"Shifting Through The Lens", the album's first single released two weeks ago set the bar high and I will tell you that it was the perfect set up for what was to come. Each track on the single explored different concepts and styles very much like this album does. The opening title track is a mindblower! "I.E.D." starts subtle and breaks into a creepy textured smathering of loops and kicks and is just amazing! "Angriff" (also the second track on the single) is probably some of Bill's best writing in years, add a superbly vocalized german chorus with a pulse-pounding guitar thrum and...- oh and by the way the vocals on this album are brilliantly processed in FLA fashion - so many times I caught myself giddy with excitement and actually saying aloud, "wow, that's brilliant!" Now, "Hostage" will be every FLA fanboy's electro dream track - yeah it is. "Release" breaks in to familiar guitar gnashing "Hard-wired" territory. "Shifting Through The Lens" is one of the best and most danceable singles in many years - not unlike "Columbian Necktie" from "FLAvour of the Weak" circa 1997. "Laws of Deception" and "Pressure Wave" wreak more havoc with guitar hits and Leeb's mastery of neurotic vox. Then wack! upside the head come two obligatory and opposing tracks. "Afterlife" is an opus with gorgeous bass lines and omg might I say it beautiful vocals. Now the standout track and for many good reasons. Some fans will be either blatantly ecstatic or loathsome for the fact that Al "Alien" Jourgansen who needs no intro has lended his talents to the track "Stupidity". I for one am impressed with the track. It's pissed off and awesomely devoted to the creators of the defunct and sorely missed "Wax Trax" Label. It does capture the feeling of how industrial music back then really was arguous and honest, not pretentous and copious. It really sends a message to the ruiners of the world today that only Al could ala FLA collab. "Downfall" is like the soundtrack from another planet. Not quite as brilliant (in my opinion) as "Endless Void" the nine minute extravaganza from "Shifting Through The Lens" single, but stands on it's own as the physical cd's closer. The new line up is really strong. Live this will be an eventful show! Let's hope they make it a nice long tour and hit us all with their industrial glory. Thanks guys this album really made me fall in love with the genre all over again. FLA is back!!!

Sure!I have my own feeling of FLA (not EBM-rootted) and i expected something suitable for me. I'll live without IED.

I guess it just isn't for some people. I really like this album. And I loved Implode! Synthetic Forms is one of my very favorite FLA tracks. But to each his/her own.

Totally agree with Irios! I tried this album 3 times and still can't understand all those "WOW"s and "!!!"s. This album is a weakest FLA ever. Sound is too digitally bleak, synths are kinda low-cost vsti factory presets, music has no "multilayered" form (remember Implode?), progressions are lazy and boring...well, enough... IED is an another huge brick in the wall between FLA fans and FLA listeners. P.S. BL had to stop after Civilization IMHO.

Here's the thing. I love this stripped down raw Front Line Assembly. It doesn't feel fake or mocked up. Doesn't feel bloated and over produced. It is feels like an album and not a compilation of songs. It's the first FLA in years that I have repeated more than twice and not skipped tracks. The last album I could do that with honestly was "Hard Wired". My first front line album was their first "official" album "Initial Command" it was amazing to me how they used percussive elements and amazing bass lines. His vox were dirgy and dark - and each album after offered different usage of vocal styles. Most people turn to "Tactical Neural Implant" as their definitive album. Sure, it's a high point for industrial music but my pick would have been "Caustic Grip" by far for it's rawness and power. My favorite album will always stand as "Gashed Senses & Crossfire" it has the most repeated listens of any album in their catalog. It just always had my heart won over. It was a cohesive and simple album. I remember I met Michael Balch a few years ago when I saw Haujobb/Hocico he was their board man. We had a great discussion about the album and it was fantastic to get his take on how the record came about - he said they borrowed all the equipment because in essence they were starving and couldn't afford anything. The darkness came through in the songs. Funny thing about the samples - I honestly didn't realize they weren't there until the sample popped up on the final track. I hope I am not sounding too defensive because I honestly am not intending to. There is no way radio here in my city would ever play anything remotely close to this. Thanks for replying I respect your opinion on the record...

I'm almost wondering if we've been listening to two completely different albums.I feel this is their weakest album yet. The sound is not very tight, with fuzzy guitars and percussions being far too dominant in this "new" FLA sound. The album's (generic) basslines bore me, they have no traces of fear and paranoia inducing elements like in all their previous productions. Sure, there are some short segments with old skool FLA-style voice processing, but mainly it's pretty much generic industrial distorted stuff. There are no scary samples from classic sci fi films - and the marvellous ambient background soundscapes are all gone. FLA fans might be excited for finally having a new album to buy/download... but this isn't FLA as I know it. After listening to them for two decades now, I can be pretty sure that this album will not get many plays on my sound system...Can you spell "radio friendly" for me? :)