Fear Factory - Mechanize review
| Band: | Fear Factory |
| Album: | Mechanize |
| Style: | Industrial metal |
| Release date: | February 2010 |
01. Mechanize
02. Industrial Discipline
03. Fear Campaign
04. Powershifter
05. Christploitation
06. Oxidizer
07. Controlled Demolition
08. Designing The Enemy
09. Metallic Division
10. Final Exit
11. Crash Test [re-recorded] [digipak bonus]
It wasn't long ago Fear Factory were claiming that "the soul of this machine has improved", following the departure of founding member, axe-man Dino. A questionable album and a legal case later, and Mechanize appears to be the band's seventh and latest full-length. Raymond and Christian do not feature on this album, Dino is back with his multiple-string guitar for the first time since Digimortal. For the first time ever the band also sees a new drummer, going by that familiar name of Gene Hoglan.
There's no question about it that when you hear Dino's signature guitar sound along with Burton's distinctive vocals, you wonder why the two were ever separated. Mechanize sounds fresh, modern, contemporary and it will knock you sideways. Fear Factory has regenerated and updated to the next version.
Performance-wise, this is probably the best the band have ever been. Burton is back on form delivering his roars and clean vocals as good as he ever has, only Dino's guitar has this unreal sound, and Gene blasts out one of his best performances with a fair few blastbeats and amazing control of the kick drums as he outclasses Raymond's past performances with Raymond's own style. Fear Factory have never sounded so extreme and tight, Mechanize is a true professional's performance.
It might sound ideal to have Fear Factory back with an album of frantic, industrial-tinged death metal, but the opportunity cost of the extremity seems to be character. Last song on the album "Final Exit" is the only display of character on the album, and by Fear Factory's standards this song is simply divine. A hint of condemned melody in the clean vocal chorus and a slight dampening of pace makes all the difference.
By no means is the half-hour punishing crush of album beforehand un-enjoyable. Although there may appear to be just one tiny hard-to-put-the-finger-on element still missing, this is the best Fear Factory have been since Obsolete, or even Demanufacture. For the first time since Digimortal, the band sound once again part of the modern time they are a part of. Mechanize is an enormously impressive present-day album that will please fans and casual listeners to no end. Fear Factory are back and mean business.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 10 |
Rating:
9.0
9.0
|
Rating: 9.0 |
One of the best comeback albums you will hear. A bold claim but this album has the quality that can back up such words. Fear Factory mark their return with a purpose that had been missing since Obsolete, more than making up for their absence. From beginning to end, you get an album that makes up for lost time and then some. This album is just an unrelenting barrage of industrial metal attacks that will bombard your senses relentlessly until you're brought back to reality with the ambient refrains that end "Final Exit", serving as a soft landing to see the album out. If you like your metal heavy and in your face, then this is an album for you. Read more ›› |
Comments
- 1
- 2
| demonseed Posts: 58  |
Great review, in fact I agree 100% with you.
---- A Servant in Heaven A King in Hell
Loading...
|
| Athropos Burning inside Posts: 158  |
This album is quite good. For the first time since Demanufacture, I can listen to a complete FF album without skipping any song.
Loading...
|
| Sunioj Posts: 3894  |
Loading...
|
| silenius Posts: 527  |
Loading...
|
| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist staff Posts: 21306  |
I basically wrote these guys off after Obsolete, as everything that seemed to follow that release just sounded like garbage. Archetype has its moments despite being a softer album overall, but Mechanize captures a lot of Fear Factory's best qualities and modernizes their sound as you said. A strong album that has made me think twice about writing them off again; in terms of quality I rank it behind Obsolete and Demanufacture, but for a 2010 release they should be proud of themselves for regaining form like they have here.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
|
| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
I don't understand. This album sounds just like Divine Heresy's Bleed the Fifth, but not as good, but it didn't get nearly as much attention as this album does. Mechanize is almost like a second-hand version of Bleed the Fifth. Burton is one of the very few vocalists who actually ruins the band for me, but in this case, the music isn't even as impressive or as powerful as it has been in the past, which still isn't saying a lot.
Loading...
|
| Eddie Misery Posts: 96  |
Great album, great review, and a great recovery for a band I had given up on completely after Transgression.
Loading...
|
| RafaRata Posts: 117  |
I liked Divine Heresy's new album a lot more, this one just doesn't have the brutality and the catchiness... and I hated the singer's performance.
Loading...
|
| Ag Fox Angel No More elite Posts: 4774  |
I liked Mechanize, but never heard any previous stuff. Which one should I go for?
---- loves 小巫
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237  |
Written by Ag Fox on 01.03.2010 at 16:17 "Demanufacture" is THE Fear Factory album. Turn it up though, it's a bit of a quiet one. After that get "Obsolete" - which is slower but a lot heavier.
Loading...
|
| BitterCOld The Ancient One admin Posts: 15250  |
This is the first FF album i've checked out since "Demanufacture"... i like it. haven't made up my mind on a rating yet, as i want to give it a few more spins. it's likely in the 7-7.5 range for me. good review and right on about Hoglan. without consciously examining or paying attention to the drumming, it still grabbed my focus at points.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237 |
Written by Alakazam on 01.03.2010 at 21:06 I have had this album for quite a long time, but haven't actually got round to listening to it yet. I do intend to though!
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237 |
Written by Alakazam on 01.03.2010 at 21:58 I don't mean on CD, but I didn't download it illegally. I have the digital version from the label (like I have the new Exodus, Cathedral, etc. at the moment that aren't released yet) to use for review. So not everything in my "collection" is on CD, not by a long way. I do still own quite a lot of CDs though.
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237 |
Written by Alakazam on 01.03.2010 at 23:19 Doesn't matter... haha. It's still long-winded and has a couple of tracks on it that just aren't good at all, but I think it's actually a lot better and more thrashy in the old style than the last one. It isn't all good getting to hear albums early though. When I first heard the last Equilibrium album (something like three or four months before it came out) I absolutely loved it, it's still the highest rated review I've ever given now... but I had no one to share my enthusiasm with... torture.
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237 |
Written by Alakazam on 01.03.2010 at 23:45 Hahaha, I have just looked it up. An actual tool box. That's pretty cool, if not just stupid. Haha, weird.
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman elite Posts: 8004  |
I quite like this album. It's definitely not FF's best and I can't say if it sounds like Divine Heresy since I've never heard Divine Heresy, but it's rather good. Actually, I think the first five songs are great, the last one is good, the rest is meh. Clean vocals remind a bit too much of Digimortal. Altogether, better than Transgression, not as good as Archetype. I don't want to compare it to the first three albums.
Loading...
|
| SatyriconChick Posts: 248  |
Written by Ag Fox on 01.03.2010 at 16:17 Their first album, Soul of a New Machine, is amazing! My personal favorite is Demanufacture, but I would recommend both of those to you as a newbie to Fear Factory. 
Loading...
|
| BitterCOld The Ancient One admin Posts: 15250 |
Written by SatyriconChick on 04.03.2010 at 03:28 i'll second "Demanufacture" - i really loved that one. i got "Soul Of A New Machine" when it was first released and thought it was pretty good, but it was "Demanufacture" that sold me on the band. amusingly, that was the last i picked up from them until "Mechanize".
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
Loading...
|
| Valaskjalf Account deleted |
|
| I_Die_Often Posts: 697  |
Always hear raves about Gene Hoglan on drums in any band, and I think on this album, he adds a lot that I have never heard on any FF album. Doesn't just sound like a drum machine this time, there is energy to the drum sound. A very good album! 
---- Old enough to be your Daddy... speaking of which... you look familiar... do I know your mother???
Loading...
|
| @gent_-_orange Posts: 905  |
Loading...
|
| MightyFuckinThor Posts: 29 |
|
| mariano Posts: 369 |
|
| Fane Posts: 292  |
I would give this 7.5 - 8.0 score. Songs aren't as unique as they are on previous albums. Also it lacks some edge in my opinion. Meh, good album anyway.
---- Coffee for power Music for creativity Sarcasm for fun
Loading...
|
| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
|
| Aetherius Posts: 219  |
I'm a little late on the album, but just was able to pick it up the other day! After a couple of complete listens, I agree with this review and all the comments! FF being one of the older bands I have ever listened to, I am very happy to hear this release after a rocky last few years. I Especially agree with the part about the drums. ^^
Loading...
|
| Thrash del Sur Posts: 95  |
Loading...
|
| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Thrash del Sur on 08.12.2011 at 23:11 Metalcore? I'd agree with alternative or industrial, but what about this album says "metalcore" to you?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
|
| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
|
| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
Written by Guest on 08.12.2011 at 23:50 Agreed, he is. As for "Mechanize", I wouldn't quite put it up there with the likes of "Obsolete" or "Demanufacture", but it is mostly a very good album with even the ocassional flash of classic Fear Factory shown at times too. Oh, and "Christploitation" is a monster of a song!
Loading...
|
- 1
- 2
Hits total: 9652 | This month: 18