Initial Command [Original recording remastered]

Front Line Assembly | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 5, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Cleopatra
• ASIN: B000001JKW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,980 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #64 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Goth & Industrial
  • #99 in Music > Alternative Rock > Goth & Industrial > Industrial > Industrial Dance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great early industrial music with two ethereal songs., October 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Initial Command (Audio CD)

The Initial Command may not be Front Line Assembly's most well known album, or their most technologically advanced, but for me it clicks, with _Corroded Disorder,_ as their best. Tracks like "The State," "Casualties," and "Nine Times" show the band at the peak of its early output. However, the two real kickers are the first two "bonus" tracks, "Complexity" and "Intelligence Dream." These were not on the original album and were added as a bonus for the '97 version, but they are my favorite FLA songs. Brooding, dreamy, and meditative, they are a great set to have a musical "epiphany" and space out to. I would purchase the album just for the bonus tracks, although the original stuff is quite good too.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Initial Debut, April 17, 2006

By 

Ryan K. Fry (Sherman, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Initial Command (Audio CD)

This 1987 debut was Front Line Assembly's first commercially available album as the two 1986 demo tapes, "Nerve War" and "Total Terror" were self-released.

At this early point in Front Line Assembly's history, Bill Leeb was the band's only member. Armed with only a rather limiting synthesizer, Bill pushed his primitive equipment to its absolute limit in each track on The Initial Command. In songs like "The State" and "Black March", we hear a protoform of Front Line Assembly's trademark sound, complete with sampling and much distortion everywhere. The most enticing song on this release is the ambient and chilling "Ausgang Zum Himmel". When the title's English translation, "Exit to the Sky" is taken into consideration, the song's expansive and somewhat psychedelic soundscape comes into perfect focus.

It's a shame that this FLA release is so very overlooked these days as it's the perfect place to start for anyone looking to deepen his interest in Front Line Assembly.

4.0 out of 5 stars Underrated masterpiece..., September 30, 2009

By 

Matt Willimas "psycho_surge2" (Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Initial Command (Audio CD)

Like some reviewers on here, I didn't like this album when I first heard it, I thought it was incredibly repetitive and dated. But due to various reasons, I gave it another chance and loaded it onto my mp3 player, so I could digest it better on long walks, etc. It paid off because I grew to love this album immensely. There is so much going on in the background of each song that one probably fails to notice on only a couple listens. This was Leeb's first official album and I think he did an excellent job. It's true alot of it is instrumental and his lyric/vocals are perhaps not as entertaining as on later albums. Frankly I've never been impressed with Leeb's lyrics or his singing, but more for his knack of creating awesome soundscapes, whether they be incredibly sinister or chillingly ambient. For something coming out of 1987, with dated equipment, this is pretty good stuff and is definitely more palatable than the somewhat experimental "State Of Mind" which followed.

THE STATE (4/5) I love the punishing rhythms of this, the samples are twisted nicely around the urgent bass-lines and washes of strings. It makes an impact despite no vocals being present.

INSANITY LURKS NEARBY (3/5) Not his finest moment, but I like it anyway, the lyrics are catchy yet simple. Almost any 1980's industrial recording had that cheesy slap bass, so we might as well get used to it. The Cabaret Voltaire comparisons seem to be evident in the lyric and vocal approach.

CASUALTIES (4/5) At first glance, this seems like a plodding repetitive song, but the bass lines are so hypnotizing I fail to even notice. Leeb's vocals are buried somewhat and give the song an even more eerie atmosphere.

AUSGANG ZUM HIMMEL (5/5) In my opinion, this one alone is worth the price of admission. This isn't even music, this is a nightmarish landscape of sound, the hellish noise of a death factory. Simply awesome.

NINE TIMES (4/5) Simple yet catchy, hard not to tap the foot in time to beat of. Lots of chewed up samples floating around. Leeb surfaces a couple times to shout something like "It's too late...."

BLACK MARCH (2/5) Probably my least favorite, just doesn't go anywhere really. I don't like the lyrics or Leeb's performance of them. But thats ok, just one out of eight.

NO CONTROL (4/5) Excellent fast paced instrumental, all sorts of stuff going on. Leeb and Fulber collect some of the craziest samples and noise and know how to throw them in at just the right interval. I hardly notice that nearly six minutes has gone by when it finishes.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE (4/5) Similar to 'Casualties' but its even more relaxed and alluring. Great use of basslines and simple beat. It's almost in stark contrast to such a grim title as 'Slaughterhouse.' Finishes the album on a more pleasant but still eerie note.

There are two bonus tracks which Cleopatra added on to its re-release, and they're good but they shouldn't have tacked them onto the beginning of the album, perhaps the end. Also I think the original cover and design from the KK/Third Mind release is better.