Burton Seabell’s Replacement in Fear Factory Might Be a Lady
Dino Cazares has revealed that Fear Factory’s replacement for vocalist Burton Seabell could be — GASP! — a lady.
The news, which is positively giving us the vapors!, comes from a new interview with Metal Hammer.
The guitarist says he’s received hundreds of audition videos from singers eager to try and fill Seabell’s sea bell. Although Cazares found sifting through that many potential Fear Factorriors “overwhelming,” he’s says he now down to a “handful” of finalists… and that gender “would not play a role” in deciding who ultimately gets the gig:
“It’s an open game. It’s for whoever can handle the job, whoever we get along with, and whoever can go out there every night and bring it.
“I’m saying it could be anyone. It is kind of weird for some people to grasp at that, but I think it’s very exciting. I think we have a very big opportunity to open the door and create something different, and go somewhere different.
“I’m not saying I’m gonna change what Fear Factory’s about, but adding a different voice and a different element could bring some new life into it as well. It would just be another chapter in the Fear Factory story.”
No word on whether or not either of the ladies MetalSucks suggested for job back in October — specifically, Youth Code’s Sara Taylor and Letters From the Fire’s Nina Bergman — are now actually up for the gig… but given that Cazares has said he wants to hire an unknown, I’m guessing not. (The probably rules out Sarah McLachlan, too.)
Fear Factory wouldn’t be the first band to switch up the gender of their singer — Arch Enemy and Into Eternity both did it (I’m sure there are other examples, too… those are just the ones that immediately came to my mind). If it were to happen, I suspect some dummies would be cranky about it and most fans would embrace it. Just my guess.
Fear Factory’s first album in nearly six years, Aggression Continuum, comes out June 18. Listen to the first single, “Disruptor,” here. Then go here and let us know what you think of the song.
