Album Name:
Mechanize
By:
Fear Factory
Expected Release Date:
OUT NOW
Label:
Candlelight Records / AFM Records
Genre:
Groove Metal / Industrial Metal
Track Listing:
1. "Mechanize" – 4:41
2. "Industrial Discipline" – 3:38
3. "Fear Campaign" – 4:54
4. "Powershifter" – 3:51
5. "Christploitation" – 4:58
6. "Oxidizer" – 3:44
7. "Controlled Demolition" – 4:25
8. "Designing the Enemy" – 4:55
9. "Metallic Division" – 1:30
10. "Final Exit" – 8:18
Album Score:
9/10 – Modern, heavy but accessible
groove/industrial metal. A must buy for any fan
of modern metal.
Mechanize
By:
Fear Factory
Expected Release Date:
OUT NOW
Label:
Candlelight Records / AFM Records
Genre:
Groove Metal / Industrial Metal
Track Listing:
1. "Mechanize" – 4:41
2. "Industrial Discipline" – 3:38
3. "Fear Campaign" – 4:54
4. "Powershifter" – 3:51
5. "Christploitation" – 4:58
6. "Oxidizer" – 3:44
7. "Controlled Demolition" – 4:25
8. "Designing the Enemy" – 4:55
9. "Metallic Division" – 1:30
10. "Final Exit" – 8:18
Album Score:
9/10 – Modern, heavy but accessible
groove/industrial metal. A must buy for any fan
of modern metal.
Fear Factory – Mechanize
Album Review - March 29th 2010
Album Review By Adam Sandrey
BIO:
For anyone unfamiliar with the band (any metal head worth
their salt should be well aware of the band and its influence on
the last generation of metal) Fear Factory are a “cyber” metal
band formed in LA in 1989 by legendary guitarist Dino Cazares
and drummer Raymond Herrera with Burton C Bell as lead
vocalist.
The term cyber metal is often used to describe them by the
industry because of the wide range of musical styles they use
to form their sound. Over the last 21 years they have used a
mixture of thrash, groove and death metal combined around
an industrial metal base.
Think of them as a metal trifle if you will with a very definite
industrial base layer. The band did officially disband in 2002
but reformed shortly afterward this time minus founding
member Dino Cazares. Bryan Stroud (formerly of Strapping
Young Lad) came in to take the helm at bass guitar and
bassist Christian Olde Wolbers moving over to guitar.
Two more albums were released after this reunion before the
band finally split again in 2006. In 2009 FF reunited with Gene
Hoglan (formerly of Strapping Young Lad, Dethklok and
Testament among others) coming in on drums to replace
Herrera and Cazares coming back to guitar duties. Former
drummer and guitarist/bassist Herrera and Wolbers now play
with Arkraea (who suspiciously sound a lot like Fear Factory).
According to Herrera, he and Wolbers are still officially
members of Fear Factory and that he, Wolbers, Cazares and
Bell are all contractually members of Fear Factory
Incorporated and that this new incarnation is officially a
different band but using the same name.
This new Fear Factory were suppose to tour in 2009 but pulled
out citing recording Mechanize as the reason, whereas the
more likely explanation is the contention by former founding
member Herrera for use of the Fear Factory name (as
mentioned briefly before). This court case is not all that
dissimilar to the fight between former Black Sabbath members
for use of the name.
However it is 2010 now, Mechanize has been released and the
Fear Factory revival has begun. They have already started
some major touring, having already played a tour in the UK
with British up and comers Sylosis in support. As well as this
they are fulfilling the Sonisphere and Bloodstock festival dates
they committed themselves to in 2009, with them actually co-
headlining the Bloodstock date alongside Children of Bodom.
Whether or not they can reclaim their title as metal gods that
they held for much of the 90s has yet to be seen. I guess only
time will tell.
REVIEW:
The first thing to point out is that this is the heaviest FF album
to be released since their death metal beginnings. They have
brought their sound screaming up to the 21st century. They
haven’t lost any of their melodic subtleties they have formed
over the last 20 years but they have brought the heavier
elements of their music up to a modern standard. They still use
a great combination of Bell’s ferocious roar and haunting
melodic vocals. It should be stated for the record that FF have
been using this combination of melodic/heavier vocals for their
entire 21 year history and helped to make this mixture of vocal
stylings from the mid-90s and are seen by some as being
responsible for the use of this vocal style in the American
metalcore movement in this time period.
I am going to examine a few more of the notable tracks in
closer detail.
The album opener and title track Mechanize has a very typical
industrial opening with a pounding mechanical sound with
some eerie spoke vocals on top before bursting into a heavy
bass line, fast guitar play and some very heavy drumming from
new sticks man, Gene Hoglan. After this suitably heavy and
fast section the vocals kick in and we are greeted with the
sound of Burtons gruff voice and with the typical thrash style
shouting elements. Whilst all this is going on there is a real
lesson in heavy groove going on in the background. With the
band using their groove-orientated elements with a suitably
modern feel.
This song is laced with hooks and despite being heavy as a
really heavy thing ;) it is very accessible to all fans of metal.
Mechanize is a great opener to the album and a real signal of
intent for this new line up.
Fear Campaign is the first official single from the album and a
video for it was officially released on February 2nd. The track
once again starts off slowly with typical industrial elements
creating a mood with spoken word over the top before Bell
kicks the song off with a prolonged roared. It’s a fairly typical
but nice start to the song.
The song is very much groove orientated, with an almost
military feel to the start. There are plenty of decent hooks in
the track and regimental vocal stylings leading into the typical
haunting vocal passages from Bell that usually signal a change
in pace in the track. The industrial and groove elements of
their music are present throughout. However, at the 3:40 mark,
Fear Factory do something a little uncharacteristic for them.
They use a standard guitar solo passage.
This actually shocked me a little but to the casual listener
would probably go unnoticed. Again by no means a bad thing
but is an indication of FF progressing and trying new things
with their sound.
Track 4 Powershifter was the first track to be leaked by the
band online. It is easy to tell that Cazares had a big influence
on this track because the opening segments sound very much
like the technical metal he plays with his side project Divine
Heresy.
The guitar riffs and drumming segments sound like they could
have been lifted straight from a Divine Heresy album; even the
unclean vocal segments sound more like the stylings of Divine
Heresy. It isn’t until Bell breaks into his melodic warbling that
you hear Fear Factory, with these very much being the usual
Fear Factory styling. This is a very heavy track broken up
nicely with Bell’s melodic tones. It works very well and despite
being a predominantly heavy track again is very accessible.
The cynics amongst us could point towards Cazares using a
track he had written for his other band and just translating it for
this album, however when the track is this good and still has a
Fear Factory feel to it who really cares?
The album closes with the 8 minute epic Final Exit. This track
borrows its title from a Derek Humphry’s book of the same
name which dealt with the topic of euthanasia. This track has a
lot of different styles in it which actually blend really well and
works as a track. For a lot of track Bell uses his softer vocal
styles which he put to good use in the album with his side-
project City of Fire.
So like Cazares he brings in influences from his side project.
The track uses plenty of industrial and thrash/groove elements
but has a slower more melodic tone with extended use of
keyboards and spoke vocals over the top. Of course rather
than being a ballad it is still done in a Fear Factory kind of
way. On earlier albums like Digimortal and Transgression fear
factory used an alternative metal edge (which was popular in
the early 00s and late 90s) to bring in a more melodic element
to their music, this is a different approach.
The last few minutes of the track are very atmospheric and
could be seen to be completely unnecessary especially in an
age where people just upload albums onto their computers
and mp3 players and just hit shuffle. If the album is listened
consecutively from start to finish, however, it feels like a
suitable climax. Opening track Mechanize pounded the listener
from the get go but Final Exit is a suitable track to help bring
the listener back down to the track after the previous 40
minutes had hammered the listener into submission.
CONCLUSION:
Fear Factory are back in business. Cynics amongst readers
may think that my adoration for the band could influence my
opinion of the album, but those that really know me know this
to be untrue. There have been many albums over recent years
by bands I used to adore that have completely ruined my
adoration for them (Killswitch Engage and Five Finger Death
Punch for example).
The album is very much a Fear Factory album but one that
feels fresh and very modern. They still use a lot elements that
they always have but thankfully the alternative/nu metal
elements and samplings that sound dated now in some of their
former albums have been dropped.
The album is very heavy but also very accessible and any fans
of modern metal should adore it. It is also good to see that
Fear Factory have been using elements from their different
side projects wisely. The album might not have as many rock
club friendly tunes as Digimortal or Archetype for example, but
there is not a back track on the album and I think a number of
the tracks would still go down well in a rock club.
If you like modern heavy metal or Fear Factory then you will
love this album. A new Fear Factory that still has recognisable
members in the band reflected well in the music; a new sound
with plenty of the old Fear Factory elements included.
9/10 – Modern, heavy but accessible groove/industrial metal. A
must buy for any fan of modern metal.
If you are a fan of Divine Heresy, Fear Factory, Arkraea or
Strapping Young Lad then there is a good chance you will love
this album.
Album Review - March 29th 2010
Album Review By Adam Sandrey
BIO:
For anyone unfamiliar with the band (any metal head worth
their salt should be well aware of the band and its influence on
the last generation of metal) Fear Factory are a “cyber” metal
band formed in LA in 1989 by legendary guitarist Dino Cazares
and drummer Raymond Herrera with Burton C Bell as lead
vocalist.
The term cyber metal is often used to describe them by the
industry because of the wide range of musical styles they use
to form their sound. Over the last 21 years they have used a
mixture of thrash, groove and death metal combined around
an industrial metal base.
Think of them as a metal trifle if you will with a very definite
industrial base layer. The band did officially disband in 2002
but reformed shortly afterward this time minus founding
member Dino Cazares. Bryan Stroud (formerly of Strapping
Young Lad) came in to take the helm at bass guitar and
bassist Christian Olde Wolbers moving over to guitar.
Two more albums were released after this reunion before the
band finally split again in 2006. In 2009 FF reunited with Gene
Hoglan (formerly of Strapping Young Lad, Dethklok and
Testament among others) coming in on drums to replace
Herrera and Cazares coming back to guitar duties. Former
drummer and guitarist/bassist Herrera and Wolbers now play
with Arkraea (who suspiciously sound a lot like Fear Factory).
According to Herrera, he and Wolbers are still officially
members of Fear Factory and that he, Wolbers, Cazares and
Bell are all contractually members of Fear Factory
Incorporated and that this new incarnation is officially a
different band but using the same name.
This new Fear Factory were suppose to tour in 2009 but pulled
out citing recording Mechanize as the reason, whereas the
more likely explanation is the contention by former founding
member Herrera for use of the Fear Factory name (as
mentioned briefly before). This court case is not all that
dissimilar to the fight between former Black Sabbath members
for use of the name.
However it is 2010 now, Mechanize has been released and the
Fear Factory revival has begun. They have already started
some major touring, having already played a tour in the UK
with British up and comers Sylosis in support. As well as this
they are fulfilling the Sonisphere and Bloodstock festival dates
they committed themselves to in 2009, with them actually co-
headlining the Bloodstock date alongside Children of Bodom.
Whether or not they can reclaim their title as metal gods that
they held for much of the 90s has yet to be seen. I guess only
time will tell.
REVIEW:
The first thing to point out is that this is the heaviest FF album
to be released since their death metal beginnings. They have
brought their sound screaming up to the 21st century. They
haven’t lost any of their melodic subtleties they have formed
over the last 20 years but they have brought the heavier
elements of their music up to a modern standard. They still use
a great combination of Bell’s ferocious roar and haunting
melodic vocals. It should be stated for the record that FF have
been using this combination of melodic/heavier vocals for their
entire 21 year history and helped to make this mixture of vocal
stylings from the mid-90s and are seen by some as being
responsible for the use of this vocal style in the American
metalcore movement in this time period.
I am going to examine a few more of the notable tracks in
closer detail.
The album opener and title track Mechanize has a very typical
industrial opening with a pounding mechanical sound with
some eerie spoke vocals on top before bursting into a heavy
bass line, fast guitar play and some very heavy drumming from
new sticks man, Gene Hoglan. After this suitably heavy and
fast section the vocals kick in and we are greeted with the
sound of Burtons gruff voice and with the typical thrash style
shouting elements. Whilst all this is going on there is a real
lesson in heavy groove going on in the background. With the
band using their groove-orientated elements with a suitably
modern feel.
This song is laced with hooks and despite being heavy as a
really heavy thing ;) it is very accessible to all fans of metal.
Mechanize is a great opener to the album and a real signal of
intent for this new line up.
Fear Campaign is the first official single from the album and a
video for it was officially released on February 2nd. The track
once again starts off slowly with typical industrial elements
creating a mood with spoken word over the top before Bell
kicks the song off with a prolonged roared. It’s a fairly typical
but nice start to the song.
The song is very much groove orientated, with an almost
military feel to the start. There are plenty of decent hooks in
the track and regimental vocal stylings leading into the typical
haunting vocal passages from Bell that usually signal a change
in pace in the track. The industrial and groove elements of
their music are present throughout. However, at the 3:40 mark,
Fear Factory do something a little uncharacteristic for them.
They use a standard guitar solo passage.
This actually shocked me a little but to the casual listener
would probably go unnoticed. Again by no means a bad thing
but is an indication of FF progressing and trying new things
with their sound.
Track 4 Powershifter was the first track to be leaked by the
band online. It is easy to tell that Cazares had a big influence
on this track because the opening segments sound very much
like the technical metal he plays with his side project Divine
Heresy.
The guitar riffs and drumming segments sound like they could
have been lifted straight from a Divine Heresy album; even the
unclean vocal segments sound more like the stylings of Divine
Heresy. It isn’t until Bell breaks into his melodic warbling that
you hear Fear Factory, with these very much being the usual
Fear Factory styling. This is a very heavy track broken up
nicely with Bell’s melodic tones. It works very well and despite
being a predominantly heavy track again is very accessible.
The cynics amongst us could point towards Cazares using a
track he had written for his other band and just translating it for
this album, however when the track is this good and still has a
Fear Factory feel to it who really cares?
The album closes with the 8 minute epic Final Exit. This track
borrows its title from a Derek Humphry’s book of the same
name which dealt with the topic of euthanasia. This track has a
lot of different styles in it which actually blend really well and
works as a track. For a lot of track Bell uses his softer vocal
styles which he put to good use in the album with his side-
project City of Fire.
So like Cazares he brings in influences from his side project.
The track uses plenty of industrial and thrash/groove elements
but has a slower more melodic tone with extended use of
keyboards and spoke vocals over the top. Of course rather
than being a ballad it is still done in a Fear Factory kind of
way. On earlier albums like Digimortal and Transgression fear
factory used an alternative metal edge (which was popular in
the early 00s and late 90s) to bring in a more melodic element
to their music, this is a different approach.
The last few minutes of the track are very atmospheric and
could be seen to be completely unnecessary especially in an
age where people just upload albums onto their computers
and mp3 players and just hit shuffle. If the album is listened
consecutively from start to finish, however, it feels like a
suitable climax. Opening track Mechanize pounded the listener
from the get go but Final Exit is a suitable track to help bring
the listener back down to the track after the previous 40
minutes had hammered the listener into submission.
CONCLUSION:
Fear Factory are back in business. Cynics amongst readers
may think that my adoration for the band could influence my
opinion of the album, but those that really know me know this
to be untrue. There have been many albums over recent years
by bands I used to adore that have completely ruined my
adoration for them (Killswitch Engage and Five Finger Death
Punch for example).
The album is very much a Fear Factory album but one that
feels fresh and very modern. They still use a lot elements that
they always have but thankfully the alternative/nu metal
elements and samplings that sound dated now in some of their
former albums have been dropped.
The album is very heavy but also very accessible and any fans
of modern metal should adore it. It is also good to see that
Fear Factory have been using elements from their different
side projects wisely. The album might not have as many rock
club friendly tunes as Digimortal or Archetype for example, but
there is not a back track on the album and I think a number of
the tracks would still go down well in a rock club.
If you like modern heavy metal or Fear Factory then you will
love this album. A new Fear Factory that still has recognisable
members in the band reflected well in the music; a new sound
with plenty of the old Fear Factory elements included.
9/10 – Modern, heavy but accessible groove/industrial metal. A
must buy for any fan of modern metal.
If you are a fan of Divine Heresy, Fear Factory, Arkraea or
Strapping Young Lad then there is a good chance you will love
this album.
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