Cyber-metal band Fear Factory have announced they are releasing their first new album in nearly six years. Aggression Continuum, the band’s long awaited followup to their 2015 album Genexus, is due to be released on June 18th. The first single ‘Disruptor’ from the album was released today alongside a music video for the song.
My first impression of ‘Disruptor’ is that it is probably the heaviest song I’ve heard from Fear Factory so far. The song has a very technical sound that is reminiscent of Mechanize-era Fear Factory, arguably the band’s most aggressive period. ‘Disruptor’ matches, and possibly surpasses, Mechanize in its intensity.
‘Disruptor’ has all the elements that make a great Fear Factory song. The sharp, nearly mechanical guitar riffing of Dino Cazares. The mathematically-precise percussion of drummer Mike Heller. The heavy low-end of bassist Tony Campos. And what is probably the most aggressive vocal contribution from singer Burton C. Bell since their debut album that effortlessly switches from a near-death metal snarl to entrancing, cleanly-sung melodies. All come together to convey perfectly the song’s central concept.
An impressive high-concept music video for ‘Disruptor’ was also released today. It features four central human characters in a disturblingly near-future dystopian environment who appear to be fighting against weaponized, A.I.-controlled drones. The drones hunt down and kill each human character until only one remains. The remaining human survivor succeeds in hacking into a server and uploading malware to it with the presumed intent to circumvent whatever initiative is causing the machines to war against humanity.
The video’s high production values and professional-grade actors have allowed it to perfectly allegorize not only the song but really the Fear Factory concept as a whole, which has always been a “technology-run-amok” idea as allegory for the band’s lyrical concepts. As a Fear Factory music video, it is extremely effective at extrapolating the dystopian vision always present in the band’s sound and lyrics.
The new album Aggression Continuum can be pre-ordered via the band’s official website now and can be purchased in a variety of formats, including cassette tape and a variety of extremely nice-looking vinyl. The album will also be available on all major streaming services on June 18th.
