Genexus

Description

Rarely can a musical artist claim to be a true innovator, a creator of their own genre, a revolutionary amongst a sea of sameness. Having invented the cyber metal sound, Fear Factory are one of those rare cases.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1990, Fear Factory entered the metal scene with the crushing debut, 1992s Soul Of A New Machine. Combining death metal with an industrial influence, the original line up of vocalist Burton C Bell, drummer Raymond Herrera, guitarist Dino Cazares and bassist Andrew Shives was onto something that had not been widely explored. Even Fear Factorys earliest sound was immediately distinguishable by Herreras intense machine-like drumming and Bells tremendous dual vocal style, which seemed to effortlessly switch between animalistic growls and clear, operatic tones. Fear Factory had set a new standard in extreme music, a standard they would continue to bear to this very day.

In 1995, Fear Factory would release their second full length album, Demanufacture, which further refined Fear Factorys distinct sound. Herreras beats invoked robotic, mechanical imagery, while Bells lyrics were bleak and ominous. This was also the introduction of bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, who would replace Shives. · Obsolete saw a creative surge in Fear Factory. The album blended the technological themes of Demanufacture with a more cinematic atmosphere while Bells vocals reached a new level of refinement. A commercial success, Obsolete saw the band breaking into the Top 100 on the album charts, a headlining spot on the second stage of 1999s Ozzfest as well as the bands involvement in soundtracks to movies like Saw, Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil.

Fear Factory fragmented in 2002 and Bell went on to record two albums without Cazares, Archeytype and Trangression, the latter veering towards alt-rock. The duo finally reunited in 2009 releasing Mechanize (2010) and The Industrialist (2012), which both saw a return to the bands trademark cyber metal sound.

Co-produced by the band and longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber and mixed by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Machine Head), Genexus completes Fear Factorys resurgence. Songs like Soul Hacker and Anodized are classic groove monsters that will have concert halls heaving with bodies while the likes of Dielectric recall the futuristic frantic thrash of Demanufacture.