Mechanize

Fear Factory

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Candlelight
• ASIN: B00319ECC4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,530 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

`Mechanize' is the first new album in five years from metal future-thinkers Fear Factory. Featuring a revamped line-up, including the return of original guitarist Dino Cazares and programmer/producer Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly), the album is a full-fisted blast of passion and innovation that sounds like the missing link between's 1995's groundbreaking `Demanufacture' and 1998's more texturally nuanced `Obsolete'. Recorded in Los Angeles it is instantly reminiscent of Fear Factory's most potent moments of discovery yet is hardly a stroll down the old assembly line. Inspired in part by Alvin Toffler's 1984 treatise Third Wave, 'Mechanize' is simply and utterly crushing. From album opener "Industrial Discipline," with its fast rhythms and pinwheeling vocals, to "Fear Campaign," featuring harrowing spoken word passages backed by punishing beats, rapid-fire riffs and ghostly keyboards, 'Mechanize' spectacularly showcases Fear Factory's street-lethal metal. And for the first time in years, the band's industrial and much beloved roots shine through; a first since the band's highly successful remix albums, `Fear is the Mindkiller' and `Remanufacture.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Brutal!!!, February 16, 2010

By	Frank Rini (Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Yes folks it's here-the Fear Factory comeback album that we were all hoping would come out one day. I gots to say that Mean Gene Hoglan drumming for ff is an upgrade. Sound is a more organic and while the double bass is still triggered, it's the fills and rolls that hoglan adds that makes up for better drumming. Also be prepared for blast beats. They are brutal and will kick you in the mouth. Dino obviously was sorely missed in the riff creating dept. Riffs are catchy and super heavy. Burton's vox are brutal, he returns w/some death metal screams and his vocals have never sounded this angry before, coupled w/his more melodic vocals this is the best he has ever sounded. The bass-well it's pretty much buried, so Byron is barely heard throughout the disc. This is the best ff cd since Demanufacture-I would not say it's better than demanufacture though, but it comes pretty darn close. All the tracks are pretty much pummeling. Fantastic to finally hear ff add the death metal influence back and have retained their industrial heaviness. This is review is for the bonus edition, which you should pick up. They redo crash test from s.o.a.n.m.-sounds really brutal here. Other 3 bonus songs are the demo from 1991-really had a huge godflesh influence back then, songs are really slow, they sure sped things up for the debut cd that was to come out the next yr. Anyway this cd smokes and the it's like fear factory '95 all over again. Killer, hope they continue and don't cave in.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New CD that recalls FF's great earlier work, February 14, 2010

By	Scott Hedegard "Scott" (Fayetteville, AR USA) - See all my reviews

You sometimes just can't argue with chemistry and music. Like Plant and Page, Lennon and McCartney and countless other team efforts, sometimes what was needed was a creative tension or cohesion that brought out the best in both partners. And like these famous partnerships, the solo efforts, while in some cases weren't bad efforts at all, they just didn't equal the heights the combinations did. While it would be a stretch to compare Dino Cazares and Burton C. Bell with Lennon and McCartney, in the world of metal, their collaboration far outshines solo efforts. Cazares' first Divine Heresy CD has some punch, but the follow-up, "Bringer Of Plagues", for all its ferocity just doesn't have the tunes and although this reviewer gave it a good review in hopes it would grow on me, I'm sorry to say it hasn't. In fact, it's pummeling without purpose and sadly bereft of hooks.
So Dino hooks back up with Burton C. Bell, and suddenly the spark has been rekindled, very much so. It's been a wait for classic FF fans worth waiting for. "Mechanize" also brings along Gene Hoglan, possibly the greatest heavy drummer out there, with the possible exception of Dave Lombardo, and that's good company. Hoglan fires away with machine gun precision and can also cool it when necessary, which lots of thrash drummers seem to have lost the ability or interest in doing. But the real stars of course are the riffs and great synth programming of Rhys Fulber. This slab has musically squeezed in between "Demanufacture" and "Obsolete", which one may have thought impossible. While the claims on the CD promising new ground breaking territory aren't exactly accurate, "Mechanize" still proves that FF are the quintessential metal industrial band.
A few tracks stand out, including "Christploitation", that has a few lead licks in it, not a common thing for Fear Factory, and the ghostly "Designing The Enemy", which is the musical highlight. "Final Exit" fades away with Fulber's patented synth work, reminiscent of some of the more musical moments on the "Demanufacture/Remanufacture" series. And after all, you shouldn't own "Demanufacture" without its remix partner.
It's high time Fear Factory give Rhys Fulber his due and feature him as a full blown member. Relegating his contributions to the credits section is not giving this guy the attention he deserves. Other than that, "Mechanize" is a great addition to the FF catalogue, more so than the last disc, "Transgression", which seemed to lack a cohesive direction.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great rebound, February 11, 2010

By	Mark A. Marrical "GOD OF WAR" (MESA AZ.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked up this new FF album the day it came out. Since 95 I have been a huge fan of this band. I have to say it is a strong, robust, "mechanical" creation. Every song rocks, and is full of raw power. Thats what this band is. Having Dino back you can hear it in the "emotion" of the songs. Transgression was garbage, and this is a great album......I love it, and keep them coming!