Recorded during 242's 1993 "Up Evil" tour, Live Code comes from the last days of the pre-techno revamped version of the band. The album captures the ultra high- energy of a typical Front 242 performance (complete with their standard fare of hit songs-- "Tragedy (For You)," "Headhunter," and "Welcome to Paradise") and squeezes it into a package so blindingly fluorescent that you'll never have problems finding it in the dark.

This is the first official live album available in 242's decade- and- a- half- long career and was originally released as an import in 1994. Unfortunately, the recording sounds more like it was tracked using analog equipment from the 1970s, and many of the subtleties of hugely layered Front 242 songs either wind up blaring too loudly or being completely subdued. Thankfully, the recording equipment used was stereo- compatible, and many of the multiple- speaker panning effects are faithfully transformed amongst the faint audience noise.

Despite the technical limitations of the recording equipment, the performance shines, if only because it captures one of 242's constantly varying live performances. Also, the dynamic between frontman Jean-Luc De Meyer and vocalist Richard 23 is spontaneous enough to offer noted variation to even the most rigid live replications of 242 songs.

After a 4+ year break from touring, Front 242 shocked many of their older fans this year by touring with a highly modernized version of their live show, having updated many of their songs with breakbeat rhythms and pounding bass. Live Code offers a chance to look back and remember the band as the electronic body music pioneers that they were.

-Skaht Hansen

"Motion"

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