Fear Factory - Demanufacture (CD)

All Music Guide

Several years ago, it was almost unthinkable that heavy metal would one day turn experimental, with a techno/dance edge added to monstrously heavy riffs. But bands such as Fear Factory are taking heavy metal to the next level, and are certainly not confined to writing the clichéd material that so many other metal bands unfortunately do. On Demanufacture, they add crushing samples that only heighten the intensity of the brutal music, as evidenced on such tracks as "New Breed," "Zero Signal," and the title track. And they've been rewarded for their efforts by gaining a huge audience, as well as opening slots on the original Ozzfest tour and the U.K. leg of the Black Sabbath reunion tour. [Note: the U.K. digipak edition of Demanufacture contains four extra tracks -- "Your Mistake," "Resistancia," "New Breed (Revolutionary Designed Mix)," and "Replica (Electric Sheep Mix)."]

- Greg Prato, All Music Guide