RAYMOND HERRERA Talks FEAR FACTORY Legal Dispute, ARKAEA Debut; Audio Available

July 20, 2009

Rock My Monkey recently conducted an hour-long interview with ARKAEA/FEAR FACTORY drummer Raymond Herrera. The chat is now available for streaming and/or download at this location.

ARKAEA — the new band featuring Herrera and FEAR FACTORY guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar) — released its debut album, "Years In The Darkness", on July 14 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The CD was produced by Christian Olde Wolbers and ARKAEA and mixed by legendary producer Terry Date, best known for his work with the DEFTONES, SLIPKNOT, WHITE ZOMBIE, SOUNDGARDEN and PANTERA. The album was mastered at Sterling Sound by Ted Jensen, who mastered FEAR FACTORY's gold-certified 1998 release "Obsolete".

"Locust", the debut video from ARKAEA, can be viewed below.

Singer Jon Howard (THREAT SIGNAL) describes ARKAEA's familiar-yet-innovative sound: "Chris and Ray have been writing together for many years, so the music does have a lot of FEAR FACTORY elements. However, we've been open to trying different things. It basically fuses what I have been doing vocally in THREAT SIGNAL with driving FEAR FACTORY rhythms, along with some of our own experimentation. The idea behind the project is to be heavy, but maintain melody at the same time. We have crazy riffs, but some grooving choruses as well. It's a great mix."

Howard has been a part of the FEAR FACTORY family ever since Wolbers served as producer for THREAT SIGNAL's debut, "Under Reprisal". Given that connection, the chemistry was there the instant the band started jamming. Howard has managed to push himself as a singer with the help of the veteran musicians. "I always try to do new things and experiment with my voice, and this project has been challenging," said Howard. "It always takes a little time to get comfortable working with new people and a new style of music, but I got over that really fast with Christian and Raymond, and I feel very comfortable where we're going right now."

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