Customer Reviews

Demanufacture

5 star:		(132)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Fear Factory was one of the first "serious metal" bands I ever heard, and it was a good place to start, because they are also among the best. "Demanufacture" is one of the most revered metal albums of the 90's, and it's easy to see why. The album is packed with crushing, thrash-inspired riffs that continue the tradition of bands like Slayer, Pantera, Metallica, etc. But Fear Factory are not just rehashing the sounds of those bands, not in the least. They are one of the most original bands in the genre, and their innovation is just as evident as their ability to make your head bang.

The album starts off with the title track, beginning with frontman Burton C. Bell singing softly over a thrashy industrial riff, finally elevating into a brutal growl. In this one song, we get a glimpse of the extent of Bell's amazing versatility. He can sing in a unique, ethereal voice, and switch to unbridled aggression in the blink of an eye. "Self Bias Resistor" is further proof of his vocal ability, featuring an excellent melodic chorus to contrast with the overall heaviness of the song. Likewise, electronic keyboard sounds underscore the crushing riffage, adding unique flavor to the familiar metal-isms.

From here, the greatness is nearly nonstop. "Zero Signal" begins with an eerie, ambient intro, finally erupting into ferocity by the end. "Replica" and "Body Hammer" are crunchy groove-monsters, while "New Breed" and "HK (Hunter-Killer)" are fast and relentless. The album is propelled by Dino's machine-gun-like rhythms, and Ray Herrera's pounding drums. Both are accused of being "simple" musicians, due in large part to Ray's lack of conventional fills, and Dino's lack of shredding solos. However, both are undeniably skilled. Listen to Dino's jackhammer of a right hand, or Ray's impeccable double bass control, and you'll see what I mean.

The album ends on an unexpectedly soft note, with the incredible 9-minute "A Therapy for Pain". The song is uniformly slow and moody, with overwhelming ambience and beauty. The guitars and keys lay down a huge, encompassing backdrop, and Burton's vocals are just unreal. The song gives the feel of being surrounded by a dark, cold, futuristic setting (think "The Matrix", minus Keanu Reeves). Maybe I say this a lot, but this is one of those songs that you just have to hear for yourself.

Despite all of the things that make this album so incredible, there are a few small shortcomings. The cover track "Dog Day Sunrise" is glaringly weak, as compared to the rest. It's not really bad, per se, but amid all the other great songs, it definitely stands out. Even if you aren't aware that it's a cover, it still feels as though it shouldn't be there. Also, the production is a little weak. Burton's vocals feel a little too pushed back in the mix, and they don't pack quite the punch that they should. On the follow-up release, "Obsolete", the growls just hit you like a freight train, and here the music almost drowns them out at times. But that's a minor complaint. It's really not that distracting for the most part.

Anyway, the important thing is this: "Demanufacture" is a masterpiece of metal, with few flaws. If you love music that's equally heavy and creative, you have no excuse not to have this in your collection. Buy it, or forever be unmetal.

Well to start off this cd is badass! If you like Death Metal, Industrial Metal, and Harcore Metal you'll love this CD! With songs like Demanufacture, Zero Signal, and Replica it's headbangers bliss. The band is also very orignal with Dino (the gutairst) doing those machine gun riffs (best example of that would be in the beginning of PISSCHRIST) and Burton (the vocalist) when he changes his voice from that real deep voice (something like the guy in Cannibal Corpse) to that softer more melody like voice is sweet and kinds odd. And Raymond (the drummer) at how he uses those foot pedals to make the drums keep up with Dino. To put all this simple BUY THIS NOW!

Fear Factory's "Demanufacture" is without question, the greatest Fear Factoy album recorded. No filler tracks here. Just spine-crushing riffs by Dino, INCREDIBLE drumming by Raymond, AWESOME bass playing by Christian and great singing and screaming by Burton C. Bell on EVERY track. You can't go wrong on this album - it's too damn great!

Tracks are:

1. Demanufacture: MASSIVELY heavy song. Set's the mood for the rest of the album. Dino riffs are AWESOME! Burton C. Bell proves he can sing as well as scream on this song.

2. Self Bias Resistor: This song should be a drummer's anthem. Raymond's work is Unbelievable! This is many people's favorite track on the album and rightfully so! Awesome riffs, but Burton C. Bell vocals stand out in this song. This Song has one of the, if not THE greatest chorus in Metal music history. A plain GREAT song.

3. Zero Signal: GREAT SONG! One of the best on the album. This should have been a single!!!! Dino's work on this song is GREAT with bone-breaking riffs. Raymond also is great on this song. Great use of Synthesizers as well.

4. Replica: The album's most popular song. Fear Factory even did a video for this song. It's an great song. Awesome intro and great lyrics. Again, a great song.

5. New Breed: A interesting mix of Techno and Metal. This is probably my least favorite track on the album, but it still is pretty cool. Great use of Synthesizers to get that Techo sound. It's kinda weird at first listen, but you'll start to like it as you listen to it more.

6. Dog Day Sunrise: A cover from the band Head Of David. GREAT SONG! Very cool riffs (although there are only 2 in the whole song. They definelty blew the original version away.

7. Body Hammer: AWESOME riffs! A great song with good lyrics and Raymond again kickin' massive @$$ on the drums.

8. Flashpoint. One of the most Brutal, Fast, and INSANELY heavy songs EVER. And all packed in under 3 minutes. AWESOME bass intro and Massive vocals by Burton. Too bad they don't play this live often.

9. H-K (Hunter-Killer): My favortie song on the Ablum! INCREDIBLE SONG! HEAVY guitars and GREAT lyrics and singing by Burton. They need to play this live more often. Just a plain great song.

10. Pisschrist: Wow. That's all I can say about this song. I never knew how opposed to religious hypocrisy Burton is. An GREAT song and Dino has some of his best work on this song. But be warned, if you are deeply relgious, you will most likely be offened by this song. However, it still rules!

11. A Therapy For Pain: A Nice, slow way to finish the album. Clocking just under 10 minutes, this song seems VERY long. When Burton stops singing, we hear the Synthesizers yet again for 4-5 minutes. A very moving song.

Well, like I said, This is the BEST Fear Factory album. All Fear Factory beginners should start here. All fans of Techo Metal will love this as well as just-metal lovers. One of the greatest metal albums EVER. Definetly check it out.

There is nothing else in all of Fear Factory's discography that can match this one. It is a classic, no questions. "Replica" is still the best song that FF has done, and it shows, as being their choice of closing song on the Jagermeister Tour last year. My favorite songs from Demanufacture are Demanufacture, Replica, New Breed, Body Hammer, and Zero Signal. The whole cd is awesome, and will remain in my possesion until I die. If you don't own this cd, and are an industrial/metal fan, buy it. If you don't, you are completely missing out.

Brutal, tight, furious. These are the proper words to describe this industrial-metal masterpiece. In my other reviews I've already stated that "Demanufacture" is one of the four albums that elevated industrial-metal genre from zero level to state-of-the-art perfection and spawned countless clones.

Fear Factory style is different from what other icons of the genre like Ministry or Nine Inch Nails have to offer. After all, in the beginning Fear Factory played Napalm Death-style death-metal, and it shows. The music is built with incredibly catchy and rhythmically effective guitar riffs backed by similar sounding bass-lines. Think of the riff in Ministry's "Thieves" and you get the idea. Drumming is absolutely superb. The speed and precision of those double-bass kicks is incredible, I even thought it was a drum-machine. But it was not. To add even more industrial feel to the sound, various factory noises are played in the background. Burton C. Bell varies his vocal tone from angry death-style rasps to clean anthemic singing. The latter, being sound-processed with a little reverb, makes the record sound kinda epic at times. The album is a relentless sonic attack, that, being played at considerable volume settings, has all the power to knock you off your feet and shatter glass windows.

Conceptual lyrics add more depth to the album. They tell a story of a man who grew tired of government lies and started up a rebellion. In the end he turns into a killing machine, then surrenders to regret, but when death comes, it refuses to take him away, so he has yet another day to live. Not the finest story, but it mixes with aggressive industrial music perfectly.

This album is one of the landmarks of rock, and surely Fear Factory's finest hour. If you are even mildly interested in metal or industrial music, you must give a listen to "Demanufacture".

PS I found myself among those few people who actually liked the remix albums "Remanufacture" and "Remanufacture v2.001". I think it shows the diversity of this band excellently, because I can't think of anybody else who feel themselves perfectly at home as with death-metal and grindcore, as with industrial, breakbeat or digital hardcore. While the lyrical integrity is lost in remixing, yet the music is good. Underground dancefloor DJs might also take notice.

When most bands release their sophomore album, it usually isn't very good, because most of the songs are just crappy leftovers that weren't put on their debut. However, "Demanufacture" is a DEFINATE exception. Most people say that "Fear is the Mindkiller" is FF's sophomore album, but it is only a remix of "Sould of a New Machine". I first bought "Remanufacture (Cloning Technology)", Demanufacture's techno remixes. And good it was! But I decided to buy Demanufacture so that I could get a taste of FF's original stuff. And when I did, OH MAN!!! Was I EVER amazed!!! All the songs on it are just absolutely great. Here's a little description of each song:

1. Demanufacture- A great opening track to grab your attention. This song starts out with an earthquake-like sound, followed by a conveyor sound with double bass drumming, and then...BOOOOOOOM!!!! An EXPLOSION of heaviness!!! Bell shows off his ability to do both singing and yelling in this song. His singing voice gives this song a dark, eerie feel, while his yelling seems almost inhuman. Great none-the-less!!! (just thought I'd say that)

2. Self Bias Resistor- An instant pummeller!!! Yeah, this song goes straight into fast, hardcore riffing and drumming. A head banger's classic!!! This song is what got this album a lot of it's fame.

3. Zero Signal- I-N-T-E-N-S-E!!!! This song is not only my personal favorite on this CD, but my favorite FF song EVER!!! The intro is absolutely ingenius. The vibe definately futuristic. All of the members in the band shine with glory. It's fast, heavy, and melodic. Alot of synths, too. Don't wanna spoil it, so listen to it yourself.

4. Replica- This song has kind of a Metallica feel to it. It's a little different from the rest of the album, lacking the thick industrial sound that the other songs have. Still a great song, though.

5. New Breed- A mix of metal and techno. Fast, with a groove. A bit on the racket-y side, but fun to listen to.

6. Dog Day Sunrise- The band that originally did this song is "Head of David". A good song that kind of reminds me of something off of Metallica's "Reload". A good cover, though.

7. Body Hammer- My second favorite song on this CD. The guitar riff has a Pantera-ish feel to it. The coolest thing about this song is the hammer in the background that gives the song a groove.

8. Flashpoint- My least favorite. Don't get me wrong, it's NOT bad. It's actually pretty good. That just goes to show that even FF worst stuff is still good!!!

9. H-K [Hunter-Killer]- Probably the most hardcore song on this CD. Had T2: Judgement Day been released in '95 instead of '91, then this would have been perfect for the soundtrack. This song is a mechanical monster!!!

10. P*sschrist- This song is really dark. I wouldn't suggest listening to it if you are a firm follower of Christianity, it might kind of freak you out. Bell's voice is about as demonic as can be, too. I thought I'd substitute the "i" with an "*" to keep from angering anyone.

11. A Therapy for Pain- A good way to end the CD. The slow, doomsday sound is rather creepy and entrancing. Bell's voice once again gives you that spine-tingling feeling. This is also the longest song on the CD. It clocks at over 9 minutes long. The last 4 or 5 minutes of the song is really spaced-out. Definately a trip to listen to. One of FF's greatest, though.

Well, that's my description. If you are a true metal fan and you don't own this CD, then GET IT ALREADY!!!! Don't hesitate, 'cuz you won't be disappointed. I guarantee that.

Fear Factory's 1st CD was a great CD, and now they have changed it around a little for #2.Starting up the CD is the title track "Demanufacture." Probably the best song on the CD, it crushes everything you knew about life and spits it in your face again."Self-Bias Resistor" is a wake-up call for the world with speedy guitar shots and drums that are breakneck hard."Zero Signal" is at first a slow rush through space until you get hit with a hardcore riff of energy."Replica" is a drumfest with a great start."New Breed" is a destructive bloodfest with a sweet techno background.A lot of people like "Dog Day Sunrise" but it really isn't that great in my eyes.Still hardcore and all, but just not as good.A hard guitar shot from "Body Hammer" opens up a gun full of pure energy upon your ears."Flashpoint" is a symphony of chaos all packed into less than 3 minutes. (H-K) Hunter-Killer is a strange blast of guitar and hammer drums at the same time. "Pisschrist" is a buzzsaw of steel and fire. "A Therapy for Pain" is a epic 9:43 airborne ride through life and death itself. Buy this, u will NOT be dissapointed at all.

Fear Factory's second full length album, "Demanufacture," is their first with the classic line-up (including bassist Christian Olde Welbers). This album isn't as heavy as their debut (1992's "Soul of a New Machine"), but it's still very brutal. Even though it features some keyboards ("Zero Signal") and sound effects ("Body Hammer"), "Demanufacture" is definitely closer to being a death metal record than industrial metal. It has almost constant pounding double bass drums and hefty guitars, as well as vocals which alternate from heavy yelling to limpid singing (i.e. "Dog Day Sunrise").

"Demanufacture" also includes Fear Factory's famous sci-fi themes, because this is actually a concept album. It tells a futuristic story about a man who is fed up with the machine controlled government, and wants to destroy it. Each song is a different "chapter" in his life.

Track five, "New Breed," is a fan favorite, so it's obviously a highlight. Other standout tracks include my personal favorite, the title track, which has machine gun kick drums complemented by punching riffs and bellows of "I've got no more regrets!" "Self Bias Resistor" has even faster, almost buzzsaw drumming and a pounding rhythm, which are offset by clean, backing vocals. Next, "Replica" has a great breakdown, with stop-start bursts of jackhammer guitars and drums. "Flashpoint" has rhythmic, skipping guitars while Raymond is going crazy back there on drums, and "H - K" has more great drumming (from lightning fast blasts to slow chugs).

Many Fear Factory fans consider this the band's best album, and nobody should blame them for thinking that. It is not my personal favorite C.D. by them, but it is still a really great, nearly classic album that has my vote for the best metal release of 1995.

Fear Factory is one of the best industrial/aggro/metal bands out there. This CD proves it. I cannot stop listening to "Replica", the best track on this CD. When I downloaded that song, this introduced me to Fear Factory and how great of a band they are. These guys know how to make the most brutal industrial metal out there. You will not regret buying this. Other great tracks are "Zero Signal" and "New Breed". Fear Factory kicks ass and you know it.

I think I can sum up this album in one word:

Amazing.

No, really.

Rarely do I hear an album that reached right out and hit me like this one did when I first bought/heard it. Now, before I did, I already knew "Zero Signal" because I had it on a mix, and I could have already vouched for what an incredible song that is. But this whole album is just... wow. I can think of some more words to describe this album:

HEAVY AS HELL, fast, angry, powerful, ethereal, futuristic, ahead of its time, catchy, haunting, etc.

Take for instance, the first song, the title track: "Demanufacture". Starts off with a fairly heavy riff (courtesy of Dino Cazares, one of the most underrated guitarists of our time), accompanied by lead singer Burton C. Bell singing. Not too threatening, right? Wrong. For the chorus, it kicks into overdrive, and you're blasted by heavy-as-all-hell guitars and Burton yelling his lungs out. And it only gets harder from there. It's my favorite song on the album, and it's a good indicator of the rest of the album to come. "Self Bias Resistor" gives you a nice kick in the [edit], but has a melodic chorus to die for. "Zero Signal"... masterpiece. 'Nuff said. All of the other tracks rule as well, but the curveball in the album, "Dog Day Sunrise", is actually really impressive. It actually features no yelling, just singing. But it remains fairly heavy. Many don't like it, but I love it.

The musicianship here is tight as all hell. As I said, Dino is underrated as an axeman. Just because he plays a downtuned 7-string Ibanez and doesn't solo, people write him off as talentless. Untrue. Check out the heaviness and speed of his playing. And Raymond Herrera (drums)... he's a robot. That's the only explanation I can come up with. Check out the double kick drums... it actually feels like a factory (hence the name, "Fear Factory"). Christian Olde Wolbers is also a good bassist.

Anyway, all I can say is, this is industrial metal at its finest (and possibly heaviest). I can't put the feeling of adrenaline I get when listening to it. Buy the album and hear for yourself.

I recommend it to:
Fear Factory Fans
Metal Fans (I don't care what kind of metal)
Anyone who wants to listen to something that is truly heavy

"We are the new breed, we are the future..."