Fear Factory

[MirrorProfiles]

Aside from a couple of singles from when I was younger, I never dived into their music too much.

Listening now, it feels like they aren’t really given the credit they deserve. It’s years ahead of Killswitch, Slipknot, Linkin Park, Meshuggah etc and in some ways even more developed than the bands that followed with the electronic influences.

But also, with hindsight, it just feels like the vocals are such a weak point. all the above bands and ones who went on to be even bigger just have way more distinctive and better vocals. Burton gets the job done but it’s almost anti-melody and emotion.

 

[JiveTurkey]

His drone vocal is soooooooooooooo one trick pony it's not even funny. Archetype title track is probably the peak of what he should be doing. Ironically, without their proper guitarist.

Saw them on a Soul of a New Machine tour and they were great but were pummeled by Sepultura in their absolute prime. They are touring with the Cavaleras again and I really want to go see it.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Also; bonus points x infinity to Dino for recognizing that song, despite being done when he was in the band and I believe against himself, lyrically; he still plays it because he knows it's a banger \m/

 

[Alonious_Monk]

Oh what could have been.

With proper vocal training and proper relations in the band, they could've been so much more. I love the newer stuff (up until the Milo era) , they're a huge influence on me, but damn they squandered what was, a really good thing.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Oh what could have been.

With proper vocal training and proper relations in the band, they could've been so much more. I love the newer stuff (up until the Milo era) , they're a huge influence on me, but damn they squandered what was, a really good thing.

This sums up my feelings pretty well - it seems like the world was there if they wanted it, they landed on a futuristic evolved sound and couldn’t really capitalise on before others came along and did songs that connect with the audience more.

This almost sounds like a Slipknot song, except Corey Taylor on a bad day would still bring more to the song than this (where the vocals are fine but nothing more IMO):

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Burton is certainly not a technically good singer, but at least he has extremely high originality and recognisability, which I cannot say about newer bands that are heavily influenced by FF. I definitely prefer listening to Burton's sometimes (especially live) off-key yodeling than the saccharine college rock singalong choruses of some djent bands. In fact, I always liked his imperfect and, let's say, minimalist vocals because they contrasted with the mechanical typewriter clatter and represented the human element. Together, the two simply created a very original sound.

That being said… I listened to Soul of a New Machine just last week. I really loved that album back in the day but unlike Demanufacture, it has not aged well at all.

Their biggest mistake was flirting with Nu Metal on Obsolete and Digimortal. Yuck.

 

[James Freeman]

Best album -> ARCHETYPE

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Best album -> ARCHETYPE

One of their best, for sure. I also really like their comeback album Mechanize and Genexus.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Digimortal

Listened to that at the gym today. Didn’t hate it

 

[EOengineer]

Obsolete was their peak for me. Saw these guys back in the late 90s with Static X and Clutch. Killer show.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

I adore the early FF albums.
I think I first heard them because of playing Carmageddon in the late 90s... with a Fear Factory tune for the soundtrack.
Winning combo.