Customer Reviews

Into Battle With the Art of Noise (Bonus Dvd)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The folks at Repertoire and ZTT did a really nice job of repackaging The Art of Noise's first album. Amazing that it took this long to make it to digital, although nearly all of the content from "Into Battle" was included on the "Daft" release several years ago. The packaging, liner notes and the DVD content are put together thoughtfully and simply. It was a nice move to have included CD versions of the "Close Up" single. Something of a shame that ZTT and China/Chrysalis can't come to some agreement and put out a more 'complete' version of the AoN discography between them.

The only major complaint I have, as others have stated, is the baffling choice to replace the original version of "Beatbox" with the version available on all previous ZTT re-releases. It seems odd that every other track from "Into Battle" has been left in tact, but "Beatbox" is not the same as on the vinyl. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, the only CD version ever of the original "Beatbox" track was on a relatively obscure 'Best of the 80s' style compilation. It almost makes one wonder whether the producers of this anniversary disc have ever listened to the original pressing...

Into Battle with the Art of Noise is the latest installment (No. 16, to be precise) in ZTT's fine Element Series of reissues via the Salvo label. As with the Claudia Brücken collection Combined, the disc is packaged in a miniature gatefold LP sleeve.

The astute listener will notice that both the front and booklet covers contain a typo, with "Flesh in Armour" listed as "Flesh in Armous". This is unfortunate, but perhaps this can be fixed with subsequent printings. On the other hand, the artwork is crisp and clean, unlike the 1999/2000 ZTT reissues through Universal, which had to rely on already printed material because, if I recall correctly, the original artwork for most of the early ZTT albums was lost to fire.

The re-created album artwork aside, the obvious point of comparison for this edition would be the 20th anniversary reissue released in 2003 by Repertoire. By most measures, the Element Edition (as the ZTT web site refers to it) of Into Battle is an improvement.

For starters, the original version of "Beat Box" has been restored to the running order, whereas the 20th anniversary edition contained "Beat Box (Diversion 1)" in its place.

The sound quality is much improved, in my opinion. The 20th anniversary edition was mastered at hotter levels, which, while not carried out to extremes utilized, did not exactly make for repeated listening. The Element Edition is mastered at more reasonable levels, and is consistent with other releases in ZTT's Element Series.

Some folks will grumble, perhaps rightly so, that the cassette version of "Moments in Love" is used here instead of the full 10-minute version. However, the liner notes indicate that this is to avoid duplication with the forthcoming deluxe reissue of Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise, which will include the full version.

Speaking of Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise, that LP was apparently the result of changes made (to appeal more to a mainstream audience) after the unexpected single success of "Close (to the edit)". Before that single became a hit, The Art of Noise had put together an album called Worship. That previously unreleased album is included here.

I was always somewhat disappointed in Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise, particularly since I already had "Beat Box (Diversion One)", "Close (to the edit)" (which sprang forth from "Beat Box (Diversion Two)"), and "Moments in Love" on other releases, and the new material included was mostly too short and not very interesting.

Worship, on the other hand, contains more new material, more varied material, and is both longer and more interesting. The interludes "One Finger of Love", "Two Fingers of Love", and "Three Fingers of Love" (which is *not* the same as the track on "daft" listed as "(Three Fingers of) Love") are jazzy pieces dominated by strings, sax, and piano, and would have been quite unexpected from the group at that point in time. And "Confession" is actually kind of funky, relatively speaking. But we do still get more "Beat Box" - in the form of "Close (to the edit)" and Diversions 1, 3, and 5 (not in that order).

If Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise was monochrome (as suggested by its sleeve art), then Worship is its more colorful counterpart. I assume that the album never got as far as the sleeve design, since the only related images shown in the booklet are the track listings from the master tape boxes.

The inclusion of Worship is a smart move on the part of ZTT, since Into Battle as presented here is also included in the 2006 box set, And What Have You Done with My Body, God? About a half-dozen tracks from Worship are also part of that set (though, as the liner notes point out, not yet placed in the context of Worship), but that still leaves 12 tracks that owners of said box will not already have. Since this edition of Into Battle is a single disc, that means the cost of those 12 tracks is not terribly outrageous.

In short, better sound, new liner notes, crisp artwork, and an album's worth of extra material. Hard to go wrong with this one.

i have awaited the release of this particular Art of Noise LP onto cd for 20 years. this title was my all-time favorite Art of Noise record. upon opening up the cd & quickly jumping to track 2 - "Beat Box" only to find out it has been replaced by the version that appeared on "Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise". you can imagine my disappointment! i thought for sure after 20 years i would finally have the original break dance classic of "Beat Box" in the digital format. Anyway, being a true Art of Noise fan for many years, this was definately a let down.

This is it. All of the stuff that started it all. I remember when I first got this on vinyl - boy did it take a beating. Finally to have a beautiful sounding (if not COMPLETELY accurate) version of Into Battle ... is a real treat. Bonus disc is fun, but their videos were never earth-shattering. Most highly recommended!

Overall this CD is great.
1. Battle and Moment In Love are cleaned up and sound great.
2. You get 2 bonus tracks. Some people say these are ripped from vinyl, if they are they sound great.
3. The 4 videos on DVD are good. There is no Beat Box video but there is 2 versions of the Close (to the edit) video.
Hats of to Repertoire for even attempting this. AON is my favorite band and the only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because they put Beat Box (Diversion One) on the CD and not the original version. WHY NOT THE ORIGINAL BEAT BOX???????

This package shipped with the Diversion One edition of Beat Box, a serious flub. I haven't listened to it much because of that. The other songs from the cassette release are present and accounted for but the included DVD is rather useless.

Anyone looking for the original Beat Box should look at one of the other compilations; don't buy this one.

Given what has been said about the original Beatbox missing from this CD which does seem a little bit of a shame. To be honest I had no idea that this version of Beatbox was not the original since this was originally released before I was even born. But having said that I still like what's on offer here. It's immensely fun to listen to. To hear all matter of things like a car starting up is quite weird but fun too. The rest of it bar Moments In Love sounds like it was perfect music for some people to breakdance to ( not that I can do that sort of thing ). But this is a real joy to listen to

I have another query - the DVD is good but a little short in my opinion. It would have been nice to see some more videos than just the four that were given. And speaking of the fourth track -it does seem rather ill fitting when the other 3 sound similar in style while this one kinda sticks out like a sore thumb. If they had put more videos in the DVD it would have been easier to see the changes ( after all this is my first Art of Noise purchase really so bear that in mind please ) but other than that I've no real complaints

first off, i haven't bought this CD YET, but am impressed with the 4 tracks that were added to this disc. to those who lament the loss of the original (better) version of "beatbox" before all of the later diversions, it's available on rhino records' "new wave dance hits of the '80s" compilation cd. it's more stripped down and funky than "beatbox diversion 1".

as to what this disc offers, the original vinyl tracks that start and finish the vinyl disc "battle" and "moment in love" have been out of print for years. they are just short tracks, but they are nice to have back again.

the two REALLY NICE tracks to have here are "close up" and "close up (hop)" which were ONLY available on a long discontinued import CD single or the original vinyl. i've been holding on to my 12" UK import 45 of those tracks like it was gold since i bought it. their additions here are a good reason to own this disc. now i can keep my vinyl in it's near mint condition. the "close up" mixes are 2 of A.O.N.'s best late ZTT tracks.

if you're looking more for value, "daft" is a better choice. it has all of the tracks from the original vinyl for "into battle with the art of noise" and "who's afraid of the art of noise?" except:

no original version of "beatbox"
(just the "diversion 1" mix from "who's afraid...")

"battle" and "moment in love" are missing from "into battle..." (included here)

and the original "snapshot" from "who's afraid..." recieves an extended version with new material.

"daft" also adds 2 or 3 single remixes of "moments in love" which appeared as the same 10:00 song on "into battle..." AND "who's afraid..." on the original vinyl.

daft has alot more material than this CD, but this disc has four really rare tracks that an A.O.N. completist like me is happy to get in a digital format.

these ZTT art of noise tracks are when they were really good... before they got more and more pretentious after switching to china records. "the seduction of claude debussey" is self indulgent and vomitable. these tracks are precious, raw and danceable.