The Real Dark Hard Gabber: Nasenbluten's 100% No Soul Guaranteed

NASENBLUTEN: 100% NO SOUL GUARANTEED

SCORE: 95/100

An album that is described as "the real dark hard Gabber", 100% No Soul Guaranteed is a classic mid-90's Gabber release that blends traditional Gabber with Industrial Hardcore and Terrorcore to create an album that is all parts rage and fire in the form of hardcore electronic music.

Nasenbluten were a music group based in Australia that formed in 1992 and worked together until discontinuing their music in 2001, and this album was their sixth full-length project in just three years. The group's work ethic was shown to be exceptionally worthwhile, with this album being one of the highest rated Gabber projects of all time - and it's clear to see why it has the acclaim that it has garnered over the years. 

From an underground classic to a well-loved and acclaimed piece of electronic music, the 8-track album is full of gritty, distorted, and harsh Gabber music that showcases the sound of the underground to absolute perfection. The atmosphere of grimy underground anti-establishment warehouse raves is captured to absolute perfection throughout the entire runtime of 100% No Soul Guaranteed, and there's no wondering how Nasenbluten have become known as one of the most influential groups in all of Gabber music.

This sharp and aggressive form of Gabber is what the genre sounds like in its most pure and unpolished state - and it's what resonates the most with many hardcore fans of the genre. It's the metal of the electronic music industry, and the usage of sampling, heavy kicks, and time signatures on this album makes it one of the best projects in the entire genre. It's angry, heavy, and all killer. There's not an ounce of filler to be found on 100% No Soul Guaranteed, and the consistency that the album has is just one trait that makes the project so incredible to listen to. 

Mark Newlands of the group was the mind behind Bloody Fist Records, which was used to release local projects by the group as well as other artists in the Gabber scene and those adjacent to it. This allowed for the release of 100% No Soul Guaranteed to be completely up to the group - meaning that every piece of the album is completely unique to them and their sound. 

The truth is that no one else was doing Gabber in the way that Nasenbluten were in the 90's - or even now. Their hardcore sound was something almost terrifying; and it was something deeply rooted in sampling and other dark elements to create something bassy, heavy, and heavily distorted. Rarely will you hear Gangster Rap sampling on a Gabber project - but for Nasenbluten, this was something signature. 

The album has elements of Breakbeats and Terrorcore - which are used to add depth and style to the record that you will not find on any other album. These elements of Breakbeat and Breakcore would lead Nasenbluten to be cited as one of the most influential early figures in Breakcore, and their sound would continue to be one of the biggest and roughest of the underground rave scene for years. 

100% No Soul Guaranteed is an album that you truly have to feel by listening to it in order. This allows for you to hear the album in the sequence in which it was intended to be heard in - and all of the slight shifts, sequences, and transitions make the album feel like one massive old-school rave; but from the comfort of your own home (or wherever else you may be listening). It's the perfect album to get your energy up with; and every sound is absolutely perfect for the Gabber genre.