Tactical Neural Implant

Last updated

Tactical Neural Implant
Tacticalneuralimplant.jpg
Studio album by
Front Line Assembly
ReleasedApril 28, 1992
Recorded (1991-11-00) (1991-12-00)November – December 1991, Creation Studios, Vancouver, B.C.
Genre Electro-industrial, [1] industrial dance [2]
Length44:57
63:25(Japanese edition)
Label Third Mind, Apollon International, Roadrunner
Producer Front Line Assembly
Front Line Assembly chronology
Caustic Grip
(1990)		Tactical Neural Implant
(1992)		 Millennium
(1994)
Singles from Tactical Neural Implant
  1. "Mindphaser"
    Released: April 7, 1992
  2. "The Blade"
    Released: July 13, 1992

Tactical Neural Implant is the sixth full-length studio album by electro-industrial artists Front Line Assembly. Third Mind Records originally released it in 1992 [2] on both compact-disc and LP formats. The album has also been issued by Roadrunner in a two-disc set that includes the Millennium album.

Contents

The album contains what some reviewers regard as some of Front Line Assembly's best songs, including the singles "The Blade" and "Mindphaser". [2] The album still receives heavy play in industrial and electronic music dance clubs [2] and is considered "a classic among clubgoers, DJs, and musicians even now." [3]

Musical style and writing

Tactical Neural Implant veers away from the more abrasive elements found on the Caustic Grip album. Vocals, while heavily effected, are often paired with vocoders and more melodic elements [4] of which can be heard on the drum and bass opening of "The Blade", the latter parts of "Bio Mechanic" and the overall composition of "Lifeline". Like on earlier releases, Front Line Assembly worked with multi-layered samples. [5] [6]

Tactical Neural Implant is an example how the band's side projects influence the writing of Front Line Assembly songs. "We got some ideas for FLA songs during the Intermix sessions, for example, Outcast", said Rhys Fulber to Electric Shock Treatment Magazine. [7] "We keep everything separate because we want to keep the visions of each separate", he continued, "It's nice to work on a bunch of things and then do a new FLA album. [...] It keeps us interested [...] I think you can grow musically during a short period of time if you do lots of different things. [...] On the FLA album we were spending six hours a day at least on it." [7]

"Mindphaser"

"Mindphaser" is the first single taken from Tactical Neural Implant. The single was released April 7, 1992, on Third Mind. It includes two versions of the title track and the tracks "Toxic" and "Mutilate" that were also released as bonus tracks on the Japanese edition of the album. A promotional music video for "Mindphaser" won "Best Alternative Video" at Much Music's 1992 Canadian Music Video Awards. [8] The award-winning video was directed by Robert Lee and produced by Gary Blair Smith and took two months to make. [9] The video depicts Front Line Assembly inserted into clips of the Japanese science fiction film Gunhed . [10] The Japanese film company let Front Line Assembly use any footage of the film in exchange for the right to use any changes the band would make for themselves. [9] The video also received airplay on MTV. "Mindphaser" was voted the sixth greatest industrial song of all time by COMA Music Magazine in their feature article "101 Greatest Industrial Songs of All Time". [11]

After having won the award, Front Line Assembly shed some light on the production of the video on MuchMusic. Bill Leeb considered their approach to writing to be quite unconventional. "I was shown some footage first", said Leeb, "we actually wrote the song to the footage. Also the lyrics were written to the footage." [12] "There was a lot of brainstorming between us and the people involved in the video", added Rhys Fulber. [12] According to the band it was rather the images than the actual plot of the film the video clip is based on that inspired writing. "The actual storyline is kind of hard to follow because it's all in Japanese obviously", Fulber explained. Although "even just visually it's hard to follow [...] it's just the imagery we found quite amazing." [12] Leeb commented on concerns that the imagery might push the music into the background. "A lot of times videos actually wreck songs" by pushing the listener in a direction, he said. In contrast, "this way it worked hand in hand really well." [12]

Lyrically, "Mindphaser" is an example of what S. Alexander Reed calls Front Line Assembly's many references to "industrial music's intellectual heritage". [3] "Mindphaser" borrows a few lyrics from industrial band Clock DVA's song "The Hacker", which appeared on their 1989 album Buried Dreams . [3]

The single was re-released in 1998 through Zoth Ommog on the compilation album The Singles: Four Fit.

"The Blade"

"The Blade", the second single from the album, was released through Third Mind in two versions with different artwork. The North American version contains four tracks, namely two versions of "The Blade" and non-album tracks "Re-Animate" and "Laughing Pain". The European version is an eight-track single and features the songs of the North American version along with two additional remixes of "The Blade" and additional non-album tracks "Target" and "Heatwave". "Laughing Pain" is featured on the soundtrack of 1999 American horror film The Blair Witch Project . [13] "The Blade (Technohead)" made it on the list of the favourite dance remixes of music magazine The Quietus in 2014. [14]

Release

Tactical Neural Implant sold more than 70,000 copies. [3] It was the first Front Line Assembly album to be officially released in Japan. [15]

In October 2019, Canadian label Artoffact started a crowdfunding campaign in order to obtain the album licenses and to re-release the album on vinyl on May 4, 2020. [16] [17]

In 2022, American independent record label Wax Trax! Records issued a 30th anniversary edition of the album on vinyl that was remastered by Greg Reely. [18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Billboard Favorable [19]
Industrial StrengthFavorable [20]
Jersey BeatStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [21]
Melody Maker Favorable [22]
Music From the Empty QuarterFavorable [23]
Select U+25A0.svgU+25A0.svgU+25A0.svgU+25A0.svgU+25A1.svg [24]
Technology WorksFavorable [25]

Tactical Neural Implant is widely viewed as one of Front Line Assembly's best releases. [11] Theo Kavadias of Allmusic said, "Front Line Assembly, one of the premiere electro-industrial acts, has done much to help define what the genre is about. Tactical Neural Implant is one of the releases which has contributed most to this claim, setting a standard with its cool, calm, and collected electronic harmonies and driving bass." [2] Billboard wrote, "Wisely, the act keeps the beats heavy, while continuing to explore loosely structured melodies and dark lyrical interludes." [19] The song "Mindphaser" was ranked No. 6 on COMA Music Magazine's 101 Greatest Industrial Songs of All Time. [11] Bill Leeb said the video for the song was the only one by the band to receive regular airplay on MTV. [11] The blog io9 ranked Tactical Neural Implant among the "100 albums every science fiction and fantasy fan should listen to". [1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber

No.TitleLength
1."Final Impact"6:02
2."The Blade"5:53
3."Mindphaser"5:04
4."Remorse"5:44
5."Bio-Mechanic"5:26
6."Outcast"5:22
7."Gun"6:19
8."Lifeline"5:07
Japanese Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
9."Toxic"6:03
10."Mutilate"5:42
11."Mindphaser (12″ Version)"6:43

Personnel

Front Line Assembly

Technical personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delerium</span> Canadian band

Delerium is a Canadian new-age ambient electronic musical duo that formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band’s history, their musical style has encompassed a broad range, including dark ethereal ambient trance, voiceless industrial soundscapes, and electronic pop music. They are best known for their worldwide hit "Silence". The band is known to feature female guest vocalists on their albums since their 1994 album Semantic Spaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Leeb</span> Austrian-Canadian musician

Wilhelm Anton "Bill" Leeb is an Austrian-Canadian electronic musician and record producer. He is best known for being a founding member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly and Delerium. Additionally, Leeb is known for his work with groups such as Noise Unit, Intermix, and Skinny Puppy, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Front Line Assembly</span> Canadian electro-industrial band

Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. FLA has developed its own sound incorporating elements of electronic body music and electro-industrial. The band's membership has rotated through the years, including Michael Balch, Rhys Fulber, and Chris Peterson, all of whom are associated with several other acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhys Fulber</span> Canadian producer and musician

Nowell Rhys Fulber is a Canadian electronic musician and producer. He is a member of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, along with Bill Leeb. He also records under his own name and under the name Conjure One.

<i>Caustic Grip</i> 1990 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Caustic Grip is the fifth full-length studio album by Front Line Assembly, originally released on Third Mind Records in Europe and on WaxTrax! Records in the United States in 1990.

<i>Hard Wired</i> Album by Front Line Assembly

Hard Wired is the eighth full-length studio album by Canadian electro-industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1995.

<i>Millennium</i> (Front Line Assembly album) 1994 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Millennium is the seventh full-length studio album by industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1994 by Roadrunner Records on both Compact Disc and LP formats. The album is also being planned for an LP release in 2020, by the Canadian label Artoffact. The album marks the first major use of metal guitars, shifting in musical direction from their typical electro-industrial sound. The riffs were obtained from samples and the musicianship of the then unknown Devin Townsend of Strapping Young Lad, who would also contribute and perform on the next album.

<i>Civilization</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Civilization is the twelfth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released on January 20, 2004 through Metropolis. The album was produced by band founder Bill Leeb and returning member Rhys Fulber, who had departed in 1996. Civilization has been described by reviewers as being a more stylistically diverse and relaxed album compared to the band's previous releases.

<i>(FLA)vour of the Weak</i> Album by Front Line Assembly

[FLA]vour of the Weak is the ninth full-length studio album by industrial music group Front Line Assembly, released in November 1997 by Off Beat.

<i>Live Wired</i> 1996 live album by Front Line Assembly

Live Wired is a live album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1996, with the majority of tracks coming from the bands previous two studio albums; Millennium and Hard Wired. A box set including the two CDs plus a VHS with all of the band's video clips to date, and a live concert video was released at the same time.

<i>Total Terror</i> 1986 demo album by Front Line Assembly

Total Terror is the second of two self-released cassette tapes by industrial music band Front Line Assembly. At this point, Bill Leeb was the band's only dedicated member, with some help from Rhys Fulber.

<i>The Initial Command</i> 1987 studio album by Front Line Assembly

The Initial Command is the first full-length studio album released by Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1987 through Belgian label KK.

Front Line Assembly, a Canadian Vancouver-based electro-industrial band, has released seventeen studio albums, three live albums, numerous singles and compilations, and two video game soundtracks. With Bill Leeb being the founder and sole permanent member of the band, Michael Balch, Rhys Fulber and Chris Peterson were acting as long-time members during different periods of time.

<i>Echogenetic</i> 2013 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Echogenetic is the fifteenth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released on July 9, 2013. It was well received both by critics and fans and charted in German and US charts. Critics commented on the band's return to a purely electronic approach and on the dubstep influence on the album. Front Line Assembly toured extensively in Europe and North America in support of this album and remix follow-up Echoes, which included a tour with vocalist and band leader Bill Leeb's former band Skinny Puppy. This was the last studio album to feature Jeremy Inkel before his death in 2018.

<i>The Remix Wars: Strike 2</i> 1996 remix album by Front Line Assembly and Die Krupps

The Remix Wars: Strike 2 is remix album of Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly and German industrial band Die Krupps, released in 1996. It is subtitled "Front Line Assembly vs. Die Krupps". It is the second in a series of four remix albums on which two bands remix each other's tracks. The liner notes of the album describes the concept: "Two different groups or projects fight each other using samplers, mixing consoles and creativity as their weapons." The first three tracks are from III - Odyssey of the Mind, the other tracks are from Hard Wired. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the launch of the remix series in 2016 Canadian label Artoffact re-released the albums on vinyl.

<i>Live</i> (Front Line Assembly album) 1989 live album by Front Line Assembly

Live is a live album by Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1989. The album contains recordings from the Gashed Senses & Crossfire tour in Europe. It was released only on vinyl and limited to 4.000 numbered copies.

<i>Cryogenic Studios</i> 1998 compilation album by Front Line Assembly, Equinox, Delerium, Pro>Tech and Synæsthesia

Cryogenic Studios is a compilation album that contains songs from several of Canadian electronic musician Bill Leeb's projects including Front Line Assembly, Equinox, Delerium, Pro>Tech, and Synæsthesia. It was released by Cleopatra in 1998. The album title refers to the name of Cryogenic Studio in Vancouver that serves as headquarters studio for Front Line Assembly and related side projects. The Zoth Ommog release for the European market came with a different artwork. All tracks except for "Infra Stellar (Remix)" were re-released in 2005 by Cleopatra on the compilation album The Best of Cryogenic Studio.

<i>Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2</i> 2000 compilation album by Front Line Assembly

Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2 is a compilation album, released in 2000, and the follow-up to the 1998 album Cryogenic Studios. It is composed from songs of electronic music bands Front Line Assembly, Noise Unit, Delerium, Pro>Tech, Equinox, and Synæsthesia, all of which are projects of Canadian electronic musician Bill Leeb. The album title refers to the name of Cryogenic Studio in Vancouver that serves as headquarters studio for Front Line Assembly and related side projects. All tracks except "Biosphere", "Eros", "Door to the Otherside", "Miracle", "Inner Chaos", and "Re-Thread" were re-released in 2005 by Cleopatra on the compilation album The Best of Cryogenic Studio, together with most of the tracks from previous compilation album Cryogenic Studios.

<i>Wake Up the Coma</i> 2019 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Wake Up the Coma is the sixteenth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly. It was released on February 8, 2019 on CD, vinyl and digitally through Metropolis.

<i>Mechanical Soul</i> 2021 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Mechanical Soul is the seventeenth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly. It was released on January 15, 2021 on CD, vinyl and digitally through Metropolis. It features Jean-Luc de Meyer from Belgian EBM group Front 242 and Dino Cazares from American industrial metal band Fear Factory. It contains a remix of the track "Hatevol" from the predecessor album Wake Up the Coma.

References

  1. 1 2 Anders, Charlie Jane; Lamar, Cyriaque (April 24, 2012). "100 Albums Every Science Fiction and Fantasy Fan Should Listen To: 71-100". io9 . New York: Gizmodo Media Group . Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kavadias, Theo. Front Line Assembly: Tactical Neural Implant at AllMusic. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Reed, S. Alexander (2013). Assimilate: a critical history of industrial music. New York: Oxford University Press. p.  4. ISBN   978-0-19-983260-6.
  4. ↑ Leeb, Bill (April 9, 1992). "Front Line Assembly". Siren Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Ian Cheek.
  5. ↑ Leeb, Bill (March 19, 1992). "Interview with Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly" (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Tressler. Muncie, Indiana: WCRD.
  6. ↑ Leeb, Bill (1992). "Front Line Assembly". Industrialnation (Interview). No. 5. Interviewed by Kim Traub. Iowa City, Iowa: Paul Valerio. ISSN   1062-449X. OCLC   25623835.
  7. 1 2 Riley, Matthew F. (March 1992). "An interview with Rhys Fulber of Frontline Assembly". Electric Shock Treatment Magazine. No. 3. pp. 5–6. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ Reed, S. Alexander (2013). Assimilate: a critical history of industrial music. New York: Oxford University Press. p.  6. ISBN   978-0-19-983260-6.
  9. 1 2 Garcia, Sandra (September 1992). "Interview with Bill Leeb". B-Side Magazine.
  10. ↑ Reed, S. Alexander (2013). Assimilate: a critical history of industrial music. New York: Oxford University Press. p.  5. ISBN   978-0-19-983260-6.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Schock, David (March 9, 2012). "101 Greatest Industrial Songs of All Time'". COMA Music Magazine. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Front Line Assembly - Interview Much Music 1992 (Television production). Much Music. 1992. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2014– via YouTube.
  13. ↑ Original Soundtrack: The Blair Witch Project: Josh's Blair Witch Mix [Enhanced Disc] > Overview at AllMusic . Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  14. ↑ Gibb, Rory (January 23, 2014). "The Quietus Writers' 50 Favourite Dance Remixes". The Quietus . Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  15. ↑ Leeb, Bill (September 1992). "Interview with Bill Leeb". Flipside (Interview). No. 80. Interviewed by Dan.
  16. ↑ Carlsson, Johan (October 29, 2019). "Do you love Front Line Assembly and have $325 to spare?". Release Magazine. Gothenburg: Release Musik & Media. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  17. ↑ Yücel, Ilker (October 28, 2019). "Front Line Assembly announces new box set collecting iconic albums". ReGen Magazine. Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  18. ↑ Cardenas, Federico (November 23, 2022). "Front Line Assembly Announces 30th Anniversary Reissue Of Tactical Neural Implant". mxdwn.com. Los Angeles. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  19. 1 2 Newman, Melinda; Morris, Chris; Morris, Edward (May 23, 1992). "Album Reviews". Billboard . Vol. 104, no. 21. New York: BPI Communications. p. 47. ISSN   0006-2510. OCLC   67058557.
  20. ↑ Nogood, Jordan; Nik, Jeff W. (1992). "Front Line Assembly: Tactical Neural Implant". Industrial Strength. No. 2. DeKalb, Illinois. p.  27. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  21. ↑ Hale, Mick (May 1992). "Frontline Assembly, Tactical Neural Implant". Jersey Beat. No. 46. Weehawken, New Jersey: Jim Testa. OCLC   61204132 . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  22. ↑ The Stud Brothers. "Front Line Assembly - Tactical Neural Implant". Melody Maker . London: IPC Media.
  23. ↑ Deadhead (May 1992). "Front Line Assembly - Tactical Neural Implant". Music from the Empty Quarter. No. 5.
  24. ↑ Morrison, Dave (May 1992). "Front Line Assembly: Tactical Neural Implant" (JPG). Select . London: Emap International Limited. p. 68. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  25. ↑ pdm (January 1, 1992). "Frontline Assembly - Tactical Neural Implant". Technology Works. No. 10. Placentia, California: Paul Moore. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.