Fear Factory main man Burton C. Bell at some point in his not too distant past claimed that he had lost interest in heavy music, which I guess pretty much signalled what could have been the end for Fear Factory first time around. But thanks to reconciliation between him and long time co-founding guitarist Dino Cazares, they have finally restarted their band machine that lay dormant for so long.

It's a long road from 2005's 'Transgression', and I'm pleased to say the band has resurfaced once more to give us a new lethal dose of industrial discipline. This mutated version of Fear Factory only has one thing in mind and that is to erase the eight years since Dino last played with them, as if they never happened. Gene Hoglan (ex Dark Angel/Strapping Young Lad/Testament) has replaced the human drum machine, Raymond Herrera who in my opinion was a key part of Fear Factory's signature sound and their appeal to fans, so it is with much interest that I sit down to listen to their latest offering, 'Mechanize'. But fear not Factory fans, the first thing that is obvious is that Hoglan more than holds his own and even brings a distinct Strapping Young Lad influence to some of the tracks, along with some pretty impressive Herrera style machine gun precision drumming.

'Mechanize' opens the album with the familiar Terminator-like landscape sound that made 'Demanufacture' famous and gallops its way into the verse. 'Industrial Discipline' has a familiar resonance to it, not just musically but lyrically too, and boasts the best chorus of the album. This track is set become a future classic and will no doubt also be a live favourite.

Lead single 'Fear Campaign' starts with a short atmospheric spoken word intro before Burt and Co. burst into a deathly sound that leads you into what is a typical Fear Factory song. The keyboards take centre-stage here with rolling drums leading neatly into some progressive guitars and a standout vocal performance from Bell. Unfortunately that is spoiled slightly when you reach an unwelcome solo near the end. 'Powershifter' is next and strikes out with a solid double bass drum-led intro and thrash-inspired guitars. It promotes the idea that we must 'break free from the gears of the machine'. Watch out for the aurally stunning break midway!

As you might expect from a track called 'Christploitation', this track confronts organised religion with keyboard lines that cascade over the song's ferocious death metal groundwork in a way that other bands can only dream of. 'Oxidizer' meanwhile hits hard and Hoglan's drumming deserves a special mention, as these beats will make your ears bleed and leave this tune's imprint pin balling through your brain.

Next up is 'Controlled Demolition', with its pure Fear Factory heaven intro thanks to sampler Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly/ Paradise Lost) who truly shines here, helping the song by giving it this haunting and desolate sound. The ending is simply explosive with Burton really sounding monstrous.

'Designing The Enemy' is definitely the most progressive track on 'Mechanize' and along with 'Industrial Discipline' are the clear standouts. There are so many layers to this track and it's sure to be remembered as one of the best tracks the collective has ever written. 'Metallic Division' is an instrumental interlude that creates a harsh coldwave soundscape that conjures up images of a machine-led future. Before final tune 'Final Exit' which is a deep musical number, that soundtracks death in the most melodic way you can imagine. Despite the subject matter, the track itself is built for arena-sized refrains that are immediately memorable.

The production work on 'Mechanize' is almost perfect, and I would say it combines the feel of 'Obsolete' along with the sharpness of 'Digimortal' but in terms of the album itself, it steers towards the unfuckwithable 'Demanufacture' approach.

'Mechanize' then is an album that could sit comfortably among the band's first three releases, but with better song writing than any of them. In a nutshell, it's everything that the band has been unwilling or unable to do after Dino was removed.  

Against all odds, this is the comeback story of 2010. There is something for everyone on this album - this is the record that die-hard fans had always hoped the band had left in their tank.

Get a copy now and I will see you in a Fear Factory mosh-pit somewhere soon!

http://www.myspace.com/fearfactory