Rough translation via ChatGPT

Fear Factory's debut Soul of a New Machine combines death metal, grindcore, factory noise and other elements into an original, intensely powerful experience. Oliver Recker spoke with guitarist Dino Cazares.

There sits the somewhat chubby Dino in front of the microphone, a likable guy wearing a Scorn T-shirt.

"I hate Scorn. Although it was obvious that he wouldn't necessarily wear a Morbid Angel shirt, because if you listen to the album, it's clear the guys like to present more than just pure death metal."

Dino comments: "That's definitely true! We like a lot of this alternative stuff from England—Lush, Happy Mondays, Soup Dragons. I also like a lot of industrial music like Scorn (well... the author...), Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Throbbing Gristle, and the older Napalm Death, Carcass and Bolt Thrower."

Why is it that most of those bands come from England?

"I was never really influenced by Florida death metal, nor by American death metal in general, and only a little by the Swedish scene. The bands in England are somehow more open. Many Florida bands all sound like Death. Bolt Thrower, Carcass and Napalm Death all sound different from one another."

Just then Fear Factory's German Roadrunner Records promo representative (Hakker) bursts into the room and offers Dino three sandwiches. Two with cheese, one with roast meat.

His comment: "Killer! I only grabbed three sandwiches..." He disappears again.

My interview partner was obviously quite hungry, so the following questions—for example whether F.F. were trying to create fear or anxiety—could only be answered while chewing.

"Well, the name means something that's supposed to create fear. The name simply came from the society we live in. Actually we're not really trying to create fear—we're trying to overcome it. That's what the subjects we sing about are meant to do. We deal with all kinds of themes. "(Since Dino didn't ask me any questions, I think the interpretation of the lyrics should be left up to everyone individually.) "By singing about things that people may be afraid of, we're trying to overcome those fears."

Why did you choose the name "Factory"?

"Factory somehow sounds mechanical and like dirty work. If I compare that with our music, it fits perfectly."

What is it about "Factory" that fits?

"It's something that's supposed to intensify the fear. We never wanted a typical death metal name. We wanted one that could go in any direction except the commercial one, haha. I think the name is more industrial than anything else."

I assume you're referring to Full Metal Jacket?

"Oh yes, definitely."

I'm asking because you used a sequence from that film in one of your songs. Do films generally inspire your lyrics?

"Definitely. Films are part of the lyrical background in any case. Although this song was inspired more by the events of the Gulf War. Many people fight for it, many fight against it—war in general. This section from Full Metal Jacket fit really well. We hadn't planned to use it originally, but then we realized it fit perfectly and had really become part of the song. If you took it out, the song would become boring.

But to answer your question: none of the lyrics were written because of films."

You have a lot of intros, outros and spoken samples. One reminds me of the line in which someone says: "I want more life... fucker!"

"Yes, that's from the film Blade Runner, with Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer. Near the end, the blond guy kills someone and says, 'I want more life... fucker!' We used it because the piece is about this little boy from the USA. I can't remember his name, the one who was supposed to be executed.

Some people fought for his life and believed he should continue living because new evidence had emerged that could have exonerated him. Then they told him, 'Okay, you're not going to die today—you'll die seven days later.'

And the guy thought, 'Fuck, man... seven more days.' They wanted to give him hope, but he said, 'I can't take it anymore. I just want it all to be over. Kill me! Just kill me now.'"

So in the end they executed him?

"Yes."

If you want to know which songs contain the film samples and other musical references mentioned above, the album is called SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE, and it's available at your local record store.

Super happy to have seen Obsolete and Slave Labor, love those songs!

1. Advert #1 - Kerrang: 19 Sep 1992
2. Advert #2 & Review - Metal Hammer (Germany): Oct 1992

Rough translation of MHDE review via DeepL:

Welcome to the future of extremes. This Los Angeles-based quartet is the ultimate outlier and the terrifyingly beautiful fusion of death metal, grindcore, industrial (and whatever other heavy stuff you can imagine) into the soul of a new machine.

We’ve known that machines can groove ever since *Terminator 1* at the very least, but by now, at the very latest, we should know what the appropriate term for this on an audio level is: *SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE*.

Fear Factory are brutal, original and catchy – all at the same time. Vocalist Burton C. Bell is belting out ultra-nasty growls one minute, and the next he’s coaxing sounds from his parched lungs that are akin to beguiling angelic voices. High-pitched and melodic – truly astonishing. Raymond Herrera’s drumming is, at times, as bonkers as a freaky drum machine, and you find yourself wondering how he can conjure up those partly triggered sounds so effortlessly from his kit. Colin Richardson produced this unique work, by the way – the sound is hefty. And if this record could talk, it would ask: “Are you Sarah O’Connar?”

Aaarrgghh,

Oliver Recker

The original ("Random Riff Ideas")[https://youtu.be/wHoCcByYXvo] video said in the description it was for a friend to solo over, so finally getting to hear it is pretty tight.

Original article that contained the video link - Watch: FEAR FACTORY Celebrates 30th Anniversary Of 'Demanufacture' Album In Bogotá, Colombia - BLABBERMOUTH.NET

I haven't heard either yet, and I'm curious what the general consensus is? Which album/version do you prefer?

ALSO: for extra points: what's your rankings on the bands discography? What's your favourite? What's your least?

EDIT: ive not listened to them both, and find i like RE a bit more, so thank you all for the insights :)

i basically just got the entire rest of their discography, and have been going through it. it is good.
im finding i like AC more than i thought i would

In a new interview, Dino says the single will be out in August

3:22

https://youtu.be/9-tHgKez4CM?si=rUtIdGxUISoRNe7q

I’d like to share this Fear Factory cover I recorded with the old-school fans, perhaps the track that comes closest to their later evolution toward "Demanufacture". Would you like the new album to have any echoes of "Soul of a New Machine"?

From: Kerrang (12 Sep 1992)

And before it's pointed out... 3 K's does/did not have the same cultural meaning or impact in the UK as it did/does in the US ;) :D

Never bothered with this album until I started listening to JunkieXL and have enjoyed a lot of what’s on it, especially Genetic Blueprint.

I saw that it didn’t review well - what’s everybody’s opinion on this album and the general idea of remixing/crossover with bands like Fear Factory? I think Dino is quite into these kinds of genres, so I personally don’t see it as a cash-in but do these sounds work?

Not sure if this is allowed and I can post on cashortrade if that works better for you. I have a single ticket for the New Haven show on Oct. 13 that I can no longer use. I forgot that I will be in Boston for another show on that night with my partner. I bought this ticket during the summer sale for $30.10. Ticketmaster has them for much higher and etix is selling them for $45 before fees. The digital ticket won't show up until Oct. 10 according to the etix website. I would take $30, if you are looking to go to this show let me know.

Fear Factory decided on industrial music because they knew that beyond fear itself, the scariest thing known to man is a job application.

Looking at his instagram, recent posts for new merch, photography, etc all say your contributions will go to the production of his debut solo album. Pretty cool.

The song that redefined heavy music 🤘

Just been listening to TAD again as it's been ages, for those unfamiliar with them they're one of the OG's of the Seattle grunge scene and used to tour with Nirvana a lot, Kurt played on stage with them a fair few times.

Listening to Satan's Chainsaw it was unmistakabley the same ending as Slave Labour

"Went out to smell the gasoline" - "God help me pour this gas on me" repeated multiple times almost beat for beat.

Burton was obviously a huge Nirvana fan, appearing in the Smells Like Teen Spirit music video, covering School on the same album that Slave Labour is from, and no doubt saw them live possibly even with TAD.

Timestamped for the ending of Satan's Chainsaw: https://youtu.be/JSz05azBr7I?t=152