Download Alec Empire’s remastered ‘Bass Terror’


Right, so when Alec Empire originally released this, back in 1992, I was 9 (you do the math). Being at such an age I missed this and the growing rave scene which by ’92 had really hit its stride, reaching a peak, arguably by ’94 when the killjoys in Whitehall unleashed their weapon; the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The German musician Alec Empire may well today be better known for his ear destroying intense hardcore music, most notably as Atari Teenage Riot, but his origins lie in the heart of early rave culture. Bass Terror is the remastered original EP series that were only available on vinyl (remember those plate like black discs your folks had) back in ’92/93. Comprising of some 20 tracks harking back to a golden era that many of todays contemporaries in bass music were mere toddlers when it originally hit. Get to know.

in 1992 Alec Empire and Carl Crack started a sound system called Bass Terror. About a handful of other DJs joined right away. They promoted the first ever purist jungle and breakcore raves outside the United Kingdom. In Berlin squads and run down warehouses a new sound was developed. Journalists couldn’t compare it to rave or breakbeat anylonger. A new term was chosen: Breakcore. The sound was harder, faster and way louder than its UK prototype.

One other significant difference: Bass Terror was highly charged political with its Anti-Nazi and Anti-Racist slogans and artwork. Empire and Crack saw the extreme right wing having a rising influence on the German techno scene. Bass Terror was formed as a movement of resistance. One of the first tracks released was called “Hetzjagd auf Nazis!” (German for “Hunt Down And Kill The Nazis”).

Frankfurt based techno label Force Inc. Music Works started a sublabel called Riot Beats to give this sound a new push and platform. A year later Alec Empire would start Digital Hardcore Recordings (1994).

Shouts to Pete over at the excellent blog to the old skool for the heads up on this.