Front by Front

1988 studio album by Front 242

Front by Front

Studio album by

Front 242

Released| November 1988
Genre| EBM, industrial
Length| 36:28
41:46 1988 CD issue
69:37 Epic CD issue
Label| Red Rhino Europe
Wax Trax!
Animalized
Epic
Producer| Front 242
Front 242 chronology
| Official Version
(1987)  | Front by Front
(1988)  | Tyranny (For You)
(1991)

|
|

1992 Epic release cover
Singles from  Front by Front

1. "Headhunter"
Released: 1988

Front by Front is the fourth studio album by Front 242, released in 1988, and has been labelled as "easily one of the greatest industrial albums ever made".[1] The album was reissued in 1992 by Sony Music Entertainment. The song "Headhunter" became an industrial dancefloor hit, accompanied by a music video directed by Anton Corbijn, and has since been subject to over 20 remixes.

Miss Kittin used "First In / First Out" on her mix album A Bugged Out Mix.[2]

## Reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [3]
MusicHound| 4/5[4]
NME| 9/10[5]
Record Mirror| 4/5[6]
Select| 5/5[7]
The Village Voice| B−[8]

Front by Front was one of Wax Trax! Records' most successful releases, selling more than 90,000 units in its first run.[9] The album, and its lead single "Headhunter", elevated the public awareness of EBM and industrial music in the late 1980s.[10]

In 2019, Pitchfork ranked it at number 6 in its list of the "33 Best Industrial Albums of All Time".[11] In 2023, Consequence ranked it at number 9 in its list of the "50 Best Industrial Albums of All Time".[12] Spin named it one of the ten essential industrial records.[13]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Until Death (Us Do Part)"| 4:30
2.| "Circling Overland"| 4:43
3.| "Im Rhythmus Bleiben"| 4:14
4.| "Felines"| 3:34
5.| "First In/First Out"| 3:52
6.| "Blend the Strengths"| 3:13
7.| "Headhunter v3.0"| 4:45
8.| "Work 01"| 3:28
9.| "Terminal State"| 4:09
10.| "Welcome to Paradise v1.0 (CD edition bonus track)"| 5:18
Total length:| 41:46

1992 reissue bonus tracksNo.| Title| Length

|
|

11.| "Headhunter v1.0"| 5:01
12.| "Never Stop! v1.0"| 3:56
13.| "Work 242 N.Off is N.Off"| 5:18
14.| "Agony (Until Death)"| 2:43
15.| "Never Stop! v.1.1"| 4:24
16.| "Work 242"| 6:29
Total length:| 69:37

### Notes

[edit]

The 1992 bonus tracks were originally released on the Never Stop! EP, except for "Headhunter v1.0" which was originally released on the Headhunter EP.

## Personnel

[edit]

### Front 242

[edit]

* Jean-Luc De Meyer – vocals
* Daniel Bressanutti – keyboards
* Patrick Codenys – keyboards
* Richard Jonckheere – drums

### Additional personnel

[edit]

* Frédéric Boebaert – art direction
* Greg Calbi – mastering, remastering
* Alain Verbaert – photography

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Front by Front – Front 242". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
2. ^ Miss Kittin - A Bugged Out Mix By Miss Kittin (CD) Discogs. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
3. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). "Front 242". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Groves Dictionaries. pp. 2043. ISBN 1-561-59237-4.
4. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). "Front 242". MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 461–462. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
5. ^ Fadele, Dele (3 December 1988). "Front 242: Front by Front". NME. p. 34.
6. ^ Jelbert, Steve (17 December 1988). "Front 242: Front by Front". Record Mirror. Vol. 35\. p. 32. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
7. ^ Scott, Danny (August 1992). "Front 242: Geography / No Comment / Back Catalogue / Official Version / Front by Front". Select. No. 26\. p. 102.
8. ^ Christgau, Robert (5 September 1989). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
9. ^ Smith, Rod (27 March 2014). "Wax Trax: An Introduction". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
10. ^ Dicker, Holly (21 August 2018). "Join in the chant: Inside the cult of EBM". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
11. ^ "The 33 Best Industrial Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
12. ^ "50 Best Industrial Albums of All Time". Consequence. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
13. ^ Chow, Alexander (October 2003). "Essential Industrial". Spin. p. 60.

* v
* t
* e

Front 242

* Jean-Luc De Meyer
* Patrick Codenys
* Richard Jonckheere
* Tim Kroker

Studio albums|

* Geography
* No Comment
* Official Version
* Front by Front
* Tyranny (For You)
* 06:21:03:11 Up Evil
* 05:22:09:12 Off
* Pulse

Live albums|

* Live Target
* Live Code
* Re-Boot: Live '98

Compilation album|

* Back Catalogue

Remix albums|

* Mut@ge.Mix@ge

Songs|

* "Funkahdafi"
* "Headhunter"

Related articles|

* Discography

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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