the bottom of my heart for your support.
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