FEAR FACTORY Begins Recording New Album

FEAR FACTORY has entered NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California with longtime producer/collaborator Rhys Fulber and engineer Mike Plotnikoff to begin tracking its new album for an early 2015 release via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD will be mixed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, EXODUS, TESTAMENT and ACCEPT, among many others.

Regarding FEAR FACTORY's decision to sign with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, the U.S. partnership between Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger and former Roadrunner Records A&R chief Monte Conner, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares told Jose Mangin, SiriusXM director of programming and on-air host (Liquid Metal, Ozzy's Boneyard, Octane): "Monte was the guy that signed us at Roadrunner back in 1992, and then to come full circle working with him in 2014 feels very good, because, you know, me and Monte were very tight and making all those classic FEAR FACTORY records, we've been through ups and downs together. We saw the best points and the low points of making those records together. It feels good to be back with him, because if anybody understands what we've been through and what we've accomplished, it's him."

On the topic of the musical direction of FEAR FACTORY's new material, Dino said: "Well, each one of our records are so different from each other. You know, it still sounds like FEAR FACTORY. There's still the killer guitar picking, the killer drum beats, Burt's [C. Bell] beautiful vocals on the top of it, you know, that's all still very much intact, but you always have to try and experiment and push your music to different places, you know what I mean? From [1992's] 'Soul Of A New Machine' to [1995's] 'Demanufacture' is a big jump, and 'Demanufacture' is obviously so different. I would have to say this record would land somewhere between 'Demanufacture' and [1998's] 'Obsolete'."

In addition to Cazares and Bell, FEAR FACTORY's current touring lineup features drummer Mike Heller and bassist Matt DeVries.

"[Mike has] been with us for the last two years and he's amazing, he's a great drummer," Dino said. "He's not a really big-name guy, but he just fits well. [And Matt's] doing UNEARTH. He does stuff while we have down time — me and Burton, while we're writing a record and getting that together, [Matt is] doing other projects. He's in UNEARTH, playing with them live right now, but I know their touring cycle is gonna be done soon."

FEAR FACTORY in December 2013 completed touring North America as the support act for MEGADETH. Also appearing on the bill was NONPOINT.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, 2012's "The Industrialist", sold 9,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Mechanize", opened with 10,000 units back in February 2010 to land at No. 72.

Photo credit (above): Stephanie Cabral