Frontline Assembly - Mind.In.A.Box.

Four years have passed since Artificial Soldier was released. Now legendary EBM act FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY is back, alive and kicking with a smashing new record and live on stage :) Those who wasn’t that satisfied with the short and mixed show at this year’s Amphi Festival get now the chance to enjoy the Canadian dudes at full length on an extended tour in support of their asskicking record Shifting Through The Lens.

:: pics ::

For that I had to move me booty to Oberhausen in a club called Saint, which is located right behind the Turbinenhalle, a location I use to attend quite often. As for the Saint, it was my first time ;) Great club actually! Funny thing was that I tried to find the joke in all these images on the wall… hahaha… there was not any… it is an old church and the images are real ;)

Second surprise came with the third, not announced band known as :: CLICKS! :: That’s a project formed by Polish artist kr-lik, accompanied by two live musicians, who heavily twiddled all kind of knobs. To us kr-liks own words: “it’s a combination of electro-clash, punk and trance influences mixed with kr-lik’s own electronic production style.” Ok. Word.
If I understood that right, CLICKS not only do cover versions but also present own material. Kicking off the first track had to be something of AC/DC? If so I definitely did not recognize ;) Though, the tracks they performed were utmost energetic and sweaty. What kept me laughing was the fact that the main man’s freshly bought MacBook conked out, getting the dudes into a scrape. No improvisation, no drum or keyboard solo by the other two musicians. Only kr-lik was at least joking while trying to get his stuff fixed on his Win7 reflecting Mac ;)

Next up was :: MIND.IN.A.BOX. :: a band that captivated me first time a few months ago during a festival. And I was much looking forward to see them again ;) But quickly I had to realize that the Austrians play the same setlist. Also their liking for an almost dark performance has not changed. Ok. Put the cam aside and closed my eyes. MIND.IN.A.BOX. really catch you in a twinkling of an eye, making you shiver, dreamin’ and having goose flesh. Such intensive show again. Just wonderful. As the setlist was the same they again focused on their last record, the great Crossroads. From the brand new one entitled R.E.T.R.O. they only played one song with Whatever Mattered.
Setlist: Remember, Amnesia, Stalkers, Certainty, Light & Dark, Whatever Mattered, Second Reality

Prior the show Bill Leeb was passing me one, two times and I had the strong feeling that he was drunk as fuck or out of sorts. He seemed to have backaches and I was expecting the worst. But when the disheveled looking guy entered the stage with his mates, everything seemed to be blown away. :: FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY :: so asskickingly rocked the Saint. Bill Leeb was running, jumping and drumming as if there was no tomorrow. And his mates didn’t fall any short. With their current smasher Angriff all scales were on maximum volume, seeing the fans freakin’ out, dancing, pogoing and moshing in circles. The atmosphere was soaked with testosterone and energy! Awesome! But again… same setlist (as at Amphi festival), just a biz extended for a headliner show. Hmm. What placated was that we called FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY back not only once for the regular encore, no, we called them back twice. They looked knackered but finished a grandiose show with Bio-Mechanic.
Setlist: I.E.D., Circuitry, Angriff, Resist, Release, Hostage, Plasticity, Pressure Wave, Prophecy, Shifting Through The Lens, Millennium // Liquid Seperation, Mindphaser // Bio-Mechanic

Yessss, a fucking awesome show! Indeed. Fans were enthralled galore and didn’t want to leave, my writing comrade missed his last train and my own companion were so done that they first need a high-energy input at McD’s next door.
What made me think was the fact that FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY was booked for such a small club, since it was the one and only show in our state. But it emerged as a perfect location and scenery. Well done!