If you are found lacking Contempt...
Christopher Vaughn | San Antonio | 01/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I heard Failure before Contempt, but this album keeps haunting my headphones. Each track builds a mosaic of electronic bliss. Sometimes dark and sometimes fleeting. I return to this cd often when I am at a loss for what to listen to, it's that wonderful. Tom Shear is a music fan and it shows intensely through his work. Each release up to and including Defiance show growth and an ongoing faith in his craft. His influences shine through (see his messageboard on the main web page for a list in many a post) and he is quite possibly one of the friendliest guys in the biz. He loves to share his thoughts and ideas fluidly with his fans and that is heroic in this music genre. I will maintain a love for A23 and Tom no doubt will continue to be a prominent force to be reckoned with in the ever changing sea of electronic music."
Good cd
M. Randall | Allen Park, MI | 05/08/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"while this cd is good.. it feels very repetetive. after i listen to anthem (track 1) i find it hard to listen to anymore.. while each song is good.. it just feels like its the same song over and over again just with different lyrics. Tom has improved this slightly on Failure.. in which there was a couple stand out tracks. While he has incredible music making abilities... he needs to make his vocals lifting a little.. he sounds like a robot and i'm not even sure if you could call his vocals singing.. more like talking. anyways, a good EBM never-the-less"
The Successor to FLA is here
Petar Vodogaz | Sydney, NSW Australia | 06/27/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a long time fan of Delerium and a listener of the associated 'Front Line Assembley' and a fan of electronica and industrial sounds I purchased this debut album from the mind of Tom Shear. 'Assemblage 23' is a sole artist opinion and Tom has created a vast plethora of ambient and hight industrialised electronica. I had to listen to this album twice to fully appreciate the workings of this artist and found I enjoyed the varied sounds and tempo of the music. I loved the way the lyrics were played out robotic by Tom Shear. It is the debut album for this artist and I see a bright future for Tom Shear in the industrial music scene. He has much skill as Leeb & Fulber. The best song is 'Purgatory' and the last 3 tracks are remixes that will make it on the dance club list sooner or later."