Well, the software is new. There are several different groups that are making all of these programs for obsolete hardware. You can go here to read up on it.
and there’s this site right here where they have some songs and a whole bunch of software
http://www.micromusic.net/
It’s funny, I’ve been a fan of Empire’s stuff since before ATR and heading back to his acid based days…was/am a big fan of ATR…and really like Hanin’s solo stuff.
One thing I’ve found though is that people tend to go one of two ways with ATR…LOVING THEM…or HATING THEM…rarely have I found an inbetween (in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say “I think they’re o.k.”).
For me, ATR really was one of the most genuinely punk rock groups to hit the stage in awhile. They were pissed at the system, the social state, and just thrust that energy outward. The focus wasn’t on music per say as much as it was on “hey, this is fucked up and were sick of it”. I think as a result of the lack of focus on music (what some found to be) interesting sounds came out…the care wasn’t on impression or doing things right as much as just doing them. Throw rules to the wind and it something new tends to come up (very often that freshness isn’t something that is liked by many).
Live I think ATR threw out that same energy, and I think that threw a lot of people for a loop. They weren’t going to sit and play your favorite song, give some extended version of a classic…in fact, good chance they might get up and just let out a barrage of unrelenting forcefull improv (what many would find to be noise)…again, the focus was on just doing it…
and the idea of “we’re hear to rock you”/“impress you” was largely placed aside.
So, if you got it and liked it, you probably REALLY liked it. If you didn’t, it probably just seemed like a bunch of childish antics followed with lots of noise.
Far as bands like MSI are concerned, I’d hardly call what they do Digital Hardcore. For one Digital Hardcore began with and has retained a pretty large socio-political focus, this has been it’s focal point more than “cool” song writing. It was and has remained a pretty underground genre…and when it boils down to it, it tends to be a genre most people don’t like (probably why it’s remained so underground). Fact of the matter is that ATR was probably one of the most commercially viable Digital Hardcore acts to hit (which they pretty much started the Genre). Another one of my personal favorite digital hardcore bands was The Shizit…it’s probably REALLY hard to find any of there stuff nowadays, but if one can, they’re really worth a listen.
-Al
ATR definitely had their moments. Some of the material can be a little eh, and as said dated. Hell, a lot of material is dated anyway. Lyrical content that’s 20 years old, lesser recording technologies makes it so. Some of Ministry’s material sounds a bit dated in places, but that’s part of the fun now. Though I suppose we can be thankful it sounds a bit dated, and not overly polished like some musical groups nowdays.
I enjoy ATR for what it is. Which is mostly semi-juvenile angsty socio-polticial electronic noise. Had some okay songs, and some of the lyrical content while a little weak, was what was needed. It’s nice to be more subtle to try and appeal to the “arty” types, but to appeal to the broader masses sometimes you need a easier to understand message.
The Shizit were definitely good shit. My friend gave me some mp3’s of their’s several years ago, always meant to order Soundtrack For The Revolution(so.f.te.r.) back when they were around, and I didn’t. Kind of kicked myself, and on a whim checked eBay. The guy who ran their label E115 Media had a copy for sale and I bought. He still has some for sale. Though it’s pricey if you want it.
Then it seems their fansite is back up and running. The Shizit Milita. This site has a lot of their rare material. The early demos, remixes, live material and a few videos. I need to go clean that site out now.
JP’s new band Rabbit Junk is pretty good. A little less Digital Hardcore, but still really good. I have the first album, but have yet to pick up RE : Frame or whatever it’s title is.