Fear Factory disbanded in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but they reformed later that year minus founding member Dino Cazares, adding bassist Byron Stroud, and casting then-bassist Christian Olde Wolbers as guitarist.
In April 2009, a new lineup was announced with founding guitarist Cazares returning, and Gene Hoglan being added as drummer. Bell and Stroud are both reprising their respective roles, and the band had completed a seventh studio album, Mechanize. Former members Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera (both currently playing in Arkaea) dispute the legitimacy of the new lineup, and a legal battle is underway from both parties.
The band has performed at three Ozzfest as well as the inaugural Gigantour and has had singles in the US Mainstream Rock Top 40 and albums in the Billboard Top 40, 100 and 200. Prior to 2001 they have toured around 2000 shows. They have sold over 1 million albums in the US alone.
Fear Factory's roots lie in an outfit formed by guitarist Dino Cazares (formerly of The Douche Lords) and drummer Raymond Herrera in Los Angeles, California in 1989. Their first line-up was completed with the addition of vocalist Burton C. Bell (ex-Hate Face) allegedly recruited by an impressed Cazares upon overhearing him singing New Year's Day by U2 in the shower at a common boarding. Cazares played bass on the first 3 Fear Factory albums Concrete, Soul of a New Machine and Demanufacture.
They started out under the name Ulceration, apparently picked for no real reason other than that Burton C. Bell and/or other members thought it would "just be a cool name" for the band, but they subsequently shifted to Fear Factory in 1990; the new moniker being more reflective of their burgeoning new death metal sound, influenced just as much by early British industrial metal, industrial music and grindcore as much as it continued to remain firmly rooted in a conservative extreme metal approach; a facet of their music that eventually saw the band’s appeal spread out over a wider music audience.
The earliest demo recordings of the band are strongly reminiscent of the early works of Napalm Death and also Godflesh an acknowledged influence of the band, in the grindcore driven approach of the former and the mechanical brutality, bleakness and vocal stylings of the latter. The demos are remarkable for integrating these influences into their death metal sound and for Burton C. Bell’s pioneering fusion of extreme death growls and clean vocals in the same song, which was to become a significant and influential element of the band’s sound throughout their career. The use of grunts and "throat singing" combined with clean vocals has later defined the nu metal and newer genres of metal. Many vocalists, in today's metal scene, use two or more methods of singing and vocalizing lyrics. The band contributed two songs to the L.A. Death Metal Compilation in 1990. They played their first show on Wednesday, October 31, 1990.
Fear Factory’s innovative approach towards, and hybridization of the genres of industrial metal, death metal and alternative metal has had a lasting impact on metal music ever since the release of their first album in 1992. Fear Factory is noteworthy among contemporaries for their lyrical focus on science fiction, with much of their music telling a single story spanning several concept albums.
The band has often been called a "stepping stone" leading mainstream listeners to venture into less-known/more extreme bands, and are consistently appreciated.
In the Soul of a New Machine re-release, Machine Head vocalist Robert Flynn, Chimaira vocalist Mark Hunter and Spineshank guitarist Mike Sarkisyan have cited Fear Factory as an influence in the liner notes. Robert Flynn stated his vocal style was influenced by Burton Bell's vocals and that Machine Head have been wrongly credited for the vocal style. Mark Hunter stated that Chimaira's drumming was heavily influenced by Raymond Herrera. Other bands that have Fear Factory in their liner notes include Disturbed, Static-X & Coal Chamber.
Modern bands such as Mnemic, Scarve, Sybreed, Threat Signal, and Last Scene Ends contain significant influences of the band’s technique and have also credited a substantial debt of gratitude to the band.
Current
• Burton C. Bell – lead vocals (1989–present)
• Dino Cazares – guitar (1989–2002, 2009–present)
• Gene Hoglan – drums (2009–present)
• Byron Stroud – bass (2003–present)
Former
• Raymond Herrera – drums, percussion (1989–2008)
• Christian Olde Wolbers – bass (1993–2002), guitar (2002–2008)
• Dave Gibney – bass, vocals
• Andy Romero – bass on Concrete (1991–1992)
• Andrew Shives – bass (1992–1993)
Fear Factory
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Description
Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal, groove metal, thrash metal and industrial metal. The resultant sound proved to be enormously influential on the metal scene from the mid-90s and onwards.
Announcements
American alternative metal act Fear Factory has revealed the dates for its forthcoming U.S. tour. The new dates are set to make up ones that were lost when the band canceled the same tour several months ago. You can view the new dates below:
6/01 Tempe, AZ – The Club House
6/02 El Paso, TX – Club 101
6/03 Fort Worth, TX – The Rail Club
6/04 Tulsa, OK – The Marquee Theater
6/05 Amarillo, TX – The Sorority House
6/07 Farmington, NM – Top Deck
6/08 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
6/09 Tucson, AZ – DV8 Nightclub
6/10 West Hollywood, CA – Whisky A Go Go
6/11 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
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