Sydney-born electronic music powerhouse PhaseOne is back with monster track PULSE featuring Banks Arcade. The new single serves as the second from PhaseOne’s highly anticipated debut album, TERRANOVA, out later this year, setting the tone for a project that fuses bone-crushing bass with relentless metal energy.
Known for pioneering the fusion of metal and bass music, PhaseOne has carved out a reputation for his genre-defying sound, bridging the gap between headbangers and ravers—whether in the pit or at a festival. PULSE follows on from earlier single SOS, a high-octane sonic assault featuring metalcore leaders Make Them Suffer.
As a pioneer of metal-meets-dubstep, PhaseOne has built a dedicated global following with his aggressive yet intricate production. With SOS and PULSE leading the charge, his debut album promises to be his most ambitious work yet—an evolution of his signature hybrid sound, pushing the boundaries between bass music and heavy music like never before.
HEAVY caught up with PhaseOne and Banks Arcade to chat about the new track and their masterful fusion of metal and EDM.
HEAVY: PhaseOne, you’re releasing “PULSE” today, could you tell us a bit about the new song?
PhaseOne: “PULSE” is the second single from my upcoming album. It’s a metalcore-inspired breaks track, a genre I’ve never explored before, but I’m glad I did—it’s quickly become one of my favourites on the upcoming album.
What were some of the main inspirations behind the track?
PhaseOne: As this project is an album, I wanted to experiment with different genres. I’ve always been a fan of breaks music, especially DnB, and I wanted to include a track with a more upbeat tempo. I drew inspiration from artists like Nitepunk, Imanu, and even The Prodigy. I opted for drier, more acoustic-sounding drums to give it the feel of a real drum kit, and the sound design is complex yet catchy.
How did the collaboration with Banks Arcade come to be? Was there some history or familiarity there before making the track?
PhaseOne: I was first introduced to Banks Arcade’s music while working with UNFD a few years ago and thought our styles would mesh well. Though we’d never met in person, I sent Josh the instrumental, and he already had a vocal written that fit perfectly—almost as if it was meant to be!
Could you share what the process was like making the track? Was this an in person experience or something you worked on remotely?
PhaseOne: It was just all over the internet, seeing as the boys live in Aus and I live in the US. But again, a very seamless process.
For those unfamiliar with Banks Arcade, what makes Banks stand out, and why did a PhaseOne collab make sense?
Banks Arcade: We’ve always been about pushing genre boundaries. Our sound isn’t confined to one space — we pull from metalcore, hip hop, electronic, and whatever else feels real in the moment. Collaborating with someone like PhaseOne, who’s been pioneering that same kind of crossover energy in his own lane, was a no-brainer. He understands heaviness on a sonic and emotional level, which made us mesh together perfectly.
Were there any specific moments during production where you thought, yeah, this track is going to hit hard?
PhaseOne: For me I got that feeling when I was mixing in Josh’s final vocals, when everything started fitting together like glue.
PhaseOne, you’ve historically placed yourself firmly in the mix of worlds of heavy music and EDM, tell us about how you go about picking the artists and bands you collaborate with?
PhaseOne: I come from a metal background, having played in various bands before diving into EDM. Some of the bands I’ve worked with are ones I’ve known since my band days, while others have come through music industry connections and even cold emails. I’ve built a solid reputation in the metal community, so bands are often familiar with my work and past collaborations. Of course, there have been plenty of “no’s” along the way, but it’s exciting to see more bands thinking outside the box and incorporating electronic elements into metal production as it evolves.
Banks Arcade, you fuse your heavy influences with more electronic sounds, is this type of collaboration something you’re looking to do more of in the future?
Banks: 100%. We’ve never been interested in playing within genre bounds, and this kind of collaboration opens doors to sounds and audiences that traditional rock or metalcore scenes can’t reach on their own.
There seems to be a growing movement of artists fusing metalcore and EDM—why do you think this hybrid is resonating with so many listeners today?
PhaseOne: I’m all for it! Merging the worlds of metal and EDM has been my passion for over 10 years. When done right, it can create something fresh and exciting; but if not, it can come off as cheesy. With advances in digital technology, it feels like a no-brainer to use these tools to push boundaries and craft something truly unique.
Banks: Electronic music and heavy music are both chaotic in their own ways and blending them together creates the perfect storm for the listener to lose their minds to.
How does PULSE translate in a live setting? Have you both performed together? How is it for you both?
PhaseOne: We flew Josh to the US a few weeks ago to perform the song live at the Tacomadome in front of a 10k-person crowd, where we also filmed a live music video. It went down tremendously. I’d never met Josh in person until then, but we hit it off immediately, like we’d known each other forever.
Banks: Yeah the live performance was insane and it was fkn sick not having to load out gear afterwards haha
Do you see yourselves collaborating again in the future?
PhaseOne: Josh is an amazing songwriter and vocalist. I love that he thinks outside the box, and how he and his band aren’t afraid to mix electronic elements into their music. I definitely see a future where we could collaborate again creatively!
Banks: 100% this whole process was incredible, and seamless!
