FEAR FACTORY Guitarist Defends Decision To Utilize Drum Machine On 'The Industrialist'

ReGen Magazine recently conducted an interview with guitarist Dino Cazares of Los Angeles cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY. You can now watch the chat below.

When asked about FEAR FACTORY's decision to embrace drum-machine technology completely on the band's new album, "The Industrialist", Dino said, "The songwriting process was much quicker, much more efficient, much more cost effective. Obviously, a band like FEAR FACTORY has always embraced the technology from the beginning — we've always been open about it, we've always talked about it. We've always talked about guys like [producer] Rhys Fulber helping us out, ever since 'Fear Is The Mindkiller', which was after 'Soul Of A New Machine'. We've embraced all that. Most people are saying, 'Them using drum programming is no different. It doesn't really sound any different.' You know what I mean?! They can expect it from a band like FEAR FACTORY. Again, it's very cost effective. The way music is going today, a lot of people don't make much money anymore, unless you're a big radio band or something like that. But for metal bands like us, we make most of our money just on touring and selling merchandise. And the record company is not giving much advances anymore. So you have to find ways to cut corners, financially, to try and save money. But this is nothing new for us, again, at the same time, 'cause when me and Burt first did our first demo back in 1990, it was with a drum machine. . . So it's nothing new for us. We started that way. . . And then it wasn't until we met Rhys Fulber when we did the remix album, 'Fear Is The Mindkiller', which was in 1992, and that was when we were like, 'OK, Rhys can afford all this technology. Let's bring it in, let's embrace it, let's use it.' And ever since then, we've always gotten criticized for it. Because most metal fans, they just don't… At the time, back in 1992, it was not really well known in metal to do that kind of [stuff]… I'll put it this way: it wasn't really spoken about. I mean, bands have used other members and other stuff, samplers and stuff like that, to do certain things, but it was never talked about, they never brought it to anybody's attention. We embraced it and that has has kind of always been our concept."

"The Industrialist" sold 9,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Mechanize", opened with 10,000 units back in February 2010 to land at No. 72.

FEAR FACTORY's 2005 CD, "Transgression", registered a first-week tally of 19,000 back in August 2005 to enter the chart at No. 45. This was substantially less than the first-week number registered by its predecessor, "Archetype", which sold 32,000 copies back in April 2004 to debut on the Billboard chart at No. 30.

Released in North America on June 5 via Candlelight Records, "The Industrialist" is a conceptual record based around a story written by Burton C. Bell. Lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel magazine. The album's artwork was created by American designer Anthony Clarkson with additional direction from the band. The album will be available on three formats — standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs),and 180-gram double vinyl.

"The Industrialist" again pairs FEAR FACTORY with producer Rhys Fulber. Mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, SKINNY PUPPY, MACHINE HEAD),with additional tracking by Logan Mader (GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY),the album is the second written by Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split.

FEAR FACTORY recently enlisted Matt DeVries as the band's new bass player. DeVries, previously of CHIMAIRA (where he played guitar) and most recently SIX FEET UNDER, joined FEAR FACTORY as the replacement for Byron Stroud (now with 3 INCHES OF BLOOD). FEAR FACTORY also tapped Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY, SYSTEM DIVIDE) as its new touring drummer.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral