Review by Michael on June 2, 2001.

WOW!!! That’s the first thing I thought upon hearing "Demanufacture". These guys are aggression personified!!!! The brutal combination of grinding guitars, sub-bass, ultra-kick drum work, industrial / techno style keyboard / synth and vocals that take your skin off... people, I welcome you to the ‘high tech’ world of Fear Factory.

This was the album that ‘unofficially’ brought Fear Factory into the Metal spotlight. And I wonder why? Every aspect of this album is brilliant. So good in fact that after hearing this CD Slayer attempted to poach drummer Raymond Herrera, but thankfully with no luck!! The man is a living metronome. I’ve heard double kick before, but never like he plays. He is literally like a drum machine, and before you ask…I’ve seen Fear Factory live 3 times and he plays every triple!!! From the power opening track "Demanufacture" to the fast "New Breed" and the emotionally charged "Pisschrist" it is brilliant and unforgettable. Fear Factory were one of the first (dare I say) ‘crossover’ metal bands to incorporate techno style samples and sounds with mean guitars. There have been many similar bands since, but none of them in my opinion are even close to the money. Their speed and control are incredible allowing for great attention to detail. The production is excellent. The drums are crisp, clear and well balanced in the mix, the guitars are huge and full of bottom end but also maintaining great clarity. The bass sits nicely with the guitars and does what it should do... adds bottom end and punch to the mix without sticking out like a sore thumb. Now the vocals. Burton C. Bell has a fantastic voice that moves effortlessly from low, distorted screamed vocals to fresh clean tone vocals, to chanting that would make a monk give up his day job!! Now, what can I say about the guitar lines... they are HEAVY! They really get the heart pumping at times with fast strumming, usually riding the kick drum, they can be crushingly heavy or can change in an instant to heartfelt chorus’ and outro’s. As most of you will know Dino is a big man, but his dexterity for what I would call ‘guitar double kick’ is quite amazing. Intertwined within all this are hundreds of small digital samples, keyboard loops and synth sound effects courtesy of Rhys Fulber. It is the controlled combination of all this chaos that gives Fear Factory the Number 1 spot in this area of metal.

Favourite Track(s)? I don’t know... it’s a really hard choice…. "Demanufacture", "H-K (Hunter Killer)" or "Pisschrist".

Bottom Line: This is an amazing album. If you don’t run out and buy this album after reading this review I think it's time to go to the bathroom, open the cupboard, and start taking those little pills that nice man at the hospital gave you!!!

Rating: 10 out of 10