FEAR FACTORY TO ONCE AGAIN BE CALLED FEAR FACTORY
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 1:00pm by Axl Rosenberg
Twenty days ago it was announced that Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares would be joining forces for a new project with Gene Hoglan and Byron Stroud; at the time, I wondered why the hell what is basically a Fear Factory reunion wasn’t going to be called Fear Factory.
Well, turns out it will be called Fear Factory.
In an interview with Metal Hammer, Bell and Cazares discussed why Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers aren’t involved in this “reunion,” as well as the fates of their other musical projects. Note how they somehow manage to say nothing substantial whatsoever:
Metal Hammer: Christian and Raymond aren’t involved in this new line-up…how and why was that decision made?
Burton: “It’s like a business and I’m just reorganising. After time you realise what’s important and what’s not important, and after talking to Dino again it just felt good and it felt right.”
Metal Hammer: Did you know straight away that you wouldn’t include Christian and Raymond in this…people are obviously going to ask why they’re not involved…
Burton: “We won’t talk about it. Ha ha ha! It’s part of the organisation. We learned some things and we have a really good rapport with Byron, and Gene is an amazing drummer. Dino and I, as the founders of Fear Factory, we thought ‘Hey, let’s try this, a different flavour’. Because wherever me and Dino go, it’ll still be Fear Factory, I believe.”
Dino: “I’ve had many projects in the past and I’ve played with some of the best drummers in this form of music, from Ray Mayorga to Nick Barker, Tim Yeung, Joey Jordison, and now I’m playing with the king of this genre. How could I pass that up? How could anyone pass up a chance to play with Gene Hoglan?”
Metal Hammer: So where does this leave Divine Heresy and The Watchers?
Burton: “in [sic] this day and age of music, you’ve got to keep busy, if you want to stay out there. The other bands, they’re still bands, but right now I’m gonna be working on Fear Factory. The Watchers are still around. I’ve got another band with Byron called City Of Fire that we just finished an album. The more creative and artistic you stay, the better it is for you, because you keep the creativity flowing. If the things you do are different or not, you’re staying creative. I really want to be in an artistic process at this stage in my life and everything has artistic value and Fear Factory is going to be a very true, creative project for me again.”
Dino: “I’m constantly writing music all the time. I think music sometimes. Even when I walk down the street I have to walk in rhythm. I think in beats and guitar riffs and I have to get them out. I can’t let it build up, I have to let it out. I’m constantly writing and working on other projects.”
So, to review: Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers aren’t part of Fear Factory Mach 3 because of “business reorginization,” and Divine Heresy and The Watchers are… what? Does anyone really believe that every other member of Divine Heresy does not currently find himself unemployed?
This is bullshit hype from two dudes who have been in the game long enough to know how to give perfect non-answer answers. There was money to be made here and that’s what this is all this about; if Axl Rose and Dave Mustaine have taught us anything, it’s that the band name is the brand that sells, regardless of the line-up.
And I’d be more pissed about their transparent dishonesty… if I actually gave two shits about Fear Factory. As it stands, I’m already tired of thinking about this.
In fact, I think I’m all done now.
-AR
Holy ass burgers, Fear Factrory with Dino AND Gene??!
This is indeed interesting.
Although I believe it has something to do with Raymond and Christian’s Arkaea project.
*face palm*
HELL YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And they’ve been confirmed for Bloodstock Festival today too.
ANYTHING to keep Burton Bell from releasing another Ascension Of The Watchers record.
Gene Hoglan is the man Fear Factory hasnt made a good record in a long long time
curious to hear the new FF but not like OMFGZ lol
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………….
if I gave two shits about Divine Heresy, I’d be beyond pissed.
i bet christian and raymond wanted more money than FF, INC was willing to pay. nothing more, nothing less. “business reorganization” means just that… and if anyone can give raymond a run for his money, it’s gene hoglan.
Meh, givesaf. Fear Factory got consistently worse on each newer album. I’d buy the re-recorded Arch Enemy cd before I bought the new Fear Factory album. Although, I’d probably buy that Arch Enemy cd before a lot of other stuff, too.
Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera have their own new band with Jon Howard and Pat Kavanagh of Threat Signal called Arkaea.
http://www.myspace.com/arkaeamusic
I think they sound pretty good.
Not for nothing, but if these two are back together, for them not to call it Fear Factory would be the stupidest thing they could do. The only FF I enjoy on any major level is Demanufacture and the two they put out with Christian on guitars – Archetype and Transgression. I’m not expecting the be all end all of metal music, but this new record could prove interesting.
I love the other guys from FF, but Burton, Dino, and Gene??? Hell yeah!! Can’t wait.
FF without Dino sucked donkey balls. Gene is just as good or better than Raymond. I really hope Burton and Dino can bring some pride back to Fear Factory so I can put the patch back on my backpack. (the Coal Chamber one will never go back. ever.)
“Archetype” is a damn good, underrated album without Dino, and “Digimortal” was an AWFUL album with Dino. It’s not like everything Dino touches turns to gold.
this will be intresting!
have you heard arkaea? they suck. divine heresy is way better, and proves that dino was what gave fear factory its force. christian has a great musical mind, but wrote FF riffs that felt less dynamic and flat compared with dino’s, including the DH stuff. i heard DH and i was like, why couldnt FF do this? ill miss ray on the drums, but, with gene on instead, i might actually not. that guy is perfect for this stuff.
Hmmm… I’m listening to Slave Labor by Fear Factory right now and I must say, is someone being a hypocrite right now?
I’m a big fear factory fan and I would love to see them in concert! I’m really iffy on how the new album is going to sound, sure it all sounds good on paper, but is this the band that gave us…DIGIMORTAL?!?!?! I read comments on how Transgression sucked. So when a band of this magnitude lays a GIANT DOOKIE of an album on us and 1/2 of the members get back together, we automatically forget about the bad album? I’m not saying that Transgression was awesome, it was a hell of a lot better than Digimortal. Hell, Archetype IMO was better than Obsolete.
I’ll give anything a spin. And leave the final product for judgment. Christian and Raymonds band does have a absolute FF sound. They even said the stuff on their album was going to be on the next FF record. Check out their song “Locust” I think its pretty solid.
Like the above individual suggested, try before you condemn. It could be some bad-ass new shit that puts all of those Suicide Silence (and ilk) whipper-snappers in their place.
i think this record should be sweet, it sucks that it aint original line-up but theres still time for that..
and i think ff’s only “bad albums” were digimortal and transgression, but i still found songs on those albums that i like.
i hate the singer for arkaea/TS because his melodics sound like linkin park and his high screaming pierces my brain.
but i like everything else.
and the watchers needs finer tuning then it could be an awesome hangover album.
I wonder if Burton will be singing in tune live this time around… but then again he’s managed to get away with it up until now.
I’m willing to bet that tommy vext is feeling alright about his departure from divine heresy these days.
Not interested in this shameful reincarnation of Fear Factory. Arkaea is the band people should actually be interested in…
http://www.arkaea.com/sampler/sampler.html
This stuff wouldn’t be too bad, if it weren’t for the generic, and just generally SHITTY vocalist ruining things. Herrera is still a beast however.
This sounds like a repeat of the Gorgoroth/God Seed thing all over again!
Oh man, after listening to Arkaea I’m glad they didnt’ involve Christian and Raymond. Is that what they’re up to? Really? You know, Dino always did blame Christian for Back the Fuck up…
Also, I’ve been “feelin’” me some “mad” Fear Factory nostalgia lately. Boys, you’re timing couldn’t have been more better. You better you better you bet!
THIS SOUNDS FUCKING GREAT!
WOW I AM SUPER PUMPED ABOUT THIS I MEAN MAN!
I CANNOT WAIT!
Unfortunately or fortunately, depends of how you view the current status of Metal being a bit more popular, (Hence the TV show Bones having a whole story revolving around Black Metal and DeathCore, which was very absurd and funny.) Well there’s money to make, I respect bands like Carcass or Brutal Truth doing albums again cause they never left. I stopped listening to Fear Factory since Demanufacture. So FUCK FF AND THE HORSE THEY RODE ON!!!
This Fear Factory lineup HAS TO outweigh that dallas cowbitch band lineup! I mean, yea they’re football front linesman, but neither Dine nor Gene has seen their own johnsons for at least 20 years! I met Dino a year ago and he has to stick his arm out all the way just reach yours when he shakes your hand! But Dino and Gene are definitely two of the best in the biz. \m/
1st of all Divine heresy owns arkaea but owns it but shit burt,dino and fucking gene holy fucking shit!
this is one for the records! i cant fucking wait i will be a 1st day buyer for sure.
Hold on a second……..did anyone ever stop and think who Fear Factory was???? It was , Burton , Christian , Dino and Raymond!!!!! Burton gave up on Fear Factory because “he had outgrown the angry music”. It’s sad , then he wants a fuckin comeback , calling it “Fear Factory” without ALL of the original members?!?! Dont get me wrong , I LOVE FEAR FACTORY , even went as far as having the logo from Soul of a New Machine tatted on me , my kids grew up listening to Fear Factory but , this new thing going on , its not the same, its no longer Fear Factory! As much as it hurts to say this , its a reunion between two douchebags that want to make money! They dont give a shit about the fans! If they did , they would give us back the original shit so many loved!
as long as it brutal the bass and the bass drums pound and burton realises that metal is still in his veins then with dino and holgan back in the picture it should be an ear nummer. burton lost sight of a genre he helped to create but finding his way back to ff may be the best thing he could do. and reguardless of what albums we all like one thing could be said about burton he is in a league of his own when it comes to vocals and diverisity. burton made ff what it is was im not knocking woblers or raymond but if all of ff were to get together minus burton it wouldnt be fear factory. i mean its a shame woblers was there the whole time but sometimes departure is for the best. i know this is a llitle off course and topic but look at lynard skynard they had over 20 line up changes and they still remain a heavy hitter in southern rock. burton and ff were one off the first bands of its kind in this genre and burton knows what he wants and what the fans expect when it pertains to ff . i have no doubt that it will be anything less of what we all expect of ff factory unbridal brutality dark crushing lyrics and ear blasting riffs .