Fear Factory
“Archetype”
Liquid 8 Records
Since its debut album, “Soul of a New Machine,” on Roadrunner Records in 1992, Fear Factory has been one of the mainstays in the metal scene, influencing countless bands and fans around the world. With each subsequent release, the band refined and polished its machine-like technology-infused metal; each album built upon the foundation of the last.
In 1995 the band released what some consider is one of the best metal albums of the ’90s, “Demanufacture”; the band’s most commercially viable release, “Obsolete,” saw the light of day in ’98. Along the way Fear Factory experimented with remixing to varying degrees of success. (The hard-hitting “Fear is the Mindkiller” EP featuring tracks off the band’s debut, and the hit-or-miss “Remanufature” which featured remixes of tracks off “Demanufacture.”)
Following the success of “Obsolete,” the band struggled to craft a follow-up, due in part to inner band turmoil that wasn’t apparent at the time. The band’s last “new” album for Roadrunner, 2001’s “Digimortal,” was a stumble of sorts. While not a bad album by any means, it seemed fans were used to holding the band up to a higher standard. “Digimortal” wasn’t as “heavy” as fans were used to, and incorporated more melody and simpler riffs — while not its best effort, the release turned into a unfortunately overlooked disc.
At the same time, things behind the scenes were reaching a boiling point. Vocalist Burton Bell talked about a hiatus and side-projects, and then up and left the band in 2002, causing the remaining members to disband. Roadrunner released two posthumous albums, “Concrete” (the band’s original demo that got it signed) and “Hatefiles” (a collection of remixes, b-sides and unreleased tracks).
And then a few months later the band reconnected, sans original guitarist Dino Cazares. Bass player Christian Olde Wolbers shifted to guitar and Bell once again took up singing duties. The band offered a song for 2003’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” soundtrack, signed with Liquid 8, and released “Archetype” in 2004.
While Wolbers handled bass and guitar duties for a majority of the recording, the band brought in former Strapping Young Lad bassist Byron Stroud into the fold to round out the line up which also includes drummer Raymond Herrera.
The band wastes little time opening up with the hard-hitting “Slave Labor.” Herrera’s double-bass work is immediately evident, and Wolbers sounds more than comfortable in his new position on the axe. And while “Slave Labor” seems a little like a palate cleanser from the band’s previous efforts (the track plays out like a faster-tempoed “Edgecrusher”), the next song, “Cyberwaste,” is a full-out assault. Wolbers is absolutely obliterating on the guitar, and the drumming is insane, thick and full. Bell’s vocals on here seem more angry than anything off “Digimortal.”
The band goes a little more melodic on “Bite the Hand That Bleeds.” Bell’s vocals are melodic throughout the tracks that harken back to a FF classic like “Resurrection” (off “Obsolete”). But as always, the beauty with FF is that the band is able to offer up something melodic like “Bite” and still maintain an edge through the intense-yet-subtle drumming or through maintaining an almost-frantic pace throughout the song, like it’s almost about to explode but never quiet does. That sort of tool is especially effective when followed by something like “Undercurrent” that also features melody, but is more of a return to solid metal with thick riffing and explosive drums.
“Default Judgement” is a page right out of “Obsolete.” The trademark drum/bass guitar play is in full-effect here, and Bell growls through the verses before unleashing the melodic chorus of “Your final judgement stands. Fate, by your will. I never had a chance, I never will.”
The disc’s title track is one of the stronger songs on the album and plays out like a mission statement from the band. Sonically, this track is probably the most “mainstream” sounding song on the disc. Immediately opening with a strong double-bass kick and thunderous riffing with Bell’s melodic droning in the background, the track feels like something that a band just starting out would try to make in order to “blow up.” As Bell kicks off the song singing “You must never forget the essence of your spark,” the band sounds tight and the listener can tell this is coming from a group re-invigorated. There’s also a little jab at the group’s former bandmate during the bridge before the chorus: “The infection has been removed, the soul of this machine has improved.” On an album full or great tracks, “Archetype” stands up as the strongest.
The band offers up an interesting little cover of Nirvana’s “School” to close the album. It’s a jarring way to end the album and may have played better as a hidden track, but is a solid cover nonetheless. It appears that “Ascension” is the disc’s “true” closer anyway, a seven-plus minute ethereal trip across an endless musical landscape (think “Obsolete’s” closer “Timelessness,” only longer and more “out there”). The cover track pays homage to its original, but expands upon the punk-sounding roots, instead flourishing into a full-blown metal anthem.
Fear Factory have never sounded better. While the past few years were filled with their share of problems, Fear Factory seems to have risen to the task, borrowing and building on past efforts to craft a masterful album.
