Launching an audio attack on the hottest new demographic of music consumers, Atlantic Records released an album earlier this week designed exclusively for joystick junkies. |

In an attempt to infiltrate young minds with fresh music, Atlantic is joining the growing number of labels that are beginning to recruit new artists to record the background music to popular video games. On May 26, the label will release Road Rash 3D: The Album, an enhanced CD featuring fast-paced tunes from Playstation's popular combat motorcycle video game.

Punked-up groove band Sugar Ray have gotten in on the act with fresh and re-worked material for the Road Rash 3D soundtrack, which also shows a graphic demonstration of the game and companion videos for each contributing artist when played in a CD-ROM drive. Joining Sugar Ray on the CD are the psychedelic surfers in Mermen, the hardcore, rhythmic band CIV as well as other Atlantic bands like The Tea Party, Full On The Mouth, Kid Rock and Fat Joe.

Each band composed its tracks specifically for "Road Rash" -- a biker gang video adventure that has sold more than 2.5 million units in previous versions. The songs will play behind the machine gun fire and the sounds of crunching metal heard on "Road Rash," but they will also appear on the companion soundtrack, which may be purchased at ordinary record stores.

"'Road Rash 3D' is remarkable in its ability to offer players CD-quality tune during gameplay," Atlantic Records Executive Vice President/General Manager Ron Shapiro said in a press release. "At the same time, a separate soundtrack album allows for appreciation of the 'Road Rash 3D' music outside the demands of the stimulated racing experience."

"Pac Man" first met pop/rock several years ago when Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor created a techno soundtrack to the huge video success "Quake." Since then, Rob Zombie has recorded the theme to "Quake II," Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff has provided the voice-over for a recent Sega game and Poe has agreed to let Activision digitize her body for "Apocalypse" -- which she will co-star in with Bruce Willis. (Anni Layne)