Fear Factory – “Genexus” [Album Review]

In 1992, almost quarter of a decade ago, a band exploded onto the metal scene from the LA underground with an album that, amidst all the hysteria of the grunge phenomena, turned the world of metal on its arse. That album was Soul Of A Mindkiller and not only did it shape a whole generation of bands, but it also put LA cyber-metallers Fear Factory on the world map.

However, it wasn’t until the band released their frankly crushing Demanufacture album that the world really sat up and took notice. Well, after a rollercoaster career, it’s now 2015 and the band are not only celebrating the 20th anniversary of its release, but also the release of their latest industrial-metal creation, Genexus. Described by founder member Dino Cazeres as “the next evolution of Fear Factory,” it’s hard to listen to a large chunk of the material that makes up Genexus without being taken back to the days when the likes of “Replica” were ripping the metal scene apart.

Overlooking the few blips in their career, tracks like “Soul Hacker” hit you straight in the mush with that Fear Factory blueprint of jackhammer drums, cold, clinical guitars, and massive grooves. With Rhys Fulber and Andy Sneap overseeing the production, the end result, as demonstrated on “Church Of Execution,” is exactly how you want Fear Factory to sound – brutal metal delivered with machine-like precision.

Longtime supporter of the band and their label head, Monte Conner, once said that “no other band sounds like Fear Factory” and he’s right. However, whether sticking true to their career-defining blueprint will see Genexus heralded in the same way as Demanufacture was twenty years ago, only time will tell. For now though, it’s just good to have them back doing what they do best.

Track Listing:

01. Autonomous Combat System
02. Anodized
03. Dielectric
04. Soul Hacker
05. ProtoMech
06. Genexus
07. Church of Execution
08. Regenerate
09. Battle for Utopia
10. Expiration Date

Run Time: 47:55
Release Date: August 7, 2015

Check out the song “Regenerate” here.