This is not your father's Fear Factory. . . Unfortunately. . . because Fear Factory at their pinnacle were poised to define 21st century Metal. I know not everyone at the Asylum feels the same, but this reviewer's musical perspective was forever changed by FF's brilliant 1995 world-changer "Demanufacture", followed a few years later by the satisfying, albeit more commercial follow-up "Obsolete". The well-trod practice of alternating harsh and clean-melodic vocals was still in its earliest days, and Burton C. Bell was leading the charge. Cyberpunk lyrics, machine-like Industrial double-bass drum attacks, subtle synth layerings, interludes of melody amidst brutal raw voice thrash; songs like ‘Zero Signal’, ‘Replica’, and ‘Descent’ had elevated heavy music to a whole new level. The experiments and remixes on "Remanufacture" showed Fear Factory to be the brave pioneers that we needed, during a time of marginalization, when faux-alts and fake grunges like Bush dominated the airwaves. Could these guys have picked up Metallica's dropped torch?

Fear Factory members were quoted a few years later as saying that they wanted to streamline their music for live performances, taking out the long, epic-sounding instrumental sections, and getting right to the pit-friendly verses and choruses. Alas, they were good for their word, and they stripped their material of the best moments on a number of less-interesting follow-up releases.

Fast forward to 2009; Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares got over an internal feud and reformed for the "Mechanize" album. It was ok.

The streamlined sound continues on 2012's "The Industrialist", but to possibly the best effect since "Obsolete". It's another concept album, in the vein of "Obsolete"; this one following an automaton fallen hero in a hyper-indutrialized society (I think?). There are plenty of ok and forgettable moments, but there are also a number of excellent retro-cyberpunk passages that make the overall experience a rewarding one. As stated, this isn't the Fear Factory that ripped my skull open all those years ago. It's not as if they've gone in new directions and left me pining for good old days, they just still seem to be more preoccupied with pleasing the pit than the engaged listener.

The best tracks are the most melodic and catchy ones, which backs up my stance about the current FF sound: ‘Recharger’ is wonderfully singable, and I truly hope contemporary Nickelback hard rock stations give it some rotation (ha!). ‘New Messiah’ also brings a strong melodic chorus. The album ends pretty well with ‘The Difference Engine’, ‘Disassemble’, and two instrumentals: ‘Religion is Flawed Because Man is Flawed’ and ‘Human Augmentation’. The latter is kind of tuneless noise, yet still intriguing; the former is actually quite beautiful.

If you like latter-day Fear Factory, then I highly recommend "The Industrialist". If you're more of an old school FF fan, then I recommend that you dig through it and find the rewarding moments.