ITP V.021 REVIEW: FEAR FACTORY: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM"

 

BAND: FEAR FACTORY (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.)

GENRE: INDUSTRIAL METAL

LABEL NUCLEAR BLAST

 RELEASE DATE: 6/18/2021

TITLE:"AGGRESSION CONTINUUM"

   PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): 

"GENEXUS", 8/72015 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS. 

"THE INDUSTRIALIST", 6/5/2012 via CANDLELIGHT. 

"MECHANIZE", 2/5/2010 via AFM RECORDS. 

"THE BEST OF FEAR FACTORY" (COMPILATION), 9/11/2006 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"15 YEARS OF FEAR" (LIVE COMPILATION-EP), 2006 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"TRANSGRESSION", 8/24/2005 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS/CALVIN RECORDS. 

"BITE THE HAND THAT BLEEDS AND RELATED ARCHETYPAL IMAGERY" (VIDEO), 11/16/2004 via LIQUID 8. 

"ARCHETYPE", 4/19/2004 via ROADRUNNER and LIQUID 8. 

"HATEFILES" (COMPILATION), 4/7/2003 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"CONCRETE", 7/29/2002 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY" (LIVE VIDEO) , 12/18/2001 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"DIGIMORTAL", 11/1/2001 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"CARS" (EP),  9/20/1999 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

  "MESSIAH" (COMPILATION), 1999 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"RESURRECTION" (EP), 9/14/1998 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"OBSOLETE", 7/28/1998 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"REVOLUTION" (EP), 1998 ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"REMANUFACTURE" (REMIX COMPILATION), 5/21/1997 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"DEMANUFACTURE", 6/16/1995 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"FEAR IS THE MINDKILLER" (REMIX COMPILATION), 4/14/1993 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"THE BREED BEYOND" (SPLIT WITH CYNIC, BELIEVER, PESTILENCE,  TERPONEM), 1993 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS. 

"SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE", 8/25/1992 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS.

  "BREAKING BARRIERS" (SPLIT WITH ATROCITY, SICK OF IT ALL, GRUNTRUCK, STAR STAR, OPTIMUM WOUNDED PROFILE), 1992 via ROADRUNNER RECORDS.

 

 

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BEST RELEASE(S)  "DEMANUFACTURE" (1995), "SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE (1992), "FEAR IS THE MINDKILLER" (1993), "REMANUFACTURE" (1997), "OBSOLETE (1998) , "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM"(2021), DIGIMORTAL (2001)

 

 

FEAR FACTORY: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" TRACK LISTING: 

1."RECODE"

2. "DISRUPTOR"

3. "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM"

4."PURITY"

 5."FUEL INJECTED SUICIDE MACHINE"

6. "COLLAPSE"

7. "MANUFACTURED HOPE"

8. "COGNITIVE DISSONANCE" 

9. "MONOLITH"

10. "END OF LINE"

 

   ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: ****1/2
SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE: ****

 

 FEAR FACTORY are a legendary industrial metal band from LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA U.S.A.. 

After lawsuits and a successful crowd funding campaign, FEAR FACTORY are back with a new offering, their last with original vocalist. BURTON C. BELL 

 FEAR FACTORY'S "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" kicks off with the excellent track "RECODE" as FEAR FACTORY experiment with symphonic elements. Staccato thrash metal riffs adorn  FEAR FACTORY'S. "RECODE" with both yelled and clean (er) vocals. Great, well written track.

FEAR FACTORY'S "DISRUPTOR", enters with brutal riff . BURTON BELL'S clean vocals sound great "I AM THE DISRUPTER!". FEAR FACTORY'S "DISRUPTOR" is a simple, but effective track with a mid song thrash break down to die for. 

 The title track from  FEAR FACTORY'S "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" enters dramatically with some sick thrash riffing ala guitarist DINO CAZARES. "No more will I be a victim" screams vocalist BURTON BELL  as the band's tight thrash rhythms will induce a sick pit... 

 .FEAR FACTORY'S "PURITY" is a good nu metal track with an excellent performance by the whole band. FEAR FACTORY'S "PURITY" is melodic enough to be a single, with light, ethereal industrial production.and a nice mid track breakdown. 

 .FEAR FACTORY'S "FUEL INJECTED SUICIDE MACHINE", enters with a short spoken word sequence before the band explodes into thrash oblivion complimented by light symphonic production. "I WILL NEVER STOP: RESISTING" yells FEAR FACTORY vocalist BURTON BELL as he employs both gruff and clean vocals. . 

.FEAR FACTORY'S "COLLAPSE" kicks off with sludgy dare I say it, MESHUGGAH like riff performed at mid pace. . .FEAR FACTORY'S "COLLAPSE" is total groove metal with a mid track symphonic, clean vocal break. . . 

With good drumming and excellent riffing  .FEAR FACTORY'S "MANUFACTURED HOPE" rivals material from "DEMANUFACTURE", yes the track rocks  that hard. BURTON C. BELL pulls off the bands formula of gruff and clean vocals in spectacular fashion. 

.FEAR FACTORY'S "COGNITIVE DISSONANCE" takes a risk with EDM, symphonic production as the main riff sounds like it's been performed by FEAR FACTORY before. However, BURTON BELL's clean, melodic vocal lines are awesome. FEAR FACTORY'S "COGNITIVE DISSONANCE"  over all rocks with tight drumming syncing with the riffs. 

 .FEAR FACTORY'S "MONOLITH" is a hard rock/nu metal track performed at mid pace with sludgy riffing, light keyboards and an excellent vocal performance. WAIT, for the first time ever, FEAR FACTORY feature a solo in "MONOLITH". 

  FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" closes with "END OF LINE"a heavy track with a defined lead riff. "How can this be reality?", sings BURTON BELL and a great vocal performance. .Mid track, "END OF LINE" slows down for a build up, a play on dynamics.  At 5:08 "END OF LINE" slows down for an ambient spoken word section. In closing of  FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM", BURTON C. BELL states "FEAR IS THE MINDKILLER, WHEN THE FEAR IS GONE, ONLY I REMAIN". 

 

  FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" is a semi concept release experimenting with symphonic production. While FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" songwriting isn't as definitive as "DEMANUFACTURE" or "OBSOLETE", the band do feature some tasty riffs, good songs and an over all great performance. 

FEAR FACTORY'S longtime vocalist BURTON C. BELL announced he was leaving the band last year in 2020. FEAR FACTORY guitarist DINO CAZARES is currently looking to replace BELL.  Considering BURTON BELL'S  excellent performance in FEAR FACTORY'S discography, CAZARES has some big shoes to fill. 

 

"RECODE", "DISRUPTER", ."MANUFACTURED HOPE" and the title track seem to be FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM"'s strongest tracks. However there is no filler on  FEAR FACTORY'S: "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM", as every track is unique, heavy and insightful. 

 Despite the lineup change, and a six year stretch in between releases, the soul of FEAR FACTORY'S .machine is STILL alive as "AGGRESSION CONTINUUM" proves to be the bands strongest release in over a decade if not longer. 

While, FEAR FACTORY fans will miss BURTON BELL's charismatic and brilliant vocal performances, guitarist DINO CAZARES will keep the soul of this legendary machine called FEAR FACTORY alive. 

Long Live FEAR FACTORY and thank you BURTON C. BELL for all those amazing years. 

 

   ITP RATING: ****

 PRODUCTION: ****1/2
SONGWRITING: ****

 PERFORMANCE: ****

 

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Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-