666 - Biography and discography, all albums and songs

666 — is a German electronic music project created in 1997 by producers and DJs Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer. The duo achieved its greatest popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s with tracks such as «Alarma!», «Diablo», «Amokk», «Paradoxx», «Bomba!», «D.E.V.I.L.» and «Supa-Dupa-Fly».

666's music stood at the intersection of hard trance, hard house, eurodance and late-1990s club-oriented electronic music. The project's defining features included a heavy four-on-the-floor rhythm, short synthesizer riffs, repetitive vocal commands and the use of both Spanish and English.

A deliberately demonic visual aesthetic became another important part of 666's identity: the number 666, horns, fire, inverted symbols and theatrical stage characters. The project's creators, however, did not associate the name with their religious beliefs — the provocative symbolism was part of the club image and a way to make the project instantly recognizable.

Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer Before 666

Before creating 666, Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer had already spent several years working in dance music.

In the first half of the 1990s, they were associated with the German eurodance project Activate. Among its best-known recordings were «Let the Rhythm Take Control» and «Save Me».

The official credits for the 1994 track «Save Me» list Thomas Detert, Mike Griesheimer, Andreas Hötter and Alexander Stiepel among the songwriters. The recording followed the characteristic euro house formula of the first half of the 1990s: female vocals, a fast electronic rhythm and a synthesizer-driven chorus.

The experience gained with Activate later proved useful to Detert and Griesheimer, but for their new project they decided to make the music considerably harder and structurally simpler.

The Creation of 666

The project 666 appeared in 1997.

Detert and Griesheimer formed its studio core. They wrote, arranged, produced and mixed the main body of material.

On stage, however, the project looked different. The producers themselves were not always visible to the audience: the live side of 666 was represented by dancers and characters styled around the project's demonic imagery. Sources mention a male stage character named Demon as well as female dancers.

This division was common on the European dance scene of the 1990s: studio producers could create the music while a separate visual lineup represented the project on television, in music videos and during club performances.

Where the Name 666 Came From

The number 666 was deliberately chosen because of its instantly recognizable association with the «number of the beast» from the Book of Revelation.

The project's creators, however, emphasized that they did not attach any religious or Satanic ideology to the name.

The primary goal was to find a short name that would be impossible to overlook on a record sleeve or club poster.

The entire visual language of 666 followed the same principle: demons, red-and-black graphics, fire, horns, dark typography and an intentionally theatrical «hellish» aesthetic.

Alarma!

666's first major release was «Alarma!», released in 1997.

The track almost immediately established the project's formula: a heavy four-on-the-floor kick, a short synthesizer motif, minimal lyrics and a repetitive Spanish-language vocal hook.

«Alarma!» differed noticeably from the more melodic eurodance that had dominated only a few years earlier. It contained almost none of the traditional verse-and-chorus song structure — instead, the composition worked as a sequence of short commands and rhythmic signals.

The single received an especially strong response outside Germany. It reached No. 6 in France, No. 5 in Norway, No. 24 in Austria, No. 31 in Sweden and entered the UK Top 60.

It was the international performance of «Alarma!» that transformed 666 from another German club project into a recognizable name on the European dance scene.

Diablo and Amokk

In 1998, «Diablo» and «Amokk» followed.

«Diablo» retained the Spanish-language approach and reached number six on the French chart and number ten in Norway.

«Amokk» became another major European hit: the track climbed to No. 4 in Norway, reached the Top 10 in France and gained significant popularity in Austria, Belgium and Sweden.

Musically, both recordings developed the same basic idea but did not sound identical. «Diablo» relied more heavily on trance synthesizers, while «Amokk» was built around an almost industrial repetitive riff and an aggressive vocal sample.

The Album Paradoxx

In 1998, 666 released its debut album Paradoxx.

The main edition included:

«Cathedral of Sin»;
«Amokk»;
«Get Up 2 Da Track (666 Is Back)»;
«La Vasca Se Mueve»;
«La Tierra Ya Destruida»;
«Alarma!»;
«Paradoxx»;
«Los Niños del Demonio»;
«Diablo»;
«El Fuego»;
«I'm Your Nitemare»;
«The 666 Megamix».

Short intros and interludes were also placed between the main tracks, supporting the album's overall horror concept.

Paradoxx sold particularly well in Northern Europe. The album reached number two in Norway, number four in Sweden, charted in Finland and France, and climbed to number one in Denmark.

The album contains virtually the entire early group of tracks with which the name 666 remains associated today.

Paradoxx

The self-titled single «Paradoxx» also appeared in 1998.

On the track, 666 shifted the emphasis slightly away from direct hard-house pressure toward a more pronounced trance sound.

The song charted in Germany, Austria, Belgium, France and Sweden.

Although «Paradoxx» was not the project's biggest chart single, it became one of its most recognizable recordings thanks to its music video, logo and distinctive riff.

Nitemare

In 1999, 666 released Nitemare.

It is sometimes described as the project's second full studio album, but this is not entirely accurate. A significant portion of the material consisted of new versions, remixes and reworkings of tracks from Paradoxx.

For that reason, Nitemare is better understood as a transitional remix project between the debut album and the project's next period.

The same period also produced «I'm Your Nitemare», «Get Up 2 Da Track», «Bomba!» and «The Demon».

Bomba!

«Bomba!» continued 666's Spanish-language direction.

Unlike the darker «Amokk» and «Diablo», the track was closer to a celebratory club-dance aesthetic, although the project's trademark heavy rhythm remained intact.

The single entered the French and Swedish charts.

Spanish in general became one of the project's most recognizable features. For the German producers, this was not an attempt to portray themselves as a Latin American act: short Spanish words were used primarily because of their rhythm, sound and ability to function effectively as a club hook.

D.E.V.I.L.

In 2000, 666 released «D.E.V.I.L.».

The recording became one of the most notable later hits of the project's classic period.

The song performed particularly well in the United Kingdom, where it reached No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. For a project whose popularity was concentrated mainly in continental Europe and Scandinavia, this was an important result.

In Sweden, «D.E.V.I.L.» reached No. 19, while in France it peaked at No. 35.

Who's Afraid Of...?

In 2000, 666 released its second main studio album, Who's Afraid Of...?. In some countries, editions of the album were dated 2001.

The album included:

«D.E.V.I.L.»;
«2 the Maxx»;
«Ruido Sintetico»;
«Bomba!»;
«Prince of Darkness»;
«The Demon»;
«Mueve (Go)»;
«Dance 2 Disco»;
«Salute!».

The arrangements became slightly more varied. Alongside hard trance and hard-house tracks, the album featured more straightforward dance songs with English-language vocal parts.

Who's Afraid Of...? entered the album charts in several European countries, including Denmark, France and Sweden.

Dance 2 Disco

The track «Dance 2 Disco» appeared on Who's Afraid Of...?.

In the original version of the biography, it was incorrectly listed as a 2002 release. The track itself dates to 2000.

The song is noticeably softer than the early «Alarma!» or «Amokk»: its tempo and structure move closer to conventional club/dance, while the vocals combine English and Spanish phrases.

The single entered the French chart.

Supa-Dupa-Fly

At the end of 2001, 666 released «Supa-Dupa-Fly».

The track is built around an English spoken vocal hook and a heavy bass-oriented rhythm. Different editions included remixes by Mario Lopez, Sezam and other producers.

The song entered the charts in Germany, Austria, France and Sweden.

Later, «Supa-Dupa-Fly» became one of 666's most frequently reworked recordings. New versions appeared in subsequent decades, while the vocal hook itself was used by other hardstyle and dance producers.

Hellraiser

The release Hellraiser, which appeared in the early 2000s, is often incorrectly included among 666's main studio albums.

In reality, it is better described as a compilation of the project's best-known recordings.

The track list included «Amokk», «Supa-Dupa-Fly», «D.E.V.I.L.», «Bomba!», «The Demon», «Alarma!», «Paradoxx», «Dance 2 Disco», «Diablo», «2 the Maxx» and «I'm Your Nitemare».

A two-disc edition with a DVD containing music videos was also released.

For that reason, treating Hellraiser as a third full studio album of new material is inaccurate.

Rhythm Takes Control and Insanity

After the project's late-1990s peak, 666 continued releasing new singles.

In 2002, «Rhythm Takes Control» appeared. It reached the Top 50 in Sweden and the lower part of the national chart in France.

In 2003, «Insanity» followed.

By this point, the European club scene had changed considerably. Eurodance and late-1990s hard trance were giving way to electro house, hands up and newer forms of commercial trance.

666 adapted their production, but no longer achieved the same level of chart success that had accompanied «Alarma!» and «Amokk».

Dance Now! and Policía

In 2004, the single «Dance Now!» was released.

In 2005, «Policía» followed.

The title «Policía», rather than «Policeman», is the correct title to use in the discography. The track was written by Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer.

«Policía» performed unexpectedly well in Finland, where it entered the national Top 10.

It was one of the final notable new releases of 666's first period.

Hiatus and Other Projects

After 2005, 666's activity declined sharply.

Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer did not, however, leave electronic music. One of their best-known subsequent projects was Vinylshakerz.

In 2005, Vinylshakerz scored a major European club hit with a new version of «One Night in Bangkok».

This work shows that the decline in 666's activity was less about the producers leaving the industry and more about switching to other project names and sounds that were more relevant to the mid-2000s.

The Ways Are Mystic

In 2007, The Ways Are Mystic was released.

It was not a new studio album, but a large compilation of singles and reworked versions spanning different periods of 666.

It included «Dance Now!», «Amokk», «Policía», «Bomba!», «Alarma!», «Dance 2 Disco», «Rhythm Takes Control», «Supa-Dupa-Fly», «Paradoxx», «D.E.V.I.L.», «Diablo» and other recordings.

The compilation effectively summarized the project's original career phase.

The Return of 666

Although 666 is often described as a project that ended in 2005, its catalog was regularly reissued in subsequent years, new remixes appeared, and Detert and Griesheimer periodically returned to the 666 name.

In 2017, a completely new single, «Exit the Arena», was released.

Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer were once again credited as songwriters, producers and arrangers.

Versions by Vinylshakerz were also prepared for the track, directly connecting two projects created by the same producers.

Alarma! in the New Electronic Scene

«Alarma!» has had an especially long life.

Following its original 1997 release, the track was repeatedly reissued and remixed. Its short vocal hook proved particularly suitable for hardstyle, big room, techno and contemporary festival dance music.

In 2024, Danish producer Martin Jensen, Australian DJ Timmy Trumpet and 666 released the collaborative track «Ritmo Fatal (Alarma!)».

The official credits again list Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer, while 666 itself is credited as one of the performers and producers.

In this way, «Alarma!» continued to exist within an entirely different generation of festival electronic music more than a quarter of a century after the original.

Musical Style

666 is often classified as eurodance, although that description is too broad on its own.

The early recordings are considerably harder than the typical eurodance of the first half of the 1990s. They largely lack the familiar «female chorus + male rap» structure associated with many projects in the genre.

Most tracks are built around a very short riff. It repeats throughout almost the entire composition, while development is created through filters, breaks, changes in percussion and the addition of vocal commands.

This structure was designed primarily for clubs and DJ sets, which is why extended mixes are often more important than the album versions.

Spanish-Language Vocal Phrases

One of the most characteristic features of 666 is its frequent use of Spanish.

It appears in «Alarma!», «Diablo», «Bomba!», «Mueve», «Policía» and other tracks.

Spanish is not used for complex storytelling. Usually, it consists of one or several short phrases that function almost like an additional percussion instrument.

For an international audience, the literal meaning of the words was often less important than their phonetic impact: they needed to be easy to shout along with the music and immediately memorable.

On other recordings, including «Supa-Dupa-Fly», 666 used English-language vocal hooks.

Visual Image

The graphic concept was an important part of the project.

Demons, skulls, fire, horns and red-and-black imagery regularly appeared on the covers. Song titles such as «Diablo», «D.E.V.I.L.», «The Demon» and «Prince of Darkness» continued the same theme.

The music itself, however, had no connection to black metal or religious Satanism.

It was an intentionally exaggerated club aesthetic — almost like a comic book or horror film translated into a dance project.

This visual identity helped 666 stand apart from the numerous European production projects releasing similar club music under neutral names.

Main Releases

1997 — «Alarma!»;
1998 — «Diablo»;
1998 — «Amokk»;
1998 — «Paradoxx»;
1999 — «I'm Your Nitemare»;
1999 — «Get Up 2 Da Track (666 Is Back)»;
1999 — «Bomba!»;
1999 — «The Demon»;
2000 — «D.E.V.I.L.»;
2000 — «Dance 2 Disco»;
2001 — «Supa-Dupa-Fly»;
2002 — «Rhythm Takes Control»;
2003 — «Insanity»;
2004 — «Dance Now!»;
2005 — «Policía»;
2017 — «Exit the Arena»;
2024 — «Ritmo Fatal (Alarma!)» — with Martin Jensen and Timmy Trumpet.

Main Album Releases

1998 — Paradoxx — main debut studio album;
1999 — Nitemare — remix and transitional release;
2000 — Who's Afraid Of...? — second main studio album;
2001/2002 — Hellraiser — compilation / best of;
2007 — The Ways Are Mystic — compilation of singles and best-known tracks.

Members and Studio Team

Thomas Detert — founder, songwriter, producer, arranger;
Mike Griesheimer — founder, songwriter, producer, arranger.

On some early recordings, the project's writers also crossed paths with Andreas Hötter and Alexander Stiepel, known from their work with Activate.

The live and visual side of the project was represented by additional stage performers and dancers. For that reason, the lineup seen by audiences in music videos or live performances should not automatically be considered the core production lineup of 666.

666 and Late-1990s Electronic Music

666 emerged at a time when the classic eurodance wave was already declining and the European club scene was moving toward harder trance and hard-house forms.

Detert and Griesheimer found themselves between these periods. From eurodance, they retained simple vocal hooks and a strong focus on singles, but they made the rhythm heavier, reduced the traditional song structure and brought the production closer to club-oriented 12-inch releases.

The project's greatest success was not limited to Germany. Its audience was particularly strong in France and Scandinavia: Paradoxx reached number two in Norway, while «Alarma!», «Diablo» and «Amokk» all reached the Top 10 there.

In the United Kingdom, the project's biggest result was «D.E.V.I.L.», which reached number 18.

Legacy

The main legacy of 666 is connected less with the number of albums the project released than with several highly recognizable club formulas.

«Alarma!», «Amokk», «Diablo» and «Supa-Dupa-Fly» proved to be particularly adaptable material for later generations of DJs: their simple hooks could easily be transferred from hard house into hardstyle, techno or festival EDM.

As a result, the project's catalog continued to live on after its most active period had ended. Older tracks regularly received new remixes, while «Ritmo Fatal (Alarma!)» in 2024 demonstrated that the 666 name could still be used not only for retro reissues but also for contemporary official releases.

666 remains a characteristic example of a late-1990s European dance project in which music, stage image and provocative design formed parts of a single concept. Behind the dark symbolism, however, stood the highly pragmatic production system of Thomas Detert and Mike Griesheimer, designed above all for the club dance floor.