Soul of a New Machine and Demanufacture perfectly captured the time and place in the early-mid 90′s. Electronics and technology were just starting their spread pre-millenial anxiety was getting amped up, all of the people in my age group felt so disconnected from our parents youths of the 60′s and 70′s. The band had this clinical, oppressive feel that struck a chord with me. I remember seeing them on the Machines of Hate tour when I was 14 and not being able to believe what I had just seen. This new album recaptures some of that magic. I remember when Obsolete came out the band was proclaiming how they wanted a more “organic” sound. This was an awful mistake and was pretty much code for “nu-metal beats and a loosened snare”.

Now as someone old enough to have nostalgia (I’m 28) I have to say- if this is what nostalgia feels and sounds like, bring it the fuck on.

Oh, and all you “They were a gateway band but I’ve moved on” people are assholes. If you stop liking stuff just because it’s not as heavy, then you never really liked it to begin with.

I always thought Herrera was an excellent drummer, and he and Wolbers created an awesome low-end. I wasn’t sure if anyone would be able to fill in properly for Herrera, but Hoglan has done an awesome job. He’s obviously no slouch, so when they named him, I wasn’t surprised that Herrera’s void was filled properly (if not exceeded). Stroud is great as well.

People that don’t know anything about electronic music/industrial act like FF just willy-nilly throw these synth parts into their albums, like some REALLY inferior bands do (think shit like Mnemic). They don’t realize who Rhys Fulber is (and that he’s a goddamn industrial pioneer), and the fact that FF works with HIM gives their electronic parts AUTOMATIC credibility; the dude isn’t just random producer trying his hand at mixing metal and industrial; he’s been doing it for years (FLA is amazing…been a fan for like 15 years)