Fear Factory
The Industrialist
Candlelight Records
2012
With only two members from the original line-up left, Burton C. Bell (vocals) & Dino Cazares (guitars), Fear Factory wish to continue from where they left with “Mechanize”. There are a few dissimilarities with the previous work… but not enough to change the overall outcome.
What strikes badly, from the very first moment, is the lack of an actual drummer… and what a miss is that, when you had the pleasure to cooperate with one of the best drummers out there, the famous Gene Hoglan in your former work. The drums on this album were programmed drums with the help from John Sankey of Devolved… but I can’t stand the way they sound at all. That was a wrong move on behalf of the band which lowered the music quality generally. The production is heavy, powerful and tight but the programmed drums… is something out of space for a band like FF, especially in 2012.
The guys move in their known music standards with their industrial metal being embellished with thrash metal, atmospheric passages & groovy guitars. This is an OK release but too safe for my linking and for a band that was not afraid to experiment over the years. It sounds more one of the same – especially to the ears of their longtime fans – but they won’t be unhappy (at least some of them) eventually. I find it rather predictable, “overcooked” and bland at times… I was hoping for something more enthusiastic and motivating here… so maybe another time…
What strikes badly, from the very first moment, is the lack of an actual drummer… and what a miss is that, when you had the pleasure to cooperate with one of the best drummers out there, the famous Gene Hoglan in your former work. The drums on this album were programmed drums with the help from John Sankey of Devolved… but I can’t stand the way they sound at all. That was a wrong move on behalf of the band which lowered the music quality generally. The production is heavy, powerful and tight but the programmed drums… is something out of space for a band like FF, especially in 2012.
The guys move in their known music standards with their industrial metal being embellished with thrash metal, atmospheric passages & groovy guitars. This is an OK release but too safe for my linking and for a band that was not afraid to experiment over the years. It sounds more one of the same – especially to the ears of their longtime fans – but they won’t be unhappy (at least some of them) eventually. I find it rather predictable, “overcooked” and bland at times… I was hoping for something more enthusiastic and motivating here… so maybe another time…