FEAR FACTORY's 'Demanufacture' Is One Of 'Ten Greatest Covers In Roadrunner History'

March 22, 2010

Since 1910 musicians have associated visual arts with their sonic output in the form of the almighty album cover. And since 1987, Roadrunner Records has been a source of some visually stunning and visually disturbing images in the wide world of album art, nevertheless honoring the tradition. Whether using an image to set the tone for what's to follow on your speakers, or as a means of branding in forever associating a picture with a title, there is no question as to the power of the album cover — which is why the label took a look at every album released on Roadrunner Records U.S. to find the greatest covers in its celebrated history.

Voted on by the Roadrunner worldwide staff, showcasing the iconic vs. the blasphemous, the painted vs. the photographed, as well as the found art vs. the commissioned art, we give you the "Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History" — one at a time.

Feast your eyes on #4 below, and check back at RoadrunnerRecords.com every day as the label counts down to number one.

#10: KING DIAMOND - "Abigail"
#9: MACHINE HEAD - "The Blackening"
#8: TYPE O NEGATIVE - "Slow, Deep And Hard"
#7: SEPULTURA - "Chaos A.D."
#6: KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "The End Of Heartache"
#5: NAILBOMB - "Point Blank"

#4: FEAR FACTORY - "Demanufacture"

Marking the Los Angeles-based metal band's first foray into redefinition, this 1995 sophomore album marks the industrialized crew's move from their aggro death metal roots into a more groove-oriented, techno-infused "futuristic" style, thus producing "Demanufacture" — an album heralded by many as the band's quintessential work.

Both catchy and crushing, the concept of man governed by machine featured within the 11 tracks of this classic, genre-defining album were said by frontman Burton C. Bell to be largely influenced by "The Terminator".

As for the album's art, the stark simplicity of a bar code (the actual bar code of the album for purchase) melded into a human spine signified the man-made machine, machine-conquers-man theme prevalent in FEAR FACTORY's lyrics and sound.

Roadrunner Records Senior VP of A&R Monte Conner on FEAR FACTORY's "Demanufacture":

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