The Front : Releases >>

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Cause for Alarm/Victim in Pain >>

There was never anything fancy about these New York hardcore pioneers, just the aural equivalent of a swift kick to the nether regions followed by a brass-knuckled rap on the noggin. Then again, that's probably what made Roger Miret & Co. so popular with the testosterone-fueled adolescents that related to the band's might-makes-right approach. The band drew some criticism for its avowedly right-wing political stance--"Shoot His Load" praised subway gunman Bernhard Goetz, while "Public Assistance" knocked those who accepted it--but repeated exposure reveals them to be total misanthropes, rather than antagonists of any specific group. If a feel-good album is what you're looking for, steer clear. But those hankering for a shot of no-frills punk-metal with a side of malice will certainly feel sated. --David Sprague

Warriors >>

Front Porch String Band >>

Front by Front >>

Fallout >>

Front Line Assembly reclaimed its throne last year with the release of "Artificial Soldier" and a world tour. Not wanting to rest on their laurels, the band is prepping for a second assault. "Fallout" features three new tracks and nine remixes and has been deemed to cause exhaustion from excessive dancing, hearing loss from listening to it too loud, and vertigo from its mind-blowing musical sequences.

Tactical Neural Implant >>

Artificial Soldier >>

The best FLA release the electronic industrial community has seen in over a decade. Heavy pounding beats, atmospheric strings, percolating melodies, dynamic synths, and Bill Leeb's trademark vocals couldn't be fused together any tighter if you tried to do it at an atomic level. As if all those factors weren't enough, two guest vocalists appear: Eskil Simonsson from Covenant and Jean-Luc De Meyer from Front 242.

Official Version >>

Flavour of the Weak >>

With influences spanning from 1980's dark techno to the rapid-fire breakbeat manipulation of the late 1990s, FLA-leader Bill Leeb and his latest partner Chris Peterson execute creative and meticulous noise with energetic precision. The album is a coherent whole, yet extreme sonic and stylistic diversity abounds: every track flows strangely and seamlessly from one intriguing section to another. A kind of industrial hip hop mutates into lush keyboard saturation in "Autoerotic" and "Comatose"; icy techno alternates with synthetic orchestras in "Columbian Necktie." "Evil Playground" is almost two different songs, ominous atmospherics giving rise to an unstoppable rhythm & noise groove. Vocal styles are equally diverse as Leeb's robotic snarl in "Sado-Masochist" and whispered growl in "Life=Leben" effectively contrast with his clean melodic singing of each song's chorus. --Mark McCleerey