Fear Factory's Biography
In Ocotber 1990 Fear Factory was born. Burton C. Bell did the
vocals, Dino Cazares was on Guitar and bass, and Raymond Herrera
was on drums. A man by the name of Andrew Shives was hired later
to play bass at live shows.
In 1992 their first album was released entitled "Soul Of A
New Machine". Shives was Credited on Soul of A New Machine
for playing bass even though he didn't...Dino actually did!
In 1993 a small 6 song ep was released in europe entitled
"Fear Is The Mindkiller". This ep had some very
ground-breaking metal/techno mixes on it.
In 1993 Fear Factory also released a 7" single under thier
spanish name Factorio DeMiedo, and the name of the single was
called Sangre De Ninos, Cry Now.. Cry Later. I'm still looking
for a copy of this! Note that this is the only song that was ever
recorded in a studio with Andrew Shives on bass.
In 1995 Fear Factory released a really awesome album entitled
"Demanufacture". This is the album that really hooked
me. Every song on this album is just un-believably heavy. Fear
Factory has a very unique sound and it really comes across on
this album.
The following is a small press packet released by roadrunner
records about the "Demanufacture" album:
A soundtrack for an anonymous person struggling to exist in a
world where the sense of individuality is unacceptable... even
taboo. A soundtrack for an anonymous person who is sick and tired
of government lying to everyone when government conspiracy is a
way of life. A soundtrack to spearhead the resistance and create
a new society.'
Demanufacture is a collection of songs which involves YOU as a
central conceptual character in a world where your anonymous
leader is simply trying to survive. "Demanufacture,"
the title song, sets the mood of the record. A vicious and
unrelenting anthem in which the main character finally puts their
foot down and will accept no more bullshit from everyday life.
"New Breed" is Fear Factory fighting, showing that
there will be change, that there has to be a new destiny, that
there will be a new future. "Body Hammer" describes the
anger of the new leader, who will stop short of nothing to
declare and implement the necessary changes in bringing about the
demise of a fucked up society. "Flashpoint" shows that
we can all face up to our past, that it is perhaps better to
purge ourselves of past lies and actions, that there can be
happiness and joy found in the establishment of a clean slate.
Demanufacture unfolds yet further, detailing a cold, aggressive
and vital time when one new leader struggles to establish a new
way. It is a product of vision and fear, and everyday intensities
that push Fear Factory beyond the boundaries of normal, daily
stress and thought.
For Fear Factory, the chill runs deep during studio work, their
own fears and worries doubling under the pressure of production.
It gives them an edge. "We're fearful and paranoid of
putting out a bad record," says Dino. "A bad record to
us would be one that isn't tightly played, isn't well worked out.
If there's any room for human error, it's ever so slight, which
his why computers are a big comfort zone, because of their
accuracy."
Fear Factory, as you have doubtlessly gathered, embrace
technology warmly. "Computers are the wave of the
future," Dino states. "We record half of our album's
using computer technology, and it's great, we loved it! What we
really like about machines, computers, all that sort of equipment
is the cold harshness of the sound it generates. Multiple
tracking on the guitars, sampled and then quadrupled put into the
computer with the drum tracks really gives it a cold, hard feel;
the really abrasive, brittle sound we like."
Living in Los Angeles has left Fear Factory open to potentially
great physical harm on many occasion. That manifests itself into
studio contained aggression, that being another key element to
Demanufacture. "Agression is the main emotion we feel while
we're recording," Burt explains. "It's like living in a
meltingpot like L.A., there's a lot of stress involved and our
lives in general always happen to see stress channeled into work.
Tension's everywhere. Dino was at the Whiskey in L.A. buying a
drink for himself and this girl when some guy bumped his arm.
Dino spilled the beer he just bought,a four dollar Bud! So he
said, "Hey you just bumped me and spilled my beer," and
the guy just looked at Dino and said, "So f****g what!"
Dino told him that maybe he could help pay for another and he
just said, "You know what? F*** you! I could shoot you right
now, blast you right here," and he pulled this gun out and
started waving it at Dino! Dino could've died over a
Budweiser!" (End of RoadRunner press packet)
1995 also saw the release of two Fear Factory songs on two
different movie sound tracks. "Scumgrief" from their
first album got on the "Hideaway" soundtrack, and
"Replica" made it on to the "Mortal Combat"
soundtrack.
Fear Factory has toured with Sepultura, Biohazard, Megadeth,
Korn, Iron Maiden, and Ozzy Osbourne. Everywhere from Europe to
Australia to Mexico and, of course, extensively in America.
In 1996 the "Dog Day Sunrise" single was released. It
came with an edit and lp version of the title song, a remix of
"Replica" and a song entitled "Concreto". Also in 96, Fear Factory plays a show in California for Ozzy
Osbourne's "Ozzfest" which was later released on audio
and video with FF doing "Replica".
In 1997 Re-manufacture was released. This was a bunch of old FF songs remixed with techno beats. Very nicely done! This same year also saw the release of the "Gabber Mixes" 4 song single, and the "Burn" 4 song single. On July 27, 1998 Obsolete was released. In my opinion this album is the best yet! Go get it! In 1999, it's espected to appear the Obsolete Remixes, as on the two previous FF's albums. The band has recorded a new CD-Single, "Cars". Time shall tell...