Search - Front Line Assembly :: Vanished

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Ilker Yucel | Annapolis, MD United States | 07/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yet another offering from the Front Line Assembly duo of Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber. I personally enjoyed "Civilization." I thought it one of the most diverse and sonically impressive albums ever released from Front Line Assembly. The trademark basslines were still there in full-swing, but augmented by a good balance of driving beats and ambient synthesizers (more Delirium-esque, but still retaining that acidic FLA bite). The guitars were well-integrated, not overpowering as in "Hard-Wired" and even moreso in "Millennium." And most of all, I felt the songs were catchy, but not boring or superficial. The "Maniacal" single/EP, as great as it was, had people fooled because of its heaviness. Many thought it a sign of what "Civilization" had to offer. So those who thought "Maniacal" was good but were disappointed by "Civilization"'s more mellow approach will be pleased with "Vanished."This single/EP is heavily beat-driven. The title track's original Massive Attack-esque ambience (a la "Angel") has been substituted for thumping beats on the two mixes. On the "Illusions of Grandeur Mix," the synths are more edgy, allowing for an aggressive dance track to shine through, although that piano melody and Leah Randi's soothing vocals are still retained (used very effectively). Leeb's vocals are also vocoded, creating a new melody and an entirely different feel. The "Re-Entry Mix" is not much different (only the vocoder is not used as much), making it similar to the second mix of "Maniacal" from that single/EP. "Sturm" is a heavy heavy track, reminding me of the days of "Hard-Wired." The beats, the guitars, Leeb's vocals, it's just an angry song. Fans of old-school Front Line Assembly should enjoy this song greatly. "Disseminate" is only a slight bit lighter than the rest of the CD, still keeping the dance beats and aggressive speed, but the synths are not as distorted. It's almost futurepop-ish, though it still keeps true to the FLA flavor and doesn't end up sounding like VNV Nation or Apoptygma Berzerk. And then "Uncivilized," a remix of the parent album's title track. Like "Vanished," this remix begins with the soothing ambience of the original version before segueing into hard industrial dance music. The radio sample vocals are still there, and the "These Islands Collapsing" refrain is kept, but vocoded, once again creating a new effect and melody that completely changes the tone of the song."Vanished" is a single/EP that seems hellbent on proving to the disillusioned that Front Line Assembly are not getting more mellow with age. "Civilization" may be a softer album than most FLA albums, but it still had moments of intense brilliance and energy. It was just subtler and not easy for many who were accustomed to constant aggression to pick up. "Vanished" proves that angst is balanced by calm and vice versa. I think the release-order was very deliberate, starting things off with a heavy kick ("Maniacal"), calming down a bit to get people into a groove and catch them off guard even ("Civilation"), and then catch people with their pants down and kick 'em in the arse again ("Vanished"). That's how I perceive the current state of Front Line Assembly's musical output, and I think the music speaks for itself. I've enjoyed everything I've heard from "Maniacal," "Civilization," and "Vanished," so my recommendation is to get this single/EP. If you're a fan of old-school FLA, this will please you to know that they are still as hard as ever. If you liked "Civilization," this CD offers something new in the different interpretations of the songs. Kudos to Leeb and Fulber!"