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Front Line Assembly > Monument
Roadrunner Records.RR 8703.
Tracklist:
01 Big Money (Remix) (4:22)
02 Vexation (Provo mix, new version) (6:37)
03 Mental Distortion (6:52)
04 Overkill (Surge mix) (6:36)
05 Virus (Cauterized mix) (4:51)
06 Resist (Dislocated mix) (5:28)
07 Mutilate (5:44)
08 Transtime (6:17)
09 Re-Animate (5:44)
10 Laughing Pain (5:46)
11 The Blade (Worldwide mix) (6:29)
12 Monument (Lost Classic mix) (8:16)
Review
Leeb follows in his new trend of releasing remix albums rather than EPs or singles, allowing for remixes of more than one song (or even project) while limiting the number of very similar mixes of one song chosen for a single. This album has the same spelling of Front Line (as "Frontline") as the Cryogenic Studios compilation, but features the return of Dave McKean's fine artwork.
01 Big Money (Remix)
This is exactly the same version as on the Digital Tension Dementia single. An interesting difference is that it features samples that the album version does not.
02 Vexation (Provo Mix)
This is an all new remix of this classic B-side of Digital Tension Dementia by Greg Reely. As far as I can see, Reely only does edits of songs that do not sound very different from the original. This song is no exception.
03 Mental Distortion
I don't even understand why this song appears on this album. This is not an unreleased track and wastes space on the album that could've been filled with the B-sides from the limited edition Circuitry or Hard Wired CDs. Too bad Roadrunner doesn't have the rights to those songs.
04 Overkill (Surge Mix)
Thankfully this B-side of the hard to find "Provision" single is included here.
05 Virus (Cauterized Mix)
This is a better new mix than the earlier one. Not only is it different thatn the mixes on the single and on Reclamation, but it is also an instrumental (apart from grunts and groans).
06 Resist (Dislocated Mix)
This B-side of Virus is included while the (Aggro Mix) of Virus itself is not. Executive decision, I guess.
07 Mutilate
A better version of this B-side of Midphaser appears on Corroded Disorder as "Mutate".
08 Transtime
09 Re-Animate
I'm glad that these B-sides are included so that I don't have to skip past the notoriously simple remixes on the singles to get to these excellent tracks.
10 Laughing Pain
11 The Blade (Worldwide Mix)
Finally the last two un-rereleased songs off of the impossible to find European Blade EP are now in print again. (nb Laughing Pain is in the US release)
12 Monument (Lost Classic Mix)
The copyright states 1998, and judging also from the sound of this remix I doubt that this mix was ever "lost" at all. It has all the components of a true rave classic because of its dancier sounds and studio techniques (sliding notes, operatic vocals, rave pianos, more distorted samples). This is a triumphant return for Intermix, which I thought was never going to be heard from again. Perhaps this is the last hurrah, as this song has the same complexity as newer Equinox material and is sure to be a "classic".
So overall, there is nothing new in the Frontline department except for two bland remixes, but I found it to be worth the purchase just for the B-Sides to singles which I did not have and for an amazing remix and renewed interest in Intermix that it gave me.
Reviewed by Nick Ferro
Extra Monument Info (from a Rhys Fulber interview)
Big Money- An edit Micheal Balch and Anthony Valcic did around 1989. Was the b side of Digital Tension Dementia 12" along with the original version of Vexation.
Vexation- Originally b side to Digital Tension 12". I think this is slightly re-edited from the original.
Mental Distortion- Originally released as double A side 12" with Iceolate. Was chosen as Single of the week in Melody Maker late 1990!
Overkill (surge mix)- Originally released as b side to Provision 12"
Virus (cauterized mix)- Cool edit Greg did circa 1990 featuring bits of Force Fed in the middle. Originally released on a compilation.
Resist (dislocated mix) - Originally released as b side to Virus 12"
Mutilate, Re-Animate, Laughing Pain- The credits read wrong. These tracks were recorded (along with Toxic-appeared on Reclamation) at Little Mountain Studios at the end of 1990. These songs were originally to be released as an EP titled "Toxic" between Caustic and Tactical. Wax Trax actually pressed some white labels of this EP, cause I knew some DJs who had a copy. Were later used as b sides for Mindphaser and the Blade.
Transtime- Millennium single b side. This track is a tribute to the old school - Kraftwerk and Liasons Dangereuse.
The Blade (worldwide mix)- A quite conservative remix I did with Paul Kendall (PK) at Worldwide International (Daniel Miller's/Mute Records studio on Harrow Road in London) while on the Euro promo tour for Tactical in 1992. Appeared on european Blade EP.
Monument- An Intermix track. This was done in early 1993 with some down time at the Warehouse studio around the time we were mixing the first Fear Factory remix EP. Basically a big studio remix of the song off Phaze Two. We wanted to release this as an Intermix 12", but it never happened due to a disagreement with Roadrunner.
Review from Q Magazine at time of release. (Exact publication date unknown.)
Frontline Assembly
Monument
Collection of B-sides by dancey cyber-rockers from Canada.
A few years ago Frontline Assembly's Frontman, Viennese emigre Bill Leeb, winced behind his permanent shades and conjectured, "Can you imagine what things will be like 100 years From now? All the futuristic stuff we're doing now will be obsolete." 2092 is a long way off but already this album of B-sides is showing sounds of wear and tear. Their morose take on industrial dance music is unrelenting, forcing even Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor to complain about their "monotonous, boring, uninspired bullshit". However, the group's hypnotic approach to rhythm is naggingly insistent and occasionally they book up their technology with a full-blown house beat. Their Tactical Neural Implant album remains their best, but this is good old fashioned, dislocated fun for Canadian futurists.
2/5
Steve Malins
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