Implode
The incredibly prolific Bill Leeb returns with partner Chris Peterson for Front Line Assembly's 10th album, the follow-up to 1998'sFLAvour of the Weak. Conceptually,Implodeis nothing new--Leeb mails in the lyrics (mostly vague, nihilistic diatribes on the alienation and despair bred by technology and a violent world) and laces the disc with what-sci-fi-movie-is-that-from? samples. But musically, well, that's a different story. IfFLAvourwas too preoccupied with its crunchy drum & bass textures,Implodeis eminently more listenable. In many ways, it harks back to the band's superlative 1991 disc,Tactical Neural Implant; Leeb actually sings in places rather than rely on his usual processed croaking, and the mix is cleaner, allowing individual synth melodies to have their space without being swallowed up by a volley of percussive blasts. Yes, there's a bit of heavy guitar, but it's used as an accent and often mixed way back. And the variety is refreshing: the lead single, "Prophecy," is an aggressive, dramatic dirge that recalls the band'sCaustic Gripdays; "Synthetic Forms" and "Silent Ceremony," with their Gregorian chants and oceanlike synth sounds, could easily be tracks on Leeb'sDeleriumside project; the near-ballad "Falling" throws in acoustic guitar; and "Unknown Dreams" even features some scratching! A rewarding listen and a fine return to form.--Steve Landau