Atari Teenage Riot

Atari Teenage Riot

Founded in 1992 by Alec Empire and Hanin Elias. Formed the record label Digital Hardcore in 1994, which can be found at:
http://www.digitalhardcore.com

Current Members

• Carl Crack - MC (Deceased: September 6, 2001)*
• Hanin Elias - Vocals
• Alec Empire - Programming, Shouts
• Nic Endo - Shouts

Genre == Digital Hardcore

Full Albums

Delete Yourself 1996

1. Start the Riot
2. Into the Death
3. Raverbashing
4. Speed
5. Sex
6. Midijunkies
7. Delete Yourself! You Got No Chance to Win!
8. Hetzjagd Auf Nazis
9. Cyberpunks Are Dead
10. Kids Are United
11. Atari Teenage Riot
12. Riot 1995

Burn, Burlin, Burn! 1997

1. Start the Riot
2. Fuck All!
3. Sick to Death
4. Press
5. Deutschland (Has Gotta Die!)
6. Destroy 2000 Years of Culture
7. Not Your Business
8. Heatwave
9. Atari Teenage Riot
10. Delete Yourself
11. Into the Death
12. Death Star
13. Speed
14. Future of War

60 Second Wipe Out 1999 [US]

1. Revolution Action
2. By Any Means Necessary
3. Western Decay
4. Atari Teenage Riot II
5. Ghost Chase
6. Too Dead for Me
7. U.S. Fade Out
8. Virus Has Been Spread
9. Digital Hardcore
10. Death of a President D.I.Y.!
11. Your Uniform (Does Not Impress Me!)
12. No Success
13. Anarchy 999

Updated May 19, 2002
* Carl Crack suffered from psychosis attacks. His death is also attributed to his alcohol and drug abuse. He was 30 years old.
More news is available at:
http://www.nme.com/news/43224.htm And
http://www.online-noise.com/news/2001092704.asp

(Thanks go to avalyn for the reminder)

Atari Teenage Riot is one of those few bands whose music causes physical pain but is still enjoyable in some weird, untangible way. I remember the first time I heard 'Destroy 2000 Years of Culture'; I had just found it on mp3 and was curious about this band that I'd heard so much about and through the whole song I just sat and thought to myself "Damn, this is good. This is really good." while Alec Empire shouted the chorus over and over again into my headphones. I ran out and bought the CD that same day.

I think part of the appeal with ATR is that they've managed to stay relatively independent despite their success. They have their own label, Digital Hardcore Recordings (which signs even more obscure bands), they regularly play at anarchist gigs and rallys and they seem genuinely involved with modern European counterculture. Contrast this with bands like Limp Bizkit and Metallica, who once were angry young men but now are fat and content sellouts.

I asked a friend of mine about ATR and he replied "Atari Teenage Riot? I don't think they're good. I think they're dangerous."

Atari Teenage Riot, despite their unique sound, are a band known to many, enjoyed by many, and whose music is accessible in most record stores. Unfortunately, the band's often described as being totally unmusical, noisy, and basically an enema in aural form. And this is from people who really like ATR...

But Atari Teenage Riot make great music.

The basslines and beats in songs like Rage, Sick To Death, Too Dead For Me, and (particularly) Revolution Action are engaging, rhythmic, and, so help me God, can even be danced to. Albeit in a rather hardcore, maniacal, epileptic way. Similarly, the pace, tempo and buildup in some songs (Revolution Action in particular, again) are worthy of any genre. The fact that the music itself is intense, distorted and pure digital hardcore puts a lot of people off - but there's some real genius behind these songs.

Finally, the lyrics are great, particularly if you're in an absolutely foul fucking mood. It's pure anarcho-smash-the-system-burn-death-destroy hatred. This is mood music for the terminally angry: forget whale song or pan pipes, if you're overflowing with bile, Atari Teenage Riot reigns supreme. When you've just been flashed by three speed cameras in a fucking row, what's better than listening to an insane 300bpm backing track, a sampled police siren, and a young woman screaming "YOUR UNIFORM DOES NOT IMPRESS ME! FUCKER!!!"?

Atari Teenage Riot: prophets of the angry age.