Berlin hardcore dissenters Atari Teenage Riot were among a new generation of German techno artists (also including ATR's Alec Empire, EC8OR, Speed Freak, DJ Bleed, etc.) who sought to reconnect music with political radicalism through ever more challenging, experimental hybrids, engaging everything from speed metal and acid to jungle and hardcore punk. Formed in 1992 by Empire, Hanin Elias, and Carl Crack, ATR's controversial first single, "Hunting for Nazis," was released by German techno stronghold Force Inc. that same year (Force Inc. owner Achim Szepanski is also known for his commitment to political radicalism). Subsequently, the group released a string of singles and full-lengths, all of them instantly recognizable for their brash, noisy fusions of brittle, 200-plus-bpm breaks, massive guitar riffs, and a good deal of shouting. Similar in motivation to Detroit's Underground Resistance or industrial dance group Consolidated, ATR professed a concern with a general conservative shift in the Western political climate (particularly in Germany after the collapse of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe) and supported the development of new, overtly political forms of youth culture by way of response.
Somewhat surprisingly, ATR's early singles landed them a recording deal with U.K. major Phonogram in 1993, through which they released a number of singles before skipping out on their contract (the label reportedly wanted more straight-ahead, commercial techno from the group). Using their Phonogram advance for the full-length album they never delivered, ATR formed Digital Hardcore Recordings in 1994, the imprint under which they released most of their subsequent material, including the full-lengths Delete Yourself and The Future of War, plus a number of singles and EPs. DHR also expanded to include a number of up-and-coming German artists -- including EC8OR and Shizuo -- with similar political leanings, and signed a domestic licensing deal with Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label in 1996. Partly as a result of that deal and partly through the increasing popularity of ATR member Alec Empire (who released a number of solo full-lengths and singles through Force Inc., Chrome, Mille Plateaux, and Riot Beats, as well as DHR), ATR became one of the first new-school European techno artists to achieve success in America, with alternative radio and MTV picking up on the group in late 1996 and the release early the following year of Burn, Berlin, Burn!, an American compilation collecting tracks from the first two albums.
Their third album, 60 Second Wipe Out, appeared in 1999 on Elektra, and featured new vocalist Nic Endo. Live at Brixton Academy 1999, a noise set recorded at a gig opening for Nine Inch Nails, was released on DHR in 2000. The band went on hiatus to allow Crack to seek psychiatric treatment and deal with declining health caused by long-simmering addictions. Unfortunately, the break was not enough and Crack was found dead in his Berlin apartment on September 6, 2001. The band dissolved soon after, with the rarities set Redefine the Enemy appearing in 2002, followed by the retrospective Atari Teenage Riot: 1992-2000, which appeared in 2006. Years later, however, ATR reconvened with Empire and Endo joined by vocalist CX KiDTRONiK. In 2011, the trio released Is This Hyperreal?, a true-to-old-form return that was issued in the U.S. through Steve Aoki's Dim Mak label. The lineup toured throughout Europe, America, and Asia, and the live album Riot in Japan 2011 was released. By 2014, KiDTRONiK had been replaced by MC Rowdy Superstar, and this lineup of ATR released Reset. Initially available only in Japan, it was given an international release in 2015.
2020
2015
Not On Label (Atari Teenage Riot Self-released)
6xFile, MP3, EP
2015
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
7xFile, MP3, EP, 320
2014
2014
2014
2014
2012
2011
Beat Records
CD, Comp
2011
Daytrotter
4xFile, MP3, 192
2011
2011
2011
2011
2010
2008
2006
2002
2001
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR), Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
2x12"
2000
2000
2000
1999
Elektra
12", Promo
1999
Elektra, Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
Cass, Promo
1999
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
CDr, Promo
1999
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR), Elektra
VHS, Promo, NTSC
1999
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
CDr, Smplr
1999
1999
1999
1999
1997
Damaged Goods
7", Pic
1997
1997
1997
1996
Grand Royal, Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
7", Single
1996
1996
1995
Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR)
7", Single, Ltd, Num, W/Lbl
1995
1995
1995
1994
1993
1993
1992
Riot Rhythm
Cass, S/Sided, EP
Vertigo
Cass
2012
2010
Stones Throw Records
CD, Comp, Promo
1999
1996
GUN, GUN
CD, EP
1995
2013
Stones Throw Records
18xFile, MP3, Album, 320
1994
D'Vision
2xCD, Comp
1996
Unsound (3)
Cass, Comp, Smplr
2021
Na Cara E Coragem Produções
18xFile, MP3, Album, Comp, 320
2020
Na Cara E Coragem Produções
4xFile, MP3
2018
Not On Label (FeoDoq Self-Released)
9xFile, MP3, Album, Liv
2013
Tak Tak Productions, Go Go Go ASBL
DVDr, Promo
2010
Young Dinosaur Records, They Live! Records, Great Misantrope Records, Old Hat, Road To Freedom
CD, EP
2007
D-Trash Records
CD, Comp
2003
1999
Rock Sound
CD, Promo, Smplr
1999
Hell Hornet Records
CD, Maxi
1998
Chaos Tapes (2)
Cass, Num, C60
1996
Grand Royal
CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Car
Not On Label
CDr, Comp
2023
Resident Advisor Podcast
File, MP3, Mixed, Mixtape, 320
2023
Sacred Bones Records
Cass, Ltd, Mixed, Mixtape
2023
Resident Advisor
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2020
FACT Magazine
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2019
Alchera Visions
CD, Comp, Ltd
2019
Resident Advisor
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2019
FACT Magazine
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2018
Na Cara E Coragem Produções
12xFile, MP3, Album
2015
Not On Label (A Place Both Wonderful And Strange Self-released)
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2014
Ultra-Vybe, Inc.
CD, Mixed
2014
Not On Label (DJ Z Omgrofl Self-released)
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2013
Dim Mak Records
14xFile, MP3, Comp, 320
2013
Not On Label (Night Light Self-released)
File, WAV, Mixed
2012
Sirona-Records
29xFile, MP3, Album, RE, 320
2012
Deepindub.org
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2012
Not On Label (ZandoZ Corp. Self-Released)
14xFile, MP3, Comp, 320
2012
AXR Music
CD, Comp, Mixed
2012
Sirona-Records
86xFile, MP3, 320 + 4xFile, MP3, 192 + 13xFile, MP
2011
Seppuku+
5xFile, MP3, 320
2011
Elegy
CD, Comp
2011
Big Blue Records
CD, Comp
2011
Dim Mak Records
28xFile, MP3, Comp, 320
2011
Not On Label (Diamond Black Hearted Boy Self-released)
File, MP3, Mixed, 320
2011
Not On Label
File, MP3, Mixed
2011
Zillo
2xCD, Comp
2010
D-Side
CD, Smplr
2010
XLR8R
File, MP3, Mixed, 192
2010
Arrhythmia-recordings
File, MP3, Mixed
2010
Not On Label
CDr, Comp
2008
ThinkSync
CDr, Comp, Promo
2006
Trax (Magazine)
CD
2006
Wahrschauer Magazine
CD, Comp, Promo, Pap
2006
Halo 8
CD, Album
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