Flavour of the Weak - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
With influences spanning from 1980's dark techno to the rapid-fire breakbeat manipulation of the late 1990s, FLA-leader Bill Leeb and his latest partner Chris Peterson execute creative and meticulous noise with energetic precision. The album is a coherent whole, yet extreme sonic and stylistic diversity abounds: every track flows strangely and seamlessly from one intriguing section to another. A kind of industrial hip hop mutates into lush keyboard saturation in "Autoerotic" and "Comatose"; icy techno alternates with synthetic orchestras in "Columbian Necktie." "Evil Playground" is almost two different songs, ominous atmospherics giving rise to an unstoppable rhythm & noise groove. Vocal styles are equally diverse as Leeb's robotic snarl in "Sado-Masochist" and whispered growl in "Life=Leben" effectively contrast with his clean melodic singing of each song's chorus. --Mark McCleerey

Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

They're back!!! March 19, 1999
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

After a half-decade of decent into the techno-metal genre (mainly fueled by the late, great Rhys Fulber), FLA have finally returned to the roots that all of us old-school fans remember...phase effects, string sounds, and heavy underdubs to bring it all home. The FLA on this album smacks more of the pre-guitar Corrosion, Disorder, Caustic Grip, and Tactical Neural Implant (their best!!!) albums. If FLA continues this trend, maybe other artists that they inspired originally will follow their lead (again) and stop sucking as much as they do.

5 out of 5 stars

An era of FLA that definently should be revisted some day... August 13, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

1997 was the year that FLA took trance on head first, and did it in such a way that they masterfully over did the likes of the Chemical Brothers with the usage of acid loops, sampling, and break beats, and other harsh electronic rhythms. The group still clung to it's industrial side, but explored new boundaries that which it never had done up until the introduction of Chris Peterson, the programmer who would replace Rhys Fulber for the next 3 albums up until 2001's Epitaph.

FLAvour still hangs onto the pop formulated song writing throughout the album, utilizing the usual "verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, verse 3, chorus, chorus, outro", but manages to build around this in a full-fledged electronic fashion that is borderline chaotic. If one thing that could describe this album, it is the idea that the musicians have lost all control and have let the instruments have their way with them, rather than the musicians having their way with the instruments. Bill Leebs growling vocals match perfectly with the electronic madness that emanates throughout this album.

The listener will be blown away instantly when they pop the disk into their player, being taken on an electro shock ride down the tubes of one of the most fast paced and epic electronic intros that Front Line Assembly has ever created: Corruption. The ride does not stop there, as it then plows into the extremely catchy and dark trance laden Sado-Masochist; which turns out to be one of the oddest anti-drug songs one could ever find. Acid then takes over, dominating the listener with a hammering repetition chorus and dark dreary sound that can only be found on Auto Erotic. The album's centerpiece then takes place on Columbian Necktie, a song about hangings that perhaps was more than just coincidentally placed after a song about getting off with a noose. Necktie takes the listener on another fast-paced ride; much like Corruption and Sado-Masochist, but it this time instead utilizes an addictive chorus that has become a motto of Front Line Assembly. Evil Playground follows, which is another long instrumental much like Corruption, but it instead rivets around in the realm of Goa Trance and grinding industrial sampling. Comatose is the most traditional FLA song on the album, as many have stated in the past (and is the `other' signature song on this disk.) Life=Leben comes after Comatose, and begins to return the listenre to the realm of insanity, with its wild bass driven synthesizers and distortion effects on Bill Leeb's voice. It is still a little formulated, and is more traditional than "Sado" or "Necktie", but it definitely captures the dark out of control feel that is "The FLAvour". The album then closes on Predator, which features the some of the most bizarre usage of Leeb's vocals as well as some wild trance style music.

Being brief in a review for this album almost does not do it justice, but then again, to go into far too much detail will spoil the surprise that the listener will have in store for them. FLAvour is highly recommended to just about any listener looking for mindless electronic music that is as innovative as it is insane.

5 out of 5 stars

Up to date and superb! June 29, 2004
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This Frontline Assembly record is different from what they did before. The band lost Rhys Fulber as a full-time member, but Bill Leeb and Chris Peterson proved that their creativity is top-form. This record's sound is best described as apocalyptic dark techno. The band's dancefloor friendliness has increased, while the guitars are almost gone. The vocals are sparse and less aggressive than on their previous records. This is FLA's reply to an outburst of powerful electronica bands like The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, The Future Sound of London, and others. Samples from these bands are abound on the album, and those who have this and the mentioned bands' CDs will be surprised with how well the original pieces of music are incorporated into FLA's complex song structures.

"Flavour of the Weak" really shines in sampling. "Corruption" borrows drum loops from Underworld's "Pearl's Girl" and ChemBros' "Get up on it Like This". "Sado-Masochist" uses a lot from ChemBros' "Setting Sun", while "Comatose" has parts of at least 3 songs by The Prodigy in it. These are just a few mentioned examples, there are much more in this album.

What's really great about FLA, and this album serves as a perfect example, is that their songs never produce the impression of getting nowhere. The compositions are long, well written and they actually progress and develop the theme, so the listener is always involved.

My favorite track here is "Evil Playground" with "Corruption", "Sado-Masochist" and "Colombian Necktie" not far behind. There's also a hidden 3-minute composition on the CD which is after a long pause in the end of track #8. Contrary to the rest of the album, it is a harsh chaotic industrial instrumental.

With this record Frontline Assembly proved that no matter the line-up changes, in the year 1997 they were still a force on the industrial/EBM scene, and they had lots of ideas to express with their music. Highly recommended!

1 out of 5 stars Don't be disappointed. April 10, 2000
2 out of 17 found this review helpful

This cd is worthless. If you are a FLA fan, stay clear. This cd offers nothing. It's very disppointing and save your money. It should be called worse of the B sides. Cuz that's what you get.

5 out of 5 stars More apocolyptic, state-hating propoganda from Canada. August 5, 1998
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Front Line Assembly has been banging away at the industrial drum for some time now, and with minimal recognition from the masses. I doubt this stellar release will garner the Canadian outfit any further attention for their contribution to the genre, not to mention their longevity. "Flavour" is an excellent record, though. Dense with overt influences from the "electronica" explosion, Bill Leeb along with new partner Chris Peterson replacing Rhys Fulber, demonstrate why FLA has continued to serve platter after platter of high-strength industrial delicacy. Their ability to incorporate such noticeable techniques and still retain the core FLA structure is a trait to be admired. More important, it is better than any Chemical Bros./Crystal Method record you can buy. FLA has always managed to produce well-structured noise, samples and dancefloor beats in their songs, and the armageddon feel to the music is natural, not like the forced broodiness of such! novices as Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, or even Marylin Manson. The instrumental "Corruption" starts off the disc and immediately lets the listener know what kind of stew they're in for. Classic lazy synth build-up leads to an overwhelmingly dancy beat, accompanied by etheral keyboards that don't bludgeon with melodrama. FLA aren't innovators, but they know what they're good at: expert piracy. Relax, and enjoy a seasoned band that can make electronic music sound fresh, even as they rip off the mainstream.

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