Released
1988/1992
Label
Red Rhino Europe/
Epic
Reviewed by
Michael C.Lund
Contact
Transmission 242
BP 1613
B1000 Brussels
Visit
Last Edit/Update
01 February, 1998
Front
242
FRONT BY FRONT
Track Listing
1. Until Death (Us Do Part)
2. Circling Overland
3. Im Rhythmus Bleiben
4. Felines
5. First In/First Out
6. Blend the Strengths
7. Headhunter V 3.0
8. Work 01
9. Terminal State
10. Welcome to Paradise
11. Headhunter V 1.0*
12. Never Stop! V 1.0**
13. Work 242 N. Off is N. Off**
14. Agony (Until Death)**
15. Never Stop! V 1.1**
16. Work 242**
* from Headhunter 12"
** from Never Stop! Remix-EP
Front By Front marks a highpoint in Front 242's career; not only
was it an extremely economically successful album, it also brought all of the band's
stylistic elements together, and tied them into a higher unity. As a result, it is a very
streamlined and homogenous set of songs with equal emphasis on bpm count, vocals and
arrangements.
The first song "Until Death
(Us Do Part)" sets the tone for what follows, as Front 242 with
typical acidity comments on the inherent hypocrisy of the marriage vow. An aggressive
rhythm track supports the clear and smooth synth theme, and De Meyer's vocals are strongly
present in the foreground of the mix. "Circling Overland" likewise features a
heavy synth theme and powerpercussion -- albeit, at a somewhat reduced pace. The
atmosphere is threatening, and the vocals are intermingled with samples of what sounds
like airforce radio communications. Front 242's military fetishism is
even stronger on the following song -- "Im Rhythmus Bleiben" -- which, with its
march-oriented teutonic beats and aggresive vocals chanted in German, invariably
conjures up right-wing associations. "Felines" shows the less anxious face of
the band -- deep bassy synth drums support this slow groovy tune, with De Meyer delivering
the lyrics in a warmer and more melodic voice than usual. "First In/First Out,"
on the other hand, with its strong tribal beat and repetition of the line -- Move the
body! -- finds Front 242 once more exploring more familiar
territory.
The second half of Front By
Front opens with an awesome ominous introduction -- the sound of a sonar cuts through
a wall of synth-generated sonic chaos, paving the way for a virtual storm of percussion
and samples. The inclusion of a voice-sample announcing "...it will be total
chaos" seems an appropriate comment on the busy sound-picture of "Blend the
Strengths." A fluid transition bridges "Blend the Strengths" and -- one of Front
242's biggest hits -- "Headhunter." In their characteristic
dance-inspiring tribal-commando style, the band spins out this humorously morbid
interpretation of corporate 'headhunting tactics.' As with "Until Death (Us Do
Part)," "Headhunter" is a highly sarcastic musical exploration of one of
modern society's rituals.
"Welcome to Paradise" --
the closing track of the album -- likewise travels the thematic avenue of modern ritual.
Turning the rhetoric of religious orators inside out, Front 242 creates a
rather funny and largely ambigous sound collage, although the tone and context, as well as
the final manipulated sample: "Hey poor. . . You don't have to be Jesus!" does
move the song beyond the strictly objective.
EPIC's re-release
of Front By Front contains no less than six extra cuts taken from the Headhunter
single -- which preceded the album -- and the Never Stop! remix-EP -- which was
originally released in the beginning of 1989. Version 1.0 of "Headhunter"
differs only little from the mix appearing on the album, and the two versions of
"Never Stop!" likewise have no major divergences from each other. The sound of
"Never Stop!" has all the appeals of Front By Front, and in the
repetition of the line "the music never stops," the song may be seen as refering
back to Kraftwerk's piece "Musique Non Stop." "Agony
(Until Death)" is a shorter, slower version of "Until Death (Us Do Part),"
and works well as a reprise in the context of this CD. Finally, two additional remixes of
"Work" are included, and while both are quite extensive reworkings of the
original, the interest of this particular song does not really sustain this level of
attention.
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