FEAR FACTORY's DINO CAZARES Picks METALLICA's 'Ride The Lightning' Over 'Master Of Puppets', Explains Why

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the first time I'd seen METALLICA was actually on [the tour in support of] 'Ride The Lightning'. I was freshly off the boat in Los Angeles. I was 18 years old, and [the concert took place] right across the street [from] where I was working. I was working at a sandwich shop right across the street from the Hollywood Palladium. It was called Togo's sandwiches. And I was working there. And I had met [MEGADETH mainman] Dave Mustaine. I met [MEGADETH bassist] Dave Ellefson. I met everybody in MÖTLEY CRÜE and all the L.A. local bands. And I was working, and some of the crew guys for METALLICA came over. I made 'em some sandwiches, and I asked 'em a bunch of questions, of course. And I went to see the show across the street, and I was, like, 'Fuck.' And I was just blown away. Because they opened up for ARMORED SAINT. Now, I love ARMORED SAINT to death. But that day, METALLICA on 'Ride The Lightning' killed ARMORED SAINT. Half the crowd left, and it was, like, 'Wow.' And I was just blown away. And I think that experience, to me, to see the band raw, just ripping and just destroy a crowd, it would have to be 'Ride The Lightning'."

Dino continued: "Now, 'Master Of Puppets' is a great record — don't get me wrong; it's a masterpiece — but it's something about the rawness in 'Ride The Lightning'; 'Fight Fire With Fire', which is ripping. But a year or two later, I saw them open up for Ozzy [Osbourne], and at that point, Ozzy was kind of transitioning to a little glammy. He had his poofy, curly hair, and he kind of was wearing this sequins thing; it almost looked like a dress. And it was, like, 'Oh my God.' But that was in a bigger arena, so I was further away. So that experience was much more different. So, I would have to say 'Ride The Lightning'. Of course, the production got better on 'Master Of Puppets'. They had longer songs on that record; it was only eight songs in that record. But still, I would still say 'Ride the Lightning'."

Back in April 2021, Cazares spoke to "Speak N' Destroy", a podcast about all things METALLICA, hosted by longtime journalist and METALLICA fan Ryan J. Downey, about how James Hetfield's rhythm playing inspired him. Cazares said: "I can tell you everybody combined that influenced me. It comes from [AC/DC's] Angus Young. That's where it comes from — the chords. Of course, you've got your Tony Iommis, and all that stuff was cool for when I began. But when I first heard METALLICA, when I first heard [James Hetfield's] right hand, I was, like, 'This is what I wanna do.'

"Everybody you get a piece of something from, but when it comes to down picking, when it comes to those kind of rhythms, James Hetfieldwas the man," Dino continued. "And the way he palm mutes and the way he picks, you feel the power. And the way he had his amps set up, his guitars, his pickup, all that created this certain crunch, this certain tone that I fell in love with instantly. And to me, that was more powerful. Because that palm right there… You can go back to [hums opening riff of 'Disposable Heroes']. That's all down picking… Then [hums another riff from 'Disposable Heroes'] — he had the alternate picking… And those were rhythms were, like, 'Holy shit!' It was, like, 'I've gotta learn that.' Right away, I had to learn that. But I've known him more for was his down picking, and that was really what I took from that — from his picking."

FEAR FACTORY is planning to enter the studio later this year to record a new studio album. The effort will mark FEAR FACTORY's recording debut with the group's latest addition, Italian-born vocalist Milo Silvestro, whose addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Earlier last year, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber has been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who is unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

Last fall, FEAR FACTORY completed a European tour. The 44-date trek marked the band's first European shows since 2016. Joining them on this run were BUTCHER BABIES from the USA and IGNEA from Ukraine.

FEAR FACTORY and MACHINE HEAD recently joined forces for the "Slaughter The Martour North America 2024" tour. Additional support on the trek is coming from Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.