Fear Factory: The Industrialist – new video

‘The Industrialist’ is FEAR FACTORY's title-track from their June 2012, Candlelight Record-released eight studio album. Described as their “most confident and passionate album, a vital chapter in the history of one of the most over-achieving bands in heavy music history”, listen to ‘The Industrialist’ here (BandCamp) or via player available below. ‘The Industrialist’ was produced by Rhys Fulber and mixed by Greg Reely, and its artwork was created by Antony Clarkson. Written by vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares, ‘The Industrialist’ is a conceptual record based around a short fiction written by vocalist Bell:

“There is a main character who is called ‘The Industrialist’,” [stated Bell, referring to the character at the heart of songs like ‘God Eater’ or ‘Virus Of Faith’] “He’s a machine that has become self-aware and becomes a catalyst for change. The album has the loose concept of a murder plot, with the realization that the automaton is becoming more human each day. The last track on the album ‘Human Augmentation’ is moment where machine becomes human and realizes its own humanity. That’s a thought that’s very key to the FEAR FACTORY universe.”

The album comes available on three formats: as standard CD, as a limited edition deluxe digi-book featuring two additional songs, and as 180-gram double vinyl. Visit Candlelight Records U.S.A. store here (and don’t forget the Amazon and iTunes options available to you) to buy the record:

“FEAR FACTORY continue to deliver album after album of metal honed with a cold, mechanical precision, creating a sound for themselves that isn’t merely processed, but machined. … Much like their last album, ‘The Industrialist’ is at its best when it’s at its most punishing. Pummeling tracks like ‘Recharger’ and ‘Depraved Mind Murder’ feel like Cazares and Burton C. Bell are scientists perfecting some kind of ear-destroying technology while the rest of the scientific community calls them mad,” [wrote Gregory Heaney, AllMusic – more here]

One of the first bands to fuse the intensity of death metal with the harshness of industrial electronics, FEAR FACTORY was formed by guitarist Dino Cazares, drummer Raymond Herrera and vocalist Burton C. Bell in 1989 in Los Angeles, who, after recording a couple of demos, and the ‘Concrete’ album which would be released some years later, proceeded to record their official debut album, ‘Soul Of A New Machine’, which they released in 1992 through Roadrunner Records:

“ ‘Soul Of A New Machine’ was so groundbreaking because it fuses together some of the best aspects of numerous metal subgenres: the rhythmic crunch of thrash, the melodies of crossover metal, the syncopated man-machine lock-step of industrial, the growling low end of death metal, and the blitzkrieg impact of grindcore. Just as importantly, it did away with the generic aspects of each subgenre, resulting in a unique sound that was in no way whatsoever clichéd (though it would later become a cliché itself years later),” [commented Jason Birchmeier, AllMusic – more here]

After ‘Fear Is The Mindkiller’ remix EP (1993) came FEAR FACTORY's second Colin Richardson-produced longplayer 1995's ‘Demanufacture’, featuring new bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, which was followed by second remix album, ‘Remanufacture’, in 1997. The band's biggest hit yet, 1998's Rhys Fulber-produced album ‘Obsolete’, broke FEAR FACTORY onto the music charts, reaching position number 77 on the Billboard Top 200. ‘Resurrection’ EP and ‘Messiah’ compilation album ware both issued in 1999, as the band's last album before officially breaking up in 2002, ‘Digimortal’, came out in 2001:

“Born of all things electronic and evil, ‘Digimortal’ is a cornucopia of apocalyptic views of the evils waiting outside your door, under your bed, and inside your computer. The complete set of warnings on the dark days ahead linger like dense, lurking shadows in the form of the 11 foreboding tracks on the album. … ‘Digimortal’ is an ear-drum puncturing and adrenaline-induced cry out against a warning that the digital age may bring everyone those final fatal steps closer to their eminent doom as vital, viable human beings,” [understood Kerry L. Smith, AllMusic – more here]

‘Digimortal’ made the Top 40 on the Billboard album charts. Due to legal wrangling with producer Ross Robinson, FEAR FACTORY's demo album ‘Concrete’ was eventually issued by Roadrunner Records in 2002, reportedly without the approval of all of the band’s members.‘Archetype’, the group's fifth album recorded without founding member Dino Cazares, was released through label Liquid 8 in 2004, and “equally merciless” Toby Wright-produced ‘Transgression’ followed on Calvin Records in 2005. “Disappointed with ‘Transgression’ and feeling that they had been pressured into rushing the album out, FEAR FACTORY went on hiatus while the bandmembers pursued other projects,” writes Steve Huey for AllMusic (more here). In 2009, founders vocalist Bell and guitarist Cazares reconciled their friendship and reformed FEAR FACTORY with Byron Stroud on bass and Gene Hoglan on drums. The band's seventh studio album was recorded with producer Rhys Fulber and released through Candlelight Records in 2010. ‘Mechanize’ peaked at position 24 on Australian Albums Chart, at position 31 in Germany and Finland and reached position number 72 on American albums chart Billboard Top 200:

“This early 2010 release/2009 recording doesn’t break any new ground for the band - ‘Mechanize’ is very much a throwback to the industrialized FEAR FACTORY sound of the '90s - but there is no shortage of passion on scorching tracks like ‘Christploitation’, ‘Designing The Enemy’, ‘Oxidizer’ and ‘Industrial Discipline’ (which is an appropriate name for a FEAR FACTORY tune in light of the major role they played in bringing industrial elements to alternative metal),” [commented Alex Henderson, AllMusic – more here]

Agree or disagree with Mr. Henderson (or simply get to know FEAR FACTORY) by listening to their album ‘Mechanize’ via player embedded below, courtesy Candlelight Records, and then, convinced, buy the album here (BandCamp)FEAR FACTORY features: Burton C. Bell – vocals, Dino Cazares – guitar, Mike Heller – drums and Matt DeVries – bass