Judge of dark music

This edition of Nekrosystem's Forbidden Zone will be a collaboration with the German hard sound of Strike Back Events. One of their main artists is Dredd, a name you might recognize if you joint the Strike Back invites Speedcore Italia event in Hamburg. But what's the story behind him and his connection with this organizer? Read the interview below and find out yourself.

Hello Dredd, welcome. Can you give a small introduction of yourself?

Hi, my name is Pascal, aka Dredd. I'm 33 years old and I live in North Germany. I'm a husband, worker, music lover and just try to enjoy life to the fullest.

How did you get into hardcore and its subgenres?

After listening to various electronic genres in my youth, I went to DefQon.1 in 2010, the last edition held in Almere. I spent most of the day at the Black (hardcore) and Silver (industrial) stage, and this day marks the day that I got infected with hardcore and all its subgenres. The following year, I went to all big festivals in the Netherlands, where I got more and more obsessed with the smaller stages and extreme genres. I still love many styles of hardcore, but my heart beats for industrial, terror, and speedcore.

How would you describe your style?

At the moment I play two different styles: oldschool terror and modern style terror with industrial influences. I often thought about picking only one style or create another alias to differentiate them, but in the end they're both terror music and music that I love. It's both "Dredd". Regardless of the style, I often play tracks with a dark and chilling atmosphere. I think you can see this as my trademark.

Production-wise I will focus mainly on the modern sound. For my production, I feel like I found a good home in joining Violent Disorder Records (the label of Striker) this year.

How did you get involved with Strike Back Events?

Patrick, the founder of Strike Back, and I already knew each other. We're around the same age, live in the same area, and both love hardcore. At the time he started with Strike Back, I started DJing, what made that he asked me to join the team.

What was your first connection with Speedcore Italia?

The first time I met Speedcore Italia as an artist was during the 'Strike Back invites Speedcore Italia' event of last July. Seeing my name of line-ups like these still feel unreal. The party itself was a massive banger with a really good vibe, bringing together old and new terror-/speedcoreheads.

What's your goal in music at the moment?

I want to improve my production skills and release more music. Some things are already in the making. For 2026, I would love to get the chance to play more terror sets, as it feels like this style gets a bit behind. Probably because a large group of people want to hear early terror these days instead.

Soundcloud

Have you even been to the Mikroport Club before?

Yes, I have been to several parties at the Mikroport Club before. The first one was Noisekick's Terrordrang Germany in 2018. For me, this club is one of the best locations in Germany. I love the bunker feeling and the blasting sound systems. I'm really excited to play a set here!

What do you think about the concept of Nekrosystem's Forbidden Zone 3?

This concept is in my opinion exactly what the terror/speedcore scene needs, after the last edition of Terrordrang last October. The event has different areas to unite more hardheads and even invites partners like Strike Back and Survival, which is a great way to reach many people.

Is there anything you are especially excited about?

The highlight of the Strike Back area for me is definitely Bula, from the legendary KTS. Also, it's great to see Jensen and Striker in the tunnel. Overall, I'm excited about the Strike Back floor and the sets from my colleagues.

If someone said they don't know if they would come to this party or not, what would you tell them?

If you love terror, speedcore, and just a great party, come join us! Get your tickets asap and support two of the few organizers that still throw decent parties for our beloved music.

Any last words you'd like to share?

I want to thank everybody who streamed my music, brought energy to the dance floor, or supported me in any other way. Special shout out to Striker, who put a lot of trust in me and my music, to Alex from Survival, and of course, to the Strike Back crew for having me.

Let's go wild in the Forbidden Zone and start 2026 with a big bang!

Thank you Dredd for this interview and we'll see you at the Forbidden Zone. Will we see you too? Than hurry up and secure your entrance by getting your tickets.