FEAR FACTORY
The Industrialist
[Candelight Records]
7
Fear Factory has hit some snags along the way during their career, but considering they’ve been at it for like twenty-three years, it’s hard to hold any of that against them really. While they’ve had some melodic and catchy material appear in older releases, Fear Factory have recently returned to their heavier styles, bringing their industrial metal back to the forefront with their latest work, aptly titled The Industrialist. One of the interesting notes about this release is that, even though they don’t have a real drummer, it isn’t noticeable. What’s there isn’t anything spectacular, but it serves its purpose enough that you likely won’t even realize there’s no one behind a kit. The guitar work is, more or less, what you’d expect from this kind of band (die hard metal fans will probably get mad at me for saying that, but it’s true). However, the electronics really help shape Fear Factory into the industrial death machine it is. That, and the vocal work is top notch, whether it’s the aggressive screams or the powerful cleans. While tracks like “God Eater” and “Depraved Mind Murder” stood out most for me (mainly due to their more varied structures), The Industrialist offers a lot to love. One of the best things about it is the natural flow from start to finish. Long time Fear Factory fans will definitely clamor over this one. (By Nathaniel Lay)