The Initial Command
1987 studio album by Front Line Assembly
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The Initial Command is the first full-length studio album released by Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1987 through Belgian label KK.[3]
| The Initial Command | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1987[1] | |||
| Recorded | August 1987 | |||
| Genre | Industrial, EBM, electro-industrial | |||
| Length | 48:40 (original release) 62:46 (1997 release) | |||
| Label | KK, ROIR, Third Mind, Cleopatra, Zoth Ommog | |||
| Producer | Bill Leeb, Michael Balch | |||
| Front Line Assembly chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Re-release (1997) | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Rear Garde | Favorable[2] |
Release
Since the 1987 release of The Initial Command, the album has been re-issued several times. American label ROIR released the album in 1990 on cassette[4] with a different cover. It was the first release of the album in the United States[5] and the second Front Line Assembly album released by ROIR after the band's second album State of Mind.[4] British label Third Mind followed in 1992 with a licensed CD version in the United States. Los Angeles–based Cleopatra's and German Zoth Ommog's release in 1997 contained two new tracks and new cover art. This re-release incorrectly listed the second track "Core" as "Intelligence Dream" while the liner notes have the correct title.[6] "Complexity" and "Core" appear to be new songs at the time of release.[6] Polish label Mecanica issued a vinyl edition of the 1997 release in summer 2002,[7] while Cleopatra re-issued a remastered version of the album on September 3, 2022 on vinyl and with the two bonus tracks on CD.[8]
Production
The music was recorded on a 4-track tape.[9]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Bill Leeb, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The State" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 6:16 |
| 2. | "Insanity Lurks Nearby" | 6:10 | |
| 3. | "Casualties" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 4:46 |
| 4. | "Ausgang Zum Himmel" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 7:14 |
| 5. | "Nine Times" | 6:27 | |
| 6. | "Black March" | 5:59 | |
| 7. | "No Control" | 6:37 | |
| 8. | "Slaughterhouse" | 5:11 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Complexity" | 7:48 | |
| 2. | "Core" | 6:12 | |
| 3. | "The State" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 6:17 |
| 4. | "Insanity Lurks Nearby" | 6:03 | |
| 5. | "Casualties" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 4:46 |
| 6. | "Ausgang Zum Himmel" | Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber | 7:16 |
| 7. | "Nine Times" | 6:30 | |
| 8. | "Black March" | 6:02 | |
| 9. | "No Control" | 6:40 | |
| 10. | "Slaughterhouse" | 5:12 | |
| Total length: | 62:46 | ||
Personnel
Front Line Assembly
- Bill Leeb – production, engineering, vocals
- Michael Balch – production (1987 Release), mixing (1987 Release)
- Rhys Fulber (1987 Release 1, 3, 4)
- Chris Peterson – mixing (1997 Re-release 1, 2)
Technical personnel
- Carylann Loeppky – cover art (1987 Release)
- David Rosychuk – design (1987 Release), artwork (1987 Release)