Artist: Fear Factory Album: Obsolete

Year: 1998
Duration: 1:08:50

Taking a closer look at Fear Factory's Album Obsolete

Fear Factory is a metal band from Los Angeles that rose to fame in the late 90s. While many bands from that era have faded away, Fear Factory remains relevant due to their unique blend of Industrial and Death Metal genres. They have a reputation for pushing the boundaries of the conventional metal sound, and their 1998 album Obsolete is no exception.

The album Obsolete is a concept album that tells the story of a man and his struggle against a dystopian society dominated by machines. The band explores themes of social control, resistance, and the pervasiveness of technology. The album features a mixture of aggressive guitar riffs, mechanized drumming, and industrial soundscapes, all tied together by Burton C. Bell's unique vocal style.

The most notable tracks include Shock, Edgecrusher, and Descent. Shock is the opening track and sets the tone for the rest of the album with its relentless guitar riffs and pounding drums. Edgecrusher showcases Dino Cazares's guitar work and the band's ability to create a sense of urgency and intensity. Descent slows things down a bit, with its beautiful industrial-tinged melody and haunting lyrics.

One of the most innovative parts of the album is the use of samples from dystopian films like Blade Runner and The Matrix. These samples are used to reinforce the themes of the album and give it a cinematic quality. The band also implemented electronic beats and soundscapes which gives the album a futuristic feel even today.

Despite the album's praise from fans and critics, Obsolete also received some criticism. Some people felt that the album was too derivative of their previous album Demanufacture. There was also criticism about the way that the electronic elements were integrated into the album; some thought that it was too forced and detracted from the raw energy of the band.

Despite its flaws, Obsolete remains an important album in the history of metal music. Fear Factory's willingness to experiment with new sounds and ideas made this album stand out from the rest of the band's discography and cemented their place as pioneers of the Industrial Metal genre. For any metal lover, Obsolete is a must-listen album that showcases the best of what Fear Factory has to offer.