Released
1993
Label
Red Rhino Europe
Epic
Reviewed by
Michael C.Lund
Contact
Transmission 242
BP 1613
B1000 Brussels
Visit
Last Edit/Update
February 01, 1998
Front
242
05:22:09:12 OFF
Track Listing
1. Animal Cage/Gate/Guide
2. Modern Angel
3. Junkdrome
4. Serial Killers Don't Kill Their Girlfriend
5. Skin Fur Coat
6. GenEcide
7. Crushed
8. offEND
9. Animal Zoo
10. Serial Killers Don't Kill Their Boyfriend
11. Happiness More Angels
12. Crushed Obscene
13. Melt Again
14. Speed Angels
Released a couple of months after 06:21:03:11 Up Evil, 05:22:09:12
Off is the sister album to the former CD. Like Up Evil,
this CD has a very textured and rich sound, but on Off the use of distorted guitar
effects is limited, the emphasis is instead on the liquid, oceanic synth atmospheres. Off
also features 99 Kowalski as the dominant vocalist, giving the whole CD a celestial tone
that is reflected in a number of the song titles.
Due to the many fluid transitions
between individual songs, and the emphasis on harmony, Off has a very organic feel
to it. As always with Front 242, the element of percussion is strong and
at a high bpm, but the rhythm patterns have more layers, more breaks, and at times have an
unprecedented acoustic feel to them. Despite the many positive facets, and overall
impressiveness of this release, it is a big mouthful. The CD runs to a total of 71
minutes, and many of the tracks are featured twice in different mixes.
Off is best experienced,
when listened to in its entirety, yet, a few tracks do single themselves out as especially
accomplished. The prettiest and possibly most memorable song on the CD is
"Crushed," with its deep simmering synth themes and sexually charged vocals by
99 Kowalski. Equally atmospheric is the 7-minute long instrumental extravaganza --
"Junkdrome" -- featuring soaring, streamlike synths galore, and layers of
driving percussions that evolve throughout the piece. A combination of both of these songs
is "GenEcide," which fades in with an ambient intro, and then develops into an
alternately wicked and beautiful song performed schizo-style by 99 Kowalski, who switches
back and forth between beautiful angelic vocals and raw, distorted, lyrical recitations.
Copyright Last Sigh
