Fear Factory
Archetype

THE REVIEW

"The infection has been removed, the soul of this machine has improved"
("L'infezione è stata rimossa, l'anima di questa macchina è migliorata")


It's not just a line from the title track; this phrase hides a very important meaning. The problems have been overcome, and now the band has improved (once again). These are the exact words of the leader and vocalist of Fear Factory:
"Your machine makes strange noises; you know it can break, and you need to fix it. Our machine had this kind of malfunction. One part wasn't working well with the rest of the machine. I left the band for a change to happen, and thanks to my actions, everything went for the better. We took our time so that Fear Factory could temporarily shut down for a renewal. The release of "Archetype" announces our grand reopening".

Burton Bell was right; in a time when no extraordinary products are coming out on the market, this record arrives like a bolt from the blue and shows that when you have determination, even 12 years after the debut, you can make the best album (and when I think of my beloved Metallica, it makes me want to cry). Christian Olde Wolbers moves from bass to guitar, vacated by Dino Cazares, while he is replaced by Byron Stroud. On drums, there's always the great Raymond Herrera (one of my favorite drummers) who characterizes Fear Factory's Industrial Metal with compact and tight rhythms. The record reaches an even more melodic sound, which, however, doesn't bother at all; in fact, the songs are much more varied and very easy to remember, even on the first listen. "Slave Labor" is a violent attack on the music business and worthy of opening the package. The violent "Cyber Waste" talks about people who shoot crap in chat without knowing anything. "Act Of God" is a powerful industrial ride that leaves room for melodic interludes, while "Drones" is simply the best song on the album, along with the title track. "Archetype," the song, really struck me; the melody almost takes over the power of the drums. Industries that create unreal things are attacked in "Corporate Cloning." A sort of industrial ballad is "Bite The Hand That Bleeds," where the rhythms soften, adding another positive point to the album. "Undercurrent" is one of the many on the album, but it's a good song, while the chorus of "Default Judgement" is as deep as the abyss (I didn't know what else to put!). "Bonescraper" is sonic violence and reiterates "Cyber Waste" without taking away or adding anything. The theme of war (specifically Iraq) is also found in "Human Shields," demonstrating that the album maintains an absolutely high-quality standard. "Ascension" is a seven-minute hiss (let's call it instrumental), and "School" ends beautifully.

"Soul Of A New Machine" is good, "Demanufacture" is excellent, and "Archetype" is exceptional. I think I've said it all, so if you have to "throw away" 20 euros, buy this record; you won't regret it.