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Of all the current angry nu-rockers I have always held Fear
Factory in higher esteem than the rest. They have always managed
to dovetail their harsh, brutal sonic assault with some tuneful
melodies and first-rate composition. Their slower pieces have
always managed to retain their power while their speedy bits
have always managed to stay heavy and clear at the same time.
With their latest release, Digimortal, they have maintained
these foundations.
From the first crushing blows I knew this was going to be
a good listening experience. "What Will Become?"
is classic Fear Factory. Producer Rhys Fulber's handiwork
is quite evident on cuts like the excellent "Damaged."
There is a nice balance of keyboards and samples in with the
wall of sonic fury that Christian Olde Wolbers (Bass) and
Dino Casares (guitar) create.
The nice thing about this album is the fact that it can go
from a hellish fury to a nice melodic section in about a second
and a half. The title track illustrates that quite well. All
hell is breaking loose one minute then suddenly C. Burton
Bell transforms and the vocals seem suddenly more angelic
then sinister. My favorite cut is "Linchpin" which
they played at the Sno-Core Ball when I say them this past
winter. More anthemic than many other songs Fear Factory has
released, it has great texture and showcases the band's strengths
well. The same can easily be said about "Invisible Bodies."
Now I know, judging by the audience reaction when I saw them
live that some fans of the pure relentless death-metal assault
sound of older Fear Factory might scoff at the melodic interludes
found in a higher percentage of this album. To them I say
get over it. This is a fine piece of work, except one thing…
One gripe, I could go the rest of my life without ever EVER
hearing a rap-metal hybrid song and that's why after a couple
of listens I am forced to hit the 'skip' button when "Back
the Fuck Up" rolls around. Even with B-Real (Cyprus Hill)
on vocals, it is a waste of time. This release also contains
some bonus tracks, including one ("Full Metal Contact")
recorded for the video game Demolition Racer.
This is a very good album and I really like it even though
there is really no new ground broken here. Fear Factory fans
will relish this album, especially those who enjoy a good
sense of balance between the hoarse shouts and actual singing.
Digimortal really opens things up and raises the stakes.
--Chadbo
1. What Will Become?
2. Damaged
3. Digimortal
4. No One
5. Linchpin
6. Invisible wounds (Dark Bodies)
7. Acres of Skin
8. Back the Fuck Up
9. Byte Block
10. Hurt Conveyor
11. (Memory Imprints) Never End
12. Dead Man Walking
13. Strain vs. Resistance
14. Repentance
15. Full Metal Contact
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