
New album by Canadian Duo Front Line Assembly, including a cover version of Rock Me Amadeus, out from today!
Front Line Assembly will release their first new album in almost six years early 2019. Having rejoined the group in 2016 in a touring capacity, 'Wake Up The Coma' also marks the studio return to FLA of Rhys Fulber, thus reuniting him with founder member Bill Leeb in the duo line-up that has already made so many classic electronic records together.
Musically, 'Wake Up The Coma' sees FLA continue to push the envelope of the electro-industrial genre that they helped to define. A teaser single from the record entitled 'Eye On You' featured Robert Görl of DAF (one of Leeb's earliest influences), while the album also includes guest vocal appearances from Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost on the strident title track, Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Cocksure) on the Bowie-ish 'Spitting Wind' and Mindless Self Indulgence frontman Jimmy Urine on a surprise cover version of Falco's 1986 no. 1 smash hit 'Rock Me Amadeus'. A reference to Leeb's own Austrian heritage, perhaps?
A video for 'Rock Me Amadeus' is available now. Directed by Jason Alacrity, who himself has roots in industrial electronic music and has shot clips for the likes of Skinny Puppy and Combichrist, it features Urine performing half-rapped, half-sneered verses in German over a relentlessly oscillating bass line and exudes Teutonic cool, albeit in a kitsch 80's way. In red-rimmed shades and skinny pinktie, Urine appears, Max Headroom-style, on an old Sony CRT TV. There are laser lights, old-school threads and vintage video effects, plus a rotating bust of Mozart under Miami Vice lighting. Despite this, the clip feels contemporary and is the ideal accompaniment for a reanimation of a classic pop number that always gets listeners singing along.


This month it’s 30 years since Front Line Assembly released their third studio album Corrosion!
This month it’s 30 years since Vancouver Industrial / EBM band Front Line Assembly released their third studio album Corrosion (February 1988), or fifth full length if we count in two self-released tapes Total Terror and Nerve War which were released earlier in 1986. It was their first release on Third Mind/Wax Trax! with PIAS (Play it Again Sam) manufacturing and distributing the Third Mind issue in Europe.
At this time Front Line Assembly was Bill Leeb only, while Michael Balch acted as producer and Dave 'The Rave Olgivi mixed some of the tracks. Third core member Rhys Fulber would join the band one year later, in 1987 and become Leeb’s right hand until this very day.
This eight track album captures very well the dark, almost claustrophobic, sound and atmosphere of Front Line Assembly before their ‘breakthrough’ with Gashed Senses & Crossfire (1989). A perfect stylistic blend between early Cabaret Voltaire and Front 242 but with a more American / Wax Trax industrial sounding touch.
The album received a 7/10 in the NME (New Musical Express) and was favoured by Melody Maker Magazine.
Tracklist for Corrosion:
1) Lurid Sensation
2) Right Hand Of Heaven
3) Concussion
4) On The Cross
5) Conflict
6) Controversy
7) Dark Dreams
8) The Wrack Part III - Wisdom
Discogs

WaxTrax! announce release of the INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, a documentary and soundtrack, with unreleased old-school track by Revolting Cocks!
Wax Trax! Records, the Chicago store founded by lovers Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher quietly became a cult label in the 80's, overlapping the fringe gay, punk and BDSM cultures, a massive influence on industrial dance music. Jim's daughter Julia has unearthed some gems and come together with INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, a documentary and soundtrack both released wide on April 16, 2019 (the doc has already screened in a couple cities).
Today Wax Trax announced the doc + soundtrack release with an unheard, unreleased track by Revolting Cocks (Al Jourgensen, Luc van Acker, and Richard 23 of Front 242)!
Best part...You can hear this unique track already on below or on Soundcloud but even more excitingly - if you call 1-833-WAX-TRAX you can also hear messages and party sounds! Leather and mascara sold separately.
The doc features interviews with Steve Albini, Jello Biafra, Chris Connelly, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Dave Grohl, Al Jourgensen, Ian MacKaye, Trent Reznor and so many more. The soundtrack features unreleased tracks by Ministry, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Revolting Cocks, The Young Gods and more.
The Stooges classic 'Raw Power' was released on the seventh of February 1973, the game changer, in 1997 Iggy Pop remixed the album, making it sound like a war of noise and aggression.
Some said there was no need to overhaul the original Bowie mix of this incendiary album, after all it was that which caused such a huge influence on Punk in the 70s, probably why Pop did do a remix at the request of CBS was more than likely to stop anyone else from doing it.
'Raw Power', is a beautiful album of destruction.
Recorded in the Autumn of '72 in London with a new guitarist in James Williamson, he brought the extra cutting guitar licks into all this.
When a suitable rhythm section could not be found the Asheton brothers were brought back into the frame. Ron, being the original guitarist and core songwriter for the first two Stooges albums,vthis time switching to bass and the lineup was complete.
Pop producing and mixing the original sessions, but Bowie took the masters to remix them again.
Several of the tracks were remixed in one day, another reason why Iggy may have felt in 1997 that he wanted to leave his stamp on it. Willamson and the late Ron Asheton had both publicly stated they preferred Bowie's mix of the album.
All this talk of remixes,does it really make a difference?
In this case yes!, on Iggy Pops version there is a lot more distortion in the mix, especially on the guitar lines,probably down to Pop keeping all the levels in the red and turned up full for the remix.
The noticeable difference is the Asheton brothers are much more prevalent in the mix, unlike before. Ron proving he was handy enough with the bass, this seems closer to Pops original vision for the album. Feedback, distortion, over the loud mixes is the hallmark of Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
Ironically it was Bowie who pushed to get Pop back on the scene in the early 70s due to Iggys spiralling heroin problem.
What happened with the two gentlemen and their relocation to Berlin in the years that followed makes that effort by Bowie seem a slight contradiction.
Distortion and feedback and talk of remixes to one side, it is Iggy Pop at his finest, his vocal delivery is faultless, snarling, convincing and perhaps his best, from the 'Search And Destroy' opening line,
"I'm a streetwalking cheetah with a heart full of napalm
I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb",
To the closer -‘Death Trip', all is remarkably well delivered, with the collision of two nuclear warheads.
The argument will always be there surrounding this album,which is the better version,the true version, is whichever you personally like the most, the argument is there for both sides, but don't turn the attention away from a fine album it is and what it did for punk- rock, not only in the 70s but in general.
[KB]


On February 6th, 1982 the Kraftwerk single ‘The Model’ reached the Top 1 of the UK Singles Chart!
On February 6th, 1982 the Kraftwerk single ‘The Model’, originally released in Germany already in 1978 as 7” single ‘Das Model’, reached the Top 1 of the UK Singles Chart.
Even-though the band initially added the English sung version as only a b-side on their new single ‘Computer Love’ in 1981, DJ’s and the radio audience seemed to prefer this b-side instead of the a-side. After Capitol Records/EMI noticed the commercial potential they re-released the single almost immediately, this time ‘The Model’ as A-side. Apparently this was decided by Capitol Records/EMI much against the band’s own will. Nevertheless this smart strategy by EMI resulted in ‘The Model’ becoming the number one in the UK single charts on February 6th, 1982. The single managed to hang in the UK top 75 for a total of 21 weeks.
Unable to deny the succes another 7” was released by the band, and its label Kling Klang / EMI Electrola, bearing both versions ‘The Model’ and ‘Das Model’.
Still, in Germany, Das Model, never climbed higher than 7th position in the German Single charts. After one week it descended again, still remaining about 20 weeks in the charts.
Das Model/ The Model was written by Karl Bartos and Ralf Hütter and with artist Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics and was the preliminary single for their upcoming and legendary album Die Mensch-Maschine or The Man-Machine.
The Model
She's a model and she's looking good
I'd like to take her home that's understood
She plays hard to get, she smiles from time to time
It only takes a camera to change her mind
She's going out tonight but drinking just champagne
And she has been checking nearly all the men
She's playing her game and you can hear them say
She is looking good, for beauty we will pay
She's posing for consumer products now and then
For every camera she gives the best she can
I saw her on the cover of a magazine
Now, she's a big success, I want to meet her again
Das Model
Sie ist ein Model und sie sieht gut aus
Ich nähm sie heut gerne mit zu mir nach Haus
Sie wirkt so kühl, an sie kommt niemand ran
Doch vor der Kamera da zeigt sie was sie kann
Sie trinkt in Nachtclubs immer Sekt (Korrekt!)
Und hat hier alle Männer abgecheckt`
Im Scheinwerferlicht ihr junges Lächeln strahlt
Sie sieht gut aus und Schönheit wird bezahlt
Sie stellt sich zur Schau für das Konsumprodukt
Und wird von Millionen Augen angeguckt
Ihr neues Titelbild ist einfach fabelhaft
Ich muß sie wieder seh'n, ich weiß sie hat's geschafft
Songwriters: Emil Schult / Ralf Huetter / Karl Bartos