Biography
Mad Maxx is the psychedelic-trance project of Max Peterson, a French-American producer whose career spans multiple phases of the international scene. He became known during the full-on era for energetic, highly polished production designed for large outdoor systems, while maintaining connections to the older psychedelic-trance tradition through collaborations and label networks.
Over time Peterson developed a large collaborative catalogue and worked with artists across Europe, Israel and the Americas. Mad Maxx tracks typically emphasise driving bass, big stereo movement and direct psychedelic hooks, giving the project a reliable festival identity without reducing it to a single recurring formula. The Mad Tribe collaboration further expanded that network into a separate project context.
Mad Maxx’s significance comes from longevity and international reach. He represents the generation that took full-on psytrance into a truly global touring circuit during the 2000s and then adapted as the scene diversified. The project has remained active through later releases and performances, preserving its high-energy identity while absorbing newer production standards.
Origins of Mad Maxx
Max Peterson developed in California/San Francisco trance circles after earlier musical years in France and launched Mad Maxx in 2007.
Early career
Before Mad Maxx, Peterson formed Biodegradable in 2000 and Sirius Isness in 2001.
How the career developed
Afterworld established the solo project; United Beats became central to his later releases and Peterson also maintained the distinct Mad Tribe collaboration with Olli Wisdom.
Mad Maxx sound
High-energy Full-On and modern Psytrance built around strong basslines, bright psychedelic hooks and large-scale festival dynamics.
Place in psytrance history
Mad Maxx links the late-1990s/early-2000s San Francisco international trance network to the later global Full-On Psytrance circuit, with several distinct collaborative projects around the same person.
Connections and influence
Related artists, labels and topics: Psytrance; Full-On; United Beats Records; Mekkanikka; Biodegradable; Sirius Isness; Mad Tribe.
Mad Maxx today
Active in 2026. Harmonious Unity by S-Range & Mad Maxx was released on 26 June 2026 under a joint S-Range & Mad Maxx credit rather than as a solo Mad Maxx release.
How the sound changed over time
Selected releases in the archive
Festival connections
VooV Experience
VooV Experience is a German Goa and Psytrance institution founded in 1991, widely regarded as one of Europe’s foundational dedicated Goa-festival lineages.
Related projects and collaborations
Artists with overlapping styles
Alien Project
Israeli producer Ari Linker’s long-running psychedelic-trance project, active since the 1990s and closely tied to the international full-on movement of the early 2000s.
Mekkanikka
Swiss producer Nicolas Oesch’s veteran psytrance project, linking the early Spirit Zone era with later full-on and international festival networks.
Talamasca
Cédric Dassulle’s long-running French Psytrance project, evolving from mid-1990s Goa roots into a highly melodic, high-energy international festival sound.
Avalon
Leon Kane’s UK psytrance project, known for driving Full-On production, extensive collaborations and a central role in the modern NANO Records network.
Braincell
Ralph K. Freund’s Swiss-based psychedelic trance project, known for deep rolling production and a multi-decade link between 1990s and modern European psytrance.
Burn in Noise
Brazilian producer Gustavo Manfroni’s Psytrance project, combining warm bass, muscular groove and dense psychedelic detail with roots in rock guitar.