Frontline Assembly - Improvised Electronic Device (CD - Dependent)

It took a few years to FLA to get back on track again. After the release of the maxi "Shifting Through The Lens" it appeared to be very clear for all of their fans that the legendary Canadian EBM formation would launch a very special new album. No doubt about it "Improvised Electronic Device" ("I.E.D.") will enter into the FLA's history as being a unique piece of music. FLA distilled an album with influences from the past mixed with new elements. The complexity of the music remains one of their all-time characteristics, but "Improvised Electronic Device" has this rage and power like we never heard from the Canadians. This is for sure their hardest composition to date! "Improvised Electronic Device" is for sure an album that has been composed by a very strong team. Team leader Bill Leeb got the help from his good-old partner in crime Rhys Fülber while Chris Peterson and Jeremy Inkel completed the crew. This is the quartet that already composed the previous album "Artificial Soldier". We have to admit that this is a winning team and if you know that Al Jourgensen (Ministry, Revolting Cocks) has been invited as guest artist on one song you can only agree that it would have been hard to do better. Guitar parts and great electronic sounds are in good balance with each other, but the 'industrial' side emerging from the guitars has been never that rough. Some of the songs sound like moving on the edge of metal-industrial music and when Al Jourgensen joins in on "Stupidity" you better fasten your seat belts! This track is a pure shot of adrenaline, but comes closer to Ministry than the familiar FLA-style. Let's say that this song isn't representative for the album, but it sounds like the apotheosis of FLA's power revealed on the previous songs. From start on we get this high doses of power. "I.E.D." starts in a pure intro style, but evolves towards a hard banging electro-guitar cut. "Angriff" coming next only accentuates the muscled composition by Leeb and co. The first absolute highlight is "Hostage". I here find the perfect mix between good-old FLA-elements plus a modern touch on top like the d'n'b inspired loops. The cavernous vocals of Bill Leeb are still very efficient for the new sound of FLA. Bill's vocals are totally fitting to the music. "Shifting Through The Lens" remains a real great cut and when hearing the album, you'll better understand why this song was chosen to figure as title song for the maxi. Raw and merciless assaults entitled "Pressure Wave" and "Afterlife" are finally leading us to the already mentioned "Stupidity". "Downfall" being the last song from the album sounds quite contradictory to what we've heard for so far. This is a well-crafted atmospheric electronic cut without vocals. It serves as 'outro' bringing the listener back in reality. "Improvised Electronic Device" is a furious trip coming from a band, which clearly avoid to repeat themselves! It's not my favourite FLA-album in history, but it's one mankind will keep in mind!
(DP:8)DP.
Band: www.mindphaser.com / www.myspace.com/thefrontlineassembly
Label: www.dependent.de / www.myspace.com/dependentrecords

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