Front 242 – Hamburg 87 / Official Version (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The title of this album doesn’t need that much details to know what it’s all about. Back in 1987 the Belgian masters of EBM, Front 242, unleashed their third full length album “Official Version”. The album was released three years after the successful “No Comment”. This live recording brings us back to that year and the band’s concert in Hamburg (Germany).

Content: Back in time “Official Version” confirmed the leading status of the band. The new work revealed new hits like “Quite Unusual”, “WYHIWYG” and “Masterhit”. The live performance features all songs of the album except “Angst”. Former successful tracks such as “Body To Body”, “No Shuffle”, “Don’t Crash”, “Lovely Day”, “Funkahdafi” and the “Commando Mix” as last track of this album were played as well.

+ + + : It’s maybe a bit strange to get a live album from a concert 34 years later, but on the other hand it also gets us back to the legendary 80s. And Front 242 have been one of the major artisans of this magic decade. Cold Electronics carried by strong choruses plus some provocative samplings (think about “Funkahdafi”) and danceable rhythms were the trademark of the band. I’m just missing the important live image of Front 242: a military take, which was ultra-controversial back in time. I think it’s important mentioning the sound quality of this very old concert is absolutely remarkable.

– – – : It’s quite strange today to see they didn’t play one single song from their debut album “Geography”.

Conclusion: This album is a must have for the Front 242 army of fans! EBM from the golden age!

Best songs: “No Shuffle”, “Lovely Day”, “Quite Unusual”, “Masterhit”, “Don’t Crash”, “Body To Body”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Front.242

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

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