INTERNET DEATH – NAME OF THE LAW!

In these times where the “new normal” is something the world is being forced to adjust to, it’s to be expected that there is a lot of frustration, anger and angst that has made it’s long overdue way to the surface.

It seems apt then that Christchurch’s aggro-gabba musician Internet Death release his second track lifted from the album (and perhaps proclamation) Not Your Dog! among the overarching hostilities that are taking place worldwide. Yet he still manages to make “Name Of The Law!” into an aerobic, pulsating piece of digital hardcore.

Akin to the likes of Atari Teenage Riot and Mindless Self Indulgence, “Name Of The Law” manages to juggle the aggressive frustration of what’s going on with the dance-able qualities from the era of happy hardcore and gabba techno that infiltrated the United Kingdom from Amsterdam – the prelude to what would eventually become “Clubland” and the glitzy super-clubs across Europe.

It’s the filth and the fury from that earlier scene that Internet Death has managed to capture within his newest works – a overtly hostile follow up to 2019’s Mega Sony Dream Kill, transitioning from the fluid trance influence to a stronger substance.

This, all at a tender young age, way, way after the bustling music scenes that Internet Death accurately (and quite scarily, might we add) has drawn from already made their way to the general populous’ conscious thought. All the way down in the South Pacific to boot.

NAME OF THE LAW! is available to stream now on SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

The debut album of Internet Death, NOT YOUR DOG! releases July 3rd 2020 through MUZAI Records.

Internet Death is a New Zealand native “Cyber-Hardcore” project created by Finlay Anderson. Political, noisy and fast, the music comes from a fascination 90’s rave music and culture (specifically gabba and jungle), while combining influences from various other things like hardcore punk, hip hop and digital hardcore. Finlay’s raw, angry vocals weave and rhyme over dirty punk-rave beats that smash BPM’s over 200. When it comes to tempo minimal equals criminal.

The Genesis of Internet Death: From Bedroom Experiments to Cyber-Hardcore Manifesto

Behind the abrasive walls of distortion and the relentless kick drums lies a project born not in a professional studio, but in the cramped confines of a Christchurch bedroom. Finlay Anderson, the sole architect of Internet Death, began experimenting with digital audio workstations in his early teens, drawn to the raw energy of 1990s rave culture that he discovered through online archives and second-hand vinyl crates. The name "Internet Death" itself is a wry commentary on the paradox of digital connectivity—how the very networks that promise liberation often become instruments of surveillance, alienation, and cultural homogenization. Anderson has stated in interviews that the project is his way of "killing the polished, algorithmic version of music" and replacing it with something visceral, imperfect, and undeniably human.

Unlike many electronic acts that rely on pre-programmed loops and pristine production, Internet Death embraces a deliberately lo-fi aesthetic. Anderson records his vocals through a cheap dynamic microphone, often clipping the input to achieve a distorted, megaphone-like quality. The beats are constructed from heavily processed samples of classic gabber and jungle tracks, but they are then mangled beyond recognition—time-stretched, bit-crushed, and layered with white noise bursts. This approach creates a sound that is both nostalgic and alienating, as if the ghosts of 1990s warehouse raves are being broadcast through a broken modem. The result is a form of "cyber-hardcore" that feels less like a revival and more like a reclamation of a subculture that was co-opted by the mainstream.

Anderson's lyrical content is equally confrontational. Drawing from anarchist and anti-capitalist literature, his verses tackle themes of police brutality, digital privacy, mental health, and the commodification of rebellion. On "Name Of The Law!", he spits lines about "rubber bullets and pixelated lies" over a frantic breakbeat, his voice cracking with genuine rage. Yet there is a dark humor at play too—a knowing wink to the absurdity of shouting anti-establishment slogans into a microphone while uploading the results to a corporate streaming platform. This self-awareness prevents Internet Death from becoming preachy or self-righteous; instead, it feels like a cathartic scream into the void, inviting listeners to join in the chaos.

Not Your Dog!: A Track-by-Track Breakdown of the Debut Album

The forthcoming album Not Your Dog! is a twelve-track assault that clocks in at just under forty minutes—a deliberate choice to keep the intensity at a fever pitch without overstaying its welcome. The album opens with "Sicko Mode", a blistering introduction that sets the tone with a distorted sample of a police siren morphing into a gabber kick drum. From there, the record careens through a variety of tempos and moods, though it never dips below 180 BPM. Tracks like "Mega Sony Dream Kill" (the 2019 single that first put Internet Death on the map) showcase Anderson's ability to weave trance-like melodies into the chaos, while "Name Of The Law!" is a more straightforward hardcore punk anthem with a danceable edge.

One of the album's most striking moments is "Pixelated Riot", a track that juxtaposes a cheerful, almost video-game-like arpeggio with lyrics about the 2019 Hong Kong protests. Anderson's vocal delivery shifts from a whispered chant to a full-throated scream, mirroring the escalation of tension in the streets. Another standout is "Data Mine", which features a relentless jungle breakbeat under a spoken-word passage about Cambridge Analytica and the erosion of privacy. The song ends with a glitched-out sample of a dial-up modem, a sonic metaphor for the collapse of trust in digital institutions.

Musically, Not Your Dog! is a masterclass in tension and release. Anderson understands that even the most aggressive music needs moments of relative calm to make the chaos hit harder. On "Sleepwalker", a mid-album track, the tempo drops to a comparatively sluggish 160 BPM, and a haunting synth pad emerges from the noise. But just as the listener begins to catch their breath, a distorted bassline kicks in and the track explodes into a gabber frenzy. This push-and-pull dynamic keeps the album engaging from start to finish, preventing the relentless aggression from becoming monotonous.

The New Zealand Underground: Internet Death's Place in the Local Scene

Christchurch, a city still rebuilding from the devastating 2011 earthquakes, has developed a surprisingly vibrant underground electronic scene in recent years. Venues like Darkroom and Flux have become hubs for experimental music, hosting everything from noise shows to warehouse raves. Internet Death has been a regular presence at these events, often performing in the early hours of the morning when the crowd is at its most unhinged. Anderson's live shows are legendary for their intensity—he performs shirtless, drenched in sweat, screaming into a microphone while triggering samples from a battered laptop. The audience, many of whom are too young to remember the original gabber scene, respond with a fervor that suggests they have found something genuinely theirs.

MUZAI Records, the label behind Internet Death, has been instrumental in nurturing this scene. Founded in 2017, the label focuses on "aggressive, uncompromising music from the South Pacific", and its roster includes a diverse array of artists spanning punk, metal, and electronic genres. The label's DIY ethos is evident in its approach to distribution—physical releases are often limited to small runs of cassettes and CDs, while digital releases are made available on a pay-what-you-want basis. This aligns perfectly with Internet Death's anti-capitalist message, creating a symbiotic relationship between artist and label that feels authentic rather than opportunistic.

Despite the geographical isolation, Internet Death has begun to attract attention from overseas. Online communities dedicated to digital hardcore and breakcore have embraced the project, with fans from Europe and North America praising Anderson's ability to capture the spirit of the 1990s rave scene without resorting to mere pastiche. There is talk of international collaborations and even a possible tour, though nothing has been confirmed. For now, Anderson remains focused on his local scene, using his platform to promote other Christchurch artists and to advocate for safer spaces at live events.

The Aesthetics of Aggression: Visual Identity and DIY Culture

Internet Death's visual identity is as confrontational as its music. The project's logo—a crudely drawn skull with a computer mouse for a jaw—appears on all releases and merchandise, often rendered in stark black and white. Anderson designs all of the artwork himself, using a combination of found images, photocopier distortion, and hand-drawn elements. The result is a deliberately amateurish aesthetic that rejects the glossy production values of mainstream electronic music. This DIY approach extends to the music videos, which are typically shot on a smartphone and edited with free software, featuring glitch effects, rapid cuts, and unsettling imagery culled from public domain archives.

The album cover for Not Your Dog! is a prime example of this aesthetic. It features a pixelated image of a snarling dog, overlaid with the album title in a font that appears to be melting. The color scheme is limited to red, black, and white, evoking both the anarchist flag and the warning labels on hazardous materials. Anderson has explained that the dog represents the individual's refusal to be tamed by societal expectations—a theme that runs throughout the album. The pixelation, meanwhile, is a nod to the digital realm where so much of modern life takes place, and where Internet Death wages its sonic war.

Merchandise is similarly DIY. Anderson screen-prints his own t-shirts in his bedroom, often using misregistered designs that add to the chaotic aesthetic. Patches, stickers, and zines are also available, all produced in small batches and sold at shows or through the MUZAI Records website. This hands-on approach not only keeps costs low but also reinforces the project's anti-corporate stance. In an era where even underground music is increasingly professionalized, Internet Death's rough edges are a deliberate statement of intent.

Looking Forward: The Future of Internet Death and Cyber-Hardcore

With Not Your Dog! set for release on July 3rd, 2020, the question on many fans' minds is: what comes next? Anderson has hinted at new material already in the works, describing it as "even faster, even noisier, even more pissed off". He has also expressed interest in exploring other media, including a possible zine documenting the Christchurch underground scene and a collaborative project with a local visual artist. While the pandemic has put live shows on hold, Anderson has been active online, streaming impromptu DJ sets and participating in virtual raves organized by the digital hardcore community.

The broader cyber-hardcore genre is also experiencing a resurgence, thanks in part to the accessibility of production software and the rise of platforms like Bandcamp and SoundCloud. Artists from around the world are drawing inspiration from the same 1990s sources that fuel Internet Death, creating a global network of like-minded musicians. Anderson sees this as a positive development, but he is wary of the genre becoming too polished or commercialized. "The whole point is to be raw and uncomfortable," he said in a recent interview. "If it starts sounding too clean, it's lost its soul."

For now, Internet Death remains a one-person operation, and Anderson seems content with that. The project's DIY ethos, confrontational politics, and relentless sonic assault have carved out a unique niche in the New Zealand music landscape. As the world grapples with the uncertainties of the "new normal", the furious energy of Internet Death offers a cathartic release—a reminder that even in the face of overwhelming odds, there is power in raising your voice and refusing to be silenced. Name Of The Law! is not just a song; it is a declaration of independence from the forces that seek to control us, and a promise that the fight is far from over.

Related Releases

• Singles – Explore more single releases from MUZAI Records.
• Album Releases – Check out other albums dropping soon.
• DUHKQUNT – SPACE COMMUNION – Another aggressive electronic project on the label.