Fear Factory

Fear Factory

Company type	Private
Industry	Music
Founded	1989
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Industrial metal music, studio albums

Fear Factory is a Los Angeles-based American industrial metal group that originated in 1989. Throughout their career, they have produced ten studio albums, consistently developing their signature industrial metal sound. The band has experienced numerous personnel changes, with lead singer Burton C. Bell serving as the only continuous member for 31 years until his exit in 2020. Presently, guitarist Dino Cazares stands as the sole founding member, joined by bassist Tony Campos, vocalist Milo Silvestro, and drummer Pete Webber.

Following their 1991 contract with Roadrunner Records, Fear Factory debuted with Soul of a New Machine in 1992, gaining underground acclaim and expanding their fanbase through extensive touring. The "classic" lineup—comprising Bell, Cazares, drummer Raymond Herrera, and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers—came together in 1994 and produced three pivotal albums: Demanufacture (1995), Obsolete (1998), and Digimortal (2001). The first two albums cemented Fear Factory's status as a dominant metal force during the mid to late 1990s, supported by global tours; however, Digimortal failed to match this level of success.

In March 2002, the band disbanded due to internal conflicts but reunited in 2003 with Wolbers shifting to guitar duties and Byron Stroud joining on bass. This formation released Archetype (2004) and Transgression (2005) before entering a hiatus in 2006. Fear Factory regrouped once more in 2009 featuring Cazares, new drummer Gene Hoglan, Bell, and Stroud; this lineup delivered their seventh studio album, Mechanize (2010). Legal disputes emerged from Wolbers and Herrera—who hold half of the band's legal rights—questioning the legitimacy of this reunion. Despite these challenges, the band continued to release albums including The Industrialist (2012), Genexus (2015), and Aggression Continuum (2021).

Fear Factory has performed at significant music festivals such as four iterations of Ozzfest and the first-ever Gigantour. Their singles have charted within the US Mainstream Rock Top 40, while their albums have appeared on various Billboard charts including Top 40, Top 100, and Top 200 rankings. The group has achieved sales exceeding one million records in the United States alone.

Formation period and Concrete (1989–1991)

The band initially formed in 1989 under the name Ulceration, later adopting "Fear the Factory," inspired by a heavily secured factory near their rehearsal location; this was eventually shortened to "Fear Factory".

Originating from Los Angeles, the founding members included guitarist Dino Cazares—previously part of The Douche Lords—and drummer Raymond Herrera. The original lineup was completed with bassist Dave Gibney and vocalist Burton C. Bell, formerly of Hate Face; Bell was recruited after Cazares overheard him performing U2's "New Year's Day". Notably, Cazares handled bass duties on the first three albums—Concrete, Soul of a New Machine, and Demanufacture—and adapted numerous riffs during the recording sessions.

Their early demo recordings showcased influences from bands like Napalm Death and Godflesh, merging grindcore ferocity with mechanical harshness. Brian Russ of The BNR Metal Pages highlighted how these demos combined such elements alongside Bell's innovative use of death growls paired with clean singing—a hallmark that defined Fear Factory’s sound throughout their career. This vocal technique notably influenced emerging metal subgenres such as nu metal. The band contributed two tracks to the 1990 compilation L.A. Death Metal Compilation and played their inaugural live show on October 31, 1990.

In 1991, Fear Factory recorded sessions with producer Ross Robinson, but declined to sign his recording contract. Retaining ownership of their songs, they re-recorded many of these tracks in 1992 under producer Colin Richardson for their debut album Soul of a New Machine. Robinson maintained rights to those initial recordings and controversially released them in 2002 through Roadrunner Records as Concrete, without the band's consent. This led to disputes including legal action initiated by Robinson—a situation Bell later described as an early indication of the band's turbulent history. The group regards Concrete primarily as a demo precursor to their official debut release.

Soul of a New Machine (1992–1994)

Fear Factory initially encountered refusals from prominent metal labels such as Metal Blade, Earache, Nuclear Blast, and Peaceville. Their fortunes changed after gaining the endorsement of Sepultura’s Max Cavalera, which led to a contract with Roadrunner Records. However, tensions later arose between the band and the label, impacting the creative direction of their 2004 release, Archetype. Before launching Soul of a New Machine, Andrew Shives was brought on board as a bassist for live performances.

Produced by Colin Richardson and released in 1992, Soul of a New Machine broadened the band’s audience and hinted at the emergence of alternative metal. The album showcased Burton C. Bell’s blend of aggressive and melodic vocal styles, Raymond Herrera’s meticulous drumming, industrial sound samples, and Dino Cazares’ heavily down-tuned death metal guitar riffs. All compositions were crafted by Cazares and Herrera, with Cazares also covering bass parts due to the absence of a permanent bassist. Critics from AllMusic recognized the album as "groundbreaking," identifying it as a foundational release for '90s alternative metal.

To promote the album, Fear Factory embarked on extensive U.S. tours alongside Biohazard, Sepultura, and Sick of It All, while incorporating Reynor Diego on sampler and keyboards. Subsequent European tours featured performances with Brutal Truth, Cannibal Corpse, Cathedral, and Sleep. In 1993, the band collaborated with Rhys Fulber from Front Line Assembly to produce remixes with a stronger industrial influence, culminating in the Fear Is the Mindkiller EP. Both this EP and their debut album were reissued by Roadrunner Records in 2004.

Andrew Shives left the band in 1994; consequently, Cazares recorded both guitar and bass tracks for their next project. Later that year, Christian Olde Wolbers from Belgium joined as the official bassist shortly before an upcoming tour.

Demanufacture and Remanufacture (1995–1997)

Fear Factory’s sophomore album, Demanufacture, released on June 12, 1995, signaled a transition from death metal and grindcore towards groove metal. The record featured fast thrash-inspired guitar riffs combined with industrial elements, precise drumming patterns, forceful yet tuneful vocals, and commanding bass lines. Enhanced production incorporated atmospheric keyboard layers and industrial textures that contributed to a cold, mechanized sound with futuristic undertones. Reynor Diego added essential samples and electronic components that enriched the album’s sonic depth.

Receiving a five-star review from the UK’s Kerrang! magazine, Demanufacture achieved notable commercial success by entering the Top 10 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart—surpassing their debut’s performance. The music video for "Replica" was included in the PlayStation title Test Drive 5. Additionally, tracks such as "Zero Signal" featured on the soundtrack for the 1995 film Mortal Kombat, while instrumental versions appeared in the PC game Carmageddon.

In 1995, Burton C. Bell lent his lead vocals to Plastic Planet, the debut album of g//z/r—an alternative metal project founded by Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. That year also saw Fear Factory touring extensively with major acts including Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, and serving as opening act for Ozzy Osbourne across North America and Europe. In 1996, they headlined their inaugural European tour with support from Manhole and Drain S.T.H., performing at festivals such as With Full Force, Wâldrock, and Graspop Metal Meeting. The band also participated in Ozzfest during both 1996 and 1997 as well as Australia’s Big Day Out festival in early 1997.

May 1997 brought the release of Remanufacture - Cloning Technology, a remix album featuring reworked versions of tracks from Demanufacture by artists like Rhys Fulber, DJ Dano, and Junkie XL. This release marked Fear Factory’s first appearance on the Billboard 200 chart. Songs such as "Genetic Blueprint" (New Breed) and "21st Century Jesus" (Pisschrist) were included in Infogrames’ Test Drive 5 for PC and PlayStation (1998). The title track served as the theme for the PC game Messiah (2000) and was later featured in the PSP title Infected (2005). In 2005, Roadrunner Records commemorated both albums with a 10th Anniversary reissue package that included bonus tracks originally available on the digipak edition of Demanufacture.

Obsolete (1998–2000)

Fear Factory’s third album, Obsolete, released in July 1998, was finalized ahead of its planned schedule by withdrawing from the Dynamo Open Air Festival.

Expanding upon the foundation laid by Demanufacture, Obsolete incorporated stronger progressive metal influences and marked Christian Olde Wolbers’ transition to a permanent role in the band. This record introduced Dino Cazares’ first use of 7-string Ibanez guitars tuned down to A, achieving a deeper tonal range. Production responsibilities also saw Rhys Fulber taking on a more prominent position.

As their inaugural concept album, Obsolete conveyed a storyline titled Conception 5, portraying a dystopian future where humanity is supplanted by machines. The narrative was woven into the lyrics booklet, formatted like a screenplay, providing thematic cohesion across the tracks.

Launched during the late-1990s surge in alternative metal, Obsolete was supported by tours alongside Slayer and Rammstein and headlined Ozzfest in 1999. The band also performed European dates with Spineshank and Kilgore and led a North American tour with Static-X despite setbacks caused by theft incidents. This album became Fear Factory’s best-selling release and their first to enter the Billboard Top 100. Singles such as "Descent" and a cover of Gary Numan’s "Cars"—which featured Numan himself—gained attention; "Cars" reached the Mainstream Rock Top 40 and was included in the game Test Drive 6. Numan additionally contributed spoken-word segments on the title track. A music video was produced for "Resurrection". To date, Obsolete remains Fear Factory’s sole album certified gold in the United States.

Digimortal and dissolution (2001–2002)

Following the commercial success of Obsolete, Roadrunner Records encouraged Fear Factory to adopt a more accessible sound for their subsequent album, Digimortal, released in April 2001. Prior to this release, the band toured Europe with One Minute Silence.

Throughout 2001, Fear Factory led an extensive North American tour and appeared at major European festivals including Bizarre Festival, Pukkelpop, Lowlands, and Leeds & Reading. They took part in the inaugural Roadrunner Roadrage tour across North America and toured Europe with Devin Townsend and Godflesh, additionally performing shows in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Digimortal achieved chart positions within the Top 40 on Billboard, Top 20 in Canada, and Top 10 in Australia. Its single "Linchpin" entered the Mainstream Rock Top 40 charts. A remixed version of "Invisible Wounds" appeared on the soundtrack for Resident Evil, while an instrumental bonus track titled "Full Metal Contact" was created for the video game Demolition Racer. In January 2002, the band issued Digital Connectivity, a VHS/DVD compilation chronicling their career through interviews and live footage.

Despite early promise, Digimortal did not replicate the commercial impact of its predecessor and received limited touring support. Creative disagreements culminated in Burton C. Bell’s departure in March 2002, which led to Fear Factory’s breakup. Public statements attributed Bell’s exit to his interest in pursuing less aggressive indie-rock styles. Before disbanding, the group recorded two tracks for The Terminator: Dawn of Fate video game. Roadrunner Records controversially fulfilled contractual obligations by releasing the compilation albums Concrete (2002) and Hatefiles (2003). During this hiatus period, Bell collaborated with John Bechdel on Ascension of the Watchers, independently releasing their EP Iconoclast in 2005.

First reunion and Archetype (2002–2004)

Internal conflicts between Dino Cazares and other members—particularly Burton C. Bell and Raymond Herrera—precipitated Fear Factory’s initial dissolution in 2002. Cazares accused Bell and others of prioritizing financial motives and asserted that the band could persist without Christian Olde Wolbers. Herrera countered by underscoring Olde Wolbers’ essential role while accusing Cazares of manipulating management to control the band’s direction through dishonest means; these disputes ultimately caused the split.

Later that year, Herrera and Olde Wolbers reassembled Fear Factory without Cazares’ involvement. Upon hearing their demos, Bell rejoined the lineup. Olde Wolbers transitioned from bass to guitar duties, while Byron Stroud—formerly of Strapping Young Lad—joined as bassist from 2003 to 2012; Stroud also collaborated with Bell on their side project City OF Fire. Concurrently, Cazares pursued other projects including deathgrind outfit Asesino and later Divine Heresy.

Fear Factory made their return to live performances at Australia’s Big Day Out festival in January 2004, followed by U.S. dates supporting Slipknot and Chimaira on the Jägermeister tour. Their comeback album, Archetype, released on April 20, 2004 via Liquid 8 Records based in Minnesota, marked a stylistic return to their alternative industrial metal origins and was widely regarded as a solid reestablishment of their signature sound elements.

Music videos were produced for "Cyberwaste," "Archetype," and "Bite the Hand That Bleeds," with the latter featured on the soundtrack of the film Saw. The band embarked on tours with Lamb of God and Mastodon across the U.S., as well as Mnemic throughout Europe. Lyrically, Fear Factory shifted focus away from earlier “Man versus Machine” themes towards subjects encompassing religion, warfare, and corporate influence.

Transgression (2005–2006)

Fear Factory accelerated production on their next release, Transgression, collaborating with mainstream rock producer Toby Wright—known for his work with Korn and Alice in Chains—due to pressure from new label Calvin Records to meet an advanced release schedule coinciding with their participation in Dave Mustaine's inaugural Gigantour festival.

Released August 22, 2005 in the UK and August 23 in North America, Transgression received mixed reactions; some critics praised its stylistic variety and evolution while others were less favorable. The album combined classic Fear Factory elements with softer compositions such as "Echo of My Scream" featuring Faith No More's Billy Gould on bass, "New Promise," pop-inflected "Supernova," as well as a cover of U2’s "I Will Follow."

In retrospect, bassist Christian Olde Wolbers expressed dissatisfaction with Transgression, attributing shortcomings to label-imposed time constraints and disapproval of covering U2 material. Frontman Burton C. Bell initially described it as a boundary-pushing effort but later referred to it as a “failed experiment” during a 2015 interview with Nuclear Blast Records.

Following release, Fear Factory toured extensively across the U.S., joining death metal acts Suffocation, Hypocrisy, and Decapitated on the “Machines at War” tour while revisiting classic tracks like "Crash Test". Between 2005 and 2006 they supported Transgression through their global “Fifteen Years of Fear” tour celebrating their anniversary alongside bands such as Darkane, Strapping Young Lad, Soilwork, and Misery Index.

Hiatus and side ventures (2006–2008)

In December 2006, Christian Olde Wolbers announced plans for recording a new album internally after concluding touring for Transgression. That same month Burton C. Bell confirmed Fear Factory had parted ways with Liquid 8 Records.

Rather than immediately commencing work on new Fear Factory material, members explored separate projects: Bell contributed vocals to Ministry's 2007 album The Last Sucker and joined them for touring engagements; he referred to Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen as one of his heroes during interviews where he also discussed forming his own band Ascension of the Watchers inspired by personal artistic direction.

On March 21, 2008—amidst Fear Factory's hiatus—Bell stated in a video interview his intent to move away from aggressive music reflecting violent themes. Meanwhile Wolbers and Herrera formed Arkaea alongside vocalist Jon Howard and bassist Pat Kavanagh from Threat Signal; Wolbers revealed that approximately half of Arkaea’s debut album Years in the Darkness, released July 14, 2009, consisted of songs originally intended for Fear Factory’s next record.

Second reunion amid disputes and release of Mechanize (2009–2011)

On April 8, 2009 Burton C. Bell reconciled with Dino Cazares to initiate a new project including Byron Stroud on bass and drummer Gene Hoglan (known from Testament, Death, Strapping Young Lad). This lineup was publicly announced as Fear Factory on April 28 without Herrera or Wolbers; Bell described it as restructuring a business but declined further comment on member exclusions. Hoglan later admitted initial reluctance about joining but agreed as a favor to Stroud.

In June 2009 Herrera and Wolbers publicly asserted via radio that they remained official members who had not been informed about Bell and Cazares forming a new band under Fear Factory’s name without consent; they claimed contractual ownership under Fear Factory Incorporated resulted in legal deadlock while citing personal disagreements with Bell that halted collaborative songwriting efforts between them all.

Bell and Cazares explained Herrera and Wolbers resisted reuniting with Cazares or dismissing manager Christy Priske (Wolbers’ spouse). Herrera and Wolbers threatened independent contracts excluding Bell which prompted Bell to establish his own iteration of Fear Factory; Wolbers accused Bell of making unreasonable demands detrimental to business operations.

Fear Factory featuring Bell and Cazares planned live debut at Metalway Festival Spain on June 21 but canceled due to legal complications; subsequent European tours plus shows in Australia/New Zealand were also called off so they could prioritize recording efforts though South American concerts occurred that December as scheduled.

In interviews during June 2009 Cazares criticized Herrera/Wolbers for being overly financially motivated while disapproving their work on Archetype. Despite internal conflicts Bell/Cazares advanced recording sessions; by late July drum tracks were being recorded alongside Rhys Fulber’s production input. On November 6 an album titled Mechanize was announced for February 9 release via Candlelight Records; lead track “Powershifter” premiered online November 8 followed by Bell providing detailed track explanations soon after release announcement.

January 2010 saw Fear Factory touring Australia/New Zealand at Big Day Out festival—their first Australian performances since 2005—and February marked official release date for Mechanize. A U.S.-based “Fear Campaign Tour” began that March followed by headlining Czech Republic's Brutal Assault festival in August; September included opening slots for Metallica across Australia/New Zealand (including Christchurch after fan petitions) plus Tokyo despite earthquake concerns affecting Christchurch venues.

The Industrialist (2011–2013)

During participation at the ‘’70000 Tons of Metal’’ cruise event Burton C. Bell disclosed plans for composing an elaborate concept album aimed at a 2012 launch focusing heavily on intellectual themes reflected through storylines and artwork design elements; Dino Cazares confirmed demoing new material by August that year.

The concept album titled The Industrialist was officially announced January 25, 2012; co-produced by Fear Factory alongside Rhys Fulber with mixing handled by Greg Reely.

Early that year Byron Stroud departed citing lack of respect within band dynamics; Cazares noted he personally recorded bass parts on ‘’Mechanize’’. Matt DeVries (ex-Chimaira guitarist) replaced Stroud in February while Mike Heller joined as drummer April 19 replacing Gene Hoglan who expressed disappointment learning about his dismissal through media outlets rather than directly from band members.

Cazares confirmed John Sankey programmed drums on ‘’The Industrialist’’. Burton described it as fully conceptual both sonically/lyrically while emphasizing tighter songwriting aligned closely with core Fear Factory identity.

The album streamed exclusively via AOL Music June 4 before worldwide release June 5 through Candlelight Records.

On May 2, 2013 Dino Cazares dismissed albums ‘’Archetype’’ & ‘’Transgression’’—recorded without his involvement—as not authentic Fear Factory works despite performing songs from ‘’Archetype’’ during their Australian tour that year; these tracks remain part of live repertoire acknowledging fan demand alongside Cazares’ acceptance.

Genexus (2013–2015)

On May 1st 2013 Dino Cazares announced intentions to begin writing sessions for ninth studio album following completion of ‘’The Industrialist’’ touring cycle targeting early-2014 release timeframe; Burton C. Bell confirmed ongoing North American/European tours throughout that year plus plans to commence writing spring ahead of an anticipated August launch.

By September they signed with Nuclear Blast Records scheduling studio recordings October with Andy Sneap mixing duties complemented by Rhys Fulber producing.

Late-2014 saw debut performances in India during Weekender Tour alongside appearances at Soundwave Festival events across Australia/New Zealand early-2015.

On May Day they welcomed former Static-X/Soulfly bassist Tony Campos into lineup before announcing ‘’Genexus’’ slated for August seventh release.

Summer festivals across Europe preceded North American tours supporting Coal Chamber along with Once Human/Before The Mourning/The Bloodline opening acts; fall included Midwest/Southwest U.S dates plus European tour presenting full ‘’Demanufacture’’ album supported by Once Human & Dead Label.

Hiatus period & legal disputes (2016–2019)

In November ’16 Dino Cazares revealed plans targeting mid-to-late ’17 release for tenth studio record confirming active writing/recording phases anticipated late summer or October launch.

Despite ongoing litigation between Bell/Cazares former bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers expressed interest reuniting classic lineup citing potential major tours/new strong material while hinting at website updates fueling speculation.

May ’17 saw Wolbers posting breakup rumors via Instagram met with ambiguous Twitter responses from Cazares; meanwhile vocalist Burton described forthcoming material as “stronger than Genexus” highlighting focused powerful groove approach.

By November ’18 Bell disclosed tentative tenth album title ‘’Monolith’’ however October ’19 saw Cazares deny any new releases citing lawsuits filed by ex-members Herrera/Wolbers restricting use of band name creating uncertainty over future output.

Departure of Burton C. Bell & ‘’Aggression Continuum’’ (2020–2022)

On September second ’20 Dino announced new music expected ’21 but less than one month later Burton left citing “dishonest representations/unfounded accusations” leaving Cazares sole original member remaining; vocals recorded back in ’17 remained featured on upcoming project which was mixed by Andy Sneap targeting March ’21 release date.

In September interview Cazares stated learning about departure via social media attributing split partly due to lawsuits blocking album release plus acquisition of full trademark ownership making him sole name owner expressing hope for future collaborations despite current separation.

April first ’21 saw announcement debut single “Disruptor” releasing April sixteenth alongside confirmation tenth studio album ‘’Aggression Continuum’’ arriving June eighteenth.

Introduction of Milo Silvestro & forthcoming album (2023–present)

During vocalist auditions Dino expressed openness toward female candidates but opted ultimately for male singer already somewhat established within metal community introduced via new singles; former bassist Olde Wolbers voiced support for continuation under current leadership.

After auditioning over three hundred applicants Italian vocalist Milo Silvestro was unveiled February twenty-first ’23 while Pete Webber from Havok initially covered drums during canceled North American dates later confirmed permanent drummer May ’23.

June ’23 witnessed release of ‘’Re-Industrialized’’, an updated edition of their prior concept album ‘’The Industrialist’’ featuring re-recorded drums by Mike Heller plus remixed tracks alongside newly recorded guitar parts by Cazares incorporating altered tones/sections complemented by three added cover songs: “Landfill,” “Saturation,” “Passing Complexion.”

In November ’24 Dino elaborated reasons reunion with classic members unlikely detailing how he secured full ownership over Fear Factory intellectual property rights.

Recording sessions commenced April twenty-first ’25 marking first contributions from Milo Silvestro/Pete Webber featuring use of eight-string guitar with official eleventh studio album planned for release during ’26 calendar year.