The debut album by Canadian electro-industrial project Front Line Assembly, The Initial Command, is a raw, experimental and extremely atmospheric manifesto of 80s industrial aesthetics. Released in 1987, the album was Bill Lie's first step after leaving Skinny Puppy, but even then it demonstrated his ambition to create something separate — less theatrical, more gloomy and mechanical.
The album is built on heavy synthetic textures, minimalist rhythms and immersion in post-apocalyptic soundscapes. Paving the way for the band's future works, The Initial Command balances between ambient electronics, elements of EBM and industrial. Tracks such as ‘No Control’ and ‘Complexity’ have a cold detachment reminiscent of early Coil or Clock DVA, but with an emphasis on rhythmic structure.
Although the sound here is not yet polished, it is this ‘rawness’ that gives the album its charm — it sounds like real 80s industrial underground: mechanical, hypnotic, uncomfortable.
The Initial Command is not just the beginning for FLA, but also an example of the formation of an entire subgenre, which will be refined in the band's future releases. For fans of dark electronica, this is a must-have addition to your collection.
