Neophyte – None Of Ya Left

Strong release by Neophyte, at the time that hardcore was at his high in the Netherlands.
Played a lot at parties.
The A1 track samples the begin tune of O.M.D- Maid of orleans and is heavy influenced by Mescalum United - We have arrived. The Charles Manson sample finished it off. It’s a really good track.
A2 Neophyte hardcore was a banger too but not my favorite. The B side is also worth listening too. 3 good tracks in the old Neophyte style. Evil and inside of me were my favorites.

Neophyte were very much at the top of the Hardcore Gabber scene in the mid 90's, their unique take on the genre which in turn produced thrilling music, highly sought after remixes and a crazy drunken live act that made them very popular with the Gabbers. They were the essence of Rotterdam Gabber music. It could be said that they embodied Gabber as a whole: hard, fast, rough, uncompromising and basically not giving a fuck about what other people thought of their music. Lofty accolades aside, None Of Ya Left solidifies Neophyte as one of the best artists in Hardcore. The slower New School Hardcore sound was establishing itself in The Netherlands in late 1997, and you can hear some of that in the record.

The title track, None Of Ya Left, is probably the most well known tune on ROT 065 and definitely gets the record rolling along from the get-go. Those killer low end kicks with those ominous synth lines is always a good start. The main sound is a rough as guts Rotterdam Gabber sound being dragged through the dirt with that offbeat throbbing bassline. The way the synth is changed at certain times is nice. In the middle of all this, there's a sample of I Used To Love Her by Body Count. That alternative bassdrum that kicks in with that gritty bassline is a beast! It does seem appropriate that the Charles Manson speech is incorporated adding to the harsh nature of the track. Towards the end are these Kotzaak styled stabs which sound good also the quick sample of Mescalinum United's We Have Arrived is appreciated. Great opening to the record and probably one of those tunes that doesn't get played enough.

Neophyte Hardcore is the slowest tune on the record and closely resembles New School Gabber. Jeroen Streunding's vocals actually sound really good here. It's also noteworthy to hear a Neophyte beat this slow, they do make a more forceful impact. The first breakdown has another dead serious synth stab but its more bouncy in design so its fun to listen to. The second half of the track has a noticeably harder kickdrum and the unusual drum patterns are a definitely plus. The more stabby section in the last breakdown does build up some anticipation, especially if you're a DJ waiting for the beat to drop! Neophyte Hardcore as a song title has a lot to live up to, but overall its a solid track and a good start to slower music by Neophyte which would continue throughout the 2000's.

Evil is my personal favourite on this record, coming from the fact that I'm a fan of Thunderdome XVIII. I think its the fastest track on here yet in the grand scheme of Gabber music it's more mid tempo, which is saying something. The spooky intro is a quality start with that well selected Hellraiser III sample. One thing I've noticed about Evil is the intro is soft in sound so when the riff kicks in, it's very loud! The riff itself is true to the drunken style of Neophyte, different to everybody else and slightly off the rails, love it! The remixed version after that does an OK job holding up the mid section, plus those killer low end beats! The last breakdown is another weird riff with the end of the pattern being off kilter, its awesome though! Fantastic track once again, and that scream at the end!

Inside Of Me is one of those forgotten tracks amongst Neophyte's famous discography, but totally underrated. A different kickdrum is employed here, but still hard and rough around the edges. The standout element of the track is this rather squeamish riff which really cuts hard across the track. The way its rearranged and morphed around is typically Neophyte. The mid section has this excellent double beating which I've always loved. The squeamish sound effect is the real star here helped by some outstanding percussion and beats.

Last but not least is Gimme A Beat. I know a few DJs liked this and played it accordingly, B3 tracks getting the love they deserve! That radar/computer bleep somehow always works, also I like how the drumroll comes in and out. Another dirty synth stab by Neophyte that sounds quite good, later on is another dark murky melody and a harder bassdrum in tow. The last breakdown has more erratic drum patterns and frantic hi-hats which are super cool, and there's rolling Claps as well. The amount of effort Neophyte puts into drums is exceptional. Gimme A Beat is just another high quality track by the Schiedam boys. 𝘖𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘩 𝘓𝘢 𝘓𝘢!

Incredible record by Neophyte and further cements their legendary legacy as one of the best to ever make Hardcore Techno and in my opinion the true sound of Rotterdam Hardcore Gabber. Jeroen Streunding said the reason behind the lewd record cover was they wanted to push the boundaries and see what they could get away with in of controversy. Highly recommended!

...not only the cover, it's the best Neophyte record :) !!