Front Line Assembly

Front Line Assembly is the primary focus of Vancouver-based
musician Bill Leeb. A founding member of Skinny Puppy, Leeb moved on
to form FLA in 1986 with Michael Balch, releasing some cassettes
(since released as Total Terror I & II) which paved the way
for their 1987 releases: The Initial Command, State of Mind,
and Corrosion. In late 1988, they recorded the mini-LP
Disorder, since combined with Corrosion and released as
Corroded Disorder. Their 1989 release, Gashed Senses and
Crossfire, further cemented their popularity in the industrial
scene, and prompted their first world tour. By 1990, Balch had
departed and Rhys Fulber rounded out the duo, releasing Caustic
Grip. But it was two years later when the duo released what for
many has become the genre’s crowning moment, the classic album
Tactical Neural Implant, which to this day still defines the
best of industrial music.

FLA enraged many of their fans in 1994 when they began to
experiment with their established electronic-only sound.
Millenium, with its heavy doses of live and sampled metal
guitars, dared its audience to grow and expand with the band beyond
industrial’s perceived barriers. Front Line stepped to the firing
line again in 1995 with Hard Wired, which reflected both a
return to form and a continued embracing of the guitar. Hard
Wired not only picked up where Implant left off, it
improved on the sound by adding in elements of all of their side
projects. A fall European tour was recorded for the 1996 release
Live Wired, their first concert CD ever. Also in 1996, Front
Line Assembly followed up Hard Wired with two CD singles,
“Circuitry” and “Plasticity”, and toured North America with Numb and
Die Krupps.

Also see

www.mindphaser.com

1997 saw the first realignment of Front Line Assembly since 1990,
with the departure of Rhys Fulber and the addition of Chris Peterson
to the ranks. Front Line’s 1998 album, FLAvor of the Weak,
featured the band’s first flirtation with electronica. Re-Wind,
a twin CD of remixes, followed later that year. The duo then
released Implode in 1999, and Epitaph in 2001.
Epitaph exhibited building intros, trancy synth lines, pulsing
beats, and solid melodies, which proved to be contagious anthems for
a new future of industrial music.

After the 2001 release of Epitaph, another changing of the
FLA “guard” occurred: Chris Peterson left, and original member, Rhys
Fulber (Fear Factory, Conjour One) returned. The newly charged Front
Line Assembly returned in late 2003 after a two year hiatus to
deliver the highly anticipated Maniacal single. With Rhys
Fulber joining forces once again with Bill Leeb Front Line Assembly
is set to deliver a straight up industrial rebellion to the
future-pop ruled world of electronic music. The successful single
laid the ground work for a brand new FLA album and era in industrial
music. Following up on Civilization, the duo released the
Vanished EP which features three unreleased tracks. They say
time can weather all things, but it has left FLA unscathed. They
have remained an influential force in music, and continue to put
excitement and adrenaline into industrial music.

Bill’s work can also be heard on a wide number of side projects,
including Noise Unit, Delerium, InterMix, Cyberaktif, Equinox, and
Synaesthesia. Bill has also contributed music to the popular video
game, Quake 3 - The Arena.

Also see
www.mindphaser.com