Front Line Assembly – Hard Wired

Maybe a reissue for the 30th anniversary?. Hope so. Immortal masterpiece.

Dynamic Range 10 (track 1 and 11 are DR11) versus the CD and digital master's DR8. Not much of a remaster. This 3-track per side format is the only way to release this album on LP since if they had 4 tracks on side A that would put Circuitry close to the center label, giving one of the most popular songs from the album the least quality.
I hope they repress it but do another remaster and try to get towards 14 dynamic range. Also this isn't a "double gatefold" I have no idea what that is, there's such a thing as a triple-gatefold but this isn't that. This is a regular gatefold. There are no inserts, printed inner sleeves, or posters included, it's a very barebones release the same as all other Art Of Fact / Storming the Base vinyl reissue of 90's electro-industrial classics which never had LP editions. Most of those reissues have slightly better remasters than this one.

On Hard Wired, Bill and Rhys managed to create some of their finest work that in many ways has not been fully realized in later FLA albums (as a whole). This was the era of FLA that also produced one of their most memorable singles, Plasticity, which unfortunately Bill and Rhys chose to release separately from the album (per Bill, this was a business decision since it gave people incentive to buy the single).

Complaints aside from Plasticity's absence, Hard Wired is a solid piece of work. While it uses a TNI meets Millenium formula throughout the album, the way it is executed is near perfection. All the songs flow together well, and they all have great hooks, memorable choruses and a distinct strength that just gives you that zap of electricity and power that makes you feel like Bill is in command of a massive fleet of cybernetically augmented soldiers and he's going to destroy all of humanity while looking like a badass.

The song "Neologic Spasm" also deserves special mention as it is one of the best songs that Bill and Rhys have ever made. It is a pure electronic song (which makes it stand out especially since most of the album is a cyber punk, EBM metal fest), but it features an amazingly powerful bass line, dark memorable lyrics and a very addictive and powerful chorus that clearly evokes the song's drowning motif. This song alone is worth the price of ission.

All the other songs on the album are strong and stand on their own. Circuitry though does deserve special mention since it does a magnificent job acting as the centerpiece thanks to its extensive usage of electronics and samples, giving you the feel of being a cybernetically augmented killing machine with electricity flowing through your body. I will also note that Infrared Combat in particular is of the best "ballad" style closing numbers that FLA have ever put together. It is with this that Bill managed to, in my opinion, perfect what he was aiming for with songs like Lifeline and Threshold.

I could continue speaking praise for Hard Wired, but at this point I think you can understand why I rate this 5/5. While it's a shame that it get overshadowed by TNI and Millenium (which are still great albums), you can see from the other releases that it the labels have considered it a classic. Needless to say, this is in league with FLA's other best releases and should be included in anyone's collection if they consider themselves a fan of the band.

what the shit 200 copies of their most popular album that doesn't start with T? wtf?

I wanted this until I realized it's missing 3 tracks--and it's on a picture disc so it likely sounds inferior.

Infra Red Combat is right up there with my favorite `industrial' songs of all time. I love music that builds and builds into a mound of emotion and sound, and this song does just that. The whole album almost takes on an organic-like form. Every piece twists and grows through amazingly talented instrumentation, vocals and lyrics. I'm not even going to attempt to analyze every track or do a long drawn out comparison from previous albums, because I'm just not good at doing that. I will, however, tell you this is (in my opinion) Front Line Assembly's finest piece of work till date as an album, as an ensemble.

Special mention also for the incredible Modus Operandi ; really diabolical (in a positive way if on exist ) ! )and awesomely crafted; and for Mortal; perfect soundtrack for the industrial city of 90s (why i think always Detroit or Vancouver as an Indstrial city ?)
How much i like the SOUND of this album; the mixing and production are really perfect.

Easily one of FLA's best, and most overlooked releases. The music is a mix of the EBM seen on Tactical Neural Implant, and the Industrial seen on Millenium (a lot fewer guitars though). Though not all of the songs are something to cream over, some of the band's best songs can be found on this album. Check this one out - you won't be disappointed. I guarantee it.